St. Bernard's Catholic Church (inside photograph) in September of 1957

Inside of St. Bernard's (2nd) Church in September 1957

The original St. Bernard's Church was built on the northeast corner of Walnut Street and North Street. Father Edward O. Flaherty was the first resident pastor. Later, Edward P. Walters purchased ground from the Elston family for a cemetery (Calvary). Father Walters also initiated the purchase of land at the southeast corner of Pike and Washington to build a new church. On 17 September 1876 the Gothic style church was dedicated. A rectory was also built south of the church, and St. Charles Academy was built on East Pike Street under the Sisters of the Holy Cross. This building changed through the years due to two sections of the tower being removed. Henry F. Ward came to Crawfordsville in 1956, and the third Catholic Church (current building on East Main Street) was erected.

*This is the first inside photograph of the second church the library has ever seen.  If you have others please consider sharing with us by stopping by the second floor or calling  362-2242 x 117.

Do you know this family?

We like to identify all the items we store in our image collection -- but even some of the more "recent" photographs can remain unidentified. Can you help?

Here is a photograph of a family of five (two daughters and a son) that was taken in November 1987. The young boy would be at least 25 years old today. This photograph was donated by Frances Anderson, January 2008, but has never been described.

If you ever see any of our online items with missing or mistaken information, we would appreciate your help! Call us at 765-362-2242 ext 117 or e-mail: ref@cdpl.lib.in.us

Browns Valley (Brownsvalley) School ... 1895 range

Donated by Isobel Arvin

This photo of a Browns Valley (Brownsvalley) School is approximately 1895. Nellie Galey Canine was born in 1890 and appears to be around age five or six. The slate has District No.-- written on it, but it is unclear what number is shown -- possibly No. 11. The back of the photograph lists names as: front row: Sally Penn Burroff, Ruth Goff, Opal Grimes. The second row: Cleo Miller, Margaret Durham Demaree, Cloa Miller Butter, Edith Wiltermood, Victor Graham, Glee Vice, Nellie Galey, Canine, Irene McIntire, Joe Williams, Clyde Buser. The third row: Ada Graham Hennings, Claude Durham, Eugene McIntyre, Bessie Penn, Guy Durham, Tom Durham, Flavia Lydick Bayless Burford, Blaine Graham, Aaron Graham, Ben Allen, Charley Miller. The fourth row: Salley Galey, Walter Penn, Fannie Allen {Clark Sights), Frank Johnson (teacher), Zona Graham (Goodwin), Mary Allen Seybold, Grace Penn, Gertie McIntyre.

Frank Johnson has a teaching examination record for 1889 in the Teacher Examination database (Johnson's home mailing address was Waveland in 1889). The Patton family owned land where the school house was in Section 21 of Brown Township, so it is possible this school was named after the family. In the Waveland history books, School #11 was not given a name, and plat maps only show S.H. (for school house).

October 22, 1910: Did Wabash Win?

Ralph Wilson was a Wabash football player who was fatally injured during a Wabash football game with St. Louis on October 22, 1910. The Wabash student newspaper, The Bachelor, reported on October 29 that Wilson was unconscious when he was transported back to the hotel where the team was staying but woke up, asking “Did Wabash win?”

You can read all about Wabash's football fatality in the book Hidden History of Montgomery County, written by CDPL staff Jodie Wilson, Rebecca McDole, and Emily Griffin (2012) -- and available in the library to borrow or purchase. Take a peek at the book in Google Books!

Wabash Graduate and World War I Veteran

Homer at Browns Valley in 1918

Homer M. Galey was born in Browns Valley (Brownsvalley) on May 19, 1895 to Fisher B. and Tassie Mathers Galey. Homer graduated from Waveland High School (1914) and was a 1918 Wabash College graduate. On June 5, 1917 Homer signed his WWI draft card. He was listed as a farmer working for H. Fullenwider of Waveland and was of medium build with blue eyes and light brown hair. He married Germaine M. LePederel on May 26, 1923 inWashington D.C. After the service, Galey worked for Monsanto Company as a chemist; he passed away in January 1977 (after living in Stuart, Florida) and is buried at Freedom Cemetery.

Notice in the photos Homer is wearing different-styled military hats.

Nellie Galey Canine ... 105 years of interesting

Brownsvalley School early 1900s

This photograph was recently donated to the Crawfordsville District Public Library.  Nell (Nellie) Galey Canine is in the white shirt right next to the teacher (mustache). All the other pupils are unknown. It is probable that the young man with the arrow is Joe (the back of the photograph says, "Joe's school [Patton]).  This school was located near Browns Valley.  If you can identify anyone please call 362-2242 x 117.

Nellie Galey Canine is pictured at the right bundled up at the Waveland Depot. Nell was born 27 October 1890 in Browns Valley to Fisher B. and Tassie Mathers Galey. In 1908 she graduated from Waveland High School and then attended Indiana University. On 9 April 1921 she married Joseph R. Canine in Washington D.C.  Mrs. Canine was the secretary for the Chief of the Children's Bureau in Department of Labor in Washington, a secretary for the Home Economics Department at Purdue University, and retired from Wabash College's Chemistry Department. Mrs. Canine also operated and owned the Weatherill Restaurant at Browns Valley (anyone have a picture of this restaurant?) and taught school at Browns Valley.  This interesting woman lived to be 105 years old (10 November 1995).

