Griffith History – Page 3 – Griffith History Museums

September 16, 2024September 22, 2024 victoriavm Activities, Blog Posts, fundraiser, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society

Thank You!!

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮! 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮!

Our goal was accomplished thanks to YOU!

The Griffith Historical Society is proud to announce that participation by Griffith Public Schools third-grade classes in the Society’s ElmerJ Program this coming September has been totally underwritten by donations from our members, Griffith Public School graduates, and others.

The two books and the cost of the bus for the field trip to our Griffith Historical Park will be free for all students!

The ElmerJ Program, named for town founders Elmer and Jay Dwiggins, was instituted in 2022 by the Griffith Historical Society to help students learn about the history of their town, which is part of their Social Studies curriculum. The program includes an introductory, in-school PowerPoint presentation, after which each class gets a guided tour of the Depot, railcars and Tower at the Griffith Historical Park.

Two books on railroad and Griffith history, created by the Society, are given to the students, as well as primary-source stories of growing up in Griffith, written by the grand-daughter of the town’s first settlers.

This is the first year we asked for donations to underwrite the ElmerJ Program, and we are so grateful to our members, GPS graduates, and others for their donations. From the beginning, Griffith townspeople cared about schools and the children who attended them, and it continues today.

September 10, 2024 victoriavm Activities, Blog Posts, fundraiser, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society, Support the Rail-Cam, Volunteer

Standing Committees (Ways You Can Volunteer!)

We are always up to something at the Historical Society. We are constantly looking for ways to keep up our efforts to preserve Griffith’s historical records and stories, and publicize and fundraise for our efforts!

These are our standing committees, for which we ALWAYS accept new volunteer help!
Please contact us at [email protected] or come to a monthy meeting, if you’d like to volunteer!

STANDING COMMITTEES : Functions and responsibilities (see current By-laws for additional information)
1. Audit: on-going and year-end audit of financial records. Real time auditing of on-going operations vs. strategic planning to offer recommendations to Board of Directors
2. Railroad Depot Curator: plans and develop programs, displays and plans for public access to the Historical Park and Depot to share the stories of Griffiths Heritage. Monitors and keeps records of museum assets.
3. Franklin Museum Curator: plans and develop programs, displays and plans for public access to the Franklin Museum to share the stories of Griffiths Heritage. Monitors and keeps records of museum assets.
4. Newsletter: collects and creates information about the GHS to plan for and publish a membership Newsletter. Goal to publish three times per year – Mar, Jul and November
5. Programs: Plans for other special programs for both museums, Depot & Franklin in coordination with other Historical Societies
6. By-Laws: provides year-end and on-going review of all Bylaw Articles for required timely updates and republishing if and as required
7. Ways & Means: coordinates development of new fundraising programs to support GHS operations and its projects, programs & event priorities.
8. Special Event Chairpersons
a. Raffle Sales: 50/50 Super 7 yearly raffle
b. Rock & Rail Fest (Aug)
c. Annual Meeting / Dinner (Nov)
d. Santa in The Caboose (Dec)
e. Oral History Project / Golden Senior Interviews
9. Barrel Train Coordinator: (Mar – Oct) Plans and coordinates operations and continued maintenance of the GHS Barrel train amusement ride.
10. Merchandise / Purchasing Agent: Plans for on-going purchases or expenses required. Tracks completion and reports to Treasury
11. Maintenance: Plans and Coordinates all Park, Museum, RR & other equipment maintenance, repairs & upgrades. Reports schedule and plans to BOD monthly.
12. Publicity / Communications: Plans for and coordinates all local, area and Social Media Communications, Plans, projects and programs to inform and promote the public about the Operation and activities of GHS to “Preserve and Share the Stories of Griffith’s Heritage..
13. Nominating Committee: Committee and Chairman appointed by Sept.1 by President. Solicit and recommend candidates for all Officers and open Director positions of the Society by November 1, 2024
14. Strategic Planning: Provides assistance in the development coordination, facilitation and integration of strategic planning into active and on-going operations of the GHS and its Officers, directors and member

September 3, 2024 victoriavm Griffith High Turns 100, History Notes

En garde! 1950’s Fencing Club

🖤🏫💛 𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗦 𝟭𝟬𝟬! 💛🏫🖤
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭’𝘴 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺!

En garde! Check out this 1950’s Fencing Club group photo 🤺

Do you know anyone in this photo? Or when Griffith High’s Fencing Club faded away?
⚔If you are in this photo, how are your parries and attacks holding up?

🤺Touché!

August 13, 2024August 6, 2024 victoriavm Griffith High Turns 100, History Notes

Math Club 1963

These Griffith High Math Club Officers helped their club build a computer in 1963. We wonder how big it was or how many functions it could perform.

