July/August 2020 OUR BROWN COUNTY

The Magazine of Fun and Fact

YEARS

and Her Brown County A rtist

Legend of Echo Mountain Isolation and Resilience FIELD NOTES: Back Country

July/August 2020 FREE

great we have taste(s)

wild & tasty

TIP

Drizzle some of our 25 Star Aged Balsamic and/or our Basil Infused Olive Oil over heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil for a delicious Caprese salad.

HOME

We’ve been bringing great taste to you since 2012 from our inviting little shop in the heart of Brown County, Indiana.

We have curated a flavorful collection for your tasting pleasure with plenty to offer for foodies, the experienced cook, or the novice. It goes well beyond the high-quality olive oils and balsamics we built our reputation on. We’ve added jams, pastas, dipping oils, salsas, sauces, and much more. Come in for a tour of tastes and let us be your guide. You’ll be wild about our shop.

Shop us online from anywhere, anytime at www.thewildolive.com

www.thewildolive.com | 37 W Main Steet Nashville, Indiana 47448 | (812) 988-9453

Village Green Building Celebrating over 100 years in nashville The Nashville you came to see and love…

Where you can see the work of local artists — whether it’s ice cream, candy and fruit preserves made the old fashioned way or the artwork of local artists and craftsmen. · first floor · Homemade Ice Cream Homemade Candies Homemade Fruit Preserves · second floor · Antiques · Art and Craft Galleries Working studios of local artists

V NA S H I L L E

INDIANA

The Candy Dish

Yes, we really do make it ourselves!

Fine Homemade Chocolate Candies and Fudge Gourmet Caramels Over 50 Flavors of Salt Water Taffy

812.988.0815

812.988.7606

Homemade Ice Cream

Harvest Preserve the

Homemade Fruit Butter Gourmet Food Cookbooks · Cookie Cutters Postcards · Greeting Cards Kitchen Gadgets Galore Giftware · Tea and Teaware

812.988.7606

Functional and Fine Art Made in Indiana

812.988.6675

61 West Main street · nashville, indiana

Rosey Bolte’s Uncommon Gourd Studio Vaught Rd.

HELMSBURG

BEAN BLOSSOM

Helmsburg General Store

GATESVILLE

Rd.

NASHVILLE Old SR 4

rove R d.

6

lley Rd.

46

Kelp G

Green Va

Craftsman Adventure

KOA Co. ls wn nta Bro eek Rd r all tion Re ry ire C T M . t l Co Sa ique n Vaca . Wine E wn o Ant Bro ON Co. O’ Brow rown C n w WB s B o l r l i B H GNA Mt . Li

Dunham Heartland

ber

TO N

Friends O’ Mine Tattoo Campground Mainstream Fiber

MI

NG

Abe Martin Lodge

Mike’s Music and Dance Barn

eXplore Brown County

ty R

to COLUMBUS d

yB

46

to BL OO

Yellowwood Rd

BELMONT

Musical Entertainment Artist and/or Gallery

Brick Lodge

Rd.

Lodging/ Camping

Mike Nickels Log Homes

Al’s Paint & Body

Country Club Rd

Oak Grove

135

d.

Rd sburg Helm

Ow l Cr eek

Dining

hR

to BL O

BLOOMINGTON

Yellowwood State Forest

Doodles by Kara Barnard

Flower and Herb Barn Farmhouse Café

Lightspinner Studio

Dr. Lisa Baker, DDS Fireplace Center

Cordry Lake

Sprunica Rd. Upper Bean Blossom

Monroe Music Park & Campground John Hartford Memorial Festival

Helmsburg Sawmill Pool Enterprises

Sweetwater Lake

Clay Lick Rd

GTON

Nineveh Edinburgh Morgantown 31 37 135 I-65 46 Bloomington Columbus 46 NASHVILLE

The Apple Works

Antiques Co-op Art Beyond Crayons Critser’s Flowers & Gifts Grandpa Jeff’s Trail Rides House of Clocks

Critser’s Greenhouse

45 OMIN

Trafalgar 252

to MORGANTOWN

Lake Lemon

Martinsville

Franklin

ran c

Carmel Ridge Rd

NASHVILLE MAP ON PAGE 6

135

TRAFALGAR MORGANTOWN

135

Val le

Brown County N

Indianapolis

Brown County State Park

Monroe Reservoir

ELKINSVILLE Bob Allen Rd.

k Rd ton Cr

CHRISTIANSBURG

Hamil

Christi

STORY

ove r Gr

ansbu rg Rd

STONE HEAD

la Pop

T.C. Steele State Historic Site

PIKES PEAK

Homestead Weaving Studio Salem’s Good Nature Farm

JEFFERSON STREET

Village Green

Hoosier Artist Gallery

HONEYSUCKLE LANE

OLD HICKORY LANE

Fallen Leaf Books

Brown Co. Art Guild

Moonshine/ K. Bellum Leather

The Wild Olive

ST SR 135 N

Miller’s Ice Cream The Candy Dish The Harvest Preserve B3 Gallery

Head Over Heels

Heritage Candy Store

Heritage Mall

Spears Pottery Juls Etc.

Brown Co. Winery

Woodlands Gallery

Homes on a Limb

Main Street Shops

Foxfire

Foxfire Boutique

MAIN STREET

NSC Home Store

Weed Patch Music Company

Log JJail L il

Pioneer Village Museum

Gold &Old

Redbud Terrace

Old

RE/MAX Team

Health For U Robinson’s at the RedbudOffice New Beginnings Boutique Scentual Journeys Austin Barber Rustic Grace

County Offices

Touch of Silver

LOCUST LANE

TO Lory Winford HeresHome Studio

Courthouse

open M-F8-4

Copperhead Creek Gem Mine

Iris Garden Cottages & Suites

Brown Co Public Library

Brown Co. History Center

GOULD STREET Iris Garden Complex

Brown Co. Rock & Fossil Shop

Trolly’s

Heavenly Biscuit

MOUND STREET

Hidden Valley Inn

ROBERT “BUCK” STOGSDILL WAY

TO HELMSBURG - 6 MILES

The Emerald Pencil

MOLLY’S LANE Big Woods Village

Napopi Antiques Common Grounds Coffee Bar

Men’s Toy Shop

Colonial Bldg.

Carmel Corn Cottage

J.B. Goods/ Life is Good

TO BEAN BLOSSOM & MORGANTOWN

Brozinni Pizzeria

Carpenter Hills O’Brown Realty

North House

Hotel Nashville

46

IHA

Brown Co Art Gallery

Masonic Lodge

SR

ARTIST DR

VAN BUREN

Ironweed

The Salvation Army

Precise Books & Payroll

JEFFERSON STREET Hoosier Buddy

Thrift Shop Community Closet

PAT REILLY DR

Nashville BP

Nashville Christian Church

PITTMAN HOUSE LANE

Schwab’s Fudge

New Leaf Amy Greely

Calvin Place

Life is Good Madeline’s JB Goods

VAN BUREN ST SR 135 N

SR 46 TO BLOOMINGTON - 16 MILES

McGinley Insurance

Franklin Sq

The Totem Post

Jack & Jill Nut Shop

Brown Co Playhouse

58 South Apparel

FRANKLIN STREET

HONEYSUCKLE LANE

Brown Co Massage

Ferguson House

Clay Purl Brown Co Pottery

Antique Alley

Old McDurbin Gold & Gifts

Wishful Thinking

Nashville Spice Co.

Country Heritage Winery

Bone Appetit Bakery

Brown County Inn

Brown County IGA

map not to scale

Casa Del Sol

Craftsman

Brown Co Health & Living

Brown County Eye Care Blue Elk Family Clinic

Salt Creek Park Brown Co Music Center

Seasons Hotel & Conference Center

Doodles by Kara Barnard

Lodging

Theatre

Artist and/or Gallery Rest Room Dining

Musical Entertainment Parking

COUNTY MAP ON PAGE 5

Nashville General Store & Bakery

Brown Co Community YMCA

Bear Hardware

N

Nashville Indiana

Coachlight Square

SR 46 TO COLUMBUS - 16 MILES

VISITORS CENTER

Brown Co Craft Gallery

Cornerstone Inn

WASHINGTON STREET

Gyros Food Nashville is Art Fudge Kitchen Brown Co T-Shirt Moondance Shop Vacation Homes

Sweetwater Gallery

Possum Trot Sq

Back to Back

Yesteryear Old Time Photos

Carol’s Gifts House of Jerky

Artists Colony Inn

Artists Colony

Cedar Creek Winery

Nashville Express

Rhonda Kay’s

Out of the Ordinary and Hickory Bar

OLD SCHOOL WAY

8 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

ADVERTISER

ANTIQUES Antiques Co-op................................. 50 Brown Co Antique Mall.................... 19 The Emerald Pencil........................... 22 Napopi Antiques............................... 12 Nashville General Story & Bakery.. 34 Plum Creek Antiques....................... 56 ART, ART SUPPLIES-INSTRUCTION Antiques Co-op................................. 50 Art Beyond Crayons......................... 50 Art Walk.............................................. 23 B3 Gallery............................................. 3 Bear Hardware.............................45,56 Brown Co Antique Mall.................... 19 Brown Co Art Gallery....................... 18 Brown Co Art Guild........................... 19 Brown Co Back Roads Studio Tour.42 Brown Co Craft Gallery.................... 15 The Emerald Pencil........................... 22 Hoosier Artist Gallery...................... 22 NSC Home Store............................... 59 Rhoden Art at eXplore Brown Co.... 4 Lightspinner Studio-M. Sechler..... 15 Spears Pottery................................... 18 Cindy Steele’s Upcycled Art............ 58 Rosey Bolte-Uncommon Gourd..... 18 Lory Winford, pastelist..................... 19 BOOKS The Emerald Pencil........................... 22 Fallen Leaf Books.............................. 12 CLOTHING 58 South Apparel.............................. 38 Bear Hardware.............................45,56 Brown Co Back Roads Studio Tour.42 Brown Co T-Shirt Shop..................... 35 Community Closet Thrift Shop....... 28 Foxfire Boutique............................... 43 Head Over Heels............................... 42 J.B. Goods/ Life is Good................... 24 Men’s Toy Shop.................................. 29

