Processed by
Emily Castle
May 2006
Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269
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VOLUME OF |
Manuscript Materials: 3 boxes |
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COLLECTION |
1904–1997 |
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PROVENANCE: |
Elsie K. Perdiue, Anderson, IN, February 2003 |
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RESTRICTIONS: |
None |
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COPYRIGHT: |
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REPRODUCTION |
Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. |
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ALTERNATE |
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RELATED |
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ACCESSION |
2003.0153 |
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NOTES: |
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The stretch of railroad between Indianapolis and Union City, Indiana (now part of the CSX System) is the oldest part of what was once the Big Four railroad system. It was originally built under the name of the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad. Chartered in 1848, the Bellefontaine consolidated with the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railway, better known as the Bee Line. The Bee Line consolidated with two other railroad systems (the Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, and the Chicago, Indianapolis & St. Louis) in 1889 forming the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, popularly known as the Big Four. As envisioned by the early builders of the Bellefontaine, this railroad was to become a link in the chain of roads that would connect St. Louis, Indianapolis, Sandusky and Cleveland, Ohio with the east.
When natural gas was discovered in 1887 in Madison County, a population increase occurred which brought more commerce to the area. Due to the increase, a passenger Depot was built in Anderson between Meridian and Main Streets.
Eventually, the Big Four Railroad, which consolidated with the Bee Line in 1889, took over the operation of the Depot. The line continued as one of the busiest tracks in the state. In 1930, over 350,000 railroad cars had stopped in Anderson on the Big Four Lines. However, the advent of the automobile caused a subsequent decline of rail travel and shipping. In 1940, the interurban made its last run through the streets of Anderson. The Big Four lines were absorbed first by the New York Central, Penn Central, Conrail and finally CSX Systems. In 1971 the last passenger train left the former Big Four Depot. The building was boarded up and left to decay for ten years.
In 1980, Anderson attorney, John Eisele rescued the dilapidated building and with extensive remodeling—a new roof was added, the inside was painted, and the floor was repaired—it became a gift shop. None of the interior walls were disturbed, but a display platform was added to the interior on the east end of the building. The shop was closed for unknown reasons in 1982.
In 1983, Elsie Perdue purchased the building from John Eisele. It was Elsie's dream to open a center for the performing arts. For two years, the Performing Arts Station hosted competitions for artists and poets, a street fair, poetry readings, and afternoon musicals. The center also offered music lessons and held art shows. The west end of the building was where the railroad museum was, and it displayed model trains and early railroad trivia. In 1985, the Anderson Young Ballet Academy signed a lease agreement with the owner and the Depot became an academy for the study of the dance arts. Patronage alone could not sustain the costs of operating the center and it reverted back to its former owner, John Eisele, in 1993.
Sources:
Railroads of Madison County, 2006 [cited 18 May 2006]. Available from World Wide Web: (http://madisonrails.railfan.net/)
This collection is made up of items that were previously housed and on display at the Big Four Railroad museum in Anderson, Indiana. The collection is arranged in alphabetical order by topic, many of the topics coming from the folders the collection was in upon arrival. It consists of papers from the museum related to the day to day business—daily logs, correspondence, hiring summer help, and gift shop information—along with other items relating to exhibits or museum events. There are also newspaper clippings about the museum and people affiliated with, and clippings about Indiana railroads and railroads that run through Indiana. There are many photographs of the museum and railroad cars taken throughout the years, along with some drawings made, possibly, for exhibits at the museum. The second half of the collection includes items from the railroads that were part of the “Big Four.” It has brochures, time tables, ephemera, and photographs of the railroads, among other items.
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Accessions to museum, 1984-88 |
Box 1, Folder 1 |
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Artrain, 1985 |
Box 1, Folder 2 |
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Big Four Centennial Celebration, 1987 |
Box 1, Folder 3 |
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Big Four Museum, clippings, 1986–95 |
Box 1, Folder 4 |
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Big Four Newsletter, Aug. 1921 |
Box 1, Folder 5 |
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Big Four route, n.d. |
Box 1, Folder 6 |
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Big Four route and New York Central System, patches, n.d. |
Artifacts |
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Brochures, 1984–93 |
Box 1, Folder 7 |
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Building plans, n.d. (photocopies) |
Box 1, Folder 8 |
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Clippings, 1984–86 |
Box 1, Folder 9 |
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Clippings, 1986–97 |
Box 1, Folder 10 |
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Correspondence, 1986–90 |
Box 1, Folder 11 |
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The Day of Two Noons, n.d. |
Box 1, Folder 12 |
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Depots, 1978 |
Box 1, Folder 13 |
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Depots, 1986 |
Color Photographs |
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Donations to museum, 1983–84 |
Box 1, Folder 14 |
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Engines, clippings, 1982–85 |
Box 1, Folder 15 |
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Events and trips, 1984–87 |
Box 1, Folder 16 |
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Excursions, 1967–88 |
Box 1, Folder 17 |
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Exhibit drawings, 1971 |
OVA Graphics |
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Exhibits, 1984–86 |
Box 1, Folder 18 |
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The First Train Robbery, by Wilgus Wade Hogg, 1977 |
General Collection: |
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Gift shop bills, 1984–88 |
Box 1, Folder 19 |
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Henry County, Indiana: Official Farm Plat Book and Directory, 1956 |
Box 1, Folder 20 |
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Hoosierland Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, 1986–87 |
