Monday, November 20, 2006

Ellettsville History

Six people discussed how to document, maintain, and distribute more information about Ellettsville’s history. They discussed possible projects and resources available.

Possible history projects

1. Undertake more research focused on the following:
Construction of Highway 37
Volunteer road crews
Geographic history: Why here? What caused Ellettsville to be settled?
Building histories
Family histories
Notable people in Ellettsville (D. Jacobs, J. Thrasher, etc.)
Videotape local people (another oral history project)
Before and after histories that document local development and change
Interesting facts about the town’s history
Kokomo and the Mason Dixon Line and how it relates

2. Update the Ellettsville History Book

3. See if it is possible to display the Richland Township Historical Project at Eagles Landing

4. Investigate using a wiki or expanding Ellettsville's current entry in Wikipedia to share (and edit) historical information, if online access to historical information is important. www.wikipedia.org

5. Conduct a survey of people for history information. Kinds of info to ask: names, length of residency, family origins, occupation, business affiliation, social affiliations, religious affiliation, favorite historical stories, neighbors, do you have a written genealogy or history?, do you have family diaries, bibles or pictures you be willing to share?

Resources

1. Monroe County History Museum

2. The Journal archives—maybe these could eventually end up online and be searchable. Have they ever been microfilmed? Could IU assist?

3. Need to find out what is online already, what has been microfilmed at IU Library, and also what the Monroe County Library Indiana Room has on Ellettsville’s history.

4. For building histories: check the 1987? Registry of Buildings, find out how many copies are available and if a reprint is possible.

5. Periodicals may be good resources to find out property owners names.

6. People may have already done their own genealogy studies and might be willing to share their histories.

7. Current history markers, cemeteries, and past codes and regulations can tell a lot about what the community viewed as important

8. Mathers Museum

Parks and Recreation Improvements

Two people discussed ideas to improve parks and recreation facilities. Specific ideas for improvements include: close in the Shelter House to make it a year-round facility, put in a fire place with a BBQ rack that has a metal topping so it cannot be destroyed, rent out the Shelter House to finance park buildings, and put in more items for children.

Business Attraction (Restaurants)

Five people discussed the need to attract more businesses, including restaurants that can serve as community gathering places. The group spent most of its time sharing memories of family style restaurants that served as community gathering places before closing. The group is unsure of how to proceed or the role Ellettsville Main Street could have.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Beauty, Benches and Art

Six people at the planning meeting combined discussions about public art, a limestone bench contest, and community beautification efforts.

Current interest in public art is coming from several people in town. The owner of the building at Sale and Vine Street would like to have a large, professionally-done mural on the north side of his 2-story building. This would be seen by traffic stopping at the stoplight at Sale & Main. He would also like to have some eclectic art in the front windows of his building. Also, a group of local art teachers, would like to see murals and public art.

What are good locations for public art? In front of Smithville Telephone? around the log cabin? near the library? What type of public art? Sculptures, totems. One EMS member has contacted two local companies regarding limestone benches to make Ellettsville the "Limestone Bench Capitol of the World". Bybee has agreed to make 3 demo benches.

If interest is high and resources are found, it might be possible to have 12 benches a year by 12 carvers. Perhaps the benches could be memorial benches with the name of who designed it & who carved it. Limestone as well as wood and metal could be used. Somehow this could be done in connection with the Limestone Symposium and/or be done during the Fall Festival. The Waldron Art Center will be a good resource for these ideas. Also, the art teachers know about grants that could be obtained to pay for the public art.

One problem may be vandalism from the youth who "hang out" in the downtown area. A possible solution would be surveillance cameras. Another way to use limestone would be to create planters and let youth help create/design them. Hanging baskets of flowers might be used downtown instead of banners providing they could be maintained.

Heritage Trail Discussion

Five people discussed Ellettsville Main Street's current Heritage Trail project. Not much was discussed to move this project forward; however, several people agreed that there needs to be progress so the Town can apply for more funds. One way Main Street volunteers could help is to raise funds and to visit property owners.

Group members made fund-raising suggestions - Farmers' Market or a memorial brick sidewalk for veterans, residents. One member explained the complexity of making the trail a reality included acquiring right-of-way from the owners, hopefully by donations. An environmental review of the area is required since it is being funded by Federal Transportation Enhancements (TE) funds plus a local match. The trail is part of the County's plan. The Town planner wants to work on it, but it is probably going to require some professional assistance for legal & environmental matters.

The trail is important not just as a pedestrian walkway, but because it could be an attractive feature in the downtown area and spur development especially along Vine Street. It is also a place to display art & to teach about limestone and Ellettsville's history. It is an overlooked natural resource for the Town.

It started with a question…

Planning for Ellettsville Main Street’s 2007 activities began in earnest on Thursday, November 16, 2006. It started with the following question. What if Ellettsville Main Street did/started/continued _________________ (fill in the blank with your idea)? Simple enough, but responders were challenged to only list projects that sparked the following thoughts. “That idea would be something I’d really enjoy…my time would be well spent. I could see myself really engaged in carrying out this project.”

Here are the ideas and projects that emerged.

Documents Ellettsville history (encompassing written, video and photography)
Parks and recreation improvements
Continued the Heritage Trail project
Keep Town Hall downtown
Attract more businesses, especially a restaurant/community gathering place
Downtown beautification (planters, signs, more banners)
Limestone bench contest
Public art in the community
Sponsor a Farmers market downtown

At the first planning meeting, people were encouraged to spend time talking with one another about projects that interested them. Several related ideas were grouped together. Future blog posts will summarize what has been discussed to date. Ellettsville Main Street welcomes your comments on any and all ideas mentioned.

Based upon discussions at the planning meeting and comments received on this blog, the EMS Board will prepare its 2007 action plan at their December 14, 2006 meeting. Please attend if you are interested in learning more.

A future post will have details on time and place.