Westfield Washington Historical Society & Museum

Westfield Washington Historical Society & Museum We are preserving & promoting the history of Westfield and Washington Township in Hamilton County. Free admission, but donations are welcome!
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Our museum and cabin are open Saturdays Noon - 4PM, except holidays. Meetings and programs alternate on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7PM. We are promoting the history of Westfield and Washington Township in Hamilton County Indiana. The mission of the Westfield Washington Historical Museum is:
·To promote Westfield & Washington Township through the creation and maintenance of a museum and associ

ated projects;

·To preserve the history of Westfield Washington Township for current & future generations;

·To increase local and national awareness to Westfield Washington Township history. Our museum has some informational displays and display cases for historic artifacts. We are located in the north addition of the 1850s Church building on 130 Penn Street that also houses the City Hall and Clerk Treasurer. Visit our webpage https://wwhs.us

Disclaimer: The Society is neutral on politics and social issues. We will post if events have historical significance. Any recent posts to the contrary are not from the Society.


2026 Officers, Board Members and Historical Society Contacts

You can contact the officers directly or leave a
message at the historical society (317-804-5365)

Jeff Beals
President
[email protected]

_______________
Vice President

Steve Neterval
Secretary
[email protected]

Judi Shuck
Treasurer
[email protected]

Tom Roberts
Recorder

__________________
Program Director

Michael Kobrowski
Curator
[email protected]

Brendan White
Collections and Archivist
[email protected]

Paula Monroe & Susan Boyer
Membership

Linda Naas
Communications Director
[email protected]

Gene Roberts
Newsletter

FLAG DAY JUNE 14"Resolved, that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and whit...
06/14/2026

FLAG DAY JUNE 14

"Resolved, that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation."

Saturday, June 14, 1777. In Journals of the Continental Congress. v. 8 (1777) p.464. A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875

Key milestones in the history of Flag Day include:

1777: The Continental Congress resolved that the U.S. flag would feature 13 red and white stripes and 13 stars on a blue field.

1885: Wisconsin schoolteacher Bernard J. Cigrand initiated the idea of a "birthday" celebration for the flag, advocating for its recognition for decades.

1916 & 1949: President Woodrow Wilson formally proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day in 1916, and President Harry S. Truman signed it into national law in 1949.

The current version of the flag dates to July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state on August 21, 1959.

While not a federal public holiday, it remains a designated day for displaying the flag.

06/10/2026
06/06/2026
D-DAY CELEBRATION AND REMEMBRANCE - JUNE 6, 1944 - 82 YRSSaturday night June 6, 2026, 5 pm - media presentation, music a...
06/05/2026

D-DAY CELEBRATION AND REMEMBRANCE - JUNE 6, 1944 - 82 YRS

Saturday night June 6, 2026, 5 pm - media presentation, music and food! Bring your lawn chairs and join us for a celebration of D-Day at the City Hall Assembly Room and Cabin Porch - 130 Penn Street, Downtown Westfield. We've closed off Penn Street out front to make room for you all. Music provided by the Osborne Strummers. Free event. Donations always welcome.

We've added gourmet hot dogs, sides and drinks for purchase to make the evening complete.

The 1880's Quakers of Westfield did not approve of alcohol but they were a fair-minded people.Mr. Shaw could not rent la...
06/05/2026

The 1880's Quakers of Westfield did not approve of alcohol but they were a fair-minded people.

Mr. Shaw could not rent land from any Westfield property owners in Westfield to build a saloon so he persevered and obtained a permit from the railroad company to build a saloon in their right-of-way. The men of Westfield established a committee to try to stop it by appealing to the railroad, town officials, Hamilton County commissioners and finally to the state house all to no avail.

Now the women in their neat brown frocks banded together with hatchets and axes, tools they knew how to use, and were joined by neighbors along the way. Mr. Shaw knew they were coming and put a young black man named Allison in charge of guarding the saloon while Mr. Shaw tried to haul away some of his liquor supplies. Allison met the women with a revolver and a shot rang out but that didn't stop Josephine Barker and her companions. They had kindly asked to buy out the stock but that wasn't happening.

