The

MEGAPHONE

Elwood, Indiana                                                          Elwood High School(s)

Volume 5, No. 10                                                 Friday, October 1, 2004

Contents

(The page numbers are links!)

Page 1 . . . Your Old Home Town -- Sharon (Benedict) Hurst 

Page 2 . . . Fish and Festivals -- Bob "Doggie" Henderson

Page 3 . . . Elwood's Gun-Girl -- Nancy Sumner & Janice Barnes

Page 4 . . . Private Railroad Cars -- Sue (Riva) Eliserio

Page 5 . . . My Moon Talk -- Blue Moon -- Ginny (Hocker) Noble

Page 6 . . . Anniversaries -- Julie (Stout) Crim

                              To Feed Or Not To Feed -- Cindy (Benedict) Odom   

Page 7 . . . The Empty Nest -- Part 1 -- Sharon (Benedict) Hurst

Page 8 . . . In September -- When Fall Is In The Air -- Cindy (Benedict) Odom                        

Your Old Home Town

 by Sharon (Benedict) Hurst

Here in Elwood it is hard to tell that fall is upon us. Not too many leaves have come down and the colors haven’t changed that much. Perhaps it is a little too soon for that to happen. There is a chill in the night air but that doesn’t really mean anything either.

I drove north on Anderson Street to see how all was coming and they are moving right along. The curbing and sidewalks are almost finished all the way to Fairground Road. The guys told me they would be finished the last of October or the first of November. The roadbed is ready for the final paving all the way, so they might be right. I checked out both the bridges and I can’t wait until you all get here to see them. Most of the streetlights are in and the underground wiring makes it all look elegant. There will be trees like those on South Anderson Street planted and this will also make a big difference. There should be some benches, flowerpots and trash bins along some of the street.   

The Glass Festival turned out to be really great. The Sesquicentennial year had been the best this town had ever had and this one ranks right up there. The Chamber made a good profit and we will be able to make next years even better. The vendors who were there all want to come back and there are a lot of vendors who want to be on the mailing list for next year. They know that it is kind of a first mail in with check first given space for a booth.

We had a dinner meeting at the Opera House to discuss the festival and to make suggestions that might help improve the whole festival. There were many excellent thoughts passed around and a lot of good ideas were shared in this discussion. I was amazed to see the people who were interested in working to make this a much better event.

Another thing that I thought was great was the fact that people came from quite a distance to visit the festival. Considering the fact that we had a huge rain storm that caused the festival to close on Friday, the attendance and the money made was still equivalent to the Sesquicentennial year. If we had been open for all 3 days, just imagine what the take would have been. Even the carnival said it was the best year they had had. The vendors at the Glass Festival were comparing their sales with festivals all over the Midwest and still felt this one was the best. Just wait, next year will be even better.

The community is getting ready for the annual Chili Cook-Off on October 9. That is always a big event for Elwood. This year it is supposed to be bigger and better also.

We will be having a new coffee shop uptown where the restaurant used to be. It will not be open until the latter part of November, maybe first of December, but I am looking forward to it. The one that used to be across from the post office was used quite a bit when it was open and we were all sorry to see it go out of business. The parking there was so bad and the space was so huge that I know that hurt the business and then when the roadwork started, that finished it. This one will be smaller and will be more convenient for both customers and employees. I hope that the community uses it as much as the other one was used when there was access to it.

Construction of houses is still going on. This little town just keeps coming back and growing more. Shows the spirit of the people who live here, doesn’t it? A lot of new people are moving into the community also. They are hearing a lot of good things about us. That is also good.

I guess the things that made the people on the Den Site what they are is still in the air around here and everybody wants to get a breath of that wonderful fresh air. Seems that these things just never die out. I know that all small towns are not this way and I sometimes think that those things that drew the original settlers here still linger on in their descendents. Makes me proud to be included in that group and I know that all of you feel the same way.

Guess that is all from here in your new and improved Old Home Town. You will be so surprised and pleased when you come back here for a visit.

Your Roving Reporter,

Sharon (Benedict) Hurst '53

Elwood, IN

Out on Fairground Road

*The Opera House now has the elevator to use and that makes it so much easier to get to the upstairs. The food they served was excellent and the service, as usual, fantastic. I really recommend that you remember to check out this place for your reunions and other special events.

to Page 2