Woodlands Gallery........................... 34 ENTERTAINMENT/MUSIC Brown Co History Center................. 35 Brown Co Playhouse........................ 33 Copperhead Creek Gem Mine........ 51 eXplore Brown Co............................... 4 John Hartford Memorial Festival... 33 FOOD & BEVERAGE Abe Martin Lodge............................. 22 Apple Works....................................... 41 Artists Colony Inn............................. 23 Brown Co IGA.................................... 47 Brown Co Inn..................................... 21 Brown Co Winery.............................. 41 Brozinni Pizzeria............................... 38 The Candy Dish................................... 3 Carmel Corn Cottage....................... 42 Casa del Sol........................................ 29 Cedar Creek Winery.......................... 12 Common Grounds Coffee Bar........ 13 Country Heritage Winery................ 46 Farmhouse Cafe................................ 25 Gyros Food is Art.............................. 13 The Harvest Preserve......................... 3 Heavenly Biscuit............................... 51 Helmsburg General Store............... 28 Heritage Candy Store....................... 28 Hoosier Buddy Liquors.................... 25 Hotel Nashville.................................. 47 House of Jerky................................... 29 Jack and Jill Nut Shop...................... 13 Miller’s Ice Cream................................ 3 Nashville BP....................................... 51 Nashville Express.............................. 35 Nashville General Story & Bakery.. 34 Nashville Fudge Kitchen.................. 60 Nashville Spice Co............................. 59 Out of the Ordinary & Hickory Bar.39 Schwab’s Fudge................................. 35 Seasons Hotel & Conference Ctr.... 39

New Beginnings Boutique.............. 19 CRAFTS, POTTERY, GIFTS Antiques Co-op................................. 50 Apple Works....................................... 41 B3 Gallery............................................. 3 Bone Appetit Bakery........................ 12 Brown Co Antique Mall.................... 19 Brown Co Art Guild........................... 19 Brown Co Back Roads Studio Tour.42 Brown Co Craft Gallery.................... 15 Brown Co Pottery.............................. 15 Brown Co Rock Shop........................ 51 Carol’s Gifts........................................ 23 Clay Purl............................................. 39 Critser’s Flowers & Gifts................... 57 The Emerald Pencil........................... 22 The Ferguson House........................ 43 Foxfire................................................. 43 Head Over Heels............................... 42 Homes on a Limb.............................. 23 Homestead Weaving Studio........... 18 Hoosier Artist Gallery...................... 22 House of Clocks................................. 50 Ironweed............................................ 25 Madeline’s.......................................... 13 Moonshine Leather.......................... 18 Lightspinner Studio-M. Sechler..... 15 Men’s Toy Shop.................................. 29 Napopi Antiques............................... 12 New Leaf............................................. 19 NSC Home Store............................... 59 Rhonda Kay’s..................................... 38 Robinson’s at the Redbud............... 19 Rustic Grace....................................... 19 Scentual Journeys............................ 19 Spears Pottery................................... 18 Sweetwater Gallery.......................... 19 The Totem Post.................................. 12 Rosey Bolte-Uncommon Gourd..... 18 Wishful Thinking............................... 12

DIRECTORY

Trolly’s................................................. 35 The Wild Olive..................................... 2 FURNITURE Antiques Co-op................................. 50 Brown Co Antique Mall.................... 19 Brown Co Back Roads Studio Tour.42 The Ferguson House........................ 43 Napopi Antiques............................... 12 Plum Creek Antiques....................... 56 Robinson’s at the Redbud............... 19 HARDWARE Bear Hardware.............................45,56 HATS Head Over Heels............................... 42 Moonshine Leather.......................... 18 JEWELRY B3 Gallery............................................. 3 Brown Co Antique Mall.................... 19 Brown Co Back Roads Studio Tour.40 Brown Co Craft Gallery.................... 15 Ferguson House................................ 43 Foxfire................................................. 43 Juls Etc................................................ 24 New Leaf............................................. 19 Old McDurbin Gold & Gifts............. 13 Rhonda Kay’s..................................... 38 Spears Pottery................................... 18 The Totem Post.................................. 12 Touch of Silver Gold & Old.............. 24 LODGING/CAMPGROUNDS Abe Martin Lodge............................. 22 Artists Colony Inn............................. 23 Brick Lodge........................................ 47 Brown Co Health & Living............... 57 Brown Co Inn..................................... 21 Brown Co KOA................................... 35 Cornerstone Inn................................ 15 eXplore Brown Co............................... 4 Friends O’ Mine Campground & Cabins.................... 45

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 9

Hidden Valley Inn............................. 24 Hills O’ Brown Vacation Rentals..... 25 Hotel Nashville.................................. 47 Iris Garden Cottages........................ 51 Moondance Vacation Homes......... 46 North House...................................... 47 Seasons Hotel & Conference Ctr.... 39 MUSEUMS Brown Co History Center................. 35 PET PRODUCTS Bone Appetit Bakery........................ 12 PHOTOS B3 Gallery............................................. 3 Brown Co Back Roads Studio Tour.42 Hoosier Artist Gallery...................... 22 Spears Pottery................................... 18 Yesteryear Old Time Photos............ 41 REAL ESTATE Carpenter Hills o’ Brown Realty..... 28 RE/MAX-Marg & Brenda.................. 58 RECREATION eXplore Brown Co............................... 4 Grandpa Jeff’s Trail Rides................ 46 SERVICES Al’s Paint & Body............................... 56 Austin Barber Shop.......................... 19 Dr. Lisa Baker, DDS........................... 38 Bear Hardware’s Bagged Trash....... 56 Blue Elk Family Clinic....................... 57 Brown Co Eye Care............................ 56 Brown Co Health & Living............... 57 Brown Co Massage........................... 41 Brown Co Tire & Auto....................... 56 Brown Co Visitors Center................. 14 Brown Co Community YMCA.......... 58 Dave Carlile Heating & Cooling...... 57 Dunham Plumbing........................... 58 Heartland Tattoo Co......................... 34 Helmsburg Sawmill Inc/ Pool Enterprises Inc.......................... 58

IN Seamless Guttering..................... 57 Keyed IN Property Mgt.................... 58 Mainstream Fiber Networks........... 57 McGinley Insurance (Farmers)........ 57 Nashville BP....................................... 51 Nashville Christian Church............. 56 Nashville Express.............................. 35 Precise Books & Payroll.................... 56 Rambling Dog Design - SIGNS....... 58 SHOES Head Over Heels............................... 42 Moonshine Leather.......................... 18 The Totem Post.................................. 12 SPECIALTY SHOPS Bone Appetit Bakery........................ 12 Clay Purl............................................. 39 Fireplace Center................................ 42 Head Over Heels............................... 42 Health For U....................................... 57 House of Clocks................................. 50 House of Jerky................................... 29 Moonshine Leather.......................... 18 Men’s Toy Shop.................................. 29 Nashville Spice Co............................. 59 Weed Patch Music Company.......... 29 Wishful Thinking............................... 12 STAINED GLASS Brown Co Back Roads Studio Tour.42 Hoosier Artist Gallery...................... 22 Sweetwater Gallery.......................... 19 WEDDINGS Artists Colony Inn............................. 23 Hotel Nashville.................................. 47 OTHER Apple Works....................................... 41 Health For U....................................... 57 Ironweed............................................ 25 Mike Nickels Log Homes................. 29 Nashville Christian Church............. 56 Flower and Herb Barn...................... 57

Contents 12 WHERE IS IT?

13 SUBSCRIBE 16 Camping’s Comeback ~by Paige Langenderfer 26 Jane Ellis & Brown County ~by Ryan Stacy 36 Artist Luke Buck ~by Bob Gustin 30-31 Photos by Marti Garvey*

32 Calendar

34 Michele Pollock’s poem 44 Backcountry ~by Jim Eagleman 48 Geoff Keller ~by Jeff Tryon

52 Legend of Echo Mountain ~byJulia Pearson

54 Isolation & Resilience ~by Mark Blackwell 55 Kara’s Cartoon

Contributors Bob Gustin worked as a reporter, photographer, managing editor, and editor for daily newspapers in Colorado, Nebraska, and Indiana before retiring in 2011. He and his wife, Chris, operate Homestead Weaving Studio. She does the weaving while he gives studio tours, builds small looms, and expands his book and record collections.

Ryan Stacy is a content writer at Monroe County Public Library, and also enjoys writing about Brown County. He and his wife live in Bloomington, where they can often be found chasing movies, good food, and cultural events. His other interests include reading, photography, and music.

Joe Lee is an illustrator and writer. He is the author of The History of Clowns for Beginners and Dante for Beginners and illustrator of six other titles, including Dada and Surealism for Beginners, and Music Theory for Beginners. He is an editorial cartoonist for the Bloomington Herald Times, a graduate of Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Clown College, and a veteran circus performer.

Paige Langenderfer is a freelance writer and communications consultant.

She writes for numerous publications. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University and her Master’s degree in public relations management from IUPUI. Paige lives in Columbus with her husband and daughters. Contact her at <langenderferpaige@gmail.com>.

Jeff Tryon is a former news editor of The Brown County Democrat, a former region reporter for The Republic, and a former bureau chief for The Huntsville Times. Born and raised in Brown County, he currently lives with his wife, Sue, in a log cabin on the edge of Brown County State Park. He is a Baptist minister.

Mark Blackwell no longer makes his home in Brown County where “the roadway is rough and the slopes are seamed with ravines and present a meatless, barren, backbone effect.” He now resides within sight of the sixth green of an undisclosed golf course. He was born in the middle of the last century and still spends considerable time there.

Jim Eagleman, recently retired DNR naturalist, and his wife Kay, enjoy hiking the many natural areas, preserves, and land trust sites in Brown and neighboring counties. His FIELD NOTES have appeared in this publication for several years. Contact Jim with comments and inquiries at <jpeagleman@gmail.com>.

Julia Pearson wrote for a Franciscan magazine for ten years and served as its human interest editor. She and husband Bruce now reside in Lake Woebegone Country for life’s continuing adventures. Julia enjoys traveling and visiting museums of all types and sizes, with her children and grandchildren.

56-58 INFO PAGES

Cover: Brown County State Park campers from Indy ~by Cindy Steele OUR BROWN COUNTY ourbrowncounty.com ourbrown@bluemarble.net

Cindy Steele is the publisher and editor of this magazine.

She sells and designs ads, sometimes writes, takes photos, and creates the layout.

For fun, she likes to play the guitar or banjo and sing.

*Marti Garvey is a Brown County photographer and artist. She and her husband, Norbert, raised four children in the hills and hollers of Owl Creek.

