Author: kathit@pwrtc.com

Indiana In World War I

The Memorial Swinging Bridge was dedicated to persons serving in the military from Pulaski County, but all of those persons also lived in Indiana. The following article was written by Connor McBride, a graduate student of Public History at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and intern for the Indiana State Historic Records Advisory Board. He received his B.S. in history from Indiana State University in 2015. 

The full article, including citations, can be found HERE.

Since there have been Hoosiers, there have been Hoosiers willing to serve and sacrifice for their nation and its ideals. The state of Indiana is represented in every major United States war since the state’s founding and as of the twentieth century, hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers had served their country proudly. By April of 1917, Indiana had demonstrated their willingness and capability to serve and following the United States’ declaration of war, Hoosiers were ready to step up and answer the call of their nation.

Indiana’s soldiers and civilians quickly mobilized for war. Organizations both public and private adapted to meet the demands of war. Many Indiana companies, such as the Studebaker Corporation, placed their factories “at the disposal of the government.” In the case of Studebaker, they converted half of their plant capacity to the production of military equipment including artillery and supply chassis and wagons. The Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company offered $25,000 in funding for medical equipment to form Base Hospital 32, which would be comprised primarily of personnel from Indiana and would treat almost 9,700 patients in France throughout the war. Local newspapers and businesses encouraged the citizenry to purchase war bonds, to conserve supplies, and to otherwise support the war effort. Throughout the state, Hoosiers quickly got to work.

Enlisted Hoosiers went overseas with the first units to land on European soil. Among them, Sergeant Alex Arch of South Bend, Indiana was credited with having fired the first shot of the war for the United States, pulling the lanyard to fire the first American artillery shell towards German lines. As well as the first strike, the first blow was received by Indiana as well. The first three American casualties of the war included young Corporal James Gresham of Evansville, Indiana who died in hand to hand combat while repelling a German trench raid near Bathelemont in France. Hoosiers such as these cemented the state’s legacy as among the first to strike at the enemy and the first to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

As the first of the American Expeditionary Forces were arriving in France, the Indiana National Guard was quickly mobilizing. Units from the Indiana and Kentucky National Guards would form the 38th Division and the 84th “Lincoln” Division would be comprised of guard units from Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. In addition, the famed 150th artillery regiment, which had gained a fierce reputation in the Civil War under the command of Captain Eli Lilly, was selected as one of the handpicked units to make up the 42nd “Rainbow” Division. This division would see some of the most intense fighting of the war. The 150th Field Artillery, under the capable leadership of Colonel Robert Tyndall, would take part in six major engagements throughout the war. The first day of draft registration, June 05, 1917, passed without incident in Indiana. During that first period, over 260,000 Hoosiers came forward to register. Over 400,000 more had registered by the war’s end.

Throughout the war, Hoosier men and women would time and time again prove their unwavering courage and loyalty to their country in spite of the many faces of adversity. Lieutenant Aaron Fisher of Lyle’s Station, Indiana would become the most highly decorated African American soldier from Indiana during the war for his extraordinary courage and level-headed leadership in the face of overwhelming odds.

Fisher received the Distinguished Service Cross and the French Croix de Guerre for refusing to retreat or surrender even while his unit was vastly outnumbered. Despite being wounded, Fisher continued to direct his troops amidst the chaos until finally reinforcements arrived and the German force was repelled. Lieutenant Samuel Woodfill would become a national hero when he single handedly incapacitated three German machine gun nests and earned the nation’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor as well as military honors from several European nations. While suffering the effects of mustard gas exposure, Woodfill captured three of the gunners and finish off the rest in intense close-quarters combat where he was eventually forced to wield a trench pick as a combat weapon. At home, citizens continued to support the war effort through the Red Cross and Salvation Army, raising funds and sending supplies to the troops entrenched on the other side of the Atlantic. Women filled the jobs left empty by those men that had departed for the front, eager to serve their country. Among them was Opha Johnson of Kokomo who was the first woman to enlist in the Marine Corps. She took over clerical work in the quartermaster department and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant by the war’s end. This names only a few of the many outstanding Hoosiers who contributed to war effort, most of whom would not receive such recognition but who, beyond a doubt, contributed to the nation’s war effort, both overseas and at home.

Over 135,000 Hoosiers would serve their country throughout the war. Of this number, more than 3,000 would make the ultimate sacrifice. The countless number of Hoosier soldiers, nurses, and civilians who were there to proudly serve and sacrifice for their nation, deserve more recognition than they have or could receive. They had demonstrated their commitment to the ideals of the United States and proven that, whenever their nation needed them, the men and women of Indiana would be there to answer to answer the call.

INDIANA DIVISIONS DURING WORLD WAR I
38th Infantry Division

The 38th Division was comprised of the National Guard units from Indiana and Kentucky, and was formed in August of 1917. The division was trained at Camp Shelby, Mississippi and arrived in France in October of 1918. While the unit did not see combat, most of those in the Cyclone Division were transferred as replacements into units fighting on the front line.

42nd (Rainbow) Division

The 42nd Division was comprised of units from 26 states and was activated in August of 1917.   Due to the rush to mobilize as America entered World War I, many individual states vied for the distinction of being the first to send their national guards into Europe. To curb the negative impact of such competition, the 42nd (Rainbow) Division was born of handpicked units from these 26 states and the District of Columbia. This included the 150th Field Artillery Regiment of the Indiana National Guard. The Rainbow Division arrived in France in November of 1917, heading to the front line in March 1918. The Division took part in six major campaigns throughout the war campaigns, spending almost half of a year on the front lines in regular contact with enemy forces.

