I N D I A N A S TAT E M U S E U M A N D H I S T O R I C S I T E S
CROSSROADS EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2021
NAVIGATING LIFE'S TWISTS & TURNS ONE ROLLER COASTER AT A TIME her personality – so the special event opportunities did exactly what she’d hoped. The events, held at parks across the country, encouraged her to go outside of her comfort zone and explore new places. Going to these events on her own also allowed her to discover each park’s atmosphere – something she always remembers enjoying as a child. After visiting 27 parks and counting, she appreciates what makes a park unique. “I love when a park has its own feel and experience,” she said. “I like all the little details.”
By Renee Bruck Nicole Rife knew she needed a reason to get out of the house nearly 10 years ago, but she didn’t realize she would find a hobby that would change her life. A self-described introvert, Nicole knew that staying in the house after the then-recent loss of her husband, John, wasn’t helpful – or healthy. She had always enjoyed amusement parks and roller coasters, so she joined an online roller coaster enthusiast group. They would discuss and attend special events, like Kings Island's Coasterstock, Holiday World’s HoliWood Nights and
others. Some of these events allow for extended hours, while others featured special presentations about the park’s roller coasters. All the events allowed people who share a love of roller coasters to gather for a unique experience. “You are with people who are as equally excited to ride roller coasters as you,” the museum system’s director of education engagement said. Although the events allowed some social interaction with other coaster enthusiasts, Nicole could also attend the events solo – which appealed to
Take Knott’s Berry Farm in California, for example. Nicole describes the theme park as charming and quirky, but she’s also drawn to it because of its history. The park started as a small boysenberry farm. Thanks to the addition of a fried chicken continued on next page
dinner and a few rides, the destination is now best known for roller coasters, entertainment and delicious food creations. She also enjoys parks that hold significant memories for her, like Kings Island in Ohio. It’s a place she remembers visiting often as a child – even though her mom didn’t like roller coasters. It’s also where she met her second husband, Brad, during Coasterstock in 2016. Nicole had attended the event by herself when she met Brad, a fellow enthusiast from the online community. The two started dating after the event and – as they say – the rest is history.
On Oct. 1, 2017, he proposed at the top of the park’s iconic Eiffel Tower. The two took a honeymoon to amusement parks where they could try a few new coasters. Now, they attend coaster events and visit theme parks throughout the country whenever they can.
They’re also passing along adventures and experiences – plus a few lessons in science and coaster engineering – to younger family members and friends. “Sometimes it’s a way to test yourself,” she said. Even after riding 182 different coasters (with more sure to come!), she doesn’t really have a must-see list of parks to visit or even a Top 10 list of coasters. She does enjoy finding and riding some of the oldest coasters that are still in existence, like Dorney Park’s Thunderhawk, which originally opened in 1924 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Hersheypark’s Comet, which opened in 1946 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. And she’s always looking for new recommendations.
“Sometimes it’s a way to test yourself” “You can’t say you don’t like something if you don’t try it,” she said, noting it’s a mindset she also tries to pass on to campers at the museum. “I will ride anything at least once.”
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: TYRIEE LOVE Tyriee Love is the director of security at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. He began working for the museum system as contracted security in February 2004 before being hired as security coordinator in February 2012. As director of security, Tyriee’s duties include overseeing and reporting security incidents or threats, controlling or authorizing access for all Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites properties, communicating with law enforcement on security matters when needed and more. He lives in Indianapolis, but Tyriee is originally from Gary (raised in East Chicago, Indiana). He and his wife, Danielle, have two children, Terrace (age 26) and Trinae (age 21).
WHAT HAS REQUIRED THE MOST COURAGE OF YOU IN YOUR LIFE SO FAR? I could reply to this with various answers due to several experiences that required courage, but when I really focus on the question, two things immediately come to mind: Being a dad and a husband. WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH THE MOST? Enjoying the company of my few friends while reminiscing on the past. But if you know me, I love to laugh whenever the opportunity presents itself. Ironically, I was nominated and received the award of “Class Clown” as a senior in high school. When I was first informed of the nomination, I was very excited until I figured out that most people were laughing at me and not with me. It was a bittersweet moment for me, but I graciously accepted the award – although being voted “Most Successful” would have been better.
IF YOU COULD ONLY EAT ONE MEAL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Spaghetti or baked mostaccioli, side salad and garlic bread or Texas toast. I recently started recording a cooking show titled Cookin’ Wit Love that I post on social media for fun. I was told it is more of an inspiration-to-cook type of show rather than an actual cooking show. Surprisingly, it has received a little attention. I haven’t made my favorite spaghetti meal on the show yet, but in the future, I surely plan to. WHAT CAREER ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF? Be more patient, observant and dedicate more time toward reading and researching. But unfortunately, the younger me still may have not listened or adhered to that advice. It would have taken some serious persuading to make me follow the right path as a young man. IF YOU HAD TO DELETE ALL BUT THREE APPS FROM YOUR SMARTPHONE, WHICH ONES WOULD YOU KEEP? WHY? 1. Apple Music, because I absolutely must have some music playing to give me my daily rhythm. 2. Maps, because I can be directionally challenged at times. 3. YouTube, because I enjoy some of the content.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RANDOM FACT? Black/African American history has always enthralled me. One of my favorites that I like to inform my friends about is the numerous documented, yet rarely mentioned, black massacres that have occurred all over America. These massacres range from 1863 to current times. Two of the most familiar massacres are Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921 and Rosewood, Florida, in 1923. (There was movie made in 1997 about this.) There’s also Colfax, Louisiana, in 1873 and Memphis, Tennessee, in 1866. I could go on and on, but this could end up being several paragraphs long. IF YOU COULD BECOME AN EXPERT IN SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Love, happiness and relationships. They would call me Dr. Love.
