Westfield Washington Historical Society & Museum

06/06/2019

We will never forget their sacrifices! Thank you

Today is the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied forces invasion of Normandy that was one of the most pivotal operations during World War II. Private Wesley R. Leland was killed in action on D-Day and his official death notice is in our collections. Today we honor his sacrifice and the sacrifice of so many others who fought on the beaches that day to save the free world.

Learn more about our military collections: https://bit.ly/2UDbwpv

05/27/2019

Decoration Day

Memorial Day 2019 http://storyoftheweek.loa.org/2017/05/decoration-day.html?m=1 - Michael K

A free story every week, sponsored by The Library of America

04/28/2019

See the former Thunder Island in Westfield from the air

Great article in the Indy Star about a Westfield site that is probably very familiar to some of you. Any memories you'd like to share? - Michael K

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04/28/2019

Indiana Landmarks

Impressive - Michael K

Historic Madison, Inc. wins Indiana Landmarks’ 2019 Cook Cup for Outstanding Restoration for their four-year transformation of the 1849 Shrewsbury-Windle House in Madison.

Read more: indianalandmarks.org/award-winning-restoration-revives-madison-masterpiece

Video by Road Pictures

04/27/2019

By the way we are open still until 2PM! You can early vote in the front of the building as well until 3 PM!

04/16/2019

More pictures from the Silvernotes Choir concert
Did you miss it? That's a tragedy! They were amazing! Thank you Purdue Extension Hamilton County

04/16/2019

Silvernotes Choir Concert - Westfield School Song - Glory To Old Westfield Thank you Purdue Extension Hamilton County

04/16/2019

Silvernotes Choir Concert. Thank you Purdue Extension Hamilton County

04/16/2019

Silvernotes Choir Concert Program - we will only broadcast the intro and one song - Westfield School song Glory to Old Westfield

04/15/2019

County’s Silvernotes love to sing - The Times 24-7

Thank you Betsy Reason for the article! See you Tuesday!

Sharon Piper has loved music ever since she can remember. As a child, she would tag along with her mom, Lucile Beechler, who sang in the Hamilton County Extensi

04/11/2019

Here for Leanna Roberts viewing. :-(

04/11/2019

Leanna Roberts has passed away last weekend. Among many other things (see obituary) she was also one of the Co-Authors of the "Our Westfield 1834-1984" book :-(

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/indystar/obituary.aspx?n=leanna-roberts&pid=192200333&fhid=11921

Westfield - Leanna Kathryn (Barker) Roberts, 94, died on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Wellbrooke of Westfield. She was born on October 10, 1924, the daughter of Ellis and Rachel (Thomas) Barker.

Calling will be from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Thursday, April 11, 2019 at Randall & Roberts Funeral Center, 1685 Westfield Road, in Noblesville. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, April 12, 2019 at Noblesville Friends Church, 1055 East Division Street in Noblesville, with an additional visitation at the church one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Crownland Cemetery in Noblesville.

PS: Sorry for the late notice, I really don't like making these kind of posts, especially for such a kind person and especially marking another huge loss for the community and even more in this case a huge loss in history knowledge. Michael K

04/06/2019

Westfield Washington Historical Society & Museum

04/02/2019

Westfield was dry much longer. A saloon legally erected on Monon Railroad right of way in Westfield was destroyed by local women in the late 1800s. A diner had beer in the 1930 after prohibition was repealed but the owner said it was his worst mistake and he quit selling beer quickly. The first liquor store opened in the late 1960s (if I remember correctly). - Michael K

On April 2, 1918, Prohibition went into effect in Indiana, nearly two years before the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution made it illegal to produce, transport, and sell alcohol in the United States. The Indianapolis News reported that unlike other states that celebrated Prohibition with statewide parties, Hoosiers "were focused on the more important things of war [World War I] in this serious time in the nation's history and that they deemed revelries of the Bacchanalian variety to be improper and not in accord with the meaning of the times."

The paper reported that all 3,520 bars in the state and 547 in Indianapolis ceased selling liquor and that many saloon owners had already sold most of their stock before midnight. In June 1933, Hoosiers voted to repeal the Amendment and by December of that year the 21st Amendment was ratified, which ended Prohibition in the U.S.

Learn more about Indiana’s early entry into prohibition here: http://bit.ly/2FzfnLG

The image below appeared in the Logansport Pharos-Tribune.

03/22/2019

Huge news - Michael K

For your viewing pleasure, Westfield Preservation Alliance is very proud to issue the following press release...

03/20/2019

Busy news day in Westfield 111 years ago March 20th 1908. Westfield now had a moving picture show (movie theater). Electric tram was planned for Westfield/Sheridan (but never built). Break in Boyd grocery store. And more.

03/17/2019

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all Shamrocks!

03/16/2019

As the flag says, we are open. In the background one of the oldest homes in Westfield. Know what it is called?

03/16/2019

Museum at the Friends Home

Great news for a Friend's related Museum in Ohio.

We are SO very proud and happy to announce.......

