New Local History Video Series

Mooresville Public Library has begun a new video series (see playlist) called Mooresville Moments: Our Local History, based upon its collection of local history postcards and flashcards.  The title is borrowed from the popular newspaper column, "Mooresville Moments" (1999), written by town historian Wanda Potts (1921-2012), who served as MPL's Indiana Room librarian from 1966 to 2002.

In this first installment, we feature the official Mooresville Town Banner, designed by Bonita Marley, who served as library director from 1961 to 1984. The flag commemorated the 150th anniversary of the town's founding. You can see it flying downtown in Bicentennial Park.

Mooresville's Town Banner (video)

(Mooresville Moments #1)

by Mooresville Public Library

Thanks to Wanda and Bonita, the library has an extensive local history collection preserved to share with the public. We hope this new video series does justice to their treasure trove of Mooresville history.

Flag Town 5K Run/Walk

The Flag Town 5K Run/Walk is slated for Saturday, September 3, 2016.  Celebrate the Hoosier bicentennial and the centennial of the Indiana State Flag (designed by Mooresville resident Paul Hadley in 1916; adopted by the Indiana General Assembly, 1917) by participating in the race.  Click here to register online.

The library has a long history of supporting run/walk events.

2011 MPL Race Team

(L to R) Lori Becker, Kathleen Holling, Suzanne Walker, and Diane Huerkamp

Meet you at the finish line!

Celebrate Mooresville's Heritage Program #1: Samuel Moore, Town Founder

This afternoon (Saturday, February 20, 2016) we held our first Celebrate Mooresville's Heritage program, featuring town founder Samuel Moore.  Below are some photos from today's event.  We also have digitized handouts distributed at the program (click the following links):

 

• The Homes of Samuel & Eliza Moore
• "Moore" Facts About Mooresville & Samuel & Eliza Moore
• Miscellaneous Notes on Samuel Moore
• Immediate Family Tree of Samuel & Eliza Moore
• Self-Guided Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Mooresville
• Old Settlers Picnic, Parade, and Festival

 

There is more information about Samuel and Eliza Moore available on Mooresville Public Library's famous Mooresvillians web page.  Just scroll down until you see the Moores' section.

At the program we featured a dramatic portrayal of Samuel Moore addressing the Old Settlers Picnic in August, 1885.

"Narration" of Samuel Moore at the Old Settlers Picnic (August, 1885)

(Dramatic Reenactment)

There was cake, sherbet punch, souvenirs, and everything!  Click the photos to enlarge.

Thanks to everybody who attended!  Hope you got some cake and punch!  It was delicious.

"Old" Town Park

We happened across some photographs of "old" Town Park, which we thought you might enjoy. Click the images to enlarge them.

"Old" Town Park (looking west) (circa 1909) (photo by J. P. Calvert)

 "Old" Town Park (looking southwest) (circa 1885) (photo by J. P. Calvert)

Old Settlers Picnic (August 1885) at "Old" Town Park

(looking south) (photo by J. P. Calvert)

In 1877 town founder Samuel Moore donated land along the east end of South Street (adjacent to the east fork of White Lick Creek) to the citizens of Mooresville, Indiana to be used as a town park.  The annual Old Settlers picnic was held there until 1995.

In the top photo (ca. 1909, above), you can see the east end of South Street.  The road going to the right intersected East High Street.  Heading toward the right (in the photo), you would enter Mooresville; going to the left, you would encounter the Waverly Road. Today you may see the boy scout pioneer cabin (constructed ca. 1932) atop the hill among the trees (see photo below).

The middle photo (ca. 1885, above) was looking southwest across "old" Town Park from the hill approximately where the scout cabin stands today.  The Waverly Road appears to the left.

The bottom photo (August 1885) shows local citizens attending the annual Old Settlers picnic at "old" Town Park.

To learn more about the history of the Old Settlers picnic, click here.

Boy Scout Cabin (single-pin log construction) (ca. 1932)

Shelter House Built by Jake Mann in 1937

Jake Mann's Concrete "Signature"

"Old" Town Park Shelter House
(2009 photos by the blog author)

2020 UPDATE:  On April 8, 2020, a tornado flattened the shelter house in "old" Town Park.  It was replaced in early 2021.

Jake Mann's Shelter House Destroyed by Tornado

"Old" Town Park, April 8, 2020

(File Photo by Mooresville-Decatur Times)

New Shelter House Under Construction

"Old" Town Park (January, 2021)

(Photo by Lance Gideon, Mooresville-Decatur Times, January 26, 2021)