The world today seems to be full of miracle cures and treatments for every ailment and issue. One cannot watch television, listen to podcasts or read anything online or in print without being inundated with advertisements or news for the latest cures. How times have not changed. Let me introduce you to Dr. King’s New Discovery For Coughs and Colds. “By taking the contents of this small bottle, you will readily perceive the remarkable curative qualities of this great New Discovery for Consumption, Coughs, Cold and all Disease of the Throat, Chest and Lungs . . .” But what is in this cure for consumption (tuberculosis)? A mixture of morphine, chloroform and pine tar. New Discovery was originally created by Dr. Z. L. King of Elkhart, Indiana, who sold the formula for New Discovery and many other medicines to Herbert E. Bucklen in 1878. Bucklen was experienced in chemistry and medicine as a clerk in his father’s drug store in Elkhart, but his true calling was in marketing. New Discovery
was advertised in newspapers, journals and periodicals across the county. His company created home wellness guides that highlighted the medicine. A booth at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 helped spread the word of New Discovery even further. One small issue existed, though. New Discovery did not cure consumption. In his famous series, The Great American Fraud, Samuel Hopkins Adams said that, “Dr. King's New Discovery for Consumption is well calculated to strike terror to the doctors or to any other class of profession, except, perhaps, the undertakers. It is a pretty diabolical concoction to give to anyone, and particularly to a consumptive. The chloroform temporarily allays the cough, thereby checking Nature's effort to throw off the dead matter from the lungs. The opium drugs the patient into a deceived cheerfulness. The combination is admirably designed to
shorten the life of any consumptive who takes it steadily.” Adams’ series in Collier’s Weekly helped expose many quack medicines and the methods patent medicine advertisers used to exploit themselves. His articles helped with the final push in passing the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act. This act helped create the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and our food and drug policies used today.
GAIL BROWN Archaeology Specialist
OCTOBER ANNIVERSARIES ERICA ARTEAGA Visitor Services
14 years
CHUCK LOCKMAN Culbertson Mansion
SUSANNAH KOERBER Collections
14 years
Indiana Store
3 years
10 years
TERESA COX Limberlost
2 years
MEGHAN SMITH Collections
SONDRA MCGEE
3 years
KEVIN TODD A/V 9 years
AVERY GATCHELL Security 1 year
BRIAN BENSON
Facilities Maintenance 7 years
DRU CORLISS Education 1 year
AURANGZEB MUGHAL
RACHEL MCFADDEN
Visitor Services
3 years
Education 1 year
WELCOME ABOARD! New hires from June through September 2021 ANDREA CONTRERAS
ROBIN ZITNICK
Visitor Services
Levi and Catharine Coffin
BRAD BAUTE
RON KELLEN
Experience
Experience
JARRELL OLIVER
SHANNON CONWAY
Facilities Maintenance
T.C. Steele
MATTHEW WARDELL
SHAUN PAYNE
Security
Limberlost
SECURITY UPDATE FIRST-AID KIT REFILLS Running low on first-aid supplies? Kit refills are coming soon. First-aid kit refills are necessary in maintaining a safe work environment. First-aid kits contain antibiotic ointment, adhesive bandages, a burn cooling patch and other items needed for wound treatment, itch relief and burns, aches and pain and more. An Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites security representative will begin
refilling all 17 first-aid kits at the museum in October. If sites have refill needs or requests, please contact Tyriee Love or Dustin Chavez. Please contact Dustin for any refill requests or needs at the museum. CPR/FIRST-AID CLASSES The final CPR/first-aid class of the year will be held in October, but this class is currently full. With completion of the class, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
system will have 40+ people certified for first aid, CPR and AED. We are working to improve this course next year, so we’ve taken your notes and suggestions to make it even more successful in 2022. If you have questions, concerns or suggestions regarding first aid, CPR and AED, please contact Dustin Chavez.
CONTRACTOR POLICY REMINDER All contractors must sign in through the security control office at the museum or wherever site managers have deemed contractors to sign in at the sites. Contractor log sheets allow security staff to know about and keep record of the names of all contractors working at all 12 locations. Using this log helps with overall organization and keep things running smoothly by outlining arrivals and departures at our locations. These logs also can help during an emergency to account for those who are not normally on site. If you have questions or concerns, contact Tyriee Love or Dustin Chavez.
33RD ANNUAL
1ST PLACE Donna Shortt
GREAT OUTDOOR
ART CONTEST The oldest plein air painting competition in Indiana returned this month to T.C. Steele State Historic Site. More than 40 artists registered for the 33rd annual Great Outdoor Art Contest, which was held on Sept. 10 and 11.
3RD PLACE Mary Ann Davis
2ND PLACE Scott Sullivan
HONORABLE MENTION Beverly Bruntz
HONORABLE MENTION Dianna Porter
HONORABLE MENTION Qing Shue
HONORABLE MENTION MarySue Schwab
HONORABLE MENTION Stephen Warner
YOUTH HONORABLE MENTION Elizabeth Moss
SHARE YOUR STORY IDEAS! Renee Bruck, manager of communication | 317.260.3506 | rbruck@indianamuseum.org