Depression-Era Road Trips From Irvington

     By the 1930s, Americans who could afford a car, could travel across the nation from coast to coast on various highways. There were no interstates yet but many states had paved or gravel highways. Newlyweds, Burrell and Emma McCord Lawton of 5706 University Avenue, trekked from Irvington to Colorado in the spring of 1935 where they visited with relatives. The following year, Mr. Lawton volunteered for his employer to return a car that had been stolen from Los Angeles. He  brought his wife with him for the epic adventure. Together, they traveled across the Great Plains where they might have glimpsed the devastation of the Dust Bowl, through the Rocky Mountains, and eventually to California. The couple managed to snap several photographs of their journey. Once they reached Los Angeles, they purchased bus tickets for the return ride to Indianapolis.

1936--Returning a Stolen Car to Los Angeles

Emma McCord Lawton of 5706 University Avenue enjoyed the views at Estes Park, Colorado in 1936. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

In 1936 Burrell Lawton of 5706 University Avenue volunteered for his employer, the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company Insurance Company, to return a stolen car to Los Angeles, California. He was very a organized person and likely drove for hours only pausing in certain locations like Estes, Colorado. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

The Lawtons traveled through the treacherous Red Mountain Pass in Colorado in 1936. Today the road is paved. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Burrell and Emma McCord Lawton marveled at the beautiful scenery as they passed through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in 1936. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

The Lawtons visited the Eagles Nest in the Petrified Forest of Arizona in 1936. In 1941, the unusual formation collapsed after heavy rains. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

     In March of 1937, Emma and Burrell Lawton traveled across the United States once again except this time they did so with Emma's parents, Harvey and Ada Belle McCord. The main purpose of the trip was to visit Emma's sister, Pauline McCord Campbell who lived in Cave Creek, Arizona. The McCord sisters had grown up in Seymour, Indiana. In fact, Harvey and Ada Belle still owned their Seymour home in 1937 although they had lived at 5706 University Avenue in Irvington since 1932. 

     By all accounts, Pauline McCord was a talented young woman. She was a bright student and an outstanding vocalist. After graduating from Brownstown High School in Jackson County, Indiana, Pauline made the decision to become a nurse. While taking a course at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis she came into contact with someone who had tuberculosis. That unfortunate moment changed the trajectory of her life.  Tuberculosis, a bacteria that invades the lungs, was a death sentence for millions of humans. In 1930, there was a strong belief that drier climates helped TB patients breathe, so Pauline left her Hoosier family and moved to a TB camp in Cave Creek. 

     Pauline lived in a couple of cabins over time at the colony. While there, she met twenty-five-year-old Clifton Campbell, a divorcee and fellow TB sufferer. They married in 1934. He hailed from North Carolina and listed "real estate" as his occupation. They lived in their own cabin by 1937 when her family came to visit. 

     A beautiful late-winter snow fell upon Irvington just as the Lawton-McCord families departed for Arizona. Either Burrell or Emma grabbed a camera and took a photo of the Irving Circle Park. Then, they departed on their journey along Route 40 stopping first in Greenville, Illinois, which also had snow on the ground. Eventually, the foursome made it to Arizona where they toured many sites including the Coolidge Dam and the Grand Canyon. 

      At Cave Creek, Arizona, the Lawtons and McCords reunited with Pauline. Photos reveal that she was quite thin and likely suffering. The cure for TB would not be discovered until 1944 so Pauline had to endure the ravages of that dreaded disease. The family had much to think about for the long trip back to Indiana. A Seymour newspaper article noted that Harvey, Ada Bell, Burrell, and Emma made it back to Irvington by early April. 

     Sadly, Pauline McCord Campbell passed away in September of 1937. Her husband Clifton died months later also from the effects of TB. 

1937--Visiting Pauline McCord Campbell in Arizona 

Before departing for Arizona, the Lawtons snapped this snowy image of the Irving Circle Park from their front porch at 5706 University Avenue in March of 1937. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

The group encountered more snow on their first stop at the intersection of North First Street and Beaumont Avenue in Greenville, Illinois in March of 1937 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

During healthier times, Emma McCord (left) posed with her sister Pauline McCord in the early 1930s before Pauline's demise from tuberculosis. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