Friends Museum Has a New Owner

The Museum at the Friends Home was delighted and extremely grateful to learn that the Board of Directors of the Quaker Heights Care Center has donated the property through a free and clear deed. Ownership of the Museum now resides with its Board and members. The deed transfer culminates almost twenty-years of Quaker Heights’ stewardship under a one-dollar a year lease agreement. After initial financial help and encouragement from Quaker Heights, the Museum has steadily grown in membership and fund-raising programs to where its all-volunteer Board of Directors and membership was able to achieve financial independence several years ago without outside grants.
Located at the corner of Miami and Fourth Streets, the Museum was founded in 2000 by local volunteers to preserve the heritage of Waynesville and the surrounding communities. Built in 1905 by the Friends to provide a comfortable home for local residents, the building is considered the predecessor to the adjacent Quaker Heights nursing and rehab facility. Against daunting challenges from the outset, the facility has been beautifully restored and refurbished by hard-working members.
Please join us in our programs, have fun, become a member and help us keep our local history alive. Information on joining and upcoming events is available at our web site, www.friendshomemuseum.org.

03/16/2019

Our museum will be open Saturday 3/16 from 10a-2pm. Join us! Bring in your donations or pictures and we might be able to scan them on the spot :) Depending on availability.

03/13/2019

Thank you to Tom & Frank DeLano from Chicago area for visiting our museum last Friday. Frank is studying the Underground Railroad and was asking if he could stop by so we opened the museum up for them Friday! Thanks for visiting! And on top of this they also visited Erika's Place (Westfield) for lunch! Visit Hamilton County, Indiana City of Westfield - Government - Michael K

03/10/2019

Great day at the farmer’s market. We sold out of chicken and noodles and pork loin sandwiches. Thank you to all that supported us today and a special thank you to: Terry Carrithers, Steve and Linda Osborne, Helen Schirmer, Becky Brock, Rachael Merrill, Patty Reece, Betsy Ross, Jeff Beals, Paula Monroe, and Jim Peyton for all their hard work in the kitchen. The guys proved they are masters of washing dishes. Lol. Thank you all!!!!

03/09/2019

Come join us for lunch! Yummy homemade chicken and noodles and pork tenderloin sandwich to go!

03/09/2019

Come join us at the Westfield Winter Market and have some homemade Chicken & Noodles!

The market is up and running! Come out and shop from 9 - 1 pm at the Westfield Lions Club, located at 120 Jersey St. The Westfield Historical Society is serving their delicious chicken and noodles for you to enjoy while you shop!

03/02/2019

While doing research through old newspapers found this article about first paving of "Rangeline Rd" through Carmel and Westfield. Carmel Clay Historical Society Hamilton County Historical Society Old Sheriff’s Residence and Jail
Noblesville Ledger October 23 1922
RANGE LINE ROAD CONTRACT TO BE AWARDED SOON
State Highway Commission Fixes Date For November 15th
THROUGH CARMEL AND WESTFIELD
Towns Must Pave Their Own Streets, However
The Indiana Highway Commission has announced that on November 15th it will award the contract for four paving Jobs to be started next spring, among them being the Range Line road through the Carmel, Westfield and the northern part of Hamilton county, a distance of between twelve and thirteen miles. The Commission says these contracts and many others matters will be gotten out of the way during the winter months so that the jobs can be started as soon as settled weather comes in the spring.
However in this connection it may be said that the Commission is still of the opinion that it will not improve the connecting links on the road in the towns of Carmel and Westfield. This improvement must be done and paid for by the property owners, the township or county-just as the people please for the Commission has no choice in the matter except the jobs must conform with the other work done on the road.
The other three Jobs which the Commission will award next month are as follows:
Lafayette pike, in Marion, Hendricks and Boone counties; Salt Lake road to two miles north of Royalton, 11.5 miles; Michigan road. St. Joseph county, South Bend, to county line, 10.6 miles.
The other roads to be paved are as follows: Lincoln highway, twelve miles out of Ft. Wayne in each direction; Bootjack road from Michigan City to New Carlisle, twelve miles; Dixie Bee Line from Evansville seven miles north and for French Lick trail, from Evansville to the Vanderburg county line, seven miles. To this program may be added twenty-six miles between Seymour and Underwood, state road No. 1.
Bide for about $1,000,000 worth of cement or whatever quantity is necessary to supply the 1928 requirements of the state highway department's approximately 125 miles of hard surface road building program will be received by the commission until November 1, when the bids will be opened. The commission will open bids November 15 for 1923 construction of approximately $1,800 00 worth of four hard surface projects to cover shout forty-six miles. Approximately 500.000 barrels of cement will be used by the department next year. It will buy the article on an f. o. b. basis.

02/16/2019

Paula

Open until 2pm! There is hot coffee!!

Museum now open until 2. Drop by , I"ll put the coffee on!

02/15/2019

The museum will be open Saturday 2/16/2019 from 10a to 2p! Come in and see our latest donation! But don't sit on it!