She is inspired by light, structures, nature, music, and people. “Do at least one creative thing a day” is a motto she has lived by her whole life. Contact her at <momgarvey@gmail.com>, view her photos at <www.momartiphotos.tumblr.com>.

Also, thanks to Kara Barnard for her cartoon and Michele Heather Pollock for her poem.

Also online at issuu.com/ourbrowncounty OR search in the mobile app ISSUU and on Facebook for OUR BROWN COUNTY

Thanks, Mom, for making it happen!

P.O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435 (812) 988-8807

Singing Pines Projects, Inc. copyright 2020

10 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Coloring Contest Win $20

Publisher’s choice. Send to this address by August 20.

OUR BROWN COUNTY P.O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 11

Guess Photo Win $20 WHERE IS IT? Call (812) 988-8807

Be the first person to call and win the money!

Leave a message identifying the location of the photo along with your name and phone number.

38 Franklin St. E. | Nashville, IN | drinkatthecreek.com | Open Every Day

The Totem Post ~Since 1952~

Last issue featured a sign next to the Brown County State Park Office. Betty Taggart guessed it.

• Genuine Native American Jewelry • Zuni Fetishes • Sterling Silver Jewelry • Copper Jewelry 78 S. Van Buren St. • Minnetonka Moccasins Nashville , IN • Pendleton • Knives 812-988-2511 ~Open all year~ TheTotemPost.com

Napopi Antiques

BONE APPETIT BAKERY For Dogs

• Premium, all-natural treats since 1997 • Over 20 varieties from low-fat to grain-free • Gourmet and seasonal snacks, too

Plants and Records

55 N. Van Buren St. • Nashville (Near Big Woods & Men’s Toy Shop) 317-752-2218 • facebook.com/napopiantiques

Get a FREE Sampler bag of natural dog treats with $10 purchase and this ad.

DOGS WELCOME! (812) 988-0305

Open 7 days 211 S. Van Buren St. (behind Visitor Center)

www.barkingood.com

Established 2001

A Wonderful Mix of ks Old, New, Used and Rare Books Journals • Sketchbooks Handmade Greeting Cards Local Postcards 45 S. Jefferson St. • Nashville, IN 812.988.0202 fallenleafbooks.com Open 7 days a week 10 am to 5 pm

12 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

FREE in-store demos!

Old School Way and Pittman House Lane

(next to the Toy Chest, behind Yesteryear Old Time Photos) Visit our website for class schedules www.wishfulthinking-in.com • 812-988-7009

Stay safe and here’s to a great reemergence.

IS

Delicious!

Gifts for home and happiness

Our own Tzatziki sauce recipe, made from scratch Free samples • Local Delivery Available

Quilts • Unique Gifts Mona-B Handbags • 100% Soy Candles

S. Van Buren & Old School Way • Possum Trot Sq. Look for the sidewalk signs • (812) 318-0840

Vicki@MadelinesNashville.com www.MadelinesNashville.com • www.ShopMadelines.com

<Most items under $10> gyrofoodnashville.com • Gyros Food

Van Buren & Franklin Streets Nashville, IN • 812.988.6301

SUBSCRIBE! C Cinnamon Salted Roasted Nuts Almonds R d Roasted & Pecans Daily Cashews, Fancy Mi Mix, P Pepitas, it Peanuts Delicious Candies - Homemade Fudge Mail Orders - 812-988-7480

S.Van Buren (Shopper's Lane) Nashville

Old McDurbin Gold & Gifts 50%

For the cost of a fancy coffee drink once every two months, you can have Our Brown County sent to your mailbox. That pays for postage, supplies, and processing time. Subscriptions make good gifts to family or friends, too.

SUBSCRIBE

One Year’s Subscription for $20 (six issues)

Customized

• Anklets • Bracelets • Necklaces OFFLRY E Watches JEW Sterling Silver Rings 1000’s of Pendants

Blue building in Antique Alley S. Jefferson St. • Nashville, IN

COMMON GROUNDS

Name: N Address:

COFFEE BAR It’s like a coffee shop in a living room (with things to amuse you)

Hot, Cold & Frozen Drinks • Selection of Teas Froothies (our fruit smoothies) Famous for Cheesy Eggs & Toast • Pastries • Quiche 66 N. Van Buren, Nashville (Molly’s Lane behind the red door) Opens 8:00 am M-Sat; 9:00 am Sun (Closed Wed) 812-988-6449

Mail with check or money order to:

Our Brown County P.O. Box 157 • Helmsburg, IN 47435 July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 13

Escape Comes Naturally in Brown County.

And it always has.

Where else can you relax under a canopy of trees?

Watch the sun disappear beyond the horizon? Roam a quiet trail and listen to the birds sing?

Snuggle up in a cabin nestled in the forest? Only in Brown County.

To plan your getaway, stop by the Visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center in downtown Nashville at 211 South Van Buren Street, call 812-988-7303, or visit BrownCounty.com

.

14 Our Brown County â&#x20AC;˘ July/August 2020

Lightspinner STUDIO

Martha Sechler Unique Watercolors Mixed Media Gourd Art

4460 Helmsburg Rd. Nashville, IN • 812-988-7379 Open whenever home. Call ahead.

Sweetwater Gallery Stained Glass • Paperweights Mosaic Mirrors • Pottery Fabric Wallhangings

local artisans

created by hand

New Location: 158 Old School Way Nashville, IN • 812-988-0449

E S T

1 9 7 8

BROWN COUNTY

Fine arts and crafts by local and area artists View their work on Facebook & Instagram See something you want?

Just message us!

Shipping & Local Delivery

Gallery viewing by appointment text 765.414.8874 to schedule

BrownCountyCraftGallery.com

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 15

Camping’s Comeback ~by Paige Langenderfer

”When you are camping you get to enjoy being outdoors and getting away from it all,” —Patty Frensemeier

T

he 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic has led to numerous closings and cancellations in the travel and entertainment industries.

But, business for one industry has actually increased.

Many people, inspired by cabin fever, have started looking for alternative ways to spend time away from home, and have discovered that camping is the perfect way to get away while still practicing social distancing.

RV Share, a motor home and travel trailer rental site, reported a 1,000 percent increase in nationwide bookings since April 1.

According to the RV Industry Association, recreational vehicle dealers throughout the country experienced as much as a 170 percent increase in sales for the month of May compared to last year.

16 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

The reason, experts say, is because Americans are afraid to travel in traditional ways because of the pandemic. The U.S. Travel Association reported that 47 percent of survey respondents said they would be more likely to travel by car during and even after the pandemic subsides, and 42 percent said they would likely choose a destination that is closer to home.

Locally, campground owners have noticed the surge.

Patty Frensemeier, owner of Friends O’ Mine Campground and Cabins (previously named Westward Ho Campground), said it has been chaotic.

“When the Governor opened camping the Thursday before Memorial Day, it got crazy,” Patty said.

“Those first two weekends were wild.

The phone was ringing off the hook.”

Patty, who took ownership of the campground in May, said she has been surprised by the number of first-time campers who have been making reservations.

“We have had a lot of people calling who are brand new to camping,” Patty said. “They say they wanted to travel and with an RV it is their own bed, their own restroom facilities and their own space, but they are still away from home and able to enjoy nature.”

Having been a lifelong camper, and now a brand-new owner of a campground, Patty said she understands the attraction of camping.

“When you are camping you get to enjoy being outdoors and getting away from it all,” she said. “When you are home, you always have a list of

things to do, you never really get a chance to relax.”

Paul Lawson, co-owner of Brown County KOA, said he also noticed the increase in demand. In fact, the campground is currently almost completely booked through July 4.

“When they opened up camping for Memorial Day weekend, we got absolutely inundated with reservations,” Paul said. “We were getting calls from 7:30 in the morning to 10:30 at night. We have had to turn people away because we have been booked. We are really in a sweet little position as far as the travel industry goes.”

Most of the campers, Paul said, have been coming from Louisville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Illinois.

“I think people just want to get out of their house,” Paul said.

Continued on 20

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 17

HOMESTEAD WEAVING STUDIO

Brown County

See homesteadweaver.com for remote shopping Quality Handwovens

by Chris Gustin

Art Gallery NOW OPEN

WITH COVID-19 PROTOCOLS IN PLACE

Yarn • Looms • Supplies • Classes

Southeastern Brown County 6285 Hamilton Creek Road Columbus, IN 47201

812-988-8622

Open 11 to 5 most days CALL AHEAD Visit us on the Back Roads Tour

SUMMER EXHIBTIONS

GUSTAVE BAUMANN

SPECIAL EXHIBIT AND COLLECTION AUGUST 15 – OCTOBER 16

C. CURRY BOHM

BROWN COUNTY AND BEYOND

Locally Crafted Pottery • Jewelry • Photography • Wood • Fiber • More...

Downtown Nashville (S. Van Buren St. near stoplight/courthouse) • Open Daily

www.spearspottery.com • 812.988.1286 • Spears Gallery on Facebook

FREE ADMISSION · FREE PARKING Corner of Main & Artist Drive · Nashville 812.988.4609

BROWNCOUNTYARTGALLERY.ORG shop online: bcartgalleryonline.org

Moonshine Leather Co. Handcrafted Leather Goods Made in the USA

812.988.1326 · moonshineleather.com

38 SOUTH VAN BUREN · NASHVILLE, IN New home of K Bellum Leather!

18 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

REDBUD TERRACE SHOPS 146 East Main Street • Nashville, IN

• Robinson’s at the Redbud • New Beginnings Boutique • Scentual Journeys

• Health For U • Austin Barber Shop • Rustic Grace Pastelist inspired by nature’s colors

A new, refurbished, and re-imagined small furniture and home accents store with a garage-gas-oil room for guys robinsonsredbud.com 317-292-8113

HeresHome Studio Workshops and Private Lessons Studio visits by appointment only Commission work accepted 15 N. Johnson St. Nashville, IN

Lory Winford Pastelist

Brown County Antique Mall

NEW LEAF

Celebrating 25 Years as Owner

An eclectic mix of creative items by local, regional, and global artists

Featuring handcrafted jewelry by owner Amy Greely

Work shown at Hoosier Artist Gallery in Nashville

916-804-2484 • hereshomestudio@gmail.com

Antique Store since 1972

Calvin Place Franklin & Van Buren Streets Nashville, IN • (812) 988-1058 www.amygreely.com

Over 7,000 square feet of Antique and Vintage Glory Filled with antiques, jewelry, pottery, china, glass, furniture, artifacts, primitives, books, collectibles, and home decor.

