South Audubon Road in 1943 and Now

Bobby Kistner and George Long, Jr, enjoyed a playdate on Easter Sunday in 1943. The home behind the lads, located at 326 South Audubon Road, belonged to Clarence and Mary Mobley. Mr. Mobley was a factory worker at Bridgeport Brass. Some of the trees remain from 1943 and so does the Mobley residence although a front porch with a turret was added much later.

Bobby Kistner of 263 South Audubon Road pulled his friend, George Long, Jr. of 346 South Audubon Road, along their street. Behind the boys, you can see the home at 326 South Audubon Road as it looked in 1943.

You can somewhat see 326 South Audubon Road through the trees. (Photo taken on July 30, 2017) 

The historic image is courtesy of Robert Kistner and Elizabeth Bodi.  

Beloved Neighbors--The Long Family of 346 South Audubon Road

George and Barbara Long dwelled at 346 South Audubon Road for many decades. Their good friends and former neighbors, William and Inez Kistner, lived down the street at 263 South Audubon Road. Mr. Long worked as a ruler for a ledger company. Robert Kistner, the son of William and Inez Kistner, wrote of Mrs. Long in his unpublished memoir, "I learned about being kind from Barbara Long." Mrs. Long had been in a terrible traffic accident and was blind in one eye. She had been a teacher and had no children at the time that young Bobby was growing up so she treated him like one of her own. She took him to see Snow White at the Irving Theater and she held Easter egg hunts in her yard for him. In 1940, the Longs joyfully announced the birth of their son, George.

Inez Kistner, who is closest to the photographer, visited with Barbara and George Long in their home at 346 South Audubon Road c1941.   (photo courtesy of Robert Kistner and Elizabeth Bodi)

Barbara and George Long posed with their son George in the spring of 1941 in the front yard of their home at 346 South Audubon Road. (photo courtesy of George William Long, IV) 

The Long Bungalow in September of 2015

Barbara Long posed with her son, George, Jr, Bobby Kistner, and Joseph Cummings, a neighbor at 340 South Audubon in 1942. Mr. Cummings was a factory foreman. His wife, Marceine was not pictured.  (photo courtesy of Robert Kistner and Elizabeth Bodi) 

A Childhood Along South Audubon Road

Robert Kistner, or Bobby as he was known in the 1930s and 1940s, grew up at 263 South Audubon Road.  He was the youngest child of William and Inez Kistner. His twin sisters, Teresa and Dolores did not live in the house for long as they were both married by the early 1940s. His older brother Jack enlisted in 1942 for service in World War II so little Bobby was practically raised as an only child. He recalled that there were few other boys in the vicinity other than Dickie Gilmore at 262 South Audubon so he frequently played with many young girls who lived nearby. In an unpublished memoir, he jokingly tells that the young ladies enjoyed dressing him up and adding him to their stories. In the fall, they would rake leaves to create floor plans and play house.

Mr. Kistner noted that his bedroom, the smallest in the double, was at the rear of the home and without a closet so his parents added a chifforobe for his clothes.  He also had a small desk in the room where he displayed his rock collection. He remembered that his parents received many items delivered to the home including milk on a daily basis, eggs weekly, and sometimes fresh bread. A fruit vendor passed through the neighborhood and rang a bell so that folks would know where he was parked. Bananas and oranges were expensive in those days so the family only purchased these items once in a while.

For entertainment, he was allowed to go to Saturday matinees at the Irving Theater. Mr. Kistner recalled one amusing incident in 1939 when he decided to purchase some popcorn after the cartoons were over and instead of going home as he was supposed to do, he stayed for the next film, Gone With the Wind. His parents became frantic when he did not return so his father rushed to the theater and walked up and down the crowded rows to try to find his son. He finally found his wayward child and just as he was about to reproach him, young Bobby told his father, "Dad, the Yankees are about to burn Atlanta." The elder Kistner was intrigued and sat down next to his son and watched the remainder of the film. Mrs. Kistner was not happy with either of them when they finally returned home.

Mr. Kistner noted that World War II "was our constant companion." After his brother enlisted, the family constantly worried about his fate. Some Irvington soldiers did not come back from that conflict. Mr. Kistner recalled the day his brother left because he was in second grade at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School and the parish was in the middle of construction for a new church. His brother Jack came to the school to say good bye and he tried to reassure Bobby that he would be okay. It was an emotional departure, but it was a joyful day three years later when Jack Kistner returned home upon the conclusion of the war.

