Brooklyn Covered Bridge (Following Paul Hadley's Footsteps)

Once again, we're walking in the footsteps of longtime Mooresville resident Paul Hadley (1880-1971), who designed the Indiana State Flag and was a well-known impressionist watercolor artist who taught students at the Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis.

In the summer of 2014, we visited the Brooklyn Bridge.

Not That One!

Let's begin by showing Paul Hadley's painting of the covered bridge that once stood in Brooklyn, Indiana, which is displayed at Mooresville (Indiana) Public Library.  Click the photos to enlarge.

 

Compare painting with this 1911 photo of
the Brooklyn mill, dam, & covered bridge
[courtesy of Stuttgen, Joanne Raetz & Tomak, Curtis.
Morgan County (Postcard History Series) (2007).
Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, p. 87]

Hadley painted the bridge (well, more precisely, his painting OF the bridge) nearly a century ago--but probably after Brooklyn Mill was demolished in 1924 (see photo above).  The covered bridge is no longer there (neither are the dam or mill), but now there's a concrete bridge (constructed in 1948) in approximately the same spot crossing White Lick Creek at Brooklyn's edge.  You can tell by the terrain that this was the correct bridge location--plus we know the road leading into (and out of) town historically crossed the river thereabouts on the way to Brooklyn cemetery (further southward).  Plus we have that 1911 photo above (and historical caption), which pretty well nails the thing down tight.

Brooklyn Bridge Today

  Janet Buckley (Head of Technical Services at

Greenwood Public Library) & "Flat" Cauli Le Chat

standing upstream of the modern bridge

looking downstream (south)

along White Lick Creek

Observant readers will have noted that Hadley must have been standing downstream of the covered bridge near the eastern bank of White Lick Creek (looking north at the west end of the covered bridge). He was probably painting approximately where that fishing person is standing in our above photo (look left beneath the bridge).  Hadley might possibly have stood in the river's shallow waters to capture the perspective.

Upstream (north) view of White Lick Creek

(the modern bridge is behind photographer)

Watch out for traffic across the bridge!

Photoshopped Cauli Le Chat (with "Flat" Cauli) & Janet Buckley

 

The concrete bridge is certainly utilitarian, but it lacks the grace of its wooden ancestor Hadley so elegantly captured in his watercolor painting. White Lick Creek, too, looked more charming with those rocks and that little waterfall.

When I first saw Hadley's painting at the Library, I mistakenly thought it was the red covered bridge that, a century ago, spanned the East Fork of White Lick Creek on the Waverly Road (now State Road 144) at Mooresville's outskirts.  Upon closer inspection, however, it's obviously not that bridge in Hadley's painting.  See what you think.

Brooklyn's covered bridge was quite charming.  I'm glad we know its beauty, thanks to Paul Hadley.

Portrait of Young Man (Following Paul Hadley's Footsteps)

Another Paul Hadley painting on display at Mooresville (Indiana) Public Library is "Portrait of Young Man."

Click Photos to Enlarge

This watercolor was donated to MPL by long-time Morgan County historian Becky Hardin (1908-1995).  In her biography of Paul Hadley, Hardin identified the subject of the painting as "A. M. Sayler," a law student:

• "[Paul Hadley's] portrait of a young law student, A. M. Sayler, won sweepstakes at the Indiana State Fair.  It was judged 'for excellence in technique in medium used.'  (It is difficult to paint portraits with water color.)"  [Hardin, Becky, The Indiana State Flag: Its Designer (Biography of Paul Hadley with Anthology of his Paintings), p. 22 (1976). Click here to read a digital copy of this fine biography.]

Try as we might, we have been unable to locate A. M. Sayler in the historical record. Hadley probably painted the portrait between 1920-1940, so, given his appearance in the painting, A. M. Sayler was probably born no earlier than 1890 and no later than 1920.  No matches were found in the Indiana Roll of Attorneys or alumni records for Indiana University's law schools.