More than 70 dealers • We buy and sell

3288 State Road 46 East 3 miles east of Nashville, IN • 13 miles west of I-65 Open 7 Days a week till 5:30 • 812-988-1025

THE GUILD. FINE ART

BY FINE ARTISTS. WELCOME TO OUR GALLERY AND MUSEUM Special Exhibition Color Trip Opens August 21

© 2020 Brown County Art Guild, Inc.

New retail at

Lory Winford Fine Art

• Artwork for Sale • Artisan Gift Shop • Permanent Art Collection 48 S. Van Buren Street Nashville, IN 47448 812 988-6185 BrownCountyArtGuild.org THE MONARCH BY VJ CARIANI

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 19

CAMPING continued from 17 “Camping is a great way to get outside and still do social distancing….With RVs you have your own bathroom and bedding, and can do your own cleaning.”

LOCAL CAMPING: Friends O’ Mine Campground and Cabins Address: 4557 E State Road 46, Nashville, IN Phone: 812-988-0008 Email: info@friendsominecampground.com Website: www.friendsominecampground.com Amenities: Full hookups, 30 and 50-AMP, pool, fishing lake, camp store, clubhouse/game room, washer and dryer, walking trail, wi-fi, monthly rates available.

Brown County KOA Address: 2248 State Road 46 E, Nashville, IN Phone: 812-988-4675 Email: camp@browncountykoa.com Website: www.browncountykoa.com Amenities: Full hookups, back-in and pull-through sites with 30 and 50-AMP, pool, playground, Kamping Kabins, camp store, walking trail, pet walk, free wi-fi, cable TV on RV sites and in cabins.

20 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Brown County State Park Address: West Gate: 1405 S.R. 46 W. Nashville, IN North Gate: 1801 S.R. 46 E. Nashville, IN Phone: 812-988-6406 Website: www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2988.htm Amenities: Cabins, 30-amp electrical service, cabins, horseman camp, Abe Martin Lodge and indoor water park, recreation buildings, canoeing, camp store, fishing lake, hiking, mounting biking, horseback riding, pool (closed in 2020), lookout tower, playground, restaurant, shelters, tennis court.

Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground Address: 5163 N. State Road 135, Morgantown, IN Phone: 812-988-6422 Email: billmonroeoffice@gmail.com Website: www.billmonroemusicpark.com Amenities: Pet friendly, full hookups, 30 and 50AMP, rental cabins, playground, lakeside sites, camp store, free wi-fi, monthly rates available, laundry facility, ATM lake for fishing and non-motorized boating, walking trail. 

brown County Inn HOTEL, RESTAURANT & BAR

On the corner of 135 & 46 just 3 blocks of downtown with free parking

Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 7 days a week

8am to 9pm Sunday to Thursday

8am to 10pm Friday & Saturday

www.browncountyinn.com

(812) 988-2291

July/August 2020 â&#x20AC;¢ Our Brown County 21

CU R GIFTS, BO OKS &

IES T I S IO

22 Our Brown County â&#x20AC;¢ July/August 2020

Carol’s

GIFTS

the Since 1981

Inn & Restaurant

A Charming 19th Century Style Inn and Restaurant

Glass Baron Hand-blown Glass Jim Shore Collectibles • Lori Mitchell Figurines Fontanini Nativities • Painted Ponies

Lang Graphics Calendars & Paper Goods Billy Jacobs Prints Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks Blue Mountain Greeting Cards Handmade Soap & Bath Bombs Amia Suncatchers

Wind Chimes • Music Boxes • Children’s Books Halloween & Christmas Gifts & Décor Locally Handcrafted Pewter Christmas Ornaments 125 S. Van Buren St. • Artists Colony Shops Nashville, IN • Open 363 • Days 812-988-6388

• 20 Guest Rooms, 3 Suites with Whirlpool Baths • Banquet and Conference Rooms for Retreats or Parties • Gift Certificates Available Serving Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Breakfast Buffet 7:30 am–10:30 am Monthly Dinner Theatre Shows At the corner of Van Buren and Franklin Streets in Nashville, Indiana

812-988-0600 • 800-737-0255

artistscolonyinn.com

Arts Village Brown County ART VENUE

Every item in our store is

HANDMADE IN NASHVILLE Specializing in:

LIVE MUSIC • STREET BUSKERS • ARTIST DEMOS MAKE AND TAKES • WINE TASTING

Eight GALLERIES

Many other beautiful items Digitally Carved Signage Custom Work Available Customized Wedding Gifts

July 24 August 28 September 25 October 23

Hand-poured Candles Made in our store

November 27 4:00–7:00 PM VILLAGEARTWALK.COM

• Live Edge Hardwood Benches • Tables • Sun Catchers • Cutting Boards • Serving Trays

812.340.8781

59 East Main Street (Old School Way Alley) Nashville, IN

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 23

in Nashville, IN

172 N. Van Buren Street AND

102 S. Van Buren Street (Calvin Place)

www.JBGoods.com • 812-988-0900 All Suite Hotel in Downtown Nashville

48 years of quality service in Brown County

Private Bedroom with King Bed Dining Area and Fully Equipped Kitchenette Living Room with Queen Sofa Sleeper Private Porch/Balcony Fireplaces and Whirlpool Baths Available

812-988-9000

www.hiddenvalleyinn.net 201 N. Van Buren St. • Nashville, IN

24 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Touch of Silver, Gold & Old 87 E. Main St. • Nashville, IN 47448 (812) 988-6990 • (800) 988-6994 Hours: 10am – 6pm • 7 days a week www.touchofsilvergoldandold.com

Delivering Joy

Custom Bouquets, Unique Gifts, Plants, Cards and Balloons Delivered Locally

www.ironweedgifts.com

Farmhouse Cafe ...a country drive to an unexpected dining pleasure · LUNCH ·

Homemade Soups, Salads and Garden Sandwiches

· DINNER ·

Steak · Salmon · Pork Chicken · Pasta R Garden and Fruit Salads Soups · Desserts Herbal Teas · Cool Drinks Beer & Wine

5171 Bean Blossom Road · Just 15 minutes from Nashville

A small, intimate restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating

Reservations Suggested · 812-988-2004 LUNCH: DAILY · 11–4 PM DINNER: TUESDAY–SATURDAY · 5–8 PM

farmhousecafeandtearoom.com · Like us on

812 200 3151

Hoosier Buddy Liquors Cold Beer, Fine Wines & Select Spirits Cold Beer:

Hoosier Buddy offers more than 150 different beers, including more than 80 craft, micro, and imports.

We proudly offer a wide variety of beers from Indiana’s finest brewers.

Fine Wines:

Hoosier Buddy is a wine-lovers type of store. With more than 200 wines to choose from, we’ve got something for everyone. Check out our “Affordable Imports” and “90+ Point” selections.

Select Spirits:

Hoosier Buddy offers an ever expanding array of top-notch spirits. Our whiskey category alone includes more than 75 different choices. Whether you’re looking for a Single Barrel Bourbon or a Single Malt from Islay— we stock them.

284 S. Van Buren • Nashville, IN (next to Subway) 812-988-2267 M-Th 8am-10pm • Fri. & Sat. 8am-11pm NOW OPEN SUNDAYS Noon-6pm Follow us on Twitter @HoosierBuddy1

As always, Hoosier Buddy Liquors reminds you to celebrate safe—don’t drink and drive.

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 25

Jane Ellis

”I realized that where I grew up was authentic, and people know each other here, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. ” —Jane Ellis

and her

BROWN COUNTY

photo by Ryan Stacy

~by Ryan Stacy

A

s a favorite destination for visitors from all over, Brown County thrives on making thousands of people feel welcome each year. You won’t get far around here without seeing the smiles of our merchants and artists at work, hearing friendly conversations on our streets, or feeling the sense of connection our local outdoor beauty impresses upon us. But for Jane Ellis, Executive Director of the Brown County Convention and Visitors Bureau, welcoming people isn’t just a job—it’s part of who she is.

Not that she ever set out to someday head her community’s publicfacing tourism office. Jane grew up on thirteen acres of forest and farmland on Greasy Creek Road, with Nashville just a quick bike ride away. “It was the best of both worlds. I was a typical Brown County kid. I didn’t know about

26 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

strip malls and department stores,” she says. “I thought everybody’s downtown was like Nashville’s.”

As captivating as Brown County was for her, like many youngsters Jane eventually had dreams of a change of scenery. A few months of living in Los Angeles after high school definitely fit the bill, but Jane says it just wasn’t for her. “It was eyeopening, and I started looking at things a little differently,” she recalls.

“I realized that where I grew up was authentic, and people know each other here, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Jane returned to Indiana, but it was still a decade before she came all the way back to Brown County, by then divorced and with two small daughters. “I realized I needed my family,” she says, “so I moved back. Then I started waiting tables, thinking about what else I would do to support myself.” One day at work, a little magazine called Our Brown County caught her eye, where Jane learned about the Brown County Visitors Center that had opened on North Van Buren Street during her time away.

Turns out they were looking for a manager at the Center at the time, and after applying, Jane got the job.

“I thought, ‘Hey, this is pretty good, I could spend all day talking to people and talking about Brown County,’” she says. She used her time at work to hone her skills and increase her knowledge of the area, and spent her own time driving around Brown County to learn even more.

Jane quickly learned that her job was much more than giving out brochures and pointing tourists towards places to eat and shop.

“There were no computers for people at the Visitors Center back then, we didn’t have a website. The printed Getaway Guide was our crown jewel at the time,” she says, so the staff had to rely on their own knowledge to answer questions.

“People would call and expect us to know not just what was here, but which stores stocked what, so it was really involved.”

Within a few years, Jane was promoted to Interim Executive Director of the Brown County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the organization that oversees and operates the Visitors Center; in 2012, she was awarded the position permanently. For Jane, it was the ideal match. “I realized, I’m selling my community here,” she says. “I really like talking to people, and I get to talk about all the great things to see and do while they’re here.”

By 2018, the Visitors Center had moved a few blocks south on Van Buren Street to a beautiful new space, and plans were underway for the new Brown County Music Center. Everything was running along smoothly, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020.