Emma McCord Lawton posed behind the wheel of the family's 1934 Chevrolet Master in March of 1937 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Harvey and Ada Belle McCord of 5706 University Avenue stood near the Coolidge Dam in Arizona in March of 1937 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Many TB sufferers from the eastern United States moved to places like Cave Creek, Arizona as drier climates were supposed to be better for those who suffered. Pauline McCord moved to this site in 1930 and remained for seven years. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

In 1934, Pauline McCord married Clifton Campbell. The couple met at the TB camp in Cave Creek, Arizona. Both died within months of each other from the disease. This photo is possibly of Mr. Campbell although we are not certain. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

The McCords and Lawtons toured the rim of the Grand Canyon in March of 1937 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Ada Belle McCord (left) bids good bye to her daughter, Pauline McCord in March of 1937. Sadly, Mrs. Campbell died six months later. 

      Sources: Information for this post came from the unpublished family history written by Steve Lawton. Other sources include The Tribune (Seymour, Indiana), March 16, 1937 and April 9, 1937.  To learn more about the TB camp at Cave Creek, Arizona, click on the link below.

https://imagesarizona.com/cabin-fever-how-health-seekers-shaped-arizonas-history/

Irving Circle Park in the 1930s

      Harvey and Ada Belle McCord along with two of their children moved into the double at 5706 University Avenue in the spring of 1932. One of the perks of living at that address included the nearby Irving Circle Park. Shortly after relocating from Seymour, Indiana to Irvington, Ada Belle McElroy McCord (1871-1952) and her sister Myrtle McElroy Wiley (1887-1934) walked a few steps from the McCord home to a bench in the park. The sisters had grown up in a large family near Lancaster in Jefferson County, Indiana. What were the two women chatting about as they sat on the bench? Myrtle might have spoken of her two children or her life as a widow. Ada Belle might have talked about life in the neighborhood or her worries about her daughter Pauline, who had tuberculosis. Perhaps they kept it on the surface and talked of the weather or of the lovely park. Behind the women, you can see the double located at 245-247 South Audubon Road. The 1932 Polk's Indianapolis City Directory indicates that Harry L and Myrtle Ball lived at 245 South Audubon while Mrs. Margaret Myers resided at 247 South Audubon. Did either a member of the Ball or Myers families see the McElroy sisters in the park that day? 

Myrtle McElroy Wiley and her sister, Ada Belle McElroy McCord relaxed on a park bench in the Irving Circle Park in 1932. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

     In a much clearer image, members of the McCord and Cox family posed for a family photo at the Irving Circle Park during the spring of 1938. Ada Belle McCord, who is in the center of the photo, was the mother of Emma McCord Lawton (left) and Gladys McCord Cox (right). Below her gaze, you can see her grandson, William Lawton, in a baby carriage while her granddaughter, Linda Cox, stood next to her cousin. All of the folks in this photo lived nearby at 5706-5708 University Avenue. Tragically, eight-year-old Floyd Cox, the son of Gladys Cox, is not in the photograph as he died of anterior poliomyelitis  on August 5, 1937.  One of the remarkable aspects of this photo, for the sake of historical documentation, is the view of the fountain basin for the Irving Circle Park. It used to be quite low and there was a "geyser" in the middle that shot up a single spout of water. 

Emma McCord Lawton, Ada Belle McCord, Gladys McCord Cox, William Lawton (in the carriage), and Linda Cox posed for a photograph in the Irving Circle Park in 1938 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

In the 1990s, the neighborhood reimagined the basin and fountain in the Irving Circle Park. (Photo by Bill Gulde on September 14, 2021)

Sources: Information for this post came from the unpublished family history researched and written by Steve Lawton, the grandson of Harvey and Ada Belle McCord. I also consulted the 1937 Polk's Indianapolis City Directory for information pertaining to 245-247 South Audubon Road. 

The McCord Family Moved to University Avenue

     Harvey and Ada Belle McCord's move from Seymour, Indiana to Irvington in 1931 likely surprised many of their neighbors and friends. The McCords had been a fixture in Jackson County for many years as they raised all six of their children in that community. In fact, all six of the McCords graduated from high school and some even went on to college, a rare feat in early twentieth-century Indiana. Mr. McCord's humble beginnings as a baker did not reveal his future path as his neighbors later elected him twice as the sheriff of Jackson County as a Republican in a heavily Democratic area. He also became involved in real estate. 

     By 1930, three of their older children, Margaret, Robert, and Gladys had settled in Indianapolis and had started their families. Another older daughter, Pauline, moved to Arizona where the climate was better for her tuberculosis diagnosis. Perhaps longing to be near their grandchildren, Harvey and Ada Belle, along with their two youngest children, Emma and Harvey, Jr., sold their beautiful Seymour home and moved to Indianapolis.

