Indiana Ghost Story

Since it's Halloween, here's a story from Evansville, Indiana to give you seasonally-appropriate goosebumps.

The Willard Library, a gorgeous piece of Gothic architecture, is the oldest public library building in Indiana. It's also rumored to be haunted -- and it seems someone caught the library's most famous ghost on camera. Click the link below if you want to see the pictures.

Happy Halloween!

Little Orphant Annie

It's almost Halloween, which means it's time to celebrate the most popular work of poet James Whitcomb Riley. Riley has no particular connection to Franklin Township, but he did grow up in nearby Greenfield, and he's one of Indiana's favorite native sons -- perhaps most favorite, if one judges by the number of things named after him.

As a seasonal treat (no trick!), here's one of the few surviving audio recordings of Riley reading his poetry aloud. This is "Little Orphant Annie," written by Riley in 1885. This (originally wax) recording was made in 1912, two years after the author suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. Riley died four years later, in 1916.

Anyone who grew up in Indiana schools probably had to memorize this poem -- or at least part of it -- in elementary school, where we also learned that the poem was intended to be called "Little Orphant Allie" (after Mary Alice "Allie" Smith, shown at right, who lived with the Riley family for a time). The published title was a result of a printing error (popularly attributed to Riley's bad handwriting).

The poem was one of Riley's best-known works. It was adapted as a silent film in 1918, and also served to inspire the "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip, which itself inspired books, movies and a major stage musical.

...And remember, if you want to hear more seasonal tales, join us on October 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. for Ghost Stories at Open Hours!

Ghost Stories - October 21

It's coming up on Halloween, and that means it's the perfect time of year for ghost stories! Indiana has its fair share of paranormal oddities, and even Franklin Township has a few stories that just might make you shiver. Join us at Open Hours on October 21 for some chilling local legends and delightfully creepy tales from history. You can even see the infamous Black Dress, one of the stars of our collection, which has been featured on the TV shows Sightings and Unsolved Mysteries.

(Please note that this will be our final regular Open Hours of the year. You are still welcome to join us at any of the scheduled events during the off season, such as our Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration on December 16.)

Black History Month tours in Clark County

In case you're looking for something to do on February 24, check out these tours of historically significant sites in Clark County:

http://newsandtribune.com/local/x638260231/Tours-to-celebrate-black-history-around-area

Old Fashioned Christmas Photos

Here are a few photos taken at our Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration! We had a nice crowd of around 25 people, with plenty of cookies and carols to go around. Special thanks to our organist Nancy George, who accompanied the carolers on our historic pump organ. We hope you will all join us next year!

Santa Claus was generously played by Jim Winton. Here, he hears a wish list from our president emerita Sylvia Henricks.

John Kanouse, Dana Crapo, and our decorated tree.

FTHS member Ann Hansen visits with Santa.