As Indiana began grappling with the lockdown that followed, Jane’s first impulse was to help the

Jane Ellis giving a tour of the new Visitors Center in 2018. photo by Cindy Steele

community she serves. She got on the phone and, along with other public, private, and nonprofit partners, helped form Brown County’s Community Organizations Active in a Disaster (COAD) response group. By leveraging the staff and resources of its member organizations—including the Convention and Visitors Bureau—COAD aims to respond directly to the human needs of the community in the wake of the global pandemic. “In a county like ours, we really do have to depend on each other, so we needed to help people fast,” Jane says.

And now, after most of the precautions and restrictions have been lifted, tourism is booming again, she says. “People want to get out of the house, and with our outdoor destinations, Brown County is made for social distancing. We’re coming back,” says Jane. “I look forward to the Music Center’s rescheduled shows, the rescheduled John Hartford festival, and the Blues festival.”

When I ask Jane to recommend a few more of Brown County’s not-to-bemissed experiences, she doesn’t hesitate: Bill Monroe Music Park, Browning Mountain, Farmhouse Cafe. Then she chuckles. “Those are just a few, though. I’m not giving away all of our best-kept secrets.”

The Brown County Visitors Center is at 211 South Van Buren Street in Nashville, Indiana. They may also be contacted by phone at 812-988-7303 or 800-753-3255, or by email at <visitorscenter@browncounty.com>. 

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 27

Fresh Homemade Fudge Old-Fashioned Candies Candy by the Pound Cream Filberts/Mothballs Rock Candy • Jelly Belly Chocolates/Turtles Pucker Powder Sugar Free We ship everywhere!

41 S. Van Buren St. Nashville, IN (in the Heritage Mall) 812.200.1077 HeritageCandyStore@gmail.com

Helmsburg GENERAL STORE

Women’s boutique, kids and teen clothing, men’s clothing, and household items Selling gently used items to benefit Brown County.

Accepting clothing and household item donations.

Look for the sign New, Spacious Look Inside. New Owners: Sharon & Leonard Richey Pizza & Wings, Groceries, Ice Large Selection Domestic/Craft Beer & Wine LOTTERY, Tobacco Products Camping Supplies, Live Bait & Tackle Hunting & Fishing Licenses Check Station, Firewood State Road 45 and Helmsburg Road Intersection • (812) 929-7797

Kathryn Richardson Branch Manager 812-327-7462

s

Open ALWAYS on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:00 to 5:00 (weather permitting)

Like us on Facebook at Brown County Community Closet, Inc.

South Van Buren in Nashville (near stoplight, behind Subway) (812) 988-6003

Debbie Fleetwood Kathryn & Donna Team Scroggins Team Broker Brokers Brokers 812-327-6862 812-327-3865 812-327-7462 317-418-2320

Bob Kirlin Broker 812-720-0222

Phil Shively Team Brokers 812-325-2290 812-322-0378

Tom Vornholt Broker 317-989-3323

Janet Gaskins Administrative Assistant 812-988-2227

Real Estate Activity Continues and We are still actively seeking new LISTINGS!

Call your agent above TODAY 812-988-2227 • 158 N. Jefferson St. • Nashville, IN • callcarpenter.com 28 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Building Fine Log Homes for over 40 Years HONESTY • INTEGRITY • HANDCRAFTED QUALITY

3497 Clay Lick Road • Nashville, IN • (812) 988-2689 mikenickelslogcabins.com

11 flavors of BEEF 3 flavors of TURKEY 3 flavors of BEEF BRISKET 4 flavors of BEEF STICKS 2 flavors of PORK 2 flavors of BACON Also: Elk, Boar, Buffalo, Venison, Gator, Rabbit, Salmon, Kangaroo, Turtle, Ostrich, Trout, Camel, Python, Ahi

Locally built instruments and affordable student models meticulously displayed, making this little music store a destination point in Brown County Lovingly owned and operated by

Kara Barnard and Kristin Thompson

musicians, instructors and instrument adoption specialists

58 E. Main Nashville, IN—Look for BANJO by courthouse

812-200-3300 • www.weedpatchmusicshop.com

AAuthentic Mexican Cuisine Family Owned and Operated •Daily Specials •Kid’s Menu

FULL BAR AVAILABLE 812-988-4535 Carry Out Available

Jerky Seasonings & Dips • Peanuts

125 S. Van Buren St. Artists Colony Shops (Between Toy Chest and Carol’s Gifts)

Nashville, IN • (812) 988-1592

houseofjerkybrownco.com

COACHLIGHT SQUARE 101 E. Washington St. one block east of S. Van Buren St. (in front of the high school) in downtown Nashville

’

Luminox Watches (used by Navy Seals)

Variety of T-Shirts

Things you can live Thi li without... ih bbut who h wants to!

Old Colonial Bldg. 60 N. Van Buren St. Nashville, Indiana•812.988.6590 menstoyshop@yahoo.com•Visit us on Facebook

Pipes, Tobaccos, and Premium Cigars

Knives by Benchmade, Kershaw, Microtech, Esee, Tops, Protech, Zero Tolerance and more

Guns and Ammo for Competition, Hunting, Sport, and Home Defense

Wooden Signs made in Southern Indiana

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 29

photos by Marti Garvey

calendar Brown County Playhouse The King July 10 Summer of ‘69 July 11 Back 2 Mac August 14 Glenn Miller Orchestra August 17 Four Freshmen August 21 Back in the Day August 22 FIRST RUN MOVIES ON THE BIG SCREEN Check website for schedule 70 S. Van Buren St. 812-988-6555 www.BrownCountyPlayhouse.org

Country Heritage Winery Music Friday and Saturday 7:00-10:00 July 3 Will Scott Duo July 4 TBA July 10 Mike Renard July 11 Wildcard Country Band July 17 Open Mic Night July 18 The Faze July 24 Robbie Bowden &

Carolyn Dutton July 25 Gary Applegate July 31 TBA Aug 1 Mark Lapointe Aug 7 TBA Aug 8 Barry Johnson Aug 14 Open Mic Aug 15 Clearwater Band Aug 21 CoPilots Aug 22 Speed City Spoilers Aug 28 Paul Bertsch Band Aug 29 TBA 812-988-8500 www.CountryHeritageWinery.com

Story Inn’s Summer Music Series July 4

July 5 July 11 July 12 July 18

July 19 July 25 July 26

Window Payne 2-5 TBD 5:30-8:30 Nick Dittmeier 3-6 Will Scott 2-5 Bomar & Ritter 3-6 Tad Armstrong & Roger Banister 2-5 Will Scott 3-6 Marvin Parish 2-5 Hammer & Hatchet

The schedule can change. Please check before making a trip.

Aug 1 Window Payne 2-5 Aug 2 Nick Dittmeier 3-6 Aug 8 Will Scott 2-5 Aug 9 Doug Dillman 3-6 Aug 15 Steve Fulton 2-5 Aug 16 Will Scott 3-6 Aug 22 Tad Armstrong &

Roger Banister 1-3 Aug 22 Jessie Phelps 3:15-5:45 Aug 22 Zion Crossroads 6-9 Aug 23 Hammer & Hatchet 3-6 Aug 29 Berries II 2-5 Aug 30 Will Scott 3-6 6404 State Road 135 Nashville, IN 812-988-2273 www.storyinn.com

Snake Fest July 18, 10-4, Brown Co State Park Nature Center 812-988-5240 phaulter@dnr.in.gov www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2988.htm

IN Interscholastic Cycling League (NICA) Adventure July 24-25, Brown Co State Park Student atheletes ride mountain bikes, trust building, team building, skill building 734-476-7897

Hippy Hill Dead Fest

Sun., 11:00-2:00, Brown Co Inn Parking Lot Locally grown vegetables, herbs, flowers.

July 31-August 1, Monroe Music Park 5163 North State Road 135 Music/culture the Grateful Dead 812-988-6422 billmonroemusicpark@yahoo.com https://billmonroemusicpark.com/

Weekend Night Flights at eXplore Brown County

18th Annual Indiana Wine Fair

Nashville Farmer’s Market

Fri. & Sat. or by request 8:30-11 2620 Valley Branch Road 812-988-7750 info@explorebrowncounty.com www.explorebrowncounty.com

August 8, 1:00-6:00 Story Inn, 6404 State Road 135 Wine, music, food and fun.

812-988-2273 www.storyinn.com

Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre

Alan Kay and the Toons Rock & Roll Show

July 25 | August 1 & 29 | Artists Colony Inn Murder mystery dinner show 812-988-0600 www.artistscolonyinn.com

August 8, 7:00-10:00, Hard Truth Hills 418 Old State Road 46 Nashville, IN 812-720-4840 www.hardtruthhills.com

Village Art Walk Fourth Fridays, 4:00-7:00 Free self-guided walking tour of downtown Nashville art galleries www.VillageArtWalk.com

Happy Birthday America July 4, 11am-10pm, Hard Truth Hills Live music, distillery and ATV tours, food, and more!

418 Old State Road 46 Nashville, IN 812-720-4840 www.hardtruthhills.com

32 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Bean Blossom Blues Fest August 27-29, Monroe Music Park 5163 North State Road 135 www.beanblossomblues.com 812-988-6422 billmonroemusicpark@yahoo.com https://billmonroemusicpark.com/

A Taste of Art August 29, 5:00, Seasons Conference Ctr. Rotary Club fundraiser Tastings, hors d’oeuvres, auctions of art rotaryclubofbrowncounty.org

Choices, lots of choices.

Live & memorable. Make plans now!

The King

Summer of ’69:

Back 2 Mac

Back in the Day

John McEuen & the String Wizards present: The Circle Will be Unbroken

Music from the Woodstock Era July 11 | 7:30 pm

July 10 | 7:30 pm

August 14 | 7:30 pm

A TRIBUTE TO

ELVIS PRESLEY

STARRING TYLER CHRISTOPHER

Glenn Miller Orchestra

Sponsored by RealAmerica Development, LLC.

August 17 | 7:30 pm

Four Freshmen August 21 | 7:30 pm

August 22 | 7:30 pm

September 5 | 7:30 pm

812.988.6555 | BrownCountyPlayhouse.org Showtimes, tickets & schedule online Box Office: Thursday-Sunday | 70 S. Van Buren St. Nashville, IN

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 33

4413 State Road 46 East Nashville, Indiana (Gnaw Bone) Next to House of Thunder

(812) 988-4054

More than 25 years experience Nashville’s Only Licensed Tattoo Studio

Heat & light have spent all day battering.