If you’re in this photo or know who is, tell us how you feel about your smartphone today!

August 8, 2024August 6, 2024 victoriavm Activities, Blog Posts, fundraiser, Support the Depot, Support the Historical Society

Help us share Griffith’s history with its students

An Appeal to Griffith Historical Society, Inc. Members,

Every now and then an opportunity arises where we can contribute to the education of young students in Griffith. We have that moment this coming September.

All Griffith third-grade students since 2022 participate in a week-long Historical Society activity entitled, The ElmerJ Program, which provides historical information about our town as part of the school’s Social Studies curriculum.

The students see/hear an in-class PowerPoint presentation about the founding of Griffith, complete with photos and maps. This is followed by a school bus trip to our Historical Park, where each class receives a guided tour of our Depot, railcars and Tower.

While the presentation and tours are done at no cost by Historical Society members, there is a fee for the bus and for the two paperback books pertaining to Griffith history that are part of the program.

Last year, 8 classes — 161 third graders — participated, and the school anticipates a similar number this year. The cost last year for the book and the bus came to $7, but these costs may rise some this year.

To make sure that no student misses out on learning about their town, we are trying to fund the cost for all students through extra donations from our Members.

If you’d like to help, please, can you send a donation to:
Griffith Historical Society, Inc.
201 N. Griffith Blvd. #3
Griffith, IN. 46319

Or through our online donation link (click here).

Thank you,
Martha Gatlin, Director

Read about last year’s field trip here.

August 6, 2024August 6, 2024 victoriavm Griffith High Turns 100, History Notes

Fill ‘er up, please!

Getting your first car is usually an unforgettable part of the high school experience, as well as the adventures with friends that come along with it. Then, as now, fueling up is part of the experience.

34-cent per gallon gas in the 1970s is equivalent to about $2.86 in 2023 dollars.

July 19, 2024July 24, 2024 victoriavm Blog Posts, Griffith High Turns 100

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 ’𝟔𝟎’𝐬

𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗦 𝟭𝟬𝟬!
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭’𝘴 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 ’𝟔𝟎’𝐬

Students built and operated what was called a “Ham” radio, which originally was developed as an emergency broadcast system. Students could talk across town, around the world, into space for fun, or in times of need: all without the Internet or cell phones.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 “𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 100” 𝘌𝘹𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.

May 27, 2024May 27, 2024 victoriavm Blog Posts, History Notes

Memorial Day

On Memorial Day we honor those service men and women who ‘gave all,’ fighting to keep America free.

Memorial Day began on May 30th, 1868, as “Decoration Day,” a way to honor American soldiers who died in the Civil War by decorating their graves with flowers each spring. It continued as a an informal patriotic holiday until was expanded after World War I to honor fallen service men and women from all American wars. It became a federal holiday in June, 1968.

Chauncey Depew Walters, 22, was the first soldier from Griffith to die in World War I. Chauncey was one of 10 brothers, all but one of them born in Griffith. All the brothers worked on the railroads.

The Griffith American Legion named their post in honor of him after the war. After Word War II and a move to a larger building, the Legion changed their name to Griffith Post 66 to honor veterans from both wars.

May 22, 2024April 26, 2025 victoriavm Blog Posts, Griffith High Turns 100, History Notes

Griffith’s Basketball Star

𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗦 𝟭𝟬𝟬!
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭’𝘴 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺!

𝘔𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘬, 𝘸𝘦’𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯
𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫

𝙶𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚛 𝐑𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚊 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕’𝚜 𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚋𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝟷𝟿𝟸𝟽-𝟸𝟾 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚋𝚢 𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝟏𝟐𝟎 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝙼𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚟𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎. 𝙻𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚗, 𝚁𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝟷𝟷𝟶 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝚁𝚘𝚜𝚜.

May 15, 2024May 14, 2024 victoriavm Blog Posts, Griffith High Turns 100, History Notes

𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗦 𝟭𝟬𝟬! #3

𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗦 𝟭𝟬𝟬!

𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜. 𝙼𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝟐𝟓 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚝. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝟷𝟿𝟻𝟶’𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚣𝚘𝚗. 𝙿𝚘𝚜𝚝-𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚆𝚊𝚛 𝙸𝙸 𝙱𝚊𝚋𝚢 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙷𝚘𝚖𝚎s 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚎 𝚗𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚟𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜’ 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝐆𝐈 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.

𝙶𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚝𝚑’𝚜 𝚙𝚘𝚙𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝟺,𝟺𝟶𝟶. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚕𝚒𝚗 𝚂𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚕 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚜!! 𝙰 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚍, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚊𝚡𝚒𝚖𝚞𝚖.

𝙸𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 $𝟓𝟖𝟗,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚕. 𝙸𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚍𝚊𝚢’𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚢, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 $𝟼.𝟿 𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚘𝚗!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝟏𝟗𝟓𝟒.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘶𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴.
𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲!