Indiana Room at PGTPL

01/23/2025

Throwback Thursday: Plainfield, Indiana’s Stanley Road in 1959

What a difference 65 years makes! We recently rediscovered this photo of Stanley Road in the Indiana Room archives. Taken in November of 1959, it looks east from what is now the area of Stanley Road and Creekside Lane.

Not only does it show a really cool mid-century car (anyone out there able to identify the make and model?) but a much more rural scene than the current photo captured from Google Street View.

01/20/2025

Behind the Archives door: Coroners' Inquests

One of the unusual items preserved in the Indiana Room Archives is a collection of Hendricks County Coroners’ Inquests. These documents record the investigations into sudden or unexpected deaths, usually those where no attending physician was present. Often included are eye-witness accounts from witnesses. There are two record storage boxes containing sixty years worth of inquests, from 1845 to 1905, in the archives. All about unattended deaths in Hendricks County, Indiana.

A look at the causes of death opens an interesting window into the dangers of life in the last half of the nineteenth century. Sadly, the vast majority of the cases, 25%, were ruled su***de. However, the next largest number, 22%, were the result of trains, most often being struck by one. Relatively few were the result of murder, the mainstay of today’s television forensic specialists. Two poisonings and three stabbings were investigated, along with six gunshot slayings - one of which appears above.

For more information, check out the index to this collection here:https://www.plainfieldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/coroner-inquest-joint.pdf or come on in to the Indiana Room to see the records.

01/16/2025

Throwback Thursday: Horace Hadley, artist

Plainfield, Indiana’s history is replete with the family surname Hadley, but one in particular is being recognized today.

Horace Hadley, lifelong resident and prolific artist, was tapped to design and decorate many Plainfield sites, including the “new” high school in 1931, the Hall Mortuary sign in 1942, and Plainfield’s Carnegie Library in 1947.

Born in Bridgeport, Indiana, in 1895, Horace was an artist from the beginning. As a young soldier in 1918, his post was as artist and designer at Camp Sherman in Ohio. In 1919, he married his first wife, Dora Pike. He attended art school in Detroit, MI, and the John Herron School of Art in Indianapolis. In 1928, he was commissioned to design the war memorial at Maple Hill, which still stands today.

In 1929, Hadley bought the Tribble building on South Vine Street, and opened his own design studio. In 1931, he was awarded the sub-contract for all painting and decorating at the new high school and in 1947, he redecorated the basement, kitchen and entryway at the Carnegie Library on Center Street.

Horace married Carrie Edmondson Henry, his second wife, in 1958. He was the chairman of the Property Trustees of the Western Yearly Meeting for 30 years, and he belonged to the First Man’s Club, the Plainfield Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. Mr. Hadley passed away in August 1985.

The Plainfield Library is the fortunate recipient of two of Hadley’s paintings. Considering all of his artistic contributions, Horace Hadley was indeed instrumental in beautifying the village of Plainfield.

Photo 1: Horace in 1975
Photo 2: Group photo of Plainfield’s Last Man’s Club; Horace stands 4th from left
Photo 3: Hadley's painting of the first Plainfield Methodist Episcopal church at 208 S. Mill Street
Photo 4: The World War I memorial at Maple Hill Cemetery
Photo 5: An Indiana landscape painting done by Hadley, which was donated to the Plainfield Library

01/13/2025

Behind the Archives Door: a peek at the collections in the Indiana Room

Anyone who has lived in Plainfield, Indiana, for any amount of time has certainly heard of the 1843 incident involving former president Martin Van Buren and an elm tree. And a muddy National Road.

A short summary is that on June 3, 1843, Martin Van Buren was making his way across Indiana along the very ill-kept National Road. To impress upon the former president how important funding was to improve the conditions of the road, at an appointed location, his buggy was intentionally flipped landing Van Buren in the muddy road. A deal had been made with the stage coach driver, Asa Wright, to provide Van Buren a rough ride along the route. Wright did a good job whipping up his team of horses so that when they got near the intersection of Avon Avenue and Main Street, the horses went one way, the stage went the other way and Van Buren was tossed into the mud.

The elm tree lasted many years, marking the spot of the incident involving President Martin Van Buren. But nature has a way of changing things, and during a violent storm in 1928, the tree was struck by lightning and almost totally destroyed. The remains of the famous elm tree were eventually removed, but saved. The Lions Club erected a large boulder near the spot on the grounds of the Plainfield Friends Church and installed on it the commemorative plaque donated by the Caroline Scott Harrison Chapter of the D.A.R.

Through the efforts of the Industrial Arts Department at the Plainfield High School, pieces of the famed elm tree didn’t go to waste. Mr. Schaeffer’s classes made souvenirs from the wood, including ashtrays, gavels, clock cases, small lamps, and candle holders. The souvenirs were sold in the Spot Cash Store and Nutter’s Variety Store.