If a breeze blows now, the relief is brief & quickly swallowed by the afternoon.

Behond the heat, more heat.

Beyond the light, more light. Time cannot move forward without breaking into a sweat. Cicadas whirr in the trees, a heavy sound, heavy as the heat, the air, everything paused, waiting for something to break.

—Michele Heather Pollock

87 East Main Street • Nashville, IN • (812) 988-6080

From Field Guide to the Art of Looking: a year wandering the Brown County woods

Nashville’s Unique Dining Experience (1800s Cabin) BREAKFAST & LUNCH

Jams, Jellies, Preserves, Specialty BBQ, Chicken Salad, Soups, Pit Ham 118 E. Washington St. Nashville, IN Linen, Rugs, Candles, Curtains, Stitcheries Cinnamon Rolls, Cobblers, Cookies, Brownies 812-988-6362 • Open daily 9 to 5 Gluten Free Items, Coffees and Cappuccino Antiques, Billy Jacobs Prints nashville general store and bakery nashgenstore812 34 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Brown County

KOA

>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<

Open April–October

2248 State Road 46 East • Nashville, IN Minutes away from fine dining, shopping, museums, live entertainment, and theater

A mile from the new Brown County Music Center

Info: 812-988-4675 • Reservations: 800-562-9132 www.browncountykoa.com

All aboard!

NASHVILLE NASHVILLE EXPRESS EXPRESS Historical Hiis H st tor oric ca all Sight-seeing Sight ig gh ht t--s se ee eiin ng Tours Tou To Tour ur rs of of Nashville Nas ash hv viillle le

Lemon Shake-ups Hot Dogs • Sausages •Brats Hickory-Smoked Pork BBQ COUPON

Buy One BBQ Meal Deal Get One HALF OFF North Van Buren and Gould Streets in Nashville Indiana • 812-988-4273

Accepting Visa, Mastercard & Discover cards

Brown County

History Center Displays and Exhibits

Pioneer Village Museum

Kids 5 & Under Ride FREE 25 minute narrated historical and informational tour with a scenic loop along Old State Road 46 also service to Seasons, Brown County Inn, Quality Inn

Board at Fearrin’s Ice Cream Depot Corner of Van Buren & Franklin Streets

Bringing Brown County’s Past to Life 812-988-6690

Available for field trips, business functions, private tours

Looking for event space? or more info 812-988-2899 Open Tues., Wed., Fri., Sat. 11–4, Archives: Tues. and Fri. 1–4 North of the courthouse • Donations welcome

Design Your Own or choose from Ready Made Garments Hundreds of choices! • Something for all ages and sizes • T-Shirts • Hoodies • LS Tees • Hats

• Tanks • Jackets • Jerseys • Tye Dye

• Night Shirts • Swim Shorts • Beach Towels • Flip Flops

Corner of Washington and Van Buren Street (Across from Visitors Center) Nashville, IN • 812-988-6939

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 35

Artist Luke Buck

G

~story and photos by Bob Gustin

rowing up in a family of artists, Luke Buck remembers creating pictures from his earliest days.

“I thought everybody painted,” he says with a chuckle. He grew up in Indianapolis, where his father, mother, three brothers and a sister, as well as his grandmother, were also artists.

Now 79 and living on Prince’s Lakes, just north of the Brown County line, Luke and his wife Coleen spent years on the road, travelling to outdoor art shows all over the United States, before settling down at their lakeside home and Luke’s working art studio.

He figures he has completed about 5,000 paintings in his life, but now has slowed down to 40 or 50 a year. Still, he works at it every day.

36 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

“You Lookin’ at Me,” watercolor.

They closed the studio in 1981, and soon after, Luke and Coleen hit the road. They traded in an old beat-up van and trailer on an RV, and travelled across the country, doing up to 25 juried art shows a year, following the sun north in the summer and south in the winter.

“You can’t open a gallery and expect people to come to you. You’ve got to go out and find them,” he said. “Outdoor art shows are the best venue for artists starting out.”

During these travels, Luke refined his style.

Most people want to buy art which represents the area in which they live, he said, so he painted landscapes wherever he went, and supplemented those pictures with wildlife. It’s a formula he still keeps, with about half of his paintings now focused on landscapes.

“I found out I could make a living doing what I want to do,” he said. “As we travelled, my idea was to paint in every state.” Along the way, he hooked up with Mill Pond Press, one of the nation’s leading print makers. In addition to his original paintings, Luke sells limited edition giclee prints of some of his work, though he

Continued on 40 “I guess I’m bullheaded,” he said, determined to pursue his lifetime passion.

Graduating from Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis in 1960, he immediately landed a job at Herff Jones Co., designing class rings and signet jewelry. His position as a commercial artist was one he kept for several years, interrupted by a stint in the U.S. Army, where he was an illustrator, working in Army intelligence. One of the projects he did for Herff Jones was the 1970 Super Bowl ring; Luke’s design was chosen for the game, but the company failed to win the contract to produce it.

Luke and his father, Harold Buck, operated Pro Art Studio in Beech Grove for years, producing commercial art, selling art supplies and custom framing, and teaching up to 100 students a week.

“Geneva Barn,” watercolor.

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 37

AUTHENTIC NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA

You will find traffic stopping items at 58 South!

Our porch review has attracted many of you already.

We enjoy offering today’s fashion. You’ll find affordable items that are wearable every day or for those special occasions. Our accessories, hats, and scarves complete the outfit or add new fresh looks to your existing wardrobe. Our Fitflops will bring comfort to your tired and weary feet—come hear the testimonies!

58 South Apparel 58 S. Van Buren St. • Nashville, IN

Located in downtown Nashville next to the Brown County Playhouse 812-988-8440 • fiftyeightsouth@gmail.com

A family-friendly pizza place PIZZA • SALADS • CALZONES

140 W. Main Street • (812) 988-8800 In the heart of Nashville by the Village Green area at the intersection of Main and Jefferson Streets.

Dine-In or Carry-Out

Sun.–Thurs. 11am–9:00pm; Fri. & Sat. 11am–10:00pm

We appreciate our loyal customers!

Our market fresh product selections are the result of your requests.

This season we display: Flags & Gazing Balls, Dog & Cat themed items, Tervis Tumblers, Swan Creek, Woodstock Chimes, Melissa & Doug, Stony Creek Lighted Vases, Simply Southern T’s & Ivory Ella, Lizzie James and Katie Lofton, Our Favorite Handcrafted Jewelry

Located in the heart of downtown Nashville next to Out of The Ordinary and across from the Brown County Playhouse

Did we mention all the hats, scarves, and fashion jewelry?

Rhonda Kay’s 69 S. Van Buren St. • Nashville, IN 812-988-2050 • rhondakays@msn.com

38 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Hotel & Conference Center Located across from the NEW Brown County Music Center

Open Daily at 11 a.m.

Open Year-Round for Lunch & Dinner

Fresh made to order starters, salads, sandwiches and house specialties

Brown County’s only “Husband Day Care” Back Door Alley Entrance

Guinness on tap • Full bar • Specialty drinks • Bloody Mary • Islander • Margarita

Full menu available in Bar • Large TV Out of the Ordinary Restaurant & Hickory Sports Bar

61 South Van Buren St. • Nashville, IN Across the street from the Brown County Playhouse

(812) 778-9730 •

OutOfTheOrdinaryRestaurant

Balcony Rooms Coming this fall:

N Outdoo a ty a a

92 w franklin st ¥ nashville, in ¥ 812.988.0336

sunday 12-4, tuesday—saturday 11-5, Tuesday evening 6:30-8:30 come see us in antique alley, next to brown county pottery online store: claypurl.com

Conference facility–up to 500 560 State Road 46 East, Nashville, IN 812-988-2284 • SeasonsLodge.com July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 39

LUKE BUCK continued from 37 now contracts to have the prints made, since Mill Pond has gone out of business.

Though he works in several mediums, most of Luke’s paintings are watercolors, a medium in which he feels he has most control. He does some plein air paintings, but mostly works from photographs, and all of his landscapes are actual places.

“I am faithful to technical aspects of the paintings,” he said, “but I also want to give it some artistic flair.” To do that, he takes a realistic subject and adds some romanticism, making it more appealing.

A happy childhood is sometimes transferred to his artwork, as he puts emotions and memories into his work.

“I might make something a little more rusty than it actually is, or a little more shiny.”

40 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Among the things that make his work unique are the vignettes he paints as he lets watercolors run free at the bottom of some of his paintings.

“I call them vignettes because it sounds better than drippy-downy things,” he said, and he uses them on about half of his work.

“It softens the work, makes it more interesting and less mechanical.”

He also presses a fingerprint into his work near the signature, a technique he borrowed from Salvador Dali.

Norman Rockwell and Andrew Wyeth were among his early influences, and in later years he worked with, influenced, and was influenced by contemporary artists he knew.

He is a member of the Brown County Art Guild, and has exhibited at the Brown County Art Gallery.

“Brown County is my heart,” he said, an association he has enjoyed throughout the years.

Luke’s father once advised him to paint, not to please others, but to please each artist’s toughest critic, himself. “Satisfy yourself with a painting. If you’re happy, others will be happy too.”

Luke Buck can be reached at P.O. Box 216, Nineveh, Indiana, 46164, 317-933-2654, or at <lukebuckart@aol.com>. His website is <www.lukebuckart.com>. 

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FIELD NOTES: Backcountry V

~by Jim Eagleman

isions of lush ravines, ridgetop trees, and pristine lakes may come to mind when someone mentions a visit to Brown County— or busy sidewalks, traffic lines, and road repairs could also register.

This county’s beauty and reputation as an Indiana getaway is enjoyed mainly by motorists. I’ll include mountain bikers, horseback riders, kayakers, canoeists, backpackers, nature photographers, fishermen, and mushroom hunters, who all arrive by vehicle.

You can drive many hills and see from the windshield a vast unexplored and rugged land, but until the boot tread hits the trail, you will miss the experience of seeing it up close and personal.

I realize not everyone comes to hike. Nashville and surrounding towns with many shops, restaurants, wineries, and breweries rate high with return visitors. Music venues, special events, and holiday celebrations entice visitors. We welcome our guests with our “open for business” hospitality sign all year.