84th Infantry Division

The 84th Division was often referred to as the “Lincoln” division as it was made up of units from the “Lincoln States”: Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana. Activated in August of 1917, the Lincoln Division was trained at Camp Taylor in Kentucky and during the war operated near Neuvic in France. Apart from supply service, they were serving as a training formation to train replacements for the Western Front. Before the division saw combat, the war ended with the signing of the armistice on November 11, 1918.

R. E. Nutt, Engineer, Part 3

Part 1 of our saga focuses on R.E. Nutt’s commitment to the bridge dedicated as “Memorial.” You can find that piece HERE.

Part 2 focuses on the information we were able to find regarding his profession as an engineer, a “bridge builder.” Find that piece HERE.

Photo courtesy Pulaski County Public Library.

Mr. Nutt’s Upbringing

Per official documents, Russell Errett Nutt was born in Kewanna (Fulton County) on March 20, 1880. It appears he was born at the family homestead in Harrison Township, Pulaski County. The postal address of the homestead – today – is Kewanna. The house itself was on the southwest corner of 200 S and 500 E, close to the Fulton County line.

The Nutt property straddled County Road 200 South. John F. Nutt purchased the parcel on the northwest corner from William H. Croucher in 1876. The southwest corner was purchased from Sarah E. Mullins in 1881. In 1904, he deeded the land to his children, each having a 1/7 interest. John F. Nutt passed away in 1914. We have done no further property searches, but we know that the Williams family purchased the property in 1945. This photo was provided by Deb DeSchepper. It is what remained of the Nutt homestead as her father, Carl Williams, pulled it down in the late 1970s.

I’ve become fascinated with Mr. Nutt and his “opus,” (the Memorial Swinging Bridge). As one winds around these country roads on the southeast side of Pulaski County, this location is a mere 4.8 miles from my home, or 3.6 “as the crow flies.” Who knew?

He would have gone to Fairview School, located one quarter mile west and then a mile north of where he grew up.

His draft registration from 1918 – he would have been 38 years old – states he was of medium build, medium height, with dark hair and gray eyes.

His formal education was not mentioned in any obituary. In fact, the 1940 U.S. Census states Mr. Nutt’s education ended at grade eight. From John Weaver, formerly with the Indiana Department of Transportation, “In those days, ‘engineer’ was fairly loosely defined.  Professional licensing was just getting established. He could have called himself an engineer because of his experience and training. Surveyors were able to operate in that fashion, with little formal training requirements, until 1980.”

His Adult Years

Per the U.S. Census, in 1900, at age 20, he lived with his parents, John F. and Charlotte Nutt, in Harrison Township, Pulaski County. He married Hilda Frain on December 18, 1900. To them was born one child, a son, Errett Frain Nutt. (You will hear more about him later.)

Mentioned in Part 2 of this saga, while discussing Mr. Nutt’s connection with the Winamac Bridge Company, the 1910 Census found the Nutt family living in Iowa, with a managing partner of the company and Hilda’s brother, John W. Frain.

The 1920 Census shows Russell, Hilda and Errett Nutt living in a home they owned at 307 North Market Street, Winamac. The addresses in that area are now 303 North Market Street (apartments) and 309 North Market Street (a vacant lot with, as I write, a house under construction).

At the time Mr. Nutt and his family lived on Market Street, his neighbor, two houses to the north, would have been Judge John G. Reidelbach. The Judge had purchased the home built by Dr. William Henry Thompson. By the 1940s, after both Mr. Nutt and Judge Reidelbach no longer lived there, the Thompson/Reidelbach house was converted into a hotel and became known as the Winamac Hotel. If you are familiar with Winamac and the Winamac Hotel, you have now correctly placed that residential block in your mind’s eye.

The next house to the north, across Madison Street from the first Thompson house, was built by Dr. George Warren Thompson. That house was later sold to a prominent attorney, L. A. Reidelbach.

One is left to wonder if the houses owned by the two Doctors Thompson (they were brothers) were intentionally purchased by two brothers Reidelbach. Perhaps that speculation should not be made here. I did not do research into the two families Reidelbach.

Back to the story at hand, that house is now owned by the John Simmermaker family and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. St. Peter’s Catholic Church is across the street.

This all goes to say, making a short story long, that in the 1920s, Mr. Nutt lived in a high class neighborhood.

According to the Indiana State Board of Registration Annual Report and Register of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, by some time in 1923, the year Memorial was erected, Mr. Nutt moved to Kokomo.

At his death in 1941, he was buried in Kokomo.

Pulaski County Connections

It appears the Nutt family history with Pulaski County begins sometime before 1880. Apparently, his nuclear family – brothers and sisters – moved out of the area, although several individuals have mentioned having relatives that are Nutts from the Kewanna area in Fulton County. I’m trying not to laugh at that sentence.

We can tie Mr. Nutt’s family to the community through his wife, Hilda Frain Nutt.

John Frain was one of the original (white) settlers of Monroe Township and Winamac. Two of his sons will be mentioned: George, born on February 2, 1850, and Felix, whose story will be picked up below.

William Wentz was also an original (white) settler in Harrison Township. To him was born a daughter, Fianna, on March 25, 1855.

John’s son George married William’s daughter Fianna on Christmas day, 1872. Among their children was a daughter, Hilda Myrtle Frain.

Hilda Myrtle Frain married Russell Errett Nutt on December 18, 1900.

I referenced Felix Frain above. He was the grandfather of Max Frain, of Frain Mortuary, at the corner of Main and Riverside Streets. Max’s son (Dan) and grandson (Jon) still run the family business. The progeny of R. E. and Hilda Nutt are related to the family, whose business is just up the hill west of the bridge, the length of a town block. The Nutt progeny are also related to Howard Wentz, who owns Howard’s Marathon, just a hop further west and a skip a half block south.

