It remains a mystery of why the flag didn’t fall at Fort McHenry. Despite being bombarded all night by some 20 British warships, taking many direct hits, and suffering much loss of life. I would like to offer a reason, which I have thought to be true my entire life. Let me be clear from…
Grandkids are so much fun, when they’re young. They grow up fast, and suddenly everyone is going in different directions. One of our fondest memories of our grandkids is visiting the Spangler Candy Company. You got to take a tour through the factory, which is almost unheard of these days. It reminded us of when…
If you know about it please don’t tell! It’s a secret. Perhaps you have heard about the Purdue Secret Garden. The garden where your shadow may become three dimensional, leave you and enter the garden and dance. You know, the story of the little Amish girl whose fiance was killed in a fireworks accident in…
Tommy was a little rich kid. He grew up in the south during the Civil War. His family lived in Augusta, Georgia, and was not greatly affected by the war. They were well to do and had somehow escaped the ravages of the war. Tommy had everything you could want but he did have a…
The sheriff took Rachel home from the hospital, and they stopped at her parents on the way. The four Bishops were there and she was not allowed to enter the house. She had the sheriff take her to Walcott’s Mills where she secured an apartment. Her first business was to visit the library and secure…
Rachel Bontrager was almost 18 and considered by many the prettiest girl in Lagrange County. She enjoyed being Amish and was engaged to a handsome Amish boy Amos Hostetler. Her only problem was that they were not allowed to read novels, so she had to hide her Gene Stratton Porter books. On the evening of…
I Played ln The Band I Sowed A Seed I played in the band, I sang in the choir I wrote a few songs that gave a few people hope Every once in awhile I started a fire. I know -0 about music. I’m just an ordinary man and I don’t particularly excel in anything.…
Come for a couple hours or a day. Plan to have lunch at the Country Store or a snack at the coffee shop. An old town with some very unique stores that has had many improvements in the last few years. I grew up on a farm 2 miles south of Grabill and remember the…
I have always wanted to know more about the Civil War. It was such an important part of our history, and it always seemed there should have been a way to solve or differences without a civil war. Visiting my brother-in-law near Hagerstown, Maryland one day he said, “Let’s visit the Antietam Battlefield today.” I…
Willie and Orvie were brothers, as close as any brothers could be. But they did have one stigma, they were high school dropouts. Orvie quit just days before graduation. He just got tired of school and walked out. Willie was an exceptional student, enrolled to go to college in Yale Divinity School but he had…
What causes wars? I have often wanted to make a list of all the wars that have taken place, but it probably would be impossible. It might even be an infinite list because there would be no end. Looking at history there are several wars that lasted hundreds of years, and there were some that…
By: James Neuhouser “Come All you rounders if you wannna hear; The story about a brave engineer: Casey Jones was the roller’s name: On a 6-8-wheeler he rode to fame” Casey was an imposing man, 6 ft.4 and built like a linebacker. He couldn’t remember when he wasn’t famous and this would carry out…
By: James Neuhouser Christmas has come and gone, as well as our annual gingerbread men sale. We gathered our ingredients together, found the recipe, and began baking. The recipe is a secret known only to a few older women. It originally came over from the old country. The kiosk was placed on a street corner…
