Elanor Roosevelt Visits Brown County

~by Julia Pearson

Frank Hohenber’s photo of Eleanor Roosevelt. courtesy, The Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

The July 9,1934 morning edition of The Indianapolis Star featured a double column story about the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, who was passing through the Midwest on her way to Chicago.

Above the fold and in the exact center of the paper’s front page, the headline read: “Eleanor Roosevelt visits Brown County, Leaves Indianapolis Off Her Itinerary.”

After spending the night of July 7 at the inn at Clifty Falls State Park, Mrs. Roosevelt asked staff there for the best way to get to Chicago. She was advised that the shortest route went directly through Indianapolis. As expected, word got out, and hundreds of people lined the road south and north of Indianapolis hoping to catch a glimpse of Mrs. Roosevelt, and reporters monitored the road for a scoop.

Accompanied by Hyde Park friends Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook, Mrs. Roosevelt chose to go through Brown County instead that Monday morning. Fern Seitz Williams was the receptionist that day at the Brown County Art Gallery, which was then located in the Wilkes building across from the Masonic Building on West Main Street. A cream-colored roadster parked in front and the Roosevelt party walked through the door unannounced.

After confirming that the Gallery would accept her personal check, Mrs. Roosevelt purchased two paintings and an etching. The watercolors were by Chicago artist and member of the gallery, James Topping. The etching, entitled “Simon’s Barn,” was by Simon Erickson, also of Chicago. All the while, on-lookers started congregating near the entrance.

From his studio near the Gallery, photographer Frank Hohenberger noticed the gathering foot traffic. Grabbing his camera, he captured a picture of Mrs. Roosevelt as she was leaving. He sent a copy to her at the White House address and received a note of thanks on White House stationery.

The Nashville House was also visited by Mrs. Roosevelt’s group. Wearing a sports dress of black and white silk and her hair bound in a white scarf, Mrs. Roosevelt was not recognized at first.

Manager of the establishment, Carol Besteland, found her studying the displays of native handicrafts in the hotel’s art shop, Brown County Folks (where Spears Gallery is located today).

Mrs. Roosevelt had just been through the mountains of Kentucky where she saw similar crafts being produced in communities there.

Long an advocate of regional industries, Mrs. Roosevelt had a lengthy conversation about the work of local artists, woodworkers, potters, and weavers with Mrs. William Kenton, director of the shop.

Purchases gathered by Mrs. Roosevelt included: a honey jar, two jam pots, three pitchers, and seven nested blue bowls, three Abigail dolls, and a Nancy Hanks doll. She also bought a box of walnut brittle, a specialty made right in the shop. She asked that the walnut brittle not be wrapped with the other items because she wanted to snack on it while traveling throughout the day.

After spending more than an hour in Nashville and shortly before noon, the famous entourage drove westward on Route 46 and then headed north on Route 43.

They stopped at the Midway, a “refreshment stand” four miles south of Greencastle. It was familiar to residents and students of DePauw University.

Lunching on iced tea and sandwiches, the Roosevelt party just seemed like “the average tourists who stop for a bite to eat,” reported the Midway’s proprietor. As their meal was being prepared, Mrs. Roosevelt availed herself of the lunchroom’s telephone and phoned a telegram to Chicago. The manager noted that the lunchroom was nearly empty when the Roosevelt group arrived. Word spread quickly and curious customers came throughout the day to see where the First Lady had eaten lunch.

The Indiana leg of her trip must have felt carefree to the First Lady and her companions, because Mrs. Roosevelt’s stay in Chicago consisted of a busy schedule of command functions.

She attended “A Century of Progress International Exposition,” also known as the Chicago Worlds Fair, where two radio broadcasts were planned. This was followed by a meal with fair officials and a reception where she was the guest of honor. Though she asked to be “let alone” to walk through the fair, Mrs. Roosevelt was quickly recognized and followed throughout.

Mrs. Roosevelt’s visit to Brown County highlighted to a national audience the resilience and creative efforts of rural communities in the midst of the challenges of the Great Depression. It also focused on the New Deal programs of the Roosevelt administration that provided support and relief.

Eleanor Roosevelt served the nation as First Lady during her husband’s administration as 32nd president from March 4, 1933-April 12, 1945. She has a legacy of championing those who lived on the margins and is admired by many to this day.