We found several persons named A. M. Sayler (under various first names--mostly Arthur) in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI), U.S. Censuses, and other information available through Ancestry Library Edition and Heritage Quest Online (see links on the MPL website), but they were unlikely candidates, because of age (born too soon or too late), education (e.g., 8th grade or less), occupation (not lawyers, although, admittedly, A. M. Sayler might not have been practicing law when the 1920-1940 censuses were taken), or other discrepant details.

We did, however, discover an attorney named Sayler who would have been the correct age and location, although his middle name doesn't begin with M.

Arthur Daily Sayler (1894-1955)

Attorney at Law

Arthur D. Sayler was born and lived much of his life in Huntington, Indiana, taking over his father's law practice there when his father passed in 1920.  In 1917 he received his bachelor of laws (Ll.B.) degree (equivalent to a modern American doctor of jurisprudence [J.D.] degree) from the Indiana University Law School in Indianapolis.  That would have placed him in the vicinity of Paul Hadley, who operated a studio on the fifth floor of the Union Trust Building, East Market Street, Indianapolis (1921-1939) and worked at Herron Art Institute during the late 1920's to mid-1930's.

There is, of course, only one supreme obstacle to this theory.  Well, two obstacles, really:

• Hardin identified Hadley's portrait subject as "A. M. Sayler." This could have been an error, but knowing how thoroughly Hardin researched history, I doubt it.

• The photo of Arthur D. Sayler does not much resemble the painting of A. M. Sayler.  That one's a deal-breaker, I'm afraid.

Wherever you may be, A. M. Sayler, we salute you. Hadley's portrait is fantastic.  He really captured the essential A. M.  Too bad we didn't get to know you better.

East Fork of White Lick Creek (Following Paul Hadley's Footsteps)

Another Paul Hadley painting on display at Mooresville (Indiana) Public Library is "East Fork of White Lick [Creek]."

 Click Photos to Enlarge

According to long-time Morgan County Historian Becky Hardin (1908-1995):

• "Mrs. Claude (Mary) Stokesberry's family asked artist Paul Hadley to paint a picture for her birthday present.  At that time she was living in Hadley's former home on Lockerbie Street.  He called one day making an excuse that he wanted to see how they had remodeled the house.  The painting was designed to fit over the fireplace, and is wider than it is high.  Since Mrs. Stokesberry has moved to a retirement home her son John has the painting."  [Hardin, Becky, The Indiana State Flag: Its Designer (Biography of Paul Hadley with Anthology of his Paintings), p. 17 (1976). Click here to read a digital copy of this fine biography.]

John Stokesberry subsequently donated the painting to MPL.

The East Fork of White Lick Creek runs along what was once the eastern edge of Mooresville (when Hadley painted it) and then flows south until eventually merging with the White River near Centerton, Indiana (north of Martinsville, in Morgan County).  It is along the portion of the East Fork just past the intersection of state roads 67 and 144 that presents one likely location at which Hadley painted the Stokesberry gift.

Click the map images to enlarge.

Map Excerpts Courtesy of Google Maps

Note the bend in the creek immediately north of Rooker Park.  That resembles the same perspective in Hadley's painting.  Here's an aerial view:

East Fork of White Lick Creek

Near Rooker Trace

(Early 19th Century Primitive Road)

Southeast of State Roads 67 & 144

I'm not sure if we can reach this point on the creek--it's private property--but I'll check it out, along with MPL's feline roving reporter, Cauli Le Chat.

North end of Rooker Park

(Probable Hadley painting spot is in the woods at the far end) 

Getting close to the creek now--

Hadley may have been standing up ahead

Where Cauli Le Chat would have been,

if Hadley had painted her into the picture

The trees are bigger and more plentiful, and the underbrush is overgrown, but the bend in the creek looks strikingly similar to Hadley's landscape.

Why is this location likely to have been where Hadley painted the creek scene?  It was within easy walking distance--Hadley never drove motor vehicles--and the area was heavily wooded near the creek, then as now. The land east of the creek was farmed in Hadley's day, but it is now residential subdivisions.  Admittedly, Hadley could have painted other bends in the East Fork, but many of these were not sufficiently wooded, even in his time.  Our candidate is as likely a location as any of the other possibilities.  Still, let's consider other options.