I used the word “backcountry” to describe an experience for park visitors who wanted a little more adventure. “Bushwacking through dense vegetation with scars and blisters came to mind,”

44 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

said a friend, so I dispensed with the term in talks.

But I continued to encourage the exploration of the little-used trails—an old logging road or deer trail that the park and state forest has plenty of.

Backcountry conjures up for me any place beyond a familiar road or trail that can be explored—remote and uncharted, the boondocks, the boonies, the outback.

Years ago, when I started with the DNR at Brown County State Park, my first impression of its sixteen thousand acres was overwhelming. Botanizing and birding, learning new trees, the geologic story, gave me goosebumps. I was giddy to think about working here.

On days off with friends, we hiked park trails and explored buildings that would later be used for programs and interpretive hikes. We visited landmarks like Deserter’s Cave, Deer Rock, and the CCC stone quarry. Old homesteads with gravestones and a tall cedar hinted of past days; remnant daffodil plantings still existed near a garden plot. And with nearly every excursion, I came upon a small pond.

Did the settlers make these ponds? Were they water sources? Or were they constructed in more recent years, maybe for recreational fishing? I read

through the park’s history files and visited local libraries in order to find some answers.

While working at Turkey Run State Park, I enrolled at Depauw University for a Master’s degree in botany—a favorite discipline that would help with my work. When we moved to Brown County, I continued to take classes on my days off, and discovered more information about the park’s ponds.

The ponds were installed by the DNR’s Division of Fish and Game (now the Division of Fish and Wildlife) as a source of water for woodland species.

Next to the pond, a clearing was created for a food plot planted in millet, milo, sorghum, and sunflowers. As late as the 1960s, Brown County State Park was one of many state and federal sites in southern Indiana for this Woodland Game Project, later called the Forest Wildlife Project.

I wanted to learn more about these secluded and nearly forgotten ponds, particularly since in addition to providing water, they were also breeding sites for frogs, toads, turtles, and salamanders. What kind of herptile production were the ponds experiencing? Was there any maintenance required to keep them viable, and how many were there on park property?

At his retirement, I interviewed Maury Reeves, one of the biologists who installed the ponds in the early 60s. He told me once a bulldozer operator and laborer found a suitable site, they dug it out, then moved on to another site the next day. One hundred ponds were installed on park property over three years. They were usually 50-60 feet in diameter and approximately six feet deep in the center. Dirt was pushed up creating an earthen dam and trees were stockpiled off to the side or used to reinforce the circular dam. The pond site was to be installed at the end of a long ridge before the land dropped off, with a site for the food plot nearby.

Rainwater usually filled the pond within a year.

One summer, utilizing volunteer help, we compiled GPS coordinates of as many park ponds as possible. Many are still holding water. A few suffer from cattail encroachment and some show signs of horse impact, since they are close to backcountry horse trails where riders give horses a drink. A grad student study over three years monitored the production of aquatic species and was shared with other DNR managers whose properties also have

Continued on 55

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July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 47

~by Jeff Tryon

G

Geoff Keller

eoff Keller spent over 20 years traipsing up and down the North American Continent recording songbirds.

But a bad reaction to a doctor’s prescription and a chance encounter with a book about how our brains work led him into new way of presenting birds—as ink drawings on wood sculptures.

You can see the amazing results at the Hoosier Artist Gallery on South Jefferson Street, where Keller’s painstakingly wrought, intricately detailed artworks are offered for sale.

Keller laminates layers of lightcolored Aspen wood into a large block, then carves it into a vaselike sculpture using some power

tools, but mostly a wood rasp and sandpaper.

Then he meticulously creates the drawing by applying thousands of tiny ink dots to create the image of a bird or other animal from a photograph. The artwork is protected between ultra-thin coats of poly acrylic so that it can’t bleed into the wood or be smudged after it is finished.

“What I’m doing is actually portraiture, I’m working from photographs taken by professional photographers,” Keller said. He has most often drawn on the images of regional photographer Steve Gifford.

His most recent and ambitious project is the image of a mountain lion’s face from a photo by a

48 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

courtesy photos

California woman named Alice Cahill. “I found her image of a mountain lion’s face, and it was just so exquisite, I thought, I’ve got to draw this.” The mountain lion piece took over three months to complete and involved creating a new technique of blurring the dots to represent soft fur.

For 24 years, Keller recorded birds for Cornell Lab, which has the largest archive of wildlife recordings in the world.

“I have probably archived more high-quality recordings of North American birdsongs than any other individual in the history of the Cornell Lab,” he said. “During that time I archived about 3,000 recordings.”

The mountain lion piece took over three months to complete and involved creating a new technique of blurring the dots to represent soft fur.

In the process, he trekked everywhere from the Florida Everglades to the sub-Arctic above Nome, Alaska and from about 800 miles south of the Mexican border to the ocean cliffs of Newfoundland, and a lot of places in between— swamps, forests, prairies, mountains.

However, at age 55, he lost his high-frequency hearing due to a bad reaction to a drug he was given for a sinus infection.

From that point on he could not make as clear of distinctions between the sounds, and didn’t find his efforts as rewarding.

Trying to reinvent himself, Keller recalled his childhood fascination with woodworking. He began by making hiking sticks and drawing little ferns on them. “They were pretty primitive looking, but I was having fun,” he said. “Then, I was at the bookstore at the Muscatatuck National Wildlife

Refuge near Seymour. They had a book called Illustrating Nature: Right Brain Art in a Left Brain World. The book said there are people who are really talented in art, but they lead their whole lives without realizing it, because every time they try to draw, their left side overrides overrules the right side. So, basically, I drew like a fourth grader until I was 60, and got this book,” Keller said. “I was fascinated with it, and I followed these simple techniques for derailing the thought process of your left hemisphere, which allows the right hemisphere to express itself. And right from the get-go, I was drawing a frog, and I thought, ‘Where did this come from?’ I could draw!”

As he improved, he needed a bigger canvas than walking sticks, so he created wood sculptures that provided about an eight-by-ten inch surface for the nature drawings. But, they are very labor intensive. “They are one-of-akind and I only do an animal once, so they have a fairly hefty price,” he said. “I just sold my first vase the other day.”

Most of the drawings are made up of tiny dots, kind of like the dots used to create photos in offset printing. “They are so tiny, it’s hard to perceive them as dots,” Keller said. “And the reason I can get them that small is because I’m super near-sighted. I wear contact lenses in everyday life, but when I take them out, my focal point is about three inches in front of my face.”

He uses archival ink pens with tiny nibs and has discovered that using a light touch and a pen that is starting to dry out produces the tiniest dots. He said the average piece takes about eighty hours, but the mountain lion far exceeded that.

“I think I worked for a week just on the eyes.

They are getting more complicated,” he said.

“Before the mountain lion I did a barred owl, and those two are by far my best examples.

Through trial and error, I keep discovering new techniques, learning what works and what doesn’t work. “I’m always trying to think of ways to make the process more efficient.”

You can find more information on Keller’s art at Hoosier Artist Gallery’s website <hoosierartist.net> or drop by and see works in person at 45 S. Jefferson St. in Nashville. 

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 49

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July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 51

Legend of Echo Mountain O

~by Julia Pearson

n December 11, 1816, the state of Indiana became the nineteenth state admitted into the United States. Following the blueprint established by the Ordinance of 1787, it was the second state formed from the Northwest Territory. It was exactly a year after the Indiana Territorial Assembly was ready to pursue statehood, sending the Memorial for Statehood to Congress. Elected delegates met in convention, affirming the Enabling Act of Congress. A Constitution was written and adopted, and there was an election of a General Assembly, state officers, and representatives to Congress.

Indiana means “Land of Indians.” Among the tribes of Native Americans that lived in Indiana were the Delaware, Kickapoo, Miami, Chippewa, Potawatomi, Erie, Seneca, Wyandot, and Shawnee. The land that is now Brown County was acquired from tribes in 1809 in the Treaty of Fort Wayne, and in 1818, the Treaty of St. Mary’s. Settlers were not permitted into the area until 1820 when the U.S. government survey was completed.

The first trader to the area was German Johann Schoonover in 1820. Schooner Creek bears his name. William Elkins followed within the same year, putting down permanent roots and giving Elkinsville his family name.

Before a stream of settlers from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas seeped into the Brown County countryside, the archaeological record tells us that native peoples traveled through for summer camping and hunting grounds

52 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Illustration by Joe Lee.

for countless years. Between Helmsburg and Trevlac by Bean Blossom Creek, there is a ridge that tribes called Echo Mountain.

The area is now known as Trevlac Pine Bluffs and was purchased

by Sycamore Land Trust. Part of the Yellowwood Trail crosses it.

Thanks to the Brown County Business and Professional Women’s Club, a legend from Echo Mountain is preserved in Tales and Trails of Brown County. The hill known as Pine Bluff is described “as if a giant knife had sliced half of it away and left a clay washed face fringed with pine trees.”

It’s said that many years before white settlers came, a man called Sun Ray made his home here because he could see in all

directions and it would be difficult for enemies to scale the steep face of the hill. For security, he gathered huge rocks to hurl at unfriendly individuals that might approach from the creek below.

Sun Ray brought his beautiful young bride named Dove’s Bill to live with him on the bluff. She was frightened at first of the high hills and huge pines, but soon the earth’s beauty awakened with springtime and she felt the peace of her new home.

Sun Ray was a superb marksman and provided plentiful game from the wilderness. They spent many contented hours sitting together while Dove’s Bill made maple sugar cakes and wove baskets from boughs. She made clothing from deer skins. The creek beds had fine clay for making cooking bowls. Roots and medicine herbs were abundant and easily gathered. A sweet girl child was born and named Star Glow.

Rumors of war near the Ohio River and along Indian Creek came to their ears, so Dove’s Bill and Sun Ray remained on the bluff instead of traveling farther south for the winter. Sun Ray joined the hunting party and brought home buffalo meat for the long cold season.

Soon spring rains came with loud thunders in the sky above, and the stream below was swollen with muddy swift waters. Little Star Glow was frightened by the loud sounds of the storms, but soon the sky cleared and the earth was smelling of green plants once more. Sun Ray and Dove’s Bill went to hunt food and replenish their wood supply.

When Dove’s Bill returned to check on her sleeping child, the little one was gone! An anguished search around the winter camp and woods yielded no clues of the missing child. When tracks left by the toddling Star Glow were found, they led to the edge of the bluff with the running waters below.

