Biographical/Historical Sketch
Processed by
Barbara Quigley
16 September 2004
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 |
1 box |
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COLLECTION |
Ca. 1942–1944 |
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PROVENANCE: |
Gift from Hazel Pauline Childers of Golden, Colorado, 1999 |
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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 |
2000.0161 |
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NOTES: |
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Hazel Pauline Childers of Golden, Colorado, sent the snapshots that comprise this collection to the Indianapolis–Marion County Public Library (IMCPL) in December 1998. The IMCPL then gave the photos to the Indiana Historical Society. It is not known whether the photos were taken by Ms. Childers or by someone else. It is also not known whether she had ever lived in Indiana.
The Scottish Rite Cathedral at 650 North Meridian Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, is headquarters for the Scottish Rite Valley of Indianapolis, a Masonic organization. It is the largest Scottish Rite cathedral in the world. It was designed by architect George F. Schreiber and completed in 1929. The building includes several art glass windows and a 212-foot tall tower that houses a carillon of fifty-four bells. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
In 1920 a two city-block area of Indianapolis, from Vermont to North streets between Meridian and Pennsylvania streets, was set aside for the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza. Three years later, architects Frank B. Walker and Harry E. Weeks of Cleveland, Ohio, were selected for the project. Their plans included the main memorial, two auxiliary buildings, the cenotaph, mall, and obelisk. On 4 July 1927, General John J. Pershing laid the cornerstone for the memorial, but the structure was not completed until 1965 due in part to financial difficulties. The memorial is an example of Neoclassical architecture, resembling the tomb of the Turkish king Mausolus at Halicarnassus.
The obelisk in the center of the plaza was completed in 1930. It is a 100-foot tall shaft faced in Berwick granite with four bronze bas-relief panels at the base representing law, science, religion, and education. The plaza was originally paved, but the paving was removed and replaced with landscaping in 1975.
The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, in the center of the circle in the middle of Indianapolis’s original mile square plat, was built as a memorial to Indiana’s Civil War veterans. It was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz, and was constructed from 1888 to 1901,
The Circle Theatre at 45 Monument Circle in Indianapolis is the second oldest building on the circle. It was the first building in Indianapolis constructed specifically for the presentation of feature-length motion pictures. It opened on 30 August 1916. Films were shown in the 3,100-seat theater for sixty-five years, interspersed with live performances. The movie theater closed in 1981, but was reopened in 1984 as the concert hall of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Construction of the Tippecanoe Courthouse in Lafayette, Indiana, was completed in 1885. It is the third courthouse building at that site.
On 19 May 1943, the Wabash River at Lafayette rose to 28.47 feet. This was the second highest crest in recorded history at that location.
Sources:
Gadski, Mary Ellen. “Circle Theatre.” In The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, edited by Bodenhamer, David J. and Robert G. Barrows. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1994: 425-26. General Collection: F534 .I55 E4 1994
McLaughlin, H. Roll. “Scottish Rite Cathedral.” In The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, edited by Bodenhamer, David J. and Robert G. Barrows. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1994: 1243-44. General Collection: F534 .I55 E4 1994
National Weather Service. “Wabash River at Lafayette” (http://www.crh.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ahps.cgi?ind&lafi3). Accessed 29 July 2004.
Rollins, Suzanne T. “Indiana World War Memorial Plaza.” In The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, edited by Bodenhamer, David J. and Robert G. Barrows. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1994: 762-63. General Collection: F534 .I55 E4 1994
Selm, William L. “Soldiers and Sailors Monument.” In The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, edited by Bodenhamer, David J. and Robert G. Barrows. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1994: 1278-79. General Collection: F534 .I55 E4 1994
Virtual Tour of Greater Lafayette, Indiana. “Tippecanoe County Courthouse” (http://www.lafayette-online.com/vtour/C.shtml). Accessed 30 July 2004.
This collection consists of thirty-nine black-and-white snapshots taken around 1942 to 1944. There are sixteen photos of street scenes and monuments in Indianapolis, Indiana; eleven photos of street scenes in Lafayette, Indiana; ten photos of flood scenes in Lafayette in 1943; and two photos of street scenes in unidentified locations.
Series 1, Indianapolis: includes photos of the Scottish Rite Cathedral, Indiana World War Memorial Plaza (monument and obelisk), Circle Theatre, the Roosevelt Hotel, the Capitol, Soldiers and Sailors Monument and the circle area, and other street scenes.
Series 2, Lafayette: includes photos of street scenes around Main Street and Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth streets. Visible buildings include the Courthouse, Hook’s Drugs, and the Lafayette movie theater (then showing the 1943 film Five Graves to Cairo).
Series 3, Lafayette Flood Scenes: includes photos of the May 1943 flood, showing “coal cars full of sand holding down railroad bridge,” the flooded light and power plant, and flooded street scenes.
Series 4, Unknown Locations: includes two photos. One is dated 1942 and shows three men in military uniforms, seen from the back, walking down a residential street. The other shows a streetcar at an intersection, with snow on the ground.
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Obelisk in Indiana World War Memorial Plaza, 1943 or 1944. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Scottish Rite Cathedral, from across the street, 1942 or 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Scottish Rite Cathedral and obelisk, taken from World War monument, n.d. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Scottish Rite Cathedral and obelisk, 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Statue of Abraham Lincoln and Indiana World War monument, ca. 1942–44. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Street scene with Soldiers and Sailors Monument in background, 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Street scene in Monument Circle area. Sign on top of building reads “Indianapolis Power and Light Co.”, 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Flag pole on Monument Circle, 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Waterfall on Soldiers and Sailors Monument, 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Street scene of Monument Circle showing the Circle Theater with marquee advertising the 1944 movie Shine on Harvest Moon, May 1944. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Capitol and other buildings, taken from the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Post Office and Federal Building, 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Cannon with buildings in the background, ca 1942–44. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Street scene showing the Hotel Roosevelt, June 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Downtown street scene with taxicab and streetcar, 1942. Written on back is “Corner Wash. St. & Illinois?” |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Trolley bus, with English Hotel in background, 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Tippecanoe County Courthouse, September 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Street corner with Hook’s drugstore and the Lafayette movie theater with the 1943 film Five Graves to Cairo advertised on its marquee, June 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Main Street looking east, September 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Main Street looking east away from the Wabash River, 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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East Main Street looking toward Columbian Park, June 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Main Street looking west at Third Street, shows Schiff’s shoe store and Muir’s drugs, September 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Fifth Street looking south at Main Street, September 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Fifth Street, one block north of Main Street, September 1942. Written on back is “Fowler Hotel & New Post Office.” |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Bus and train at corner of Fifth and Ferry streets, one block north of Main Street, June 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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A & P supermarket on North Sixth Street, 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Part of a building with part of sign that reads “Maywood Public,” September 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Wabash River flood seen, 1943. Written on back is “Coal cars full of sand holding down Railroad bridge.” Two views. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Flooded areas near railroad bridge, 1943. Four views. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Flood waters near Main Street bridge, May 1943. Two views. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Flooded light and power plant, May 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Flooded street scenes, showing buildings and trees in water, 1943. Two views. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Three men in military uniforms, seen from behind, walking on a residential street, 1942. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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Streetcar at an intersection, with snow on the ground, ca. 1943. |
Photographs, Box 1 |
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, P 0443).
5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.