Norris Kelsey ... wonderful man!

Have you ever met one of those people who can always make you smile because he is just happy to grace the earth? Well, Norris Kelsey was one of those people!

Sept. 13, 1942 at Camp Edwards, Mass.

Norris moved to this county at the age of seven after his father passed away to live with Ottis and Mary Couger, and he graduated from New Market in 1940. Then he worked at RR Donnelley for two years and married Virginia Bannon in July 1942. He was drafted into the Army and took basic training at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts, and then trained at Camp Gordon with the 594 E.B.S.R. Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment, and then trained as 1st cook. In 1943 he transferred to 544th C.A.E.B.S.R. and went to New Guinea in the South Pacific before heading to the Philippines. Once he returned state-side he was recognized for his service. Farming, bus route,s and Raybestos rounded out his professional career. Norris kept busy with family, fun, and serving the Lord. Sadly, after 93 years, Norris Kelsey left this earth 11 March 2014.

Norris and Virginia (Bannon) Kelsey

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Covered Bridge Festival...1958

The 58th Parke County Covered Bridge Festival this year is October 10-19. Many residents of Montgomery County look forward to this annual event -- and have for years. Although our Local History collection concentrates on our county's heritage, it is not unusual for us to have items of interest from surrounding areas! Here is a photograph of the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival in the Courthouse yard, Rockville, Indiana, October 1958.

Clark family, 1899

 Where will your family photos end up more than 100 years from now?

In 2010 we received a generous donation of photos taken of the Thomas S. Clark family. Just recently (in August 2014) we received another donation -- from a different source -- of Clark family photos. These groups of photographs had been separated over the years, but many were of the same individuals...and some photos were taken on the same day!

The two photographs above were taken in the Clark family home at 512 Whitlock Avenue in 1899. The top photo is from the 2010 donation; this photo had the names of those pictured written on back: back row (from left to right): Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Clark) Miller, Kate (Clark) Purdue, John Clark (of Kansas), Mary (Slattery) Clark, and John Clark; Front Row (from left to right): Rodney Abraham, Mayme Clark (most likely Mary Agatha (Shoemaker) Clark), Bessie (Clark) Daugherty, and Thomas S. Clark.

The bottom photograph is from the 2014 donation. It is nearly the same photo -- but some family members have moved. There is no inscription on this photograph, but based on the 2010 image we can identify the family members. Standing in back are Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Clark) Miller, Kate (Clark) Purdue. Seated behind the table are: Mary Agatha (Shoemaker) Clark, Mary (Slattery) Clark, John Clark. In front are Bessie (Clark) Daugherty and John Clark. An unidentified man (Patrick Clark?) with drink in hand stands in the background.

These photos were obviously taken the same day! So, more than a century after a family posed for pictures in a local home, these photographs have been reunited and are now together in the Crawfordsville District Public Library.

View all the photos in these two collections by searching for "Clark" in the folder field on our Image Database: http://history.cdpl.lib.in.us/imagedb.html

93 years ago ... Waveland Football

1921 Football Team at WHS

The young men pictured are Front Row (left to right): Bob Long, Herb Kelso, Clif Myers, Pete Moser, Bill Records, Reid Canine

Middle Row (left to right): John Dietrich, Botts Miles, John Gilliland, Charles Ferrell, Jim Fullenwider, Archie Sprague, Hugh Moore

Top Row (left to right): J.D. Blacker, Lyle Tucker, Ted Moore, Glenn Stewart, T.W. Records

Bill Durham donated this photograph and it is noted by Mr. Durham ..."There's some confusion as to the identity of the person on the far left, second row.  The front indicates my father, William Harold Durham, but the back shows someone else.  It looks like it could be my father.  He was born 1904-12-07."

If you know more about any of these men, 

please contact the Reference Department

at 362-2242 x117.  

A corner in Crawfordsville that you know!

You have probably passed this corner in Crawfordsville many times. Do you know where it is and what is there now? Take a look at these three photos from different time periods and see if you recognize where you are....

 c. 1865

 c. 1899

c. 1909








So what do you think? The photograph taken in 1899 (which we just received as a donation, by the way!) may give you the best clue. Here is what that corner looks like today:

c. 2014








This spot is the NE corner of Green and Main streets, the Canine Plaza. The Crawford Hotel occupied this corner from 1900 to 1975, covering up the Tafel Beer advertisement for three-quarters of a century (the brick-painting advertisement was eventually restored in recent years).

So next time you are around the Canine Plaza, remember what that corner used to be!

We enjoy very much our role as conservators of your county's heritage. We already have an expansive selection of documents and continue to accumulate pieces of history. Think about what you or others may have that can be shared! Contact us anytime (ref@cdpl.lib.in.us or 765-362-2242 ext 117).