The Kistners moved out of the double in 1948. In the spring of 2017, Robert Kistner and his daughter, Elizabeth Bodi, returned to Irvington so that he could visit his childhood haunts. With a gleam in his eyes, he told both funny and touching stories as he pointed to various houses in the area.

  Mrs. Edwards lived at 261 South Audubon Road. She collected beautiful antiques. 
  The Wettles resided at 269 South Audubon Road. I used to play in that backyard. 
  The Weidekamps were a large Catholic family who dwelled at 266  South Audubon Road. 
  Dr. Lamb, a dentist, lived in the large brick house (5631 University Avenue) on the circle. The Lambs always had a beautiful harp sitting in the parlor window.  

He spoke wistfully of his parents and his siblings and I watched as his daughter carefully helped him across each crevice in the sidewalk and up each step. It was a beautiful spring day not unlike those in Irvington seventy five years ago.

Birthday Party 1939: Friends gathered in the backyard of the Wettle home at 269 South Audubon Road. The home most visible is that of the double at 261-63 South Audubon Road. The children pictured are (left to right starting with the girl in the light top):  Jo Ann Windisch, Flavian Skeets, Alicia "Mitzi" Weidekamp (266 South Audubon Road), Mary Lou Wettle, and Bobby Kistner (263 South Audubon Road)  

Sibling Fun 1937:  Teresa and Bobby Kistner enjoyed a snowy day. Behind them, you can see the rear of the double that faces both Audubon Road and University Avenue (255 South Audubon Rd and 5703 University Avenue). If you look closely, you can also view the homes at 5714 and 5718 University Avenue.  

Bobby Kistner posed on a snowy day in 1937 in front of his house at 263 South Audubon Road. Behind him, you can see the Irving Circle Park and many homes on the east side of the street.  

Dolores Kistner posed with her brother Bobby along with Spot in the front yard at 263 South Audubon Road in 1937. Behind the siblings, you can see the homes located at 269 and 275 South Audubon Road.  

John W. (Jack) Kistner posed with his little brother, Bobby, and Miss Muffet in their front yard at 263 South Audubon Road in 1944. Behind the brothers, you can see the double at 245-47 South Audubon and the home at 251 South Audubon Road.  

Reunion: John W. (Jack) Kistner on leave from World War II, posed with his parents Inez and William Kistner along with his younger brother Bobby in 1944. The family is standing in front of their home at 263 South Audubon Road.  

The stories and historic images are courtesy of Robert Kistner and Elizabeth Bodi. The author met both on the sidewalk as they were taking photographs of the neighborhood.

The Kistners Move to Audubon Road

William and Inez Kistner moved into the double at 263 South Audubon Road in 1936. They had previously dwelled in a home at 856 North Oxford Avenue along with their four children, Dolores, Teresa, John, and Robert. Mr. Kistner worked for the Indianapolis Engraving Company, but the Great Depression had not been kind to that industry so he was out of job in 1934. For two years the Kistners resided in Columbus, Ohio where Mr. Kistner found work as an engraver. The family was able to move back to Indianapolis when he was hired by the A.J. Miller Company as a salesman of ambulances and hearses. The 1940 Federal Census reveals that Mr. Kistner earned a respectable income of $2,600 in 1939.

The couple celebrated many happy moments while living in their Irvington home including the marriages of Teresa to Paul McLoughlin in 1938; Dolores to Edward Johnson in 1941; and John to Loretta Paetz in 1947. Their time along Audubon Road was not worry free, however, as John (also known as Jack) went off to fight in 1941 during World War II. Thankfully, the family celebrated his safe return after the war.

The images and stories for this post are courtesy of Robert Kistner and Elizabeth Bodi.

William (Bill) and Inez Kistner posed in front of their home at 263 South Audubon Road in 1936. The trim and columns of the duplex used to be painted dark green. The upper story was clad in stucco. The Kistners leased the home from John R. Gray.  The 1940 Federal Census reveals that they paid $35 a month. 

Inez and William Kistner stood along the sidewalk in 1936 in front of their home at 263 South Audubon Road. Behind the couple, you can see the dwelling at 262 South Audubon and the large brick home at 5631 University Avenue. 