We are very happy to have some of these hand-carved treasures safely preserved in the archives.

01/09/2025

Throwback Thursday: Plainfield High School teacher Kermit Davis

If you went to Plainfield High School in the 70s or 80s, you surely know the name Kermit Davis. Beloved coach and educator, Mr. Davis was responsible for the term “Red Pride,” which still to this day is the motto of the school.

Born in Ohio in 1925, Mr. Davis was a football star in high school. In 1944, he joined the United State Marines and fought at Bougainville, Guam, and Iwo Jima. He was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his bravery. In 1950, he was re-activated for the Korean War and was stationed in Puerto Rico until discharged in 1962.

He began coaching while in Puerto Rico, and in 1970, moved to Plainfield, Indiana, with a stellar record of master coaching, ultimately leading the football team to four Mid-State championships. He and his wife, Jean, founded the International Sports Exchange program which arranged international sports competitions, enabling them to visit over 40 countries. He retired from teaching and coaching in 1988.

In 2012, Mr. Davis was a passenger on the inaugural Indy Honor Flight, where veterans were flown to Washington D.C. to visit the war memorials. On January 11, 2020, he passed at 94 years of age.

Do you have Mr. Davis stories to share? We would love to hear them!

Photo 1: A “before and after” composite published in the Hendricks County Flyer in 2014 showing Mr. Davis in uniform and on the Indy Honor Flight. 1945 and 2014.

Photo 2: Mr. Davis coaches with intensity.

Photo 3: Mr. Davis was a popular teacher.

Photo 4: Through the International Sports Exchange, Mr. and Mrs. Davis were able to go to the Soviet Union and meet the superstar gymnast, Nadia Comaneci.

Photo 5: Mr. Davis returns on the Indy Honor Flight.

01/06/2025

Behind the Archives Door: a peek into the collections of the Indiana Room

Today’s "Behind the Archives Door" looks at a World War II ration book. This particular book belonged to Dr. Chester Miller (1876-1968), a Plainfield, Indiana, dentist who had an office in the Knights of Pythias building at 115 West Main Street.

During World War 2, the United States government limited the purchase by civilians of essential goods like food, fuel, and rubber, to make sure enough supplies were available for the military. Because of these shortages, the government set up a system of rationing that would more fairly distribute foods that were in short supply.

Every American was issued a series of ration books which contained removable stamps good for certain items, like sugar, meat, cooking oil, and canned goods. A person could not buy a rationed item without also giving the grocer the right ration stamp. Once a person’s ration stamps were used up for a month, they couldn’t buy any more of that type of food. This meant planning meals carefully, being creative with menus, and not wasting food.

It’s interesting to note that when a Gallup Poll in March 1943, asked Americans, “Do you understand how the food point rationing system works?”, only 53% of men answered “Yes” while 76% of women answered said they did!

01/06/2025

The library is closed today due to the snow. Stay warm today!

The library is CLOSED TODAY, January 6, due to bad weather and hazardous road conditions. Thankfully, the library is never fully closed! For digital resources, visit https://plainfieldlibrary.net/digital-resources

01/05/2025

We will be closed today due to incoming snow. Have a good afternoon!

The library is CLOSED TODAY, January 5, due to inclement weather and hazardous road conditions. Thankfully, the library is never fully closed! For digital resources, visit plainfieldlibrary.net/digital-resources.

01/02/2025

Today’s Throwback Thursday highlights former Plainfield Fire Chief Carlos Swinford

Have you ever wondered how Plainfield, Indiana’s Swinford Park got its name? The name is in honor of Carlos “Red” Swinford, Plainfield’s long-time fire chief.

Swinford worked with the volunteer fire department which was established in Plainfield in 1923, serving under Plainfield’s first chief Edgar Milam. Upon Milam’s retirement in 1933, he was appointed chief, a position he held until he retired in 1968. After retirement Swinford worked for the Hall-Baker Funeral Home until 1980. He passed away in 1985 at age 81.

1) One of the earliest photos of the Plainfield Fire Department, in front of the West Hill Tavern (was located on the north side of US 40 near Vestal Road). Pictured are Frank Calbert, Walter McKnight, James Moore, Jude Hancook, Tom Ruebeck, Carlos “Red” Swinford, Jude Schwier and Mink Calbert. 1930s

2) Plainfield firemen pose in front of their fire truck in front of the Plainfield Fire Station, located at 215 West Main Street. Carlos Swinford far right.

3) Plainfield Town Employees Christmas Party, 1950. Seated (l-r): Danny Bailey, John Greenlee, Charles Franklin (Sap Franklin), Si Hancook. Standing (l-r): Harvey Pickett, Carlos Swinford (Red Swinford), Lester Berlin, Lowell Krebs, Everett Crowe.