02/09/2019

We received a wonderful (and quite heavy) donation today from Judith Stanley Shuck and Robert Shuck. Thanks you so much. We will post more details later, meanwhile feel free to guess :-)

02/09/2019

We are open on this sunny but brisk day! It's warm inside the museum so join us here until 2PM!

02/03/2019

Westfield Washington Historical Society & Museum's cover photo

02/03/2019

In honor of today's game, here the 1904 Westfield High School Football team. This is part of the Grand Park - The Sports Campus at Westfield Historic Sports sign we created. If you happen to know any of the boys on the team, let us know, we know two Wheelers (Frank and Elmer) were part of it. http://www.wwhs.us/research/grand-park-sign/1904whs_football - Thank you to our friends at Carmel Clay Historical Society for the idea. We split the 1904 season 17-12 and 5-10 :-) according to the ISHAA record

02/02/2019

Book: Our Westfield 1834-1984 - WWHS & Museum

Realized we didn't have a dedicated page on our website for the "Our Westfield 1834-1984" book. Thought we should have one. - Michael K
http://www.wwhs.us/research/our-westfield-1834-1984

02/01/2019

200 Years of African American History - Hamilton East Public Library Website

Great article by County Historian David Heighway

200 Years of African American History By: David Heighway, Hamilton County Historian In the newest edition of the Hamilton County Business Magazine, I’ve done an article on a special anniversary – the bicentennial of the African American experience in Hamilton County. Many of the stories that I.....

01/26/2019

We are open! A few flurries won't stop us! Open until 2PM.

01/25/2019

Great news from Carmel! He was a great illustrator!

BREAKING NEWS from today's Hamilton County Reporter, thanks to our own Fred Swift ... read the whole article here ...
https://readthereporter.com/DailyEdition/2019-01-24.pdf

01/19/2019

We are closed again on Saturday 1/19/2019 due to the weather :-(. Check out our website and Facebook for past history posts www.wwhs.us

01/16/2019

City of Westfield - Government
Westfield Police Department - Indiana
Re: David Brown
January 20, 1969

A special meeting of the Board of Trustees was held at 7:30pm to conduct business not conducted on January 13, 1969, due to illness of Board members. All members and Gary Beerbower, Town Attorney, Robert Haskett, Jr., and George Tolan, Marsha were present.

A moment of silent prayer was held in memory of David Brown, Deputy Marshal, who was killed in the line of duty on January 11, 1969.

Minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Discussions were held on getting the police car fixed and on buying a new truck for the Water Dept. It was decided to wait until a later meeting before making a decision on buying the true for the Water Dept.

01/15/2019

In honor of Deputy Marshal David Brown. Killed on duty in Westfield 50 years ago.

Tonight we honor the memory Deputy Marshal David Brown who died in Westfield 50 years ago. This is a remembrance and reminder of the courage of all in public safety. Westfield Police Department - Indiana

01/13/2019

My wife Nicole and I - Michael Kobrowski and a couple of friends were able to go into the basement and attic of 102 South Union Street. Most people know it as Picketts Cafeteria which it was for several decades. Before that it was Funderburghs Grocers for the longest time. It is now home of Erikas Westfield. (Besides our interest in History was also have a side business that is partially based on History - pictures posted with permission from unseenpress.com, Inc.).

I always thought the building was built around 1870/1880s but after looking at the constructions method, huge hand hewn beams and the elaborate bracing and double checking the 1866 map I am thinking it might be pre-civil war.

My wife Nicole and I - Michael Kobrowski and a couple of friends were able to go into the basement and attic of 102 South Union Street. Most people know it as Picketts Cafeteria which it was for several decades. Before that it was Funderburghs Grocers for the longest time. It is now home of Erikas Westfield. (Besides our interest in History was also have a side business that is partially based on History - pictures posted with permission from unseenpress.com, Inc.).

I always thought the building was built around 1870/1880s but after looking at the constructions method, huge hand hewn beams and the elaborate bracing and double checking the 1866 map I am thinking it might be pre-civil war.

01/12/2019

Due to travel warnings the museum is closed today. (Unless the volunteer changes their mind ;). Meanwhile some pictures of snowy beautiful Downtown Westfield.

01/12/2019

Downtown Westfield this morning in the snow. - Michael K

01/12/2019

RIP In memory Deputy Marshal David K. Brown.

Fifty years ago today, Deputy Marshal David K Brown fell in the line of duty. Deputy Marshal Brown was checking on a suspicious vehicle behind the high school while investigating the theft of livestock. He had requested a records check on the subject over the radio and, when the dispatcher was unable to contact him with a reply, a second deputy was sent to check on him. When the second officer arrived, Deputy Marshal Brown was found shot to death in his patrol car. The suspect was subsequently apprehended and convicted of murder. He later died in prison, while serving a life sentence.

On Monday, 1/14/19, at 7 PM, the Mayor and City Council will recognize the 50th anniversary of Deputy Marshal Brown’s death during the city council meeting. Please join us to honor and remember him.

Online Memorials for Deputy Marshal Brown are at http://bit.ly/1ZnmzzW and http://bit.ly/1VZHO5k.