Box 1, Folder 21 |
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Indiana Transportation Museum, 1966–81 |
Box 1, Folder 22 |
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Indiana Transportation Museum, 1982–88 |
Box 1, Folder 23 |
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Instruction booklets, 1904, 1972 |
Box 1, Folder 24 |
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Interurbans, clippings, ca. 1950s |
Box 1, Folder 25 |
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Interurbans in Muncie, n.d. |
Photographs |
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Investigation into employee conduct, July 1979 |
Box 1, Folder 26 |
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John de Jung, 1985 |
Box 1, Folder 27 |
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Kids safety books and games, n.d. |
Box 1, Folder 28 |
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Legislative report, re: railroad bills, 1985 |
Box 1, Folder 29 |
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Log diary, 1907 |
Box 1, Folder 30 |
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The Metamora Annual, summer 1974 |
Box 1, Folder 31 |
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Miscellaneous newsletters, 1982–88 |
Box 1, Folder 32 |
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Model railroad track, n.d. |
Artifacts: 2003.0153 |
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Museum, ca. 1980s |
Color Photographs |
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Museum, n.d. |
OVA Photographs |
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Museum diary, 1984–89 |
Box 1, Folder 33 |
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Museum information, n.d. |
Box 2, Folder 1 |
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Museum Memo, newsletter, 1983–87 |
Box 2, Folder 2 |
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Museum pen, n.d. |
Artifacts: |
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Museum Signage, n.d. |
Visual Collection: |
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Elsie Perdiue silhouette, ca. 1934 |
Box 2, Folder 3 |
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Paul W. Perdiue, n.d. |
Photographs |
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Paul W. Perdiue, n.d. |
Color Photographs |
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Paul W. Perdiue, clippings, 1970–76 |
Box 2, Folder 4 |
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Paul W. Perdiue, correspondence, 1953 |
Box 2, Folder 5 |
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Paul W. Perdiue, correspondence, 1971–78 |
Box 2, Folder 6 |
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Railroad cars, 1964–84 |
Color Photographs |
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Railroad cars, n.d. |
OVA Photographs |
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The Railroad Place, Noblesville , Indiana, banner, n.d. |
Artifacts: |
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Railroad stock certificates, 1875–1953 |
Box 2, Folder 7 |
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Route maps, ca. 1950s |
Visual Collection: |
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Steam engines, clippings, 1987 |
Box 2, Folder 8 |
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Sulzer collection from Louisville University, Indiana railroads, 1987 (photocopies) |
Box 2, Folder 9 |
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Summer jobs, 1986–87 |
Box 2, Folder 10 |
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Telegraph, clippings, 1983–84 |
Box 2, Folder 11 |
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Tickets, 1959 |
Box 2, Folder 12 |
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Time book, n.d. |
Box 2, Folder 13 |
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Union Station, 1986–88 |
Box 2, Folder 14 |
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Amtrak, National Limited, 1979 |
Box 2, Folder 15 |
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Central Indiana & Western Railway Company, Articles of Association, 10 Oct. 1986 |
Box 2, Folder 16 |
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Central Indiana Railway, clippings, 1964–70 |
Box 2, Folder 17 |
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Central Indiana Railway, last trip to Lebanon, Indiana, 1976 |
Box 2, Folder 18 |
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Central Indiana Railway, route pictures, ca. 1950s |
Photographs |
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Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee postcards, n.d. |
Box 2, Folder 19 |
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Indiana Railroad, printer’s block, n.d. |
Artifacts: |
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Monon Route, brochures, 1911–58 |
Box 2, Folder 20 |
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Monon Route, clippings, 1986–87 |
Box 2, Folder 21 |
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Monon Route, orchestra music, 1947 |
Box 2, Folder 22 |
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Monon Route, sheet music, 1947 |
Box 2, Folder 23 |
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New York Central System Historical Society, 1984 |
Box 2, Folder 24 |
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Headlight, New York Central System magazine, 1964–68 |
Box 2, Folder 25 |
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New York Central System, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad’s Gateway Yard, 1966 |
Box 2, Folder 26 |
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New York Central System, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad’s Gateway Yard, 1966 |
Photographs |
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New York Central System, stationary and calendar images, 1955 |
Box 2, Folder 27 |
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Nickel Plate Railroad, Engine #587, 1986–88 |
Box 2, Folder 28 |
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Nickel Plate Railroad, Engine #587, Sept. 1988 |
Color Photographs |
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Nickel Plate Railroad, scrapbook, 1931–63 |
Box 2, Folder 29 |
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Nickel Plate Railroad, scrapbook, 1984 |
Box 3, Folder 1 |
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Norfolk & Western, clippings, 1986 |
Box 3, Folder 2 |
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North Shore Line, notice, n.d. |
Box 3, Folder 3 |
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Pennsylvania Railroad, n.d. |
Box 3, Folder 4 |
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Pennsylvania Railroad, agreements and proposals, 1959–63 |
Box 3, Folder 5 |
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Pennsylvania Railroad, cabin cars, ca. 1980s |
Box 3, Folder 6 |
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Pennsylvania Railroad, painting by M.E. Crim, n.d. |
OVA Graphics |
For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:
1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/
2. Click on the "Basic Search" icon.
3. Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.
4. Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0873).
5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.