Local News depicting eastern Howard County in Indiana. Headlines: Logo Design Sought To Honor 150 Years of Greentown History; Shelter from te Storm; Elections to Be Tuesday May 7
Fred Pfortner started his grocery business in these buildings in 1897. Before that the address at 317 had been a grocery and the other two buildings had housed various businesses including a locksmith, a restaurant, a store selling agricultural...
This firm was organized in 1890 by Henry B. Lotz and his brother Benjamin. They learned to make shoes by hand from their father, Bernhardt Lotz, who was a well known shoemaker. Henry passed away in 1931 and Ben continued the business until 1937...
Business enterprises; Bars(Drinking establishments)
The first mention of the saloon at 211 East Main Street is in the 1887 city directory. Nicholas Kramer is listed as the owner. In 1905 Harvey Conner is the owner. At one point in the early 1900's, John Eckert and Sons offer stoves, furnaces,...
The original building was built about 1863 by John Craig and Fred Dubach as a dry goods store. It was modified and remodeled down through the years. In 1889 Nicholas Horuff and his sons operated the dry goods store. In the mid-1940s, it became...
W. H. Peters went to work for E. Vogler in 1899 at Vogler's Drug Store in this building. In 1906 he purchased the store from Mr. Vogler. Peters was a pharmacist, having graduated from the College of Pharmacy at Louisville, and he had served as...
Stables; Livery; Business enterprises; Sale barn; Warehouses
This building was probably built to be a livery stable or at least a building to contain horses. The 1859 city directory lists the building as McCubbin and Sons Livery. It was also called a livery and sale barn at one point. For several years in...
Railroads; Railroad roundhouses; Railroad construction & maintenance; North Madison
This view of the roundhouse in North Madison is looking northward. The "Coliseum", as the locals called it, was for the purpose of servicing the engines and other rolling stock of the railroad.
This picture gives you an idea of the scope of the incline. In the early days of the railroad, engines were not strong enough or heavy enough to adhere to the tracks. The only means of pulling the train up the incline was horse power. On March 6,...
The Madison Courier interviewed W.F. Guthrie, an old gentleman who had seen the railroad from an early time. He stated, "After a shower of rain the wheels would slip on the rail and the brakes would not have the desired effect. It was said of a...
The "Washington" is shown docked at Madison, Indiana, just above the Trow Flour Mill. On its sign you can see part of the word 'Perfection'. Perfection flour was shipped all over the country, and to other countries, by boat and rail. The mill...
Coal oil wagon at the Vernon Street watering trough. In the late 1800's and early 1900's coal oil, or kerosene, was much in demand. It was used for, among other things, lamps and heating. One obscure use was as a deterrent to chiggers while...
This is a picture of the dike at Madison, Indiana from the Kentucky side looking across the Ohio River to Madison, Indiana. The ferryboat "Trimble" is making her way across the river in the background. Mrs. Herbert M. Flora and daughter sit in...
Steamboats; Riverboats; "Cape Girardeau"; Greene Line
This boat was built in Jeffersonville, Indiana and was originally called "Cape Girardeau". She was acquired by the Greene Line in 1935 and became their family boat with Captain Thomas R. Greene in command. His mother was usually on board with his...
The inscription on the old picture reads, "Madison & Milton Ferry Landing--1908." The landing at Madison and the ferryboat, "Trimble" looked much like this during the winter of 1917 and 1918 when some of the worst weather of the century hit much...
Rivers; Waterfronts; Horses; Mules; Steamboats; Riverboats; Mail steamers; Passengers
This river scene depicts great activity along the levee in any typical river town. The "Columbia" is either loading or unloading her passengers. The horse-drawn carts near the gangplank were probably used to convey passengers to and from the boat....
Sources vary as to who designed the hotel, though it is generally credited to Francis Costigan. The hotel encompassed 100 years of history in Madison. Another hotel, Fitzhugh's Hotel, which had been built in the 1830s was removed from the site...
The "Princess" has a front row seat for the 1910 Madison Regatta. The "Princess" was sister to the "Island Queen" in the Coney Island trade. She was built in 1900. During the terrible winter of 1917-1918 she was wintering at the mouth of the...
Churches; Church schools; Catholic churches; Costigan, Frances; Stone buildings
The Irish railroad workers, being a determined and resourceful lot, began to store the stone torn and blasted from the railroad cuts. It was hauled to the end of Third Street where it was piled and dressed and there the Irish began to build their...