Closing the Personal Saga

I will end the saga of Mr. Nutt. He is buried in Kokomo, having passed away at the age of 61 on June 17, 1941. Per the obituary, he was a “well-known local bridge contractor.” He “suffered a stroke of apoplexy about a year ago, from which he never fully recovered. He had been seriously ill for the past three weeks.” Along with his wife, Hilda, he was survived by a son, Errett, two grandchildren, three sisters (Mrs. George Roach of Warren, Mrs. Clarice South of East Chicago and Mrs. Lesta Boyle of Santa Barbara, California), and a brother (Hubert, of Ohio). Mr. Nutt “was a member of the Masonic lodge and was widely known in central and northern Indiana.”

A local relative, Jon Frain, has called to introduce himself and to invite the family to the 2023 celebration of Mr. Nutt’s Opus. (That’s what the author is calling it….)

Errett Frain Nutt

Errett, for all that we know, had nothing to do with Memorial. However, his history puts him just a bit closer to those of us who live in the community today. Many people reading this document will know some of the names, and will, perhaps, be related to them.

Errett Frain Nutt, the only child of R.E. and Hilda Nutt, died in 1995 at the age of 92. He was born and raised in Winamac and graduated from Winamac High School. Their family was enough removed from the town that his granddaughter, when contacted by Jon Frain, knew only that his middle initial was “F,” not that it stood for Frain, and not that she had relatives in the area. She knew nothing, either, of Memorial.

This photo, courtesy of Pulaski County Public Library, is his senior photo from the 1922 Totem.

To put Errett into perspective, he graduated in 1922. Memorial was built in May and June, 1923, and dedicated in July of 1923. It is possible the family had moved to Kokomo by that time, or that they moved shortly after.

As noted above, the family lived in the neighborhood of St. Peter’s Catholic Church. He played the saxophone in the high school band, participated in basketball and baseball, and was a staff member of both the Totem and the Informer. Some of his classmates were Mary Bond, Eunice Emmett, Bruce Day, Olive Fry, Margene Gay, Margaret Gilsinger, Cora Grafton, Delight Holdermann, Herbert Hoch, Eleanore Lange, Dorothy Cox, Miriam Keller and Mildred Weaver.

Should you happen to go to the Pulaski County Public Library and look at this issue of the Totem, you will find other names with which you might be familiar.

On a side note, Library staff looked at the Totems for 1923 and 1924. Memorial was such a HUGE deal for the town at that time, and nowhere is there mention or a picture of it.

From his obituary: Errett Frain Nutt was born in Winamac on April 19, 1903. On December 14, 1942, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, he married Marie L. Householder. He died on May 12, 1995, leaving his wife and two daughters, Marilyn Morgan, Kokomo and Marlene (Buddy James) Meeks, also of Kokomo. Several grandchildren survived him as well. Candace (Ron) Gaby, Jack (Monica) Morgan, Raymond (Terry) Christine, Carol (Mark) Hooker, and Mary Bilby, all of Kokomo, and David (Jan) Christine of Edmond, Oklahoma. Also surviving were 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. One granddaughter, Vickie Haynes, and one son-in-law, Jack L. Morgan, preceded him in death.

Wouldn’t it be great to have all of his living descendants at the July 4, 2023 celebration!

Additional Information and Credits

See the database of suspension bridges built in Indiana HERE.

CONTRIBUTING TO THE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL HISTORY OF R. E. NUTT: Janet Onken, Pulaski County Genealogist; Jon Frain, Frain Mortuary; Jim Phillips, former resident of Pulaski County, who gathered relevant articles from the Winamac Republican and the Pulaski County Democrat; Russell E, Nutt Obituary from the Kokomo Tribune, June 17, 1941 and from a local paper; Errett Frain Nutt Obituary from the Kokomo Tribune, May 13, 1995; John Weaver (formerly) and Crystal Weaver (currently) with INDOT; Pulaski County Public Library; Deb DeSchepper.

R. E. Nutt, Engineer, Part 2

Part 1 of our saga focuses on R.E. Nutt’s commitment to the bridge named “Memorial.” You can find that piece HERE.

Photo courtesy of the Pulaski County Public Library.

The Professional Saga of Mr. Nutt

A search of draft records during the WWI era discovered Mr. Nutt had registered for the draft in Pulaski County in 1918 at the age of 38. He listed his occupation as County Surveyor.By relying on the local newspaper articles during the building of Memorial, one would learn little about Mr. Nutt. The newspapers misidentified him as Herbert Nutt from Indianapolis, who used to live in Harrison Township, then as Hubert Nutt, Former County Surveyor. Whether he had been Surveyor of Pulaski or another county was not mentioned. As an aside, Mr. Nutt had been raised in Harrison Township but, as an adult, lived in Winamac. By 1923, he had moved to Kokomo. It’s unknown if he moved before or after the bridge was built.

With that date reference, the County Genealogist searched election records and found he ran successfully to be the Pulaski County Auditor three times. In those days, county elected officials held office for two years. In 1916 he ran as a Republican against the incumbent Democrat, Clarence Paul. Mr. Nutt won by about 300 votes. In 1918, he ran again against Democrat Simon Hickle and won by about 500 votes. In 1920, he ran against Democrat William A. Fritz and won by about 700 votes. He did not file to run in the May 1922 primary and moved to Kokomo shortly after leaving office.

Author’s note: One would assume that in a community as small as Pulaski County, the local newspapers would have correctly identified a man who had just left office after serving – apparently successfully – for six years, from January 1917 through December 1922.

Given the election information, the Pulaski County Public Library did a microfilm search and found Mr. Nutt’s campaign advertisements in 1916 and 1918. The photograph that accompanies this article was used in both years. (Apparently, he did not advertise in 1920.) Newspaper photos were grainy, but this original photograph was found with the records from the Winamac Masonic Lodge, which closed, and whose records went to the Lodge at Royal Center. Mr. Nutt at one time served as Grand Master of the Winamac Lodge.

Per bid advertisements found online, Mr. Nutt signed as an engineer. He is listed in the Indiana State Board of Registration Annual Report and Register of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (1921-22 Edition), once as Pulaski County Surveyor and three times as living in Kokomo.

From the Winamac Republican, October 26, 1916, is an article about the Republican candidates from the local party. About Mr. Nutt, they say, “Born in Pulaski county and having lived here and become familiar with the needs and observed the character of all parts of the county through bridge construction work and road construction work a nominee is presented on the republican ticket this year who is amply fitted for the work of county surveyor. R. E. Nutt never before sought public office at the hands of the voters of the county, but his business dealing with all who have come in contact with him mark him as a man in whom the tax-payers and citizens the county over can have utmost confidence. [Illegible] work in the engineering duties and drafting have fitted him for the accuracy that the office of surveyor demands, and his host of friends shows the high personal regard in which he is held, and stamp him for a fair and square public official if the citizens of the county so honor him at election time.”

The same statement appeared in the form of an advertisement for his election in the November 2, 1916 edition.

From his long-form campaign advertisement (Pulaski County Democrat, November 2. 2016):

To the Citizens of Pulaski County: There are a great many voters in the county whom I have been unable to see personally. I hope that no one will think unfavorably of me, or refrain from voting for me, on account of this. I have made the best canvas that was possible for me to make, but have been unable to cover the entire county.

If you should see fit to elect me to the office of Surveyor, I assure you that the office will receive my constant personal attention, that I will give you courteous treatment, and above all things a square deal to everybody.

I believe that my qualifications are such that I need not be backward about asking any voter for his support. I am competent to make all my own bridge plans, or any kind of drawings that would be necessary. I would be more than pleased to show you some of my work along this line, and let you judge for yourself as to my ability. I have had years of experience in estimating. This will enable me to place a correct estimate on the bridge, road and ditch work.

My experience with the practical side of all of this work, and the knowledge I have obtained by having years of experience in actually performing the work, have given me a very close realization of just what is necessary to obtain the best results. I wish to add that I have a mathematical education that will enable me to handle the work of the office with ease, should you see fit to elect me on November 7th.

The one thing that I want to get before the people is, that if I am elected, I can and will conduct the office in such a manner that you will not regret having supported me.

Thanking you for any support you may wish to ge [sic] me in this election, I am,

Sincerely yours, Russell E. Nutt. Republican nominee for County Surveyor.

A short-form version of the advertisement was found, but the paper and date are not on the printout. In it, he said, “I feel that my years of experience with almost all kinds of public work, of most of which I have an intimate knowledge, together with my ability as a draftsman and engineer, should enable me to be of great value to the taxpayers of Pulaski County.”

Professional Training as a Bridge Builder

Mr. Nutt built a bridge in Winamac that has stood for 98 years. Even so, finding local information on the man’s history as a builder of bridges proved to be nearly impossible. References were found in other places.

From the “Carmel Standard,” Friday (no date) 1926, published on the Visit Hamilton County website, is news of the dedication of Flowing Well at White Chapel. The following reference is made to Mr. Nutt: “The memorial was proposed in 1925 … to utilize this well as a public gift … Accordingly in 1926, construction was completed under the direction of A.H. Myers, general chairman of the committee; Russell E. Nutt, of Kokomo, a bridge engineer; Lincoln Purcell, of Carmel, and Wilson Kellam.”

His obituary, from the Kokomo Tribune in 1941, described him as a bridge builder and contractor.

A local obituary – newspaper unknown, but captured by the Pulaski County Public Library – described him as a bridge builder, “his last work in this vicinity being the bridge on U.S. Highway N.35 at the north edge of Winamac.”  Some knowledgeable individuals are investigating the bridge to which we believe this note refers. If information is forthcoming, it will be published.

His obituaries, even the local one, did not mention Memorial Bridge. The local obituary mentioned that several Masons traveled to Kokomo to attend the funeral, and this writer has to wonder if her father and grandfather were among them.

His formal education was not mentioned in any obituary. In fact, the 1940 U.S. Census states Mr. Nutt’s education ended at grade 8. In those days “engineer” was fairly loosely defined.  Professional licensing was just getting established. He could have called himself an engineer because of his experience and training. Surveyors were able to operate in that fashion, with little formal training requirements, until 1980.

Finding professional references vis a vis bridge building was a difficult task. Finally, our little “study group” spent some time investigating the possibility of his involvement with the Winamac Bridge Company.

Winamac Bridge Company

If people today are aware of the Winamac Bridge Company, they think of the Stearns Truss Bridge that used to traverse the Big Monon Ditch or the Woodruff Bridge that, while abandoned, still traverses the Tippecanoe River south of Winamac.

The Stearns Truss Bridge was designed by William E. Stearns and erected in 1905 by the Winamac Bridge Company. It is the only Stearns Truss Bridge known to still be in existence in the United States. It was placed on the National Historic Register with the work of a local Boy Scout as his Eagle Scout project, and with the help of the Pulaski County Historical Society. It was listed on the National Register in 2003 as “Pulaski County Bridge No. 31.”

In 2005, when contracts were let to clean the ditch, the bridge stood in the way. Set to demolish the bridge, the Commissioners instead accepted an offer from the Wabash and Erie Canal Park in Delphi to purchase it for $10. The bridge was moved and now, known as “Blue Bridge,” is part of their park in Delphi. It is no longer listed on the National Historic Register.

The Winamac Bridge Company also had a hand in the Woodruff Bridge, known also as the Wasson Ford Bridge. The Wrought Iron Bridge Company built the two-span through-truss bridge, a Pratt Truss, in 1890. Sometime around 1910 the north span was lost, possibly to flooding, and was temporarily replaced by a bowstring truss. The Winamac Bridge Company, around that time, replaced the bowstring truss with a Warren Truss.

The story of these bridges may or may not have anything to do with Mr. Nutt. In 1905 (Stearns Truss), he would have been twenty-five years of age. In 1910 (Warren Truss on Woodruff Bridge), he would have been thirty. We were able to connect him to the Winamac Bridge Company, but apparently, he moved to Iowa.

The Winamac Bridge Company was owned in part by John W. Frain, Mr. Nutt’s brother-in-law. Per information gathered by the Pulaski County Genealogist and the Pulaski County Public Library, Mr. Frain moved to the northwest part of the United States around this time. His task was to sell and build bridges for the company in that part of the country.

The 1910 U.S. Census places R.E. Nutt, his wife Hilda and their son Errett in the home of John W. Frain in Clay, Webster, Iowa, along with five other men, who were probably employees of the Winamac Bridge Company.

Our little “study group” concluded that R.E. Nutt was, indeed, an employee of the Winamac Bridge Company, thereby gaining the experience he touted in his election efforts and the training and experience necessary to build a bridge that would stand for a century.

The last installment will focus on Mr. Nutt’s connection to persons still living in Pulaski County.

Additional Information and Credits

See the database of suspension bridges built in Indiana here: https://memorialswingingbridge.com/suspension-bridges-in-indiana/

CONTRIBUTING TO THE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL HISTORY OF R. E. NUTT: Janet Onken, Pulaski County Genealogist; Jon Frain, Frain Mortuary; Jim Phillips, former resident of Pulaski County, who gathered relevant articles from the Winamac Republican and the Pulaski County Democrat; Russell E, Nutt Obituary from the Kokomo Tribune, June 17, 1941 and from a local paper; Errett Frain Nutt Obituary from the Kokomo Tribune, May 13, 1995; John Weaver (formerly) and Crystal Weaver (currently) with INDOT; Pulaski County Public Library.

Hoosiers at War: An Overview of Indiana during World War II

The Memorial Swinging Bridge was dedicated to persons serving in the military from Pulaski County, but all of those persons also lived in Indiana. The following article was found on the in.gov website and was written by James Madison.

World War II changed everything in Indiana, sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently. The necessities of war–the overwhelming need to defeat the Axis–set the boundaries that shaped lives. The oft-repeated question, “Don’t you know there’s a war on?,” was really a statement. Everyone knew.

The lives most disrupted by war were those of the Hoosier men and women who served in the military forces. Long weeks of hard training in dusty military camps were a prelude to travels and challenges spread across the country and around the world. Far from home, young soldiers could only dimly remember when life included lazy front-porch gossip, amusement rides at the state fair, high school sweethearts.

Hoosiers fought in all combat theaters, from Europe to the Pacific. Some, including Bloomington’s Medal of Honor winner, Gerry Kisters, became heroes. Most did their jobs very well, if not heroically. All wanted more than anything else to get the war over with and come home safe. Too many experienced the worst the war offered, expressed most vividly by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s descriptions of the Dresden firebombing and by the newspaper columns of Ernie Pyle.

Far too many Indiana soldiers and sailors died, more than ten thousand. Some were returned to Indiana soil; others were laid to rest in a French field or a calm Pacific sea. Gold star mothers would always remember. And on courthouse squares across Indiana their names were cut in stone or bronze–the long, simple roll calls of Hoosiers who made the “supreme sacrifice.”

Military service had special meaning for Hoosiers with traditionally restricted opportunities. Women entered military units and made significant contributions as nurses, truck drivers, clerks, and pilots. For many women World War II was a liberating experience long before any of them heard about women’s liberation. Black Hoosiers also stepped into military uniforms, but usually in segregated units and usually in support roles. The discrimination and segregation that wove its tentacles through the American fabric persisted even as the nation fought against the racism of Nazi Germany.

Other than young people leaving home in uniform and the news of letters and War Department telegrams, the most obvious signs of war on the Hoosier home front were the military installations and ordnance plants that sprang up overnight. Camp Atterbury, Crane Naval Ammunition Depot, Jefferson Proving Ground, and Indiana Ordnance Works at Charlestown brought the war to small towns and rural areas in southern Indiana and created thousands of jobs that quickly scared off the Great Depression. Other major war plants included the Wabash River Ordnance Works in Vermillion County and the Kingsbury Ordnance Works near La Porte.

Private industry soon shifted to war production, especially after Pearl Harbor. By 1942 Indiana’s factories turned full blast to making America “the great arsenal of democracy,” as President Franklin Roosevelt had commanded. The list of Hoosier contributions was nearly endless: Allison’s airplane engines, Studebaker’s trucks, Lilly’s blood plasma, the Calumet Region’s steel, RCA’s proximity fuses, Guide Lamp’s cartridge cases, South Bend Toy’s tent poles, Republic Aviation’s P-47 Thunderbolts. From the shipyards on the Ohio River to the steel mills on Lake Michigan the Indiana economy bent and turned to the miracle of war production.

Though many companies made the effort, the major industrial contributions came from big business – the modern, mass production enterprises in steel, oil, metalworking, chemicals, and electronics. These companies won most of the war contracts and produced the goods that ranked Indiana eighth among the states in combat equipment supply.

A major obstacle to increasing war production developed as young Hoosier workers went off in uniform and the labor supply dwindled. For the first time some employers began, of necessity, to hire women and blacks, even in some cases for skilled jobs. The Indiana General Assembly passed a fair employment practices act in 1945 and joined in setting up day-care centers for the children of “Rosie the Riveter.” Old attitudes died hard, however, and discrimination against black and female workers continued.

As Hoosiers bent to the task of pouring out the materials needed to defeat the Axis enemy, they soon learned that other changes would be necessary.

Victory required civilian sacrifice, not as large generally as the sacrifices made on the home fronts of Great Britain or the Soviet Union, but substantial and significant sacrifices nonetheless.

Most apparent was the shortage and eventual rationing of many items considered basic to the good life. A complicated rationing system demanded coupons and points for purchase of food, shoes, and gasoline. Some items, such as nylon stockings and new tires, virtually disappeared. With limited quantities of meat, sugar, coffee, and other foods, homemakers prepared meals with ingenuity in recipe substitution, patience in the grocery stores, and Victory Gardens in their backyards.

Gasoline was severely rationed. Many Hoosiers could no longer visit grandparents or a state park on Sunday. Both the Indiana State Fair and the Indianapolis 500-mile race closed under war demands. Even with a fat wartime paycheck a new automobile was an unobtainable dream until 1946. Many shade-tree mechanics spent tedious hours installing a used part to keep an old Ford or Chevy running on bald tires.

The war meant sacrifice for children too. Many would vividly remember for the rest of their lives the terror produced by blackouts and air-raid drills. Children eagerly joined in scrap drives that gathered metal, paper, and rubber for war production. They worked for war bond and stamp sales, studied maps of Europe and the Pacific, and played war games.

Young Hoosiers became the focal point of new concerns about family breakdown. Some children knew their fathers only as the fuzzy snapshot of a man in uniform. Many adults worried about what would happen with fathers away and mothers working in a factory job. The war brought parents special anxieties about teenagers mixed up with alcohol, crime, or sex. One response was the formation of teen clubs to encourage more wholesome entertainment at places like South Bend’s Hi-Spot and Anderson’s Club Tom Tom. With an increasingly distinctive style of music, dress, and language, wartime teenagers created a life of their own, one separate from that of their baffled parents.

Most Hoosiers found time for entertainment and pleasure. Indianapolis pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly and his fishing buddies carefully husbanded their precious gasoline coupons in order to squeeze out a quick trip to Lake Wawasee. Hollywood movies were more popular than ever. Films like Casablanca and Since You Went Away played to large audiences. Nearly every home had a radio that received Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Kate Smith, and Arthur Godfrey along with news from the battlefields. Even the ubiquitous war bond drives provided diversions, sometimes by Hollywood stars. Many Hoosiers participated in the famous visit back home of Fort Wayne native Carole Lombard, a visit that ended tragically in a plane crash. At USO (United Service Organizations) clubs women gathered to help the war effort by serving coffee and doughnuts and by dancing with lonely servicemen.

There was romance during the war. The Great Depression had delayed many marriages, but the war boom made marriage financially possible once again. Often couples rushed to the altar just ahead of the departing troop train. Young war brides and new mothers made some of the home front’s greatest sacrifices, and in their V-Mail to distant husbands they scribbled some of the most poignant stories of these years.

Victory in 1945 brought the celebratory sounds of factory whistles, the shouts of street dancing, the bright colors of parades, the shedding of tears. Many Hoosiers looked ahead to a return to prewar conditions, without, they hoped, the angry bear scratches of economic depression. Wartime conditions did seem to pass quickly after 1945. Rationing, shortages, and long lines vanished, replaced, for many, by an affluent society. Scrap drives and recycling soon seemed only distant memories of wartime sacrifice. Military uniforms and souvenirs made their way to attics. Many women and many black Hoosiers surrendered their high-paying industrial jobs to returning veterans, though not always willingly. And yet life did not return to the patterns of 1941.

World War II transformed America, not only temporarily but permanently Seeds of change that sprouted in the civil rights and women’s rights movements of the 1960s can be found in the years 1941-1945. There too can be found the emergence of a youth culture, long before Elvis or Woodstock. The war created mass college education, via the GI Bill, and laid the base for the suburban houses that flourished in place of corn and soybeans on the outskirts of Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and South Bend. And the emphasis on heavy manufacturing that so dominated Hoosier life in the last half of the twentieth century surely got a major boost from the war economy.

Like all great events, World War II did not end. A half century after Pearl Harbor it remains “the big one.” The shadows persist. From the first fiftieth anniversary on 7 December 1991 to the marking of V-J Day in August 1995 Hoosiers will be able to join in learning, remembering, and commemorating. They will doubtless find considerable evidence of the enduring, long-term effects of this war. Some will see it as a “good war,” and some will dismiss this label as an oxymoron. Many, in thinking about World War II, will gain new insights into the processes of change and continuity–the bread and butter and the sweet jam that give history its meaning and make it a pleasure and a challenge open to all.

James H. Madison is professor of history at Indiana University, Bloomington. Among his publications are Indiana through Tradition and Change: A History of the Hoosier State and Its People, 1920-1945 (1982), The Indiana Way: A State History (1986), and Eli Lilly: A Life, 1885-1977 (1989).

This article originally was published in Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History, a publication of the Indiana Historical Society, Fall 1991, Volume 3, Number 4.

R. E. Nutt, Engineer, Part 1

A little bit of research on the Memorial Swinging Bridge raised questions about the man who built it, R. E. Nutt.

First, a testament to this man’s acumen.

Photo courtesy Pulaski County Public Library

Bridgemeister.com lists sixteen suspension bridges that have been built in the State of Indiana. Additional suspension bridges were found on the BridgeHunter.com website, bringing the number to twenty-one. These lists carry all bridges, those still in use and those lost to us.

Mr. Nutt Built a Bridge That Would Last

Memorial is one of twelve still standing. Several bridges are not dated as to construction, but it appears Memorial is one of the oldest.

The oldest still in use, in Turkey Run State Park, was constructed in 1918. Following damage in the April 2013 flood, “everything is new except the main cables.” The bridge in Foster Park, Fort Wayne, was built in 1920. No significant refurbishing was noted in the online databases. Three of the standing bridges are not dated, but two of the undated bridges appear to be relatively recent in construction. The others were built in 1966, 1988, 1994, and the 2000s.

An Extra Piece Of Information

The information from Bridgemeister.com and BridgeHunter.com has been encapsulated in a database on our website, HERE.

Local News Coverage of Mr. Nutt during Construction

The local newspapers covering the idea for and the construction of the bridge said little about Mr. Nutt, even misnaming him (twice). This was 1923, and he had been elected three times to serve as County Surveyor, serving from 1917 through 1922, but they didn’t get it right. For some reason, they didn’t focus on the engineer, the builder, a local man.

With the exception of mentioning his name in the bidding and construction process, these snippets are all that were gleaned about Mr. Nutt from local coverage in 1923.

  • Winamac Republican, March 1, 1923: New Foot-Bridge To Span River: “Plans and estimates have been prepared by Herbert Nutt, an engineer, of Indianapolis, and former Harrison township resident, and these plans will be open to inspection to those at the meeting tonight.”
  • Pulaski County Democrat, March 9, 1923: Permanent Foot Bridge to Park Across the River: “Plans for a bridge have been drawn by R. E. Nutt, who estimates that the structure can be erected for about $2,000.”
  • Winamac Republican, March 8, 1923: Town Help for New Foot-Bridge: “Last week’s paper stated that the plans and drawings were made by Hubert Nutt, which was an error, the plans having been made by Former County Surveyor R. E. Nutt”
Mr. Nutt’s Commitment to Memorial

In March 1923, Mr. Nutt appeared before the Winamac Park Association with a proposal to construct a permanent suspension footbridge over the Tippecanoe River. The bridge would connect the Association-owned river park with the Town’s recently-purchased artesian well park. He estimated the bridge would “not cost far in excess of $2,000.” The Park Association made a decision to approach the Town of Winamac to share costs on a 50/50 basis. The town agreed to participate, so long as their share did not exceed $1,000.

Originally, the bridge was conceived as a point of pedestrian travel from one park to the other. The purpose was to secure for the town a first-class tourist destination. As plans progressed, the bridge was also to become a memorial to Pulaski county soldiers of all wars, thus the name, Memorial. With that decision, the Town, the Park Association and the Kiwanis Club determined that bridge construction should be complete by June 1.

The consortium asked Mr. Nutt to prepare specifications, and bids were let. At least four local contractors were expected to submit bids, but in the end, only one was received. Mr. Nutt’s bid was for $3,197, considerably above the projected cost. Mr. Nutt explained the price of steel and cement had jumped since the specifications and estimates had been presented.

The matter of letting the contract was tabled to allow the Park Board Association to meet with the Kiwanis Club and make a plan. Before that meeting, the Park Association asked the community for assistance. They immediately sold $1,600 in Association stocks, which was enough allow the plan to go forward. Before the bridge was complete, they would raise the sales to $2,300.

Mr. Nutt secured the contract on April 6. The contract stipulated completion of the bridge in time for a Fourth of July celebration, and the date of completion was moved back one month, from June 1 to July 1. To meet his contractual obligations, Mr. Nutt traveled to Chicago the next week to secure the earliest possible shipment of materials.

Construction began in May 1923 and was completed before July 4, 1923.

Not only was this project completed short of three months from receiving the contract, but the bridge itself has stood for 98 years as a testament to Mr. Nutt’s engineering expertise.

The next installment will focus on Mr. Nutt’s professional background.
Credits

CONTRIBUTING TO THE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL HISTORY OF R. E. NUTT: Janet Onken, Pulaski County Genealogist; Jon Frain, Frain Mortuary; Jim Phillips, former resident of Pulaski County, who gathered relevant articles from the Winamac Republican and the Pulaski County Democrat; Russell E, Nutt Obituary from the Kokomo Tribune, June 17, 1941 and from a local paper; Errett Frain Nutt Obituary from the Kokomo Tribune, May 13, 1995; John Weaver (formerly) and Crystal Weaver (currently) with INDOT; Pulaski County Public Library.

Playful Pulaski Primates

Information taken from PulaskiOnline.org. Research more at http://tourism.pulaskionline.org/

We hope hundreds of people who used to call Pulaski County home will travel back for the rededication ceremony in July 2023. To entice you to come – maybe even sooner – we’re going to feature “things to do when you get here.”

Perhaps the most unique spot in all of Pulaski County is the Peaceable Primate Sanctuary, a “retirement village” for research baboons and macaques operated by a former keeper at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo and his team of devoted staff and volunteers. Nestled into rural Rich Grove Township, inside a triangle formed by Winamac, Medaryville, and nearby North Judson, the Sanctuary runs entirely on donations, volunteer support, and fundraisers, offering a tranquil respite for primates whose lives have been spent in research laboratories.

Although the Sanctuary is not a zoo or typical tourist attraction, with advance notice and your willingness to become a sustaining member of the Monkees Club, the staff may be able to invite you to the Sanctuary to tour the facilities and to observe the baboons and macaques who call Pulaski County home.

Doze With Creature Comforts

Information taken from PulaskiOnline.org. Research more at http://tourism.pulaskionline.org/

We hope hundreds of people who used to call Pulaski County home will travel back for the rededication ceremony in July 2023. To entice you to come – maybe even sooner – we’re going to feature “things to do when you get here.”