4) Fire Chief Carlos Swinford (r) and Plainfield Police Chief Charles Franklin (l) stand in front of the fleet of Plainfield fire trucks, parked on the north side of U.S. 40 at Mill Street. (Note the sign for Pres Hanna Chevrolet in the background. Was located at 131 N. Mill Street)

5.) Roland ("Mink") Calbert and Carlos Swinford (right) study a painting done by Eloise Castetter, given to Chief Swinford on the occasion of his retirement from the Plainfield Fire Department, August 1968. The painting depicts the department's second fire engine parked in front of the fire station on Main Street. [original photograph loaned by Mary Ann Swinford Long for scanning by the Indiana Room]

12/30/2024

Stay Tuned: New Monday Feature Coming in 2025!

Have you ever wondered what is behind that door leading to the Archives in the Indiana Room? At PGTPL, we are fortunate indeed to be entrusted with the legacy of over a century of local history preservation work in Plainfield, Indiana.

In 1968, the library’s Board of Trustees made a resolution to establish a permanent local history collection within the library.

In 1987, support from library administration and the Library Board of Trustees led to the installation of a temperature and humidity-controlled archive to aid in continuing this work. This space was renovated and enlarged in the 2000 construction project. Focusing primarily on Plainfield and Guilford Township, the archives contain items from all over Hendricks County.

On Monday, January 6, we will begin a new feature on our Indiana Room page, letting you peek behind the archive door. Each week we’ll highlight something exciting from our collections that the public doesn’t normally see. Although these irreplaceable items are stored in the archives for safekeeping, the Indiana Room librarians are always looking for ways to make them accessible to those who can use them.

If you can’t wait for next Monday, check out just a sample we have online here, with the Civil War letters of John Mills: https://www.plainfieldlibrary.net/services/genealogy/indiana-room/civil-war-letters/

And remember, the Indiana Room is open whenever the library is, so come in and see for yourself!

12/27/2024

Do you recognize any of these Plainfield P*e Wee baseball players or coaches? The photograph has no identifications.

If you spot someone you recognize, let us know!

In the comments below, or askindiana .net or (317) 839-6602 x.2114

12/26/2024

Throwback Thursday: Mary McMillan

Have you ever wondered why the library’s largest meeting room is named the McMillan Room?

In 1963, Plainfield, Indiana’s Mary McMillan was a homemaker looking to make some extra money to buy Christmas presents. She was hired at the library to fill in as a temporary assistant for six weeks. The sudden death of the head librarian led to Mary being named temporary acting librarian; twenty-five years later she retired as the director. Because Plainfield was considered rural at the time she was hired, Mary was able to attend library school on a scholarship, falling in love with the career.

In “Books for All the People: The First Century of the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library,” Scott Flood writes that, more than any other person, McMillan deserves credit for turning our small-town library into one of Indiana’s most progressive. Having overseen the move from the Carnegie Library on South Center Street to the facility on Stafford Road, she went on to direct its first expansion in 1987. She retired in 1988 and in May 1989 the library board named the meeting room after her. Mary McMillan died at age 82 in 2005.

1) Mary Murray McMillan, Director from September 1964 to December 1988 of the Plainfield Public Library. (no date)

2) Mary looks over paperwork in the Carnegie Library on Center Street. (no date)

3) Mary sits in her new office in the new 1968 library building on Stafford Road. Behind her is her Indiana University diploma for a Masters in Library and Information Science. 1968.

4) Mary and Historical Room librarian Ida Mae Miller pose in front of the Historical Room Christmas tree at the library. 1971.

5) Mary is seen at her desk in the library building on Stafford Road. 1978.

6) Mary at the Plainfield Public Library staff Christmas Party. 1984.

7) Cassie Swarn (left) and Dorothy Sellers (right) greet Mary at her retirement open house. 1988.

12/23/2024

Indiana Read Local: “An Indiana Christmas” edited by Bryan Furuness

In “An Indiana Christmas,” editor Bryan Furuness brings together timeless short stories, poems, plays, and letters to help you get into the holiday spirit.

Lose yourself in classics like "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash" by Jean Shepherd (which inspired the beloved movie “A Christmas Story”) and "A Feel in the Christmas Air" by James Whitcomb Riley, along with more recent works like "The Myth of the Perfect Christmas Photo Family" by Kelsey Timmerman.

To achieve the perfect combination of Christmas nostalgia and cheer, Furuness has curated Hoosier stories that convey an idyllic holiday gathering in "Indiana Winter" by Susan Neville, the excitement of a child on Christmas Eve in "Earthbound" by Barbara Shoup, and the loneliness of a drifter on Christmas night in "Howard Garfield, Balladeer" by Edward Porter. The collection even offers the chance to read a Christmas war dispatch from the Hoosier journalist Ernie Pyle.