An old bending pine tree had stood where the little one’s trail ended. Dove’s Bill could see that the hard spring rains had loosened the roots of the old pine and that her child and the tree were both claimed by the running stream below.

Dove’s Bill was inconsolable. She wandered on the bluff, walking up and down with eyes searching for the little girl. There was no balm for her mother’s wound, a universal grief that attacked her during sleep and hurt both body and soul. Sun Ray’s words did not reach her pain. When the tribe left for their winter camping grounds, Dove’s Bill

From Tales and Trails of Brown County.

Illustration by Norman V. Ulery

refused to go with them. When the tribe returned the following spring they found her at the top of the bluff, crying out in the winds. No one knew how to bring peace into her life. One day, the grief grew to unbearable depths and Dove’s Bill threw herself over the cliff to the creek below and “joined her beloved baby in the spirit world.” Long after that Echo Mountain was avoided at nightfall by tribes traveling through the area. It was known as a place where the veil separating life from spirit was thin and sights and sounds became the mournful mother Dove’s Bill looking for her baby in the Bean Blossom Creek.

Hikers on the Yellowwood Trail today pass the location of this tragic legend. 

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 53

Isolation and Resilience ~by Mark Blackwell

H

ere we are several months or so into a virus crisis. It’s not the first time, though. A little over a hundred years ago folks were dealing with the Spanish Flu. And when I was young, the country was in a panic over polio. This present situation makes me think back on my grandparents’ times. They were part of the generation born around the turn of the twentieth century.

Back then folks were optimistic.

The dawning century would bring amazing things such as airplanes and the more mundane, but life transforming, indoor plumbing and farm tractors.

And then World War I happened.

The country mobilized to help our European allies. Brown County sent its share of troops off to be cut down for a cause that nobody could quite define. The war ended, and the soldiers returned, but in 1918 the flu began its deadly advance.

I couldn’t find any reference to the flu in the Brown County history books. It’s like that event has been purged from the historical record.

The worldwide death toll was devastating, and maybe people just wanted to forget that it ever happened. Or, maybe, the Brown Countians had something going for them.

We know the flu is mainly spread by close person to person contact. That’s why we wear masks and stay away from crowds. During 1918 it wasn’t all that hard to stay away from crowds in Brown County. Since the better part of the population was living up in the hills on isolated farmsteads, being quarantined was already pretty much the norm. Travel from the outside world was limited. A sick person showing up from out of the county would be mighty rare. Isolation turned out to be a blessing.

54 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

Another blessing was a sort of “egg or chicken” situation. One characteristic of Brown Countians always has been their self-reliance.

I have never figured out whether self-reliant people were drawn to the hills or whether the isolation forced them to be that way. Either way, being able to grow gardens, raise pigs and chickens, milk cows, build cabins from forest materials, and stitch up a wardrobe, kept folks from needing to go to town very often.

In Brown County contact with the outside world was limited when the flu was running rampant elsewhere.

A friend of mine, Dan Combs, shared some of his extensive research on the Spanish flu. In October of 1918 the Monroe County Board of Health issued lockdown orders stating that “All Public Gatherings are Forbidden.” They went on to specify that “schools, churches, theatres, lodges, and clubs must be closed until further orders

are given.” Bloomington was strict in its approach to dealing with the pandemic. The State Board of Health issued “suggestions” for avoiding the flu. By October 11 of 1918 the Indianapolis Board of Health banned public gatherings of all descriptions to be enforced by the police I find no mention of orders like that for Brown County. It appears that the local folks just went about their business of doing what needed to be done.

After a decade of jazz music and flappers, Brown County and the rest of the world was forced to deal with the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Although, I have talked to some of the older folks who said the county was so poor they didn’t know there was a depression until they read about it in the newspapers.

People hardly had a chance to get past the 1930s before World War II broke out. After that it was Korea and then the war in Vietnam. By the late 1960s Brown County started being invaded by hippies (many are still here).

The moral of this (hi)story is that Brown County is still here.

The hills are still here, the park is still here, Nashville is still here, and the people are still here. Brown County is more than a geographical location—it is a state of mind. It is the state of mind of the people working the land, the artists and craftspeople, the shopkeepers, and all the folks who do what they do to keep life simple and meaningful.

It is that rare combination of place and the resilience of the people who inhabit it that makes Brown County a haven from much of the adversity of the outside world.

We’re happy to share some of that special feeling.

We can’t stay indoors indefinitely and we don’t want to shut out our friends. We’re happy to see you, to have you hike the trails, fish the lakes, and visit the shops in Nashville; but in these confusing and difficult times please be respectful.

Wear a mask in public and give folks lots of personal space.

The course of history is like a long winding Brown County road, you never know what you’ll find around the next curve or over the next hill. We’ve made it through a lot of adversity in our long history and we’ll make it through this. 

BACKCOUNTRY continued from 45 ponds. The ponds are what I call “backcountry jewels” since they are rare, have high value to wildlife, and can require some time to discover.

Brown County backcountry is daunting, extremely rugged, and defined by deep ravines and narrow ridges that look very similar.

Venturing out into backcountry is a serious endeavor and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Research and preparation are recommended.

Phone apps can now pinpoint your travel, show you a route in and out, and replace the trusty topo map. “Hike with a Friend” is still the backcountry hiker’s mantra.

Thankful that these Brown County jewels exist, I’ll eagerly plan my backcountry hikes with the hopes of finding another wildlife pond. 

July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 55

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July/August 2020 • Our Brown County 57

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GUTTERING 812-344-4167

Quality Workmanship since 1992 Fully Insured Blue Elk Family Clinic

Dr. Sanchez MD Family Practice 50 E. Willow St. Suite 2 • Nashville, IN (Salt Creek Medical Arts Building) 9 to 5 weekdays except 9 to 12 on Thursdays

Acute Care and Chronic Care (no chronic pain) Behavioral Health (anxiety/depression) GeneSight Testing, DOT/Sports/College physicals, etc.

HEATING & COOLING

HEALTH CARE

Opening May 2020

812-465-COOL (2665) 24 HOUR SERVICE FINANCING AVAILABLE Generac Authorized Dealer FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1999

www.firstcalldave2save.com

INSURANCE

HEALTH & LIVING

Contact office 812-200-8265 or Facebook to schedule appointment.

Clinic is CASH PAY ONLY. Visit Facebook page for services/pricing.

“Call Dave 2 Save”

www.BrownCountyHealth.us

CARDON - EXPERT SENIOR LIVING SOLUTIONS

LANDSCAPING

INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER

REHABILITATION • LONG TERM CARE • MEMORY SUPPORT

• Mulching - Seeding NEED HELP? • Weeding - Pruning • Tree / Shrub Planting • Fences - Walkways • Retaining Walls • Mowing / Trimming (812) 988-7232 • Flower / Herb Beds

We Can Do It All!

Complete Landscaping/ Design Services

INFO PAGES Continued from 57

INFO PAGES

LOGGING - LUMBER

Helmsburg Sawmill Inc. Pool Enterprises, Inc.

Logging to Lumber

812-988-6161

~ Custom Log Home Lumber Packages ~ Posts ~ Beams ~ Rafters ~ Barn Siding ~ Board & Batten ~ Firewood ~ Mulch ~ Sawdust ~ Buyers of Standing Timber www.helmsburgsawmill.com

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

58 Our Brown County • July/August 2020

helmsburgsawmill@gmail.com • facebook.com/helmsburgsawmillinc

Repair, Remodel, Pump Service, Water Conditioning, Drain Cleaning, Water Heaters

Broker/Owner Cell: 812-360-4083 • margd@remax.net

Art byy Cindydyy Steele,, Singing g g Pines Designs g

SIGN MAKER

UPCYCLED ART

Available at Spears Pottery in Nashville, IN (On South Van Buren Street near the stoplight/courthouse)

BROWN COUNTY YMCA

1 per person, expires 12/31/20

Personal Training Swim Lessons Day Camp Climbing Wall

812-988-9622 • www.browncountyymca.org

YOUR CATEGORY

WELLNESS

Open at 5:30 a.m. Mon.–Fri.

Swimming Pool Fitness Center Gymnasium Exercise Classes

Associate Broker Cell: 812-360-3889 • shaht@mibor.net

10 Artist Drive, P.O. Box 1609 • Nashville, IN 47448

812-822-2933 • RamblinDogDesign@gmail.com

BUY 1 GUEST PASS, GET 1 FREE

Brenda Longtin CSSS, CDPR

812-988-4485 • www.MargAndBrendaTeam.com

SIGNS THAT DELIVER: Digital Print & Vinyl to Hand Lettered, Carved & Gilded

FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOR HEALTHY LIVING FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

812-720-7022

Marg DeGlandon CSSS, CDPR

All Types of SIGNS by CHRIS A. SHUSTER

BOATS • TRUCKS • MURALS • LOGO DESIGN •

Call for listings or free estimates.

TEAM

812-988-0248 • Nashville, IN

• HOMES • BANNERS • BILLBOARDS • STORE FRONTS

Property management for rentals for a month or longer.

Let us find a rental for you or manage your property.

REAL ESTATE

PLUMBING

Bonded • Insured #CO89000011

Let us find your next door.

The Marg and Brenda Team is Your Brown County Team

Dunham Plumbing Co., Inc. Licensed Plumbing Contractor since 1981

Keyed IN Property Management

Your Ad Can Appear Here

Reach thousands of readers for just $70 an issue (6 a year)

(discounts for multiple issues)

Contact Cindy at ourbrown@bluemarble.net or call 812-988-8807

the art of food

nashville spice

OVER 430 SPICES, RUBS & BLENDS

co.

Gourmet Jams & Sauces · Artisan Salts · Mixology · Baking · Mustards · Hot Sauces

NashvilleSpiceCompany.com

227 S. Van Buren Street · Nashville, IN · Coachlight Square 812.200.1069

E HOME Nashville Spice Company

D ECO R & G I F T S

58 East Main Street · Nashville, IN next to the Courthouse

812.200.3400

NSC Home

Creamy Fudge 路 Gourmet Popcorn All Natural Gelato 路 Seasonal Treats 175 South Van Buren Street 路 Nashville, IN 路 812.988.0709

NashvilleFudgeKitchen.com ORDER ONLINE! WE SHIP ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! BOOK ON

NEW! Stay at Lucy's Loft vacation rental above the Nashville Fudge Kitchen!

FREE BOX OF REGULAR POPCORN with this ad