The East Fork of White Lick Creek also runs along the eastern edge of Pioneer Park in Mooresville, in a heavily wooded region.  Unfortunately, there aren't any sharp bends in the creek that resemble Hadley's painting.

 East Fork of White Lick Creek

along rear of Pioneer Park

However, if we move downstream toward Bridge Street, then we find an excellent bend that easily could have been Hadley's painting spot.

 East Fork of White Lick Creek

East of Samuel Moore Parkway (Old State Road 67)

and North of Bridge Street

Once again, we have the difficulty of reaching the creek bend on private property.  So these aerial views may be the best we can do.  We couldn't get close to the creek without traipsing through folks' backyards.

 
Paul Hadley was often inspired by Hoosier landscapes and nature, and he captured them beautifully in watercolor.

"Not Necessarily a Tramp Studying Art"

Clifton Wheeler (1883-1953) was born in Hadley, Hendricks County, Indiana, in 1883.  While in the fourth grade, his family moved to Mooresville when his father, Alonzo L. Wheeler, purchased the Banner Flour Mill on East High Street (at the railroad tracks, where the car wash is located today).  The Wheeler family lived in the house on the southwest corner of the intersection of Indiana and High Streets.

 

Clifton Wheeler (Photo Courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society)

 

 

Rose and Alonzo L. Wheeler when they lived on Lockerbie Street in Mooresville

 

Banner Mills on East High Street, Mooresville (Built in 1868)

 

Wheeler House, 7 West High Street, Mooresville, Indiana

(Built 1895; Renovated 1915) (2008 Photo)

Banner Mills Advertisement (Mooresville Times, January 28, 1910)

 

In a letter (1945) to the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette (Indiana), Clifton Wheeler wrote, “When I finished high school I was reluctantly allowed to come to Indianapolis to William Forsyth’s studio for a year. Forsyth and my doctor aunt, who lived in New York, assured my parents that I would not necessarily be a tramp if I studied art and at last they sadly agreed that I might go to New York for a year to art school.”

The ArtSmart Indiana website states, “Wheeler had studied under Forsyth at the Herron Art Institute. He then studied with William Merritt Chase in New York City and went to Europe twice to study. Around 1911 he returned to Indiana with his wife, and they built a home and studio in Irvington, an eastside Indianapolis neighborhood where Forsyth and other artists also lived. He became an instructor at the Herron Art Institute, in charge of the antique class. . . .  Wheeler had no special technique or subject, but his decorative work was well known, and he had murals all over the country. His murals at the Indianapolis Circle Theatre and City Hospital ([later] Wishard) are among his best work. His landscape paintings—especially his snow scenes—are held in high regard.”

 

Self-Portrait (Undated) by Clifton Wheeler

The Road Through the Woods (1924) by Clifton Wheeler

 

Paul Hadley, another Mooresville artist who also taught at Herron Art Institute, considered Clifton Wheeler to be the best of the Hoosier Group school of artists.

To see more Clifton Wheeler paintings and drawings, visit the ArtSmart Indiana website or see these search results.

 

 

His LOVE of Art Began in Mooresville

Robert Indiana (Robert Earl Clark) (September 13, 1928-May 19, 2018) was a world-renowned artist best known for his LOVE sculpture, one of which resides at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  Robert had a Mooresville connection, making him one of the town's most famous former residents.  He only lived here for about three years, but his time in Mooresville had a profound impact upon his life and career.  Learn more by watching the video (below) or this slideshow (also below).

Robert Indiana

(Mooresville Moments #10)

by Mooresville Public Library

 

Click Above to Play Slideshow
 

LOVE postcard signed by the artist

(Indiana Room collection, Mooresville Public Library)

(Click images to enlarge)

Shortly after birth Robert was adopted by Earl and Carmen Clark of Indianapolis.  Theirs was a turbulent life, as loss of work (for Earl, during the Great Depression) and Carmen's wanderlust saw the family move many times during Robert's childhood and teenage years.

