travel

St. Peter’s UCC is a beautiful country church

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St. Peter’s United Church of Christ is a lovely church in Ripley County, Indiana. While it has an Osgood address, it is actually closer to Napoleon.

Front of the church

The steeple

Unique double entrance doors

There is a decent sized graveyard behind the church building. Of note is the interesting iron graveyard gate signage over the entrance drive to the graveyard. Also seen is an additional smaller gate entrance piece that has been mounted over a sidewalk entrance to the back of the fellowship hall of the church. It could be guessed that both of these structures have been relocated for original placements.

View of the graveyard

Fancy iron entrance signage

Smaller iron gate arbor

 

 

 

 

 

This church is located on the south east corner of the intersection of W County Rd 700 N and N Fink Road in Ripley County, Indiana.

 

A Vice President’s family log cabin

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Shelbyville, Indiana is a small town in central Indiana and was home to Thomas A. Hendricks, Vice President to Grover Cleveland. A replica of the Hendricks family log cabin is on display at the Shelby County Fairgrounds.

Reconstructed log cabin made from original logs from the Hendricks family cabin

Thomas A. Hendricks was a politician and lawyer who served as the 16th governor of Indiana from 1873 to 1877 and the 21st vice president of the United States from March until his death in November 1885. Hendricks also served Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. He was born in Ohio and his family moved to Shelbyville in 1822.

Information plaque mounted on the cabin

Vintage postcard of the original cabin, courtesy Indiana Historical Society

Thomas A. Hendricks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hendricks was married to Eliza Morgan, and they had one child, a son who sadly died at age three. Hendricks was very popular with the people, and unfortunately he died on Thanksgiving night during his first year in office as Vice President. Hendricks is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.

 

Have never seen tombstones like these

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It is always fun to find a different cemetery to explore. Even more so when you find very different tombstones than you normally see. This was the case at the Ross Cemetery in Decatur County, Indiana. Three stones were apparently hand inscribed in wet concrete at some late date, with names and birth/death dates. These might be replacement stones.

Hand inscribed name/dates

Two additional hand made “stones”

 

 

 

 

 

 

This cemetery also has other oddities. There are two different granite stones that serve as listings of others interned here, many are family groupings. The back side of one of these also proudly lists military veterans who are resting in this lovely country cemetery.

Lists of burials in Ross Cemetery

A listing of vets buried here

21 year old killed in action 1862

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many interesting stones at Ross Cemetery. What is fascinating is the range of size and quality of gravestones. Some are large and beautifully made. Others are simply what appear to be just rocks stuck in the ground. Family names are seen across many different stones, and dates of internments start in 1845 and according to a date on gate arches stopped in 1979.

Variety of marker size, quality clearly seen

Another view of the peaceful cemetery

Cemetery entrance gates

The historic Ross Cemetery can be found south of New Point in Decatur County, Indiana. It on the southwest corner of the intersection of E Co. Road 300 South and S Co Road 850 East. The gate is on 300 South and there is parking on the side of the road.

 

Mud Pike Baptist Church and Cemetery

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We were off on another daytrip in south east Indiana. We did have a couple of specific destinations, but as usual we did enjoy just coming upon interesting sights. One of these surprises was the Mud Pike Baptist Church and Cemetery which we came upon on, you guessed it, East Mud Pike Road. The church is roughly equidistant from Napoleon and Osgood, Indiana, both on US Highway 421, aka Michigan Road.

Pretty white church edifice

Remounted bell and one side of the cemetery

Notice the “Weeping Willow” tree in Mary’s tombstone

The grave of thirty two year old Sarah, passed in 1878

Grave of John Blackmore, Charter Member and church land donor

The bell remounted

Originally Delaware Baptist started in 1842 with 12 members, and Charter Member John Blackmore donated the ground for the church in 1844. In 1911 the bell was mounted in the belfry of the structure. A  fire devastated the church in 1996, resulting in the bell crashing to the floor. It now is mounted in a place of honor next to the flagpole and bench. The church was renamed Mud Pike Baptist Church in 1938, and it celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2017.

National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association

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The National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association (NMLRA) began in 1933 as an association pursuing the active continued use and appreciation of the history of muzzle loading firearms. The Association headquarters are located in a beautiful valley in southern Indiana, Ripley County, next to the village of Friendship. Twice a year, June and September, the valley echoes with hundreds of distinctive sounding black powder gunshot reports. Thousands of men, women and youths register and compete in a wide variety of contests and events.