Men and children outside heard breaking glass and timbers and watched the place go up in flames. Being fair-minded the Quakers paid for the building and the stock even the remaining liquor which was poured out to run into Cool Creek. The Westfield women also got Mr. Shaw a bible and a job cutting wood. He vowed never to build another saloon or sell alcohol.

Westfield continued to be a dry town for nearly 100 years more. Below is an excellent story by David Heighway as Hamilton County Historian.

https://www.hamiltoncoinhs.com/single-post/two-violent-saloon-fires-show-polarizing-views-on-alcohol-in-1880s

Based on the discussions at last night’s meeting we hope you will not abandon respect for cemeteries in Westfield for th...
05/27/2026

Based on the discussions at last night’s meeting we hope you will not abandon respect for cemeteries in Westfield for the financial gain of a developer. In this list you will see that Pleasant View cemetery on 202nd street is the final resting place of 2 civil war veterans.

Considering the desecration of other bodies in the building of the Midland Trail downtown and loss of markers in the Martha Doan Park, missing 8 names from the monument in said park, and the discovery of headstones in the old water treatment lagoons now a part of Simon Moon park, along with the state DNR and Hamilton County Cemetery Commission, the City of Westfield should have a protection policy for all of our cemeteries.

Respectfully, we want to remember during black history month our known black Civil War veterans buried in Hamilton County cemeteries. Because they may not be identified by color, we want to include all Civil War veterans buried here who shared in the service of our country and shared similar ideals that led them to serve. It may take time to read the list and offer up a thought for each of them That is intentional.

This great Civil War was fought to resolve the conflict over slavery and to preserve the Union. Before, during and for a while after the time of this war, Westfield played an important part in the Underground Railroad assisting those seeking freedom.

When this list was made, 1,136 graves of Civil War soldiers had been identified in cemeteries in Hamilton County. There existed a possibility of some graves not found, some could have been in family burial grounds on farms as existed in the early history of the county. At the time of the presentation of the monument by then Governor Conrad Barker his remarks included these words: "We meet together today for the double purpose of dedicating as sacred to the memory of heroic patriots, living and dead, the beautiful monument before us, erected by the patriotic liberality of Hamilton County, and to celebrate the anniversary of the dedication of our fathers of the Temple of American Liberty and Independence. The beautiful monument in whose presence we stand, attests the fact that the county authorities and people of Hamilton County know how to appreciate the struggle through which the nation has recently passed, and how to estimate the gallant services of their own citizens who took so distinguished a part in the grand struggle."

We'd love to hear if you know of any of your ancestors in any of these graves. This is our salute. (Hamilton County sources are listed below.)