Irving Circle 1945 and Now

Robert Kistner grew up in the double at 263 South Audubon Road. He was the youngest child of William and Inez Kistner. The Kistners moved into the dwelling in 1936 and remained until the late 1940s.  Young Robert had many friends in the neighborhood although there were few boys his age. His best friend was Dickie Gillmore, who dwelled at 262 South Audubon Road.  The Irving Circle Park was just across the street from his home and Mr. Kistner recalled that the city would plant petunias each spring and also deliver park benches. Some of the neighborhood kids gathered in the southeast quad of the circle and played on a makeshift baseball diamond.  Audubon Road was brick in those days and the park was filled with tall shade trees.

In the photo, snapped in the fall of 1945, Robert Kistner (at the far left) gathered with his nieces and a nephew. Behind the kids, you can see the south entrance to the Irving Circle Park and the brick street. A contemporary photo, shows the park in 2017.  The historic image and stories are courtesy of Robert Kistner and Elizabeth Bodi.

Irving Circle Park in 2017

Robert Kistner (left) posed with family members, Charlie and Rita Johnson, and Carolyn McLoughlin. The photo was taken in front of 263 South Audubon Road in 1945. Behind the kids, you can see the Irving Circle Park.

Butler Basketball Team--1905

The Indiana College Athletic Association was in its infancy when Butler College (later University) joined in 1905. Coached by Edgar Wingard, the team had two winning seasons in 1904 (9-1) and in 1905 (7-3).  The men played against both local high schools like Shortridge and Manual and against colleges like Indiana University and Wabash College.  In this photograph, the squad posed with their coach and championship trophy. The only known names at this time are Coach Wingard (black suit) and John Kaylor Kingsbury (top row upper right).  Mr. Kingsbury was a talented athlete and student. He grew up at 348 North Layman Avenue and later became a physician. He made history in 1925 when in his role as a doctor he rushed to the bedside of Madge Oberholtzer, who had been brutally attacked by D.C Stephenson, the Grand Dragon of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan. As she grew weaker, he summoned a stenographer to take what would later be her deathbed confession. Her words helped to bring down not only Stephenson, but also the power of the Klan in the United States. In 1905, however, young Kingsbury knew nothing of these events as he was merely celebrating a great winning season at Butler College. Mr. Wingard left Butler in 1906 for the University of Pittsburg.

Butler College basketball squad in 1905 was coached by Edgar Wingard (black suit). John Kaylor Kingsbury is located in the top row and at the far right. We are currently searching for the names of the other players.  

The historic photograph is courtesy of Kelly Wheat, a descendant of John Kaylor Kingsbury. 

Morris Family Dwelled Along Johnson Avenue

Ernest and Grace Mitchell Morris had grown up together near New Salem in Rush County, Indiana. Deciding that the life of a farmer was not for him, Ernest moved to Indianapolis and in 1896 became one of the founders of the Indianapolis Engraving Company. In 1909, he married his childhood sweetheart, Grace Mitchell, and they lived in a variety of locations before moving into the Arts and Crafts residence at 20 Johnson Avenue in 1921.

While Mr. Morris went to work at his office in downtown Indianapolis, Mrs. Morris stayed home with their two sons, Edgar and Maynard.  Tragedy visited the family in October of 1925, when fourteen-year-old Edgar came down with the polio virus. He was attended to by Dr. Oliver C. Neier, but the virus was too aggressive. Edgar Morris died on October 12, 1925, two days before the couple's sixteenth wedding anniversary. The teen had been named for his grandfather in Rush County. The Rushville Republican reported that the family was in complete shock over the suddenness of his passing.

For unknown reasons, the Morris family decided to leave Irvington and move to the north side of Indianapolis in 1926. They sold their home to Dr. Oliver Neier, the very man who had attempted to aid their son during his illness.  Mr. Morris died in 1956 at the age of 71. He was still associated with the Indianapolis Engraving Company at the time. Mrs. Morris lived until 1967.  Their only surviving son, Maynard, died suddenly in 1970 at the age of 50.

Ernest Morris as pictured in Fellow Citizens of Indianapolis in 1926

20 Johnson Avenue in 2017

Sources:  "Engraving Official Dies," Rushville Republican, July 9, 1956; "Boy Dies Suddenly," Rushville Republican, October 12, 1925, 1; "Engravers Saw 500 Hundred Mile Race Paved Way for Color Work," Indianapolis Star, May 26, 1946, 40.