Range targets, shooting stands also visible.

A view across the valley

 

 

 

 

 

A friend of mine from High School

The NMLRA has grown tremendously over the decades. When I first came to the shoot with my dad back in 1958 you could stand in the middle of the campground, throw a rock and not hit anyone. Now twice a year hundreds of campers pull into the grounds, in addition to many trailers that remain here year round. The whole valley fills, not only with participants in the shoots, but also two separate and unrelated large flea markets.

A couple of wilderness style forts on the primitive side of the grounds

Where you can buy, sell, trade everything from Kentucky rifles to buckskin trousers to powder horns

A bit of history

Friendship NMLRA shoots are a wonderful piece of Americana, filled with characters of all kinds, history buffs, and craftsmanship you would not expect to still exist. Yes, you can find gunmakers working on fine rifles and pistols. You can also watch impressive feats of marksmanship, both with black powder firearms, bows and arrows, tomahawks and other wilderness weapons. We were there just before the Fall Shoot began.

 

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre celebrates 50 years of entertainment excellence.

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The year was 1973. Those three massive eye catching  Pyramids had just been constructed on the then far northwest side of Indianapolis. A new music and theater venue named Beef & Boards had just opened. It offered a delicious meal prior to the entertainment show of the evening. Thus began a wildly successful run that continues today, 50 years later.

Come celebrate with the Stark family

Fort Wayne native Douglas E. Stark patronized the opening show, Tom Jones, and was mesmerized by the venue. His dream came true in 1980 when Stark bought Beef & Boards with a business partner, Bob Zehr. Stark recently observed “At the time it offered the most stability that I could have as an actor and director to fulfill my artistic need-and at the same time provide the stability that’s necessary for raising a family.” That family is now, with Douglas, operating Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre.

The 2023 season will celebrate 50 years of excellence in the theater business. The lineup of shows is quite frankly remarkable. It opens with the classic board game mystery Clue, one of three debuts this season. Wonderful musicals, clever comedies and theater classics make for a must see season.

The Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre 50th Anniversary season lineup

Clue                                                               Dec. 28, 2022 – Feb. 5, 2023 (Beef & Boards Debut)
Footloose                                                   Feb. 9 – March 26
An American in Paris                           March 31 – May 15 (Beef & Boards Debut)
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast      May 18 – July 9
Sophisticated Ladies                           July 13 – Aug. 20
Grumpy Old Men The Musical      Aug. 24 – Oct. 1 (Beef & Boards Debut)
Joseph -Dreamcoat                             Oct. 5 – Nov. 19
White Christmas                                   Nov. 24 – Dec. 31

The show that brought more people through its doors than any other: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat from Oct. 5 through Nov. 19, 2023.

The year long celebration of 50 years at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre will be an event that you should become a part of. Each and every show has appeal to all and provides an immense variety of entertainment options. Do not miss any of these fabulous performances. Bring your desire for a filling dinner and hunger for professional entertainment. You won’t be disappointed. All the information you need is at the Beef & Boards website.

A lovely four-span stone arch bridge

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Ripley County Indiana is a scenic land of rolling hills, wooded tracts interspersed with farming enterprises. Amongst the unique sites include a wonderful stone arch bridge just outside the tiny village of Friendship. This bridge was constructed in 1909 on the Olean Road where the road crosses Raccoon Creek.

From a distance

The approach to the bridge

Nearly perfect stonework


Side view of the stone work arches


The stonework on the four arches is really a stone mason’s dream. This bridge has spans over 20 feet. The deck is nearly 15 feet wide over the 103 foot length. Stone arch bridges were a very common design for many rural stream and river and there are eleven still standing in Ripley County alone, according to records.

Raccoon Creek is typical of southern Indiana hill country drainage streams. Usually running, it can go dry in droughts. The bubbling sound of the passing of the water adds to the serenity of this environment.

 

“Escape to Margaritaville” at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre

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Miguel in Island Wear

As soon as you walk into the Beef & Boards lobby for Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville you can feel the excitement. There is a large photo op banner waiting for you to capture that perfect memory shot. The B&B staff waiting to greet you and escort you to your table are all decked out in island wear. You know, those wild flowered/palm tree printed shirts. Even House Manager Miguel Jardon greeted us sporting a marvelous island print suit. Pre-show island music also adds to the anticipation of an entertainment filled evening of music and hilarity. Escape to Margaritaville is truly a slice of musical paradise and a great way to end the summer.

