Photos

A refurbished local landmark back in service

/ Roadtirementvintage / 11 Comments

The Joseph Fountain was first dedicated in 1923 on the center of the town square in Shelbyville, Indiana. It has been the center of the “square” (as the center of town has been known for decades by the locals) and has supported the Christmas Trees and for one year in the 1950’s it was covered  with cornstalks in the fall.

Vintage photo showing the Fountain in the center of the square

New information plaque placed at the rededication of the fountain

During the years 2020-2021 a massive project completely reconstructed the square, entrance streets, sidewalks and parking. There the fountain, after complete restoration, was replaced in its historic location. With water again flowing freely, the fountain is once again the center of the square delighting young and old alike.

 

The rose got here

/ Roadtirementvintage / 22 Comments

Remember back on May 24th we posted this picture (on the left) of a rose bud and said the rose was “on the way”. Well, here we are 5 days later and we have been blessed with a beautiful blooming rose that did get here. It is remarkable how Nature brings about so many dynamic examples of growth and development. There is something just so mystical about roses…

A recycled SUNOCO sign

/ Roadtirementvintage / 7 Comments

Red’s Corner is out in the country in Johnson County, Indiana. The original building appears to be empty. It most recently was a welding shop. It’s also been a pizza kitchen. It was at one time a service station. Yes, you’re right it was a SUNOCO station. Clever that the sign has remained in service, albeit with a different name as the banner.

The arrow piercing the sign originally came in on a horizontal plane. (1920 – 1954) In 1954 the arrow moved and came down at an angle as you see in the picture above. This arrow position has remained to the present day, although the SUNOCO lettering was slanted beginning in 1999.

Unique White Bronze cemetery monuments

/ Roadtirementvintage / 13 Comments

When you come across a blueish colored grave monument you can’t help but wonder how it has maintained its lettering and clarity of the dates. No, it is not a later replacement, it is the original zinc metal grave marker. Manufactured by the Bridgeport, CT. Bronze Company, these long lasting  but somewhat fragile monuments were custom made from 1876 until 1914.

When you tap on the surface of these monuments you can immediately tell it is metal. The seams where the individual pieces are joined are also obvious.  Each piece was cast in Bridgeport and then shipped to the cemetery for installation. Customers dealt with sales reps armed with multiple catalogues with unlimited possibilities for choice of monuments.

Name/dates of deceased and panel with “Shaking Hands”

“HOW DESOLATE OUR HOME BEREFT OF THEE”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The zinc-tin alloy used in the castings did not rust and resisted the growth of mold or algae. Each monument was custom ordered, so all are one of a kind. The designs included panels that were screwed in and could even be changed at a later date, if desired.  These were perfect for symbols like the shaking hands, sheaves of wheat or personal messages in addition to the name and dates of the deceased.

A smaller monument

Name/date still legible after nearly 140 years

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The material of these was advertised as White Bronze. White Bronze doesn’t exist. These are made with a zinc-tin alloy. The company, however, felt that White Bronze is a much classier and sophisticated name than zinc. They also claimed (of course!) that their monuments would outlast any stone monument. In a way that was true, however these zinc beauties were susceptible to breakage from, for example, falling trees. In addition, very tall monuments could suffer over time from settlement of part of the bases.

This panel would have been custom ordered for the monument

The next time you are enjoying a relaxing walk through a cemetery or graveyard keep an eye out for different looking monuments. Go have a look, it just might be a one of a kind White Bronze monument that was cast in Bridgeport, Connecticut between 1876 and 1914.

 

A classic 1877 covered bridge still in service

/ Roadtirementvintage / 15 Comments

Rush County, Indiana is in the east central part of the state. On CR 150 North an 1877 historic covered bridge crosses over Flat Rock River.

Looking west on CR 150 North

The bridge was constructed by the A.M. Kennedy and Sons company, one of three large bridge construction companies building bridges in Indiana. This bridge is 121 feet long, 15.4 feet wide with a clear height of 13.5 feet above the wood deck. The design of this bridge is a Covered Burr arch-truss style.

Family name proudly displayed

Fancy filigree adds a touch of class

Structural details

Standing center span, looking upstream

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This beautiful bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 2, 1983. There is mention that the bridge did suffer some damage a while back when a fire broke out. Repairs included adding several reinforcing steel plates to some structural members. Standing on the wood bridge deck it is easy to imagine hearing the clip clop of horses crossing this bridge long before cars were invented.

Haunted Hays Cemetery

/ Roadtirementvintage / 23 Comments

East of Indianapolis in central Indiana is the small town of Wilkinson. In early days you could leave the town on Main Street and follow it to a cemetery that is basically out in the middle of nowhere. The Main Street Cemetery, also known as the Hays Cemetery, has over the years developed the reputation of being haunted. It is at the end of a rather rough gravel road and the road climbs a small rise and cuts across the center of the cemetery. Put Hays Cemetery in Google maps and you’ll get directions to the beginning of the gravel road.

The video shows that the Hays Cemetery is a neatly kept and open cemetery. There is plenty of room between the headstones. Several of the headstones list the names of Hays family members. Unfortunately lots of the stones have suffered from decades of weathering, making them very hard to read.

One of the Hays family who died in 1872

Sad marker for a sweet young girl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now to the haunting stuff. Several sources on the internet refer to the “fact” that this is a very haunted cemetery. One of the paranormal things has been the discussion of a ‘devil child’. There is supposed to be a pitch-fork shaped tree growing from the child’s grave. There are reports that local kids used to go out at night and try to call ghosts. We also saw one reference to some man hanging his wife from a tree and shooting her as well, thus spawning another ghostly presence.

Based on location, this might be the “Devil Child”

Ghostly wise, we didn’t see anything. We didn’t hear anything. We didn’t sense anything. We thought that this was a beautiful, peaceful and quiet resting place for many centuries gone Indiana early pioneers.