So, maybe pulling in the ol’ RV (It’s a good-lookin’ vehicle, ain’t it?!) or pitching a tent isn’t your style. That’s not a problem, because our delightful bed-and-breakfasts give you easy access to all that Pulaski County has to offer — plus solid walls, a bed, and food prepared by someone else!

Meadow Springs Manor is a charming two-story 1904 home recently converted into a delightful bed-and-breakfast a few miles south of Francesville, not far from Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area and its prime sandhill-crane viewing areas. Meadow Springs is only about a half-hour away from the Indiana Beach amusement park to the southeast and Fair Oaks Farms with its dairies, tours, and Pig Adventure, to the northwest. The six-acre property is also home to brand-new banquet facilities and a lovely garden for outside ceremonies.

The Tortuga Inn is a funky, artistic bed-and-breakfast northeast of Winamac along the Tippecanoe River, and just a few short miles from the state park, Bass Lake, Culver and Lake Maxincukee, and Winamac’s Panhandle Pathway. Hunters are welcome at Tortuga, which isn’t far at all from the Winamac Fish & Wildlife Area. Offering rooms with private baths, dorm-style rooms for larger groups, and primitive cabins along the river, Tortuga provides accommodation options for all tastes and budgets — plus breakfast, easy access to every simple reminder to breathe in, and the ability to meet your special dietary request. Guests can enjoy a bit of the farm life, too: the Tortuga Inn is home to sheep whose wool can be felt, goats that can be petted and fed, and chickens that’ll let you provide their dinner. Plus, there’s wi-fi, just in case you really need to check your email or to send off that brief!

If you long for something more upscale, try Mill Creek Gardens, a Bed & Breakfast. This is an ideal location for your getaway, vacation, or business trip. Each room is fully furnished with adequate seating, work space, private bathrooms, and mini refrigerators stocked with snacks. Each room can sleep up to five people. Enjoy a relaxing evening at the outdoor fire-pit near the creek or take a stroll through the gardens. Enjoy our entertainment room that features theater seating, popcorn and the big screen or catch up on some light reading in the library.

Hit The Links

Information taken from PulaskiOnline.org. Research more at http://tourism.pulaskionline.org/

We hope hundreds of people who used to call Pulaski County home will travel back for the rededication ceremony in July 2023. To entice you to come – maybe even sooner – we’re going to feature “things to do when you get here.”

Golf, like eggs, is cheaper in the country. Get in nine or 18 at one of our delightful courses.

Southwest of Winamac, near the Tippecanoe River, Moss Creek Golf Course offers highly affordable membership and single-play rates, plus catering services and clubhouse rental.

A couple of miles south of Star City and just west of U.S.-35 in southeastern Pulaski County, Pond View Golf Course offers a practice facility, PGA lessons, and a membership package that includes discount plays at a number of other courses in the area.

Weekend Or Season, For Any Reason: Sleep Under The Stars

Information taken from PulaskiOnline.org. Research more at http://tourism.pulaskionline.org/

We hope hundreds of people who used to call Pulaski County home will travel back for the rededication ceremony in July 2023. To entice you to come – maybe even sooner – we’re going to feature “things to do when you get here.”

Southwest of Francesville, not far from Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area and optimal sandhill-crane viewing, Acorn Oaks Campground offers numerous opportunities for family fun, and is a mere 25 minutes northwest of Indiana Beach and 30 minutes southeast of Fair Oaks Farms.

Broken Arrow Campground, located north of Winamac near Rugged Adventures, Fort Knox USA Paintball, and Tippecanoe River State Park, offers hook-ups and primitive sites, a swimming pool and a pond for fishing, and so much more. Plus, it’s only a short drive from nearby Bass Lake and from Lake Maxincukee and the charming lakeside town of Culver. Of course, we know that you’ll find plenty to do on your visit without having to explore these areas, but, you know, just in case!

Tucked along the beautiful Tippecanoe River between U.S.-35 and Monterey, Rising Sun Campground doesn’t just offer the standard campground amenities, but also direct access to the river, with tube, canoe, and kayak rentals available for campers. Rising Sun is also just a few short miles from the nearby lakes and Culver — not that you ever really need to leave Pulaski County to have a great time out here!

There are also multiple camping options — for canoers, horsemen, and more — at Tippecanoe River State Park.

Push The Pedal To The Metal!

Information taken from PulaskiOnline.org. Research more at http://tourism.pulaskionline.org/

We hope hundreds of people who used to call Pulaski County home will travel back for the rededication ceremony in July 2023. To entice you to come – maybe even sooner – we’re going to feature “things to do when you get here.”

Kersting’s Cycle Center & Museum, located in north-central Pulaski County near the Starke County line and State Road 39, is more — so much more — than our local source for Harley-Davidson and Yamaha motorcycles, ATV’s, apparel, and parts and service. It’s where you’ll find great values and friendly hometown service — and an amazing collection of nearly 100 antique and otherwise historical motorcycles from nine decades and eight different countries.

Or maybe you’d rather watch others risk life and limb behind the wheel; if so, then Shadyhill Speedway is the place for you! Located about 1.5 miles west of State Road 39 and northeast of Medaryville, Shadyhill is “Where the dirt stops and the clay begins!” From May through September, stock-car races are held every Saturday night, beginning at 7:00p.m. Eastern Time; the grandstands open at 4:30, allowing for plenty of fun before the main event.

And, finally, for anyone who wants to become a member, there’s Leisure Time Motorcross (LTMX), a challenging motocross-style trail created from natural sand resources located about one mile south of Shadyhill.