Tully on the island bar (photo B&B media)

Both long time and new Jimmy Buffett fans aka “Parrot Heads” will love this energetic production. From a B&B press release: “This show is a musical comedy featuring both original songs and your most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics including “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Margaritaville,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Fins,” “Volcano,” and many more.” Also listed are the book authors Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley.

Brick and Tammy in a rousing version of “Cheeseburger in Paradise”

The story takes place on an unnamed Caribbean island. The well worn resort hosts week long tour groups and the resort staff, well, tries to put up with their guests. Fireworks erupt when two gals from Cincinnati show up, one planning to be married in a week, the other an all work no play environmentalist. The bartender Brick (Brett Mutter), likes the soon to be married Tammy (Hannah Elizabeth Boswell), and singer/songwriter Tully (Kyle Southern)  sets his sights on Rachel (Amanda Tong) the environmentalist.

Tully and Brick sing “Five O’Clock Somewhere”

The set design is the mastermind of Michael Layton, including the wonderful backscreen that displays both rhythmic ocean waves and fiery volcano lava. Terry Woods directs the orchestra, Travis Grant designs wigs and costumes. Ron Morgan’s choreography is stunning, and Douglas E. Stark directs with a flair for professional theater quality often missing in some venues.

Tully teaches Rachel how to play the guitar via the song “Three Chords”

The cast of Margaritaville work together seamlessly. Kyle Southern and Amanda Tong realistically develop their chemistry as the show progresses. You have to enjoy Brett Mutter and Hannah Elizabeth Boswell as they work through her impending marriage standing in the way of their growing attraction. Her fiancé makes it very easy for you to love to hate him. Logan Moore plays Chad as a jerk flawlessly. Ray Gleaves successfully plays two roles.

“Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw” J.D. sings while trying to woo Marley

Jamal singing “Volcano”

Rachael Bibbs makes her debut at B&B playing the part of Marley, the manager of the resort. In addition to her managerial duties, she has to act in somewhat of a den mother role for guests and staff. B&B veteran and one of this venue’s favorites, Jeff Stockberger fills the role of local drunk J.D.  Always seen with a longneck in his hand, Stockberger shines as usual. His grasp of comedy including perfect comedic timing makes his performance a key part of the success of this show.

To purchase tickets online, visit beefandboards.com. Tickets are also available by calling the Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre Box Office at 317.872.9664 anytime between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays.

Bond Cemetery Road Bridge, abandoned

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Bond Cemetery Road Bridge, aka Brown County Bridge #36, is a very interesting bridge that has been abandoned and is, frankly, degrading at a fairly rapid pace. The HistoricBridges.org website states: “The bridge is severely deteriorated and the bridge is at an increasing risk for collapse. One of the plates that is part of the floorbeam and hanger system is cracked so badly it is split nearly in half. (see photo below) Many diagonal and vertical members have extremely severe section loss at the heads. Restoration of this bridge would likely need to include disassembly and restoration of these parts in a shop setting.”

Abandonment is, ah, obvious

This historic bridge was constructed in 1908 by the Pan-American Bridge Company of New Castle, Indiana, who were very prolific iron bridge constructors in Indiana. The technical design name of this bridge is a single-span, pin-connected Pratt through truss with an “I” beam approach to the south. The bridge rests on metal abutments, wingwalls and round caisson piers.

The concrete filled metal caisson foundation

The cracked plate referenced above

Looking through the decorative lattice guardrail at North Fork of Salt Creek

Bridge behind camera looking down old Bond Cemetery Road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This bridge spans the North Fork of Salt Creek and is a couple of hundred yards south of Green Valley Road on what is left of Bond Cemetery Road. The old road bed continues towards Highway 46 past the cemetery of that name. There was discussion in the early 2000’s about building some type of trail along the road, including refurbishing the bridge as part of the trail. Too bad nothing ever came of that plan.

Note the “interlaced” I beam verticals, and the moss growing on the deck boards.

This is one of those stories that apparently will not have a happy ending. The private owner of the bridge does not seem to care if the bridge collapses. According to the experts at HistoricBridges.org it is not a matter of if, but when this classic 1908 bridge goes down. What a shame.