Heartfelt and unique, “An Indiana Christmas” paints a picture of what Hoosiers truly hold dear: family, love, giving, hope, and faith.

This book is available on the shelf in the Indiana Circulating collection at IC 813.6 Indiana, or in eBook on Libby and Hoopla. Or follow this link to put it on hold: https://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/22034085

12/20/2024

Friday Photo Challenge: 1976 Homecoming Parade at Plainfield High School.

Recognize anyone? If so, let us know!

In the comments below, at [email protected], or (317) 839-6602 x.2114

12/19/2024

Today's Throwback flies high above Plainfield!

Take a look at this aerial photo of South Center Street in Plainfield, Indiana, taken 40 years ago, in 1984. What looks familiar?

The view is looking north, where South Center Street curves briefly to the west. At the bottom of the photo, to the left (west) and below (south) of Center are Broadway Drives North and South. Above the curve are Swinford Park and the now Plainfield Community Middle School (In 1984 it was the high school). To the right of Center Street are the Valley View Apartments and the Hillcrest subdivision with Gary, Walton, and Ridgewood Drives.

If you look to the top of the photo (north), you can see the water tower and the buildings at Public Service Indiana (now Duke Energy). If you have really sharp eyes, you can follow Stafford Road (north of the high school) across the middle of the photo to find the Seneff House, the First Baptist and United Methodist churches, and maybe, just maybe, spot a glimpse of the roof of a much smaller library!

Photographs like this one (and more!) are available to view online at: https://www.plainfieldlibrary.net/services/genealogy/hendricks-county-plainfield-indiana-photograph-collection-database/

12/16/2024

Indiana Read Local: “The Christmas Quilt” by Thomas J. Davis

Written by Indiana University at Indianapolis professor Thomas J. Davis, “The Christmas Quilt” is a compelling account of seven months in the lives of the members of a family in the mountains of north Georgia.

It all started in June of 1942 when Uncle Joe said he might come home for Christmas. During that summer a young boy learned about love and loss as his dying grandmother created a special quilt for Uncle Joe, her long absent son.

There were Sunday dinners at Granny’s, blackberry picking, running the train tracks, a revival meeting, and swimming in the river under the bridge through town. This book of love, hope, and warmth will draw you in with both the story line and its tender portrayal of a family and its wisdom. A poignant, touching story that reminds us all of what we most look for no matter where we are: a place to come home to.

This book is available on shelf in the Indiana Circulating collection at IC 813.54 Davis. Or, follow this link to put it on hold: https://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/16504796

12/13/2024

Today's Friday Photo Challenge is seasonal! Anyone recognize the two sweet girls visiting with Santa at Public Service Indiana? If so, let us know!

In the comments below, at [email protected] or (317) 839-6602 x2114

12/12/2024

Today’s Throwback Thursday highlights Plainfield, Indiana resident and artist, Eloise Castetter.

Eloise Castetter was an influential figure in the Hendricks County arts community, leaving behind a legacy of creative contributions and civic engagement. Born in Brownsburg in 1913, she spent much of her life in Plainfield, where she became a well-known artist and active participant in local cultural organizations. Her marriage to Bob Castetter in 1938 tied her even more closely to the Plainfield community, with Bob being a member of the Plainfield High School Class of 1934.

Eloise’s involvement in the local art scene was evident in her work as a member and officer of the Hendricks County Art League, as well as a charter member of the Plainfield Art League.

In addition to her artistic achievements, Eloise was also committed to the preservation of local history. She was an active member of the Hendricks County Historical Society, the Guilford Township Historical Society, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her involvement in these groups reflected her deep pride in her heritage and her desire to ensure that the history of Hendricks County was preserved for future generations.

Eloise passed away in 2000, leaving behind a rich legacy of artistic and historical contributions to the Plainfield and Hendricks County communities. We’re proud to have one of Eloise’s original paintings in the Indiana Room archival collection.

Photo 1: Eloise poses with Sue Finney (left) and Kathryn Goff (kneeling) as they set up for the Hendricks County Art League Sidewalk Show in Speedway Plaza (Plainfield Messenger October 11, 1962)

Photo 2: Eloise and Bob’s picture in the Plainfield Friends Meeting member directory of 1983.

Photo 3: Painting done by Eloise that was presented to Fire Chief Carlos (“Red”) Swinford on his retirement in 1968. The art depicts the old Plainfield fire station at 215 West Main, and Plainfield's second fire truck.

Photo 4: Landscape painting donated to the Indiana Room at the Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library in February 2000.