Our first walking tour was a success! Join us for our second on September 18th at 7pm! The tour will start at the Griffith Historical Park and Museum — 201 South Broad St., Griffith, IN 46319.
What’s Up for 2019?
We’ve got a lot going on this year!
— We have a new operating status, Board Member Emeritus, which is designated for long-time board members who, because of health or age issues, can no longer serve as an officer or director, but still want to be involved in our activities. These members have been devoted to the Society and have years of experience we can draw upon. Current Emeriti are listed at the foot of the page, along with current officers and board members.
— At Franklin Center, we are in the process of creating a new display board — this one will be permanent – entitled, GRIFFITH BECOMES AN OFFICIAL TOWN. Items displayed will be from 1904 and 1905, and include the petition for incorporation, election notice, election judges’ affidavits, 1904 special census, balloting results and incorporation order. These documents were saved by our late Board Member Merle Colby when they were going to be thrown out. And new school displays will be created this summer, as well.
— We continue to enter information into our cataloging program created for us four years ago by student member Logan Kulinski. To date we have entered nearly 10,000 items into this program, which are available for viewing and printing out when needed.
— At the Historical Park, basement cleaning is being done now and when the weather is better, a Boy Scout will be painting the inside of the Depot for his Eagle Scout Project.
— We are also considering two new events for the summer and fall. Watch this space as more information will be added as we’re further along in each project. As always, we are looking for volunteers so email [email protected] if you are interested in helping.
What’s up?
It’s been a busy summer for us, especially with The Hess Express, now pulled by our new tractor we’ve named SC’s Engine in honor of Sarah Cundiff who donated the funds for it! The train has been at Central Market most Friday nights, the Blues & BBQ event at Central Park the end of June, and the 4th of July parade up till now. Upcoming events str Labor Day’s Rock & Railfest, Public Safety & Community Day and for the first time, we’ll be running the train at the Fall Harvest Craft Festival the last weekend in September.
The dedication of our bronze plaques up at our Depot Museum on June 10th turned out wonderfully thanks to the hard work of so many people. Ken Karlstedt coordinated acquiring the plaques, which were funded by Griffith Operation Spotlight and The Legacy Foundation, and arranging for their placement on a brick pedestal. The plaques signify that both buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places and the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures.
We are still working to digitize information on our artifacts, including photos, down at our Franklin Center museum, and we now have more than 8,000 searchable entries into our computer cataloging program. Our Franklin Museum is open on the first and third Saturdays from 10 till 2, (enter Door G) and if you have photos, articles or other documents you would like to share with us, bring them down. We can scan them, get the information about them, and you can take them back home with you.
To contact the Griffith Historical Society, email [email protected].
Griffith History Museums 