Mooresville Public Library (Mooresville, Indiana) presents its Indiana Room blog, which we have entitled "Treasure Trove" because of the many historical treasures that comprise the MPL Indiana Room Collection. We will be sharing a wealth of such historical tidbits through this blog, focusing primarily on the history of Mooresville and Morgan County, Indiana.
We complete our flashcard and postcard "treasure trove" series with a postcard featuring the old red covered bridge that once spanned the East Fork of White Lick Creek along the Waverly Road. This site today is the intersection of State Roads 67 and 144 in Mooresville, Indiana.
Day Grocery as it appeared in 1909 at 19 South Indiana Street
Until 1909, Day Grocery was located at 10 North Indiana Street in downtown Mooresville, Indiana. The business then moved to 19 South Indiana Street and operated there through the mid-1920s. In 1927 Day Grocery was replaced by Allison Grocery, which moved from 3 East Main Street (in the Bass Building).
Our postcard below shows Day Grocery at its North Indiana Street location.
Today our blog features a flashcard and postcard detailing the history of the Mooresville Sanitarium, which began as Dr. Clark Robbins' medical practice and eventually became Comer Sanitarium (later, Hospital) and, later still, Kendrick Hospital.
Sam Wade was a general contractor in Mooresville, Indiana during the first two-thirds of the 20th century. Along with Jake Mann, he constructed many of the buildings still standing in downtown Mooresville. We present our flashcard and postcard about Sam as part of our "treasure trove" of local history.
Dr. William L. Thompson (1866-1932), a native of Mooresville, Indiana, graduated from Mooresville Academy, DePauw University, and Indiana Central Medical College. He was a "family doctor" who practiced for 43 years. In the days when "house calls" were the medical practitioners' norm, Dr. Thompson was one of the first physicians in Morgan County to drive automobiles to visit patients. Throughout his career he delivered over 3,000 babies. If you are one of them, you should enjoy this historical highlight about this dedicated, caring doctor.
MPL Treasure Trove Flashcard: Dr. William L. Thompson
Here is another of our "treasure trove" series of postcards and flashcards. Today we look at the Banner Flour Mill, built in 1868, in Mooresville, Indiana.
Today's "treasure trove" of local history flashcards and postcards examines the Bolton sorghum factory, which was once a large business operating in Mooresville, Indiana.
Our "treasure trove" flashcard and postcard series continues with the Comer-Scearce Lumber Company that began business over a century ago in Mooresville, Indiana.
MPL Treasure Trove Flashcard: Comer-Scearce Lumber Company
Our historical postcard & flashcard series continues with a look at the Indiana Brass & Iron Bed factory that was once one of the largest employers in Mooresville, Indiana.
MPL Treasure Trove Flashcard: Indiana Brass & Iron Bed Co.
McCracken House was an inn and restaurant located directly across from the Mooresville Public Library, when the library was situated in the "Carnegie" building, on West Main Street, in downtown Mooresville, Indiana.
Our "treasure trove" of flashcards and postcards continues with Allison Grocery, which replaced Burch Grocery in the Bass Building, which still stands on the southeastern corner of the intersection of Main and Indiana Streets in downtown Mooresville, Indiana. If the items below are partially obscured, right-click them and select the "full screen" viewing option.
If you grew up during the 1960s like I did, then you will probably remember how your downtown looked at that time. If you're from Mooresville, Indiana, you might vividly recall the stores that lined the heart of downtown. If you're like me, however, and did not live around these parts in those ancient times, then you'll appreciate the photograph we've used in our "treasure trove" flashcard and postcard below. In the mid-1960s, this was how the north side of West Main Street looked, although the girl in "hot pants" may have been a little ahead of her time, as "short shorts" became much more popular in the late '60s. For "boomers" (i.e., baby boom generation, 1946-1964), this photo recalls idyllic times of small town businesses centered in historically established downtown areas. Those days were numbered, even in Mooresville, as edge-of-town shopping centers (like the Village) and "bypass" business islands (such as those arising along State Road 67) arrived in the latter part of the decade. The old fashioned "Main Street U.S.A." type of downtown exists today in museums (like the Children's Museum in Indianapolis) and amusement parks (like Disney World in Florida), but for anyone over 50, it was a reality. Now it's a fond memory, which we can all enjoy, thanks to photographs such as these.
MPL "Treasure Trove" Flashcard: North Side of West Main Street, Downtown Mooresville, IN (mid-1960s)
Our "treasure trove" of flashcards and postcards continues with a peek at the Pure Oil gasoline station that once occupied the southwestern corner of the Indiana-Main Street intersection in downtown Mooresville, Indiana. This was formerly the site of the Lindley Block, which burned down in 1925.
Our flashcard and postcard "treasure trove" continues with a look at the Henry Conduitt house (1906-1929), which became Comer Sanitarium/Hospital and Kendricks Hospital, in Mooresville, Indiana. If the items below are partially obscured, right-click each and select the "full screen" viewing option.
MPL Treasure Trove Flashcard: Henry Conduitt House
Burch Grocery (1890s-1920) was located in the east half of the G.W. Bass Drugstore Building on the southeast corner of Indiana and Main Streets in downtown Mooresville, Indiana. The site subsequently became George Allison's Grocery in the 1920s.
Here is another installment of our "treasure trove flashcard and postcard" series. Today we look back at G. R. Scruggs Dry Goods Store (1891-1918), which was situated at 9 & 11-13 East Main Street in downtown Mooresville, Indiana. As always, if the embedded documents below are partially obscured, please right-click them and select the "full screen" viewing option.
MPL Treasure Trove Flashcard: Scruggs Dry Goods Store
Our flashcard and postcard "treasure trove" continues with today's feature: the Old Settlers Picnic of 1885, which was held at old Town Park. The origins of the event are also discussed.
As always, if the embedded documents below are partially obscured, please right-click them and select the "full screen" viewing option.
MPL Treasure Trove Flashcard: Old Settlers Picnic (1885)
We continue with our "treasure trove" flashcard and postcard series by presenting the rocking chair competition from the 1970 Old Settlers Picnic in Mooresville, Indiana.