     The McCords first rented a small bungalow at 1035 North Euclid Avenue just west of Irvington. An Indianapolis News article reveals that Harvey McCord purchased the double at 5706-08 University Avenue in the spring of 1932 from Marvin Deputy. Perhaps Mr. McCord bought the property with the idea of one side producing income or perhaps he bought it with the idea of renting it to family. The structure still contained a large wrap-around front porch popular during the Queen-Anne era of construction. The McCords would be able to sit out on the veranda and see the nearby Irving Circle Park and the Children Guardian's Home. 

Ada Belle, Harvey, and Emma McCord stood near their garage at 5706-08 University Avenue in 1932 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Emma McCord (later Lawton) stood at the edge of the sidewalk leading to 5706 University Avenue. The photo is important for not only documenting the future Mrs. Lawton, but also for what is behind her. The double at 5706-08 University Avenue still had its Queen-Anne wrap-around front porch in the 1930s. ( see Sanborn below) Also visible in the photo is the home at 5712 University Avenue. Note the mansard roofline. The residence was the former home of the First Baptist Church, an African-American congregation and was erected in 1891. The congregation moved out the building in 1910 for a larger church on Good Avenue. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Emma McCord Lawton posed on the front porch at 5706 University Avenue in 1937. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

An early twentieth-century Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows that 5706-08 University Avenue used to have a wrap-around porch. (photo courtesy of IUPUI)

5706-08 University Avenue and 5712 University Avenue in the summer of 2021. 

     Harvey, Ada Belle, Emma, and Harvey, Jr. moved into 5706 while their daughter Gladys and their son-in-law, Floyd Cox, moved into 5708. Floyd managed the Haag's Drug Store on the northwest corner of East Washington Street and Audubon Road so he could easily walk to and from work. Gladys and Floyd also placed an ad in the Indianapolis News on October 28, 1932, announcing that they had a room to rent at 5708 University Avenue and that they would also include breakfast as part of the deal. It was the Great Depression after all and any additional income was helpful.  

Floyd Cox was the son-in-law of Harvey and Ada Belle McCord.  He was a pharmacist for Haag's Drug Store at East Washington Street and Audubon Road in the 1930s. The Cox family also lived in the apartment adjacent to the McCords at 5708 University Avenue during that decade. (Indianapolis Star, May 16, 1935)

     The McCords celebrated two joyous events shortly after moving to Irvington. First, their daughter, Pauline, who had been living in Arizona, came home to spend the summer with her parents in 1932. She later returned to Arizona. Secondly, the entire family gathered in the spring of 1935 for the wedding of Emma McCord, the youngest daughter, to Burrell Lawton at the Irvington Methodist Church. The family still possesses film footage of the McCords gathering at the church for the wedding.  Emma and Burrell drove out to Colorado and along the way encountered one of the worst floods in the history of that state. Burrell Lawton documented the event with his movie camera. They also hiked in the Rockies and visited with family. 

In the spring of 1935, Emma McCord and Burrell Lawton traveled to Colorado to visit family. Along the way, they encountered one of the worst floods in the history of that state. At some point in their journey, they came upon this washed-out road. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

     Back in Irvington, the University Avenue double became a compound for McCord relatives. The Cox, Coffey, Lawton, and other relatives resided in the double. At some point, Harvey and Ada moved into 5708 while other McCord family members leased 5706. Mr. McCord remained active in his lodges and clubs. Mrs. McCord was very involved in the Methodist church. Her grandson, Steve Lawton, described her as a person who dressed up everyday. She even wore high-heeled shoes on most days. 

In the winter of 1937, either Mr. or Mrs. McCord, took this beautiful snowy-weather photo scene from their front porch at 5706-08 University Avenue. The front porch of 5712 University Avenue is visible as is the fence for the Children's Guardian Home at 5751 University Avenue. (photo courtesy Steve Lawton)

     Harvey and Ada Belle spent most of the war years near their children and grandchildren. Life changed for the family when Mr. McCord died in 1945. Ada Belle moved in with her daughter Gladys in nearby Wanamaker. The last of the McCords moved out of the double on University Avenue in 1946. Mrs. McCord passed away in 1952. 