Aroma: four Civil War veterans
Bethlehem E.U.B. Church Cemetery: four Civil War veterans
Grubbs or Colip Cemetery: two Civil War veterans
Carey Cemetery: sixteen Civil War veterans
Newland Cemetery: four Civil War veterans
Strawtown Cemetery: eight Civil War veterans
Arcadia Cemetery: fifty-five Civil War veterans
Emanuel Lutheran Cemetery: two Civil War veterans
Cicero Cemetery: sixty-three Civil War Veterans
Scherer (Crown Hill) Cemetery: fifteen Civil War Veterans
McCarty Cemetery: one Civil War soldier
Roberts Chapel Cemetery: graves of FIVE NEGRO Union soldiers
Taylor Cemetery: three Civil War veterans
Pettijohn Cemetery: one Civil War veteran
West Grove Cemetery: four Civil War veterans
Hinkle Creek Cemetery: sixteen Civil War veterans
East Union Cemetery: thirty Civil War veterans
Ridge Cemetery: five Civil War veterans
Phillips Cemetery: two Civil War veterans
Spicewood Cemetery: eight Civil War veterans
Teter Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Boxley Cemetery: twenty-nine Civil War soldiers
Spencer Cemetery: fifty-six Civil War veterans
Crown View Cemetery: forty-five Civil War veterans
Union Grove Cemetery: one Civil War veteran
Lamong/Hammock Cemetery: one Civil War veteran
Thomas B. Moore Cemetery: three Civil War soldiers
Pleasant View Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Chester Cemetery: nine Civil War soldiers
Greenwood Cemetery: one Civil War soldier
Eagletown Cemetery: eleven Civil War soldiers
Sugar Grove Cemetery: four Civil War veterans
Little Eagle Creek Cemetery: thirty-six Civil War veterans
Anti-Slavery Cemetery: eleven Civil War veterans
Westfield Martha Doan Park: thirteen Civil War veterans
Summit Lawn Cemetery: fifty-seven Civil War veterans
Tharp Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Gray Cemetery: four Civil War soldiers
Weaver Cemetery: six Civil War soldiers
Riverside Cemetery: seventy-five Civil War soldiers
(site of the first and last Civil War burial in Hamilton Co.)
Crownland Cemetery: two hundred ninety-two Civil War soldiers
(the Civil War monument here was dedicated in 1868)
Hurlock Cemetery: seventeen Civil War soldiers
Zimmer Cemetery: six Civil War soldiers
Prairie Baptist Cemetery: seven Civil War soldiers
Hair Cemetery: ten Civil War soldiers
Stony Creek Cemetery: seven Civil War soldiers
Bethel Cemetery: eleven Civil War soldiers
Lennen Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Mushroom Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Fort Cemetery: fifteen Civil War soldiers
Arnett Cemetery: five Civil War veterans
Kinnaman Cemetery: fifteen Civil War veterans
Helms Family Cemetery: two Civil War veterans
McKay Cemetery: one Civil War veteran
Brooks Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
Bethlehem Cemetery: seven Civil War soldiers
Mt. Zion Cemetery: eleven Civil War soldiers
Lowery Cemetery: ten Civil War soldiers
Beaver (Flanaga/Highland) Cemetery: thirty-one Civil War soldiers
Spannath Cemetery: six Civil War soldiers
Heady Cemetery: three Civil War soldiers
Eller Cemetery: one Civil War soldier
West Cemetery: two Civil War soldiers
White Chapel Cemetery: six Civil War soldiers
Farley Cemetery: fifteen Civil War soldiers
Carmel Cemetery: thirty-two Civil War veterans
Poplar Grove Cemetery: one Civil War soldier

https://www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/DocumentCenter/View/922/Burgess-Civil-War-Veteran-Burial-Guide-PDF

Locate the cemeteries on this list: https://www.hamiltoncounty.in.gov/DocumentCenter/View/921/Hamilton-County-Cemetery-List-and-Legend-PDF

MEMORIAL DAY - FEDERAL HOLIDAY - LAST MONDAY IN MAYWe are looking forward to the upcoming long weekend. We have many opp...
05/22/2026

MEMORIAL DAY - FEDERAL HOLIDAY - LAST MONDAY IN MAY

We are looking forward to the upcoming long weekend. We have many opportunities to commemorate. Some of us will join with large crowds. Some of us will celebrate with a lot of noise. Others of us will quietly visit a gravesite, a cemetery, a solemn ceremony. However you spend your Memorial Day, this is why we set this day apart.

A little history: Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, a little more than 3 years after the war ended. It was originally known as Decoration Day, established to honor Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War.

General John A. Logan, who was the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic made the proclamation.

After World War I (known as The War to End all Wars as it was being fought) the day was known as Memorial Day. The holiday evolved to honor all U.S. military personnel who died in service, not just those from the Civil War.

Memorial Day was established as a federal holiday in 1971, when Congress standardized its observance to the last Monday in May. This change aimed to create a three-day weekend for federal employees, making it easier for families to gather and remember the sacrifices made by military personnel.

So enjoy your weekend, remember those who died in service and be thankful for the freedoms we have.

It's a celebration and remembrance of D-Day, June 6, 1944, eighty-two (82) years later.  Our thanks and appreciation for...
05/19/2026

It's a celebration and remembrance of D-Day, June 6, 1944, eighty-two (82) years later. Our thanks and appreciation for all who served and sacrificed and their families.

Address

130 Penn Street
Westfield, IN
46074

Opening Hours

12pm - 4pm

Telephone

(317) 804-5365

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