Earl & Carmen Clark (ca. 1930)

Robert Clark, age 2-3

Childhood drawing by Robert Clark (ca. 1936)

(Images courtesy of RobertIndiana.com)

In 1934 the Clark family moved from Indianapolis to Robert's grandparents' farm outside Mooresville; soon thereafter, they moved into town to a house on Lockerbie Street.  The move was prompted for health reasons--Robert's poor health being attributed to fumes from an Indianapolis automobile factory that was near their home.  The country air was certainly fresher, but in interviews with Richard Brown Baker (1963 Sept. 12-1963 Nov. 7), now housed in the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Robert stated that the move did little to improve his overall health.

Robert attended first grade in 1935-1936 at the Mooresville Academy Building in one of its wing additions that was destroyed in 1936.  Robert's first grade teacher was Miss Ruth Coffman (later, Mrs. Maurice Haase) (1910-1995).  As noted Morgan County Historian Becky Hardin wrote in 1973, "[Miss Ruth Coffman said] that even at that age [6-7 years old], [Robert's] drawings were in perfect perspective, and they told a story."  [Mooresville Times, January 18, 1973, section 2, page 4.]  Ruth Coffman saw Robert's inherent talent and encouraged him to pursue art as a career.  Robert acknowledged her as his earliest inspiration to become an artist.

In a humorous vein, at the time Ruth Coffman asked Robert if she could keep some of his drawings, so that when he later became famous, she would have something to remember his artistic beginnings, and he happily agreed to share them with her.  She kept the drawings all her life.

After the 1936 summer vacation, Ruth Coffman returned to school to discover that Robert and his family had moved away.  She continued to receive cards from him in the mail from time to time.  The last card she received from him was after he had become world-renowned and was vacationing in the Virgin Islands following a strenuous exhibition.

A few digitized clippings from Mooresville Public Library's Indiana Room collection illustrate the impact that Ruth Coffman and Mooresville had upon Robert.  Clearly, Robert's time in town left quite an impression.  One of Robert's vivid childhood memories was attending the funeral of another famous Mooresvillian, John Dillinger, in 1934.

The library has on permanent display an original 1968 poster autographed by Robert Indiana (and given to Ruth Coffman Haase, which she subsequently donated to the library).  See if you can find it next time you visit the library.

1968 Robert Indiana Poster on display at MPL

Would Robert Clark have become eminent artist Robert Indiana had he not lived in Mooresville and not been taught by Ruth Coffman?  Probably.  But that's a moot point.  Robert repeatedly made clear that it was Miss Coffman's interest and encouragement that prompted him first to imagine, then to actualize, his becoming a serious professional artist.  Many people assisted him in accomplishing that dream, but that important first push came here in Mooresville from a dedicated teacher.  That connection makes Robert Indiana one of Mooresville's truly admirable citizens.

Indiana Bicentennial Quilt on Display

Thanks to the generosity of local artist Sherry (Spencer) Foster, we now have an Indiana bicentennial quilt on display in our Indiana Room.  It is a wonderful historical tribute to our flags, featuring the American flag, Indiana State Flag, Indianapolis City Banner, and Mooresville Town Banner.  Stop by to have a closer look.  Click the photos below to enlarge.

Paul Hadley Celebration (April 16, 2016)

In case you missed last Saturday's (April 16, 2016) program about longtime Mooresville resident Paul Hadley, designer of the Indiana State Flag, we have a video available that includes panel discussion and questions-and-answers.

Celebrating Paul Hadley & the Indiana State Flag Centennial

(Saturday, April 16, 2016)

During the program, we also showed several of our Paul Hadley biographical videos (i.e., a video divided into five parts).

We also took some photos before the program.  Click the images to enlarge them.

"Official" State Cookie of the Indiana Bicentennial

created by Sharon Hicks & Beth Hensley

Okay, maybe not official, but they tasted great!

Refreshments provided by Sharon Hicks & Beth Hensley

 Paul Hadley artifacts on loan from the

Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation

 Indiana State Flag draped over Paul Hadley's coffin (1971)

(on display at Paul Hadley Middle School in Mooresville)

"Bridge Near Madison, Indiana," by Paul Hadley

(courtesy of Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation)

 "Spring Wagon," by Paul Hadley

(courtesy of Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation)

Indiana State Flag, designed by Paul Hadley

(courtesy of Mooresville Consolidated School Corporation)