     Editor's Note: Most of the information for this post came from Steve Lawton's unpublished family history. Mr. Lawton is the grandson of Harvey and Ada Belle McCord. To learn more about the Lawton family, click on the link below. Other sources for this post include Indianapolis City Directories, Federal Census Records, and Obituaries for the McCord family. 

House in Photo Identified

It took me nearly five years, but I have finally identified a house in a photograph from the Ted Lollis collection. In the photo, Ted Lollis and most likely the Seaton twins can be seen racing around a yard on their tricycles. Even though I knew that Mr. Lollis grew up on Julian Avenue, I could not place the house in the photo. Then, it hit me like a thunderbolt. Notice the clothes drying on the line? That meant that we are actually looking at the rear of a house and not the front. The drive that is visible actually goes from an alley to the back of a house. The children were actually playing in the backyard of the Lawton home at 5915 Julian Avenue. The home most visible in the image is that of 5911 Julian Avenue. Since the photo was likely taken around 1942 that meant that the laundry drying on the line belonged to Charles and Genevieve Willis. Mystery solved.

Ted Lollis and Jean and Jane Seaton steer their tricycles in the backyard of the Lawton home at 5915 Julian Avenue in 1942. Behind the kids, you can see the home and laundry of Charles and Genevieve Willis who resided at 5911 Julian Avenue. (photo courtesy of Ted Lollis) 

Google Streetview aided my research efforts. I have marked the Lawton home at 5915 Julian where the kids were playing in the backyard. You will see that the driveway is in the same place as it was in 1942 as it connects to a back alley. If you look closely, you can see that the small back porch that still exists at 5911 Julian Avenue. 

Five Years--A Milestone

In late November of 2010, I made the decision to create something I had always dreamed about finding on the internet...a caché of historic photos about the Irvington neighborhood in Indianapolis. For years I had trolled the web searching in vain for photos from this site and that site. No such URL existed nor would there be one until I began Vintage Irvington. Quite frankly, I was not sure if I would be able to last more than a few months, but thanks to the efforts of many current and former residents, the blog is as strong as ever. This entry marks my 653rd post for the site. In the five years that I have been writing Vintage Irvington, there have been 156,555 hits mostly from the United States but many folks stopped by from places like Russia, Latvia, Turkey, Bahrain, and dozens of other nations. Are there former Irvingtonians living in those places?  Thanks to all of you who have contributed over the years. I am very grateful and appreciative.

Highlights from the past year....

Friends Lend Me a Hand

Many of the photos that appear on this site came from friends who have connections to Irvington. Amanda Browning, who writes the Horner House Blog (http://hornerhouseindy.blogspot.com/), has been copiously researching the families who dwelled in her Second Empire style home on South Emerson Avenue. She has been very generous in sharing her images and stories including her notes on the Terrill family who dwelled in several locales throughout the neighborhood. Her haunting images of the "Castle" house at 5631 University Avenue answered many questions about what this house looked like before the Craftsman-era porch was added in the 1910s.

Terrill family home at 5631 University Avenue in 1913 (Photo courtesy of Amanda Browning)

Local historian, Larry Muncie, has been a contributor to this site from the beginning. I have frequently called upon his knowledge and expertise. He grew up in the neighborhood along Beechwood Avenue and has been researching the community for many years. His photo of the Kingsbury home on Layman Avenue now belongs to the Irvington Historical Society. He generously shared it with me last winter.

The Kingsbury Home at 348 North Layman Avenue in 1906 (Photo courtesy of the Larry Muncie Collection at the Irvington Historical Society)

Leslie Wilson and I have worked together for years at North Central High School. She is a cheerful person who cares deeply about young people. I was thrilled to learn that her Mother lived for a brief time in Irvington and that she was married in the Irvington Methodist Church. Leslie generously shared many photos from that period of her Mom's life.

Merry Jo and Walter Carey on their wedding day at the Irvington Methodist Church on May 16, 1948. (Photo courtesy of Leslie Wilson)

My neighbor, Janet Wilzbacher, led me to the Glore family of Beechwood Avenue.  Janet lives in the former Glore family bungalow and still keeps in touch with the former residents. She led me to Kathryn Glore Wright, who shared stories and images of their tenure along that street.

James and Marjorie Glore moved in 5702 Beechwood Avenue in 1939 and the house remained with the Glores until 1986. (Photo courtesy of Kathryn Glore Wright)

Chance Encounters Yield Results

A lost dog led me to George William Long, IV.  During a late evening walk, a man on a bike stopped me to ask if I had seen his dog.  "Sorry," I reported, "but I have not." I walked on along Oak Avenue and sure enough I spotted his wayward pooch. "You are coming with me," I announced as I hauled the dog back to his worried owner.  Soon, I learned that Mr. Long's grandparents had dwelled on South Audubon Road and that he had a photo of them hanging in his house. He generously loaned me the image and I posted it that night.

Barbara and George Long posed with their son, George,Jr., in front of their home at 346 South Audubon Road on May 30, 1948.  (Photo courtesy of George William Long, IV)

Perhaps the most unusual encounter occurred last winter at the end of a day filled with adventure. My neighbor and friend, Bill Jensen, noticed that a snapping turtle was trapped in between two logs in Pleasant Run. He asked me if I would be brave enough to help him free the turtle, but he also warned me of the perils that faced us. They are called "snapping" turtles for a reason. After we successfully liberated the poor tired creature, we encountered Norman Warrenburg, who was having a smoke break along the stream. His wife was patiently waiting for him in the car. My neighbor struck up a conversation with him and quickly surmised that he was talking to a lifelong Irvington resident. I didn't know it then, but I was about to obtain the most popular photo in the blog's five-year history. Mr. Warrenburg noted that his brother had a large 1920s-era aerial photograph of the North Irvington Garden District. The photo was so large that I had to scan it into several sections. I then posted it with some local house histories and then something happened that doesn't very often...one of my posts went viral. As of this writing, the photo has received over 1100 hits. Turtles and dogs came to my aid this year.

Aerial Shot of the Irvington Garden District--1925 (Photo courtesy of the Warrenburg Family)

The Mother Lode of Photos

Often times, I have made connections through Ancestry.com.  Last winter I managed to contact a person on that site and she led me to Steve Koepper, who grew up in a modest bungalow on East Tenth Street. I didn't know it then, but I was about to obtain an incredible collection of mid-twentieth century photographs documenting the lives of an Irvington family. Norman and Lora Koepper raised their three children at 5263 East Tenth Street. Mrs. Koepper, the family documentarian, took hundreds of photographs and kept records of every household expense. Steve Koepper and his sister Susan Koepper Foster loaned me photograph after wonderful photograph. Birthday parties, Christmas celebrations, and magical snowfalls all appeared on Vintage Irvington. I especially loved this collection because it captured the everyday lives of a family.

Norman and Lora Koepper posed for this photograph in the living room of their home at 5263 East Tenth Street in 1954. Also pictured in this photo included Steve (seated), Sue, and Paul Koepper (Photo courtesy of Steve Koepper)

The Koepper family on Easter Day in 1956 in the backyard of their home at 5263 East Tenth Street. (left to right) Steve, Sue, Norman, Lora, and Paul.  (Photo courtesy of Steve Koepper)

In the spring, I managed to make a connection with Steve Lawton, who briefly dwelled in Irvington as a toddler. Although his family did not reside in their Julian Avenue home for long, he generously loaned me photos from his youth. The Lawtons resided at 5915 Julian Avenue from 1939 to 1945. I had no way of knowing it then, but I was soon to meet a childhood neighbor of Steve's and that encounter would lead me to the largest collection of photos I had ever come across.

Bill Lawton, the brother to Steve Lawton, and Ted Lollis played in the sandbox in the backyard of the Lawton home at 5915 Julian Avenue in 1940. Little Ted lived next door at 5919 Julian. (Photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

Ted Lollis grew up in various houses along Julian Avenue. When I first contacted him, he indicated that most of his scrapbooks were put away in a shed on his property. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would most likely not get access to those images as Mr. Lollis lived in Tennessee.  Then, out of the blue, I received an exciting e-mail. Mr. Lollis and his wife would be passing through Indiana to attend a conference on peace in the beautiful village of New Harmony.  He agreed to drive to Irvington for the day! The couple are much involved in the peace movement and Mr. Lollis has spent much of his life documenting peace monuments around the world. His website on the topic is the only known such repository on the internet.  He brought several packed and I do mean packed scrapbooks filled with historic images of Irvington and of his family's cottage in Michigan. We spent several hours combing through those scrapbooks. His father had been raised by a wealthy uncle and a dutiful aunt, whose time in Irvington dates to the early twentieth century. The scrapbooks contained dozens of images of families and homes along South Audubon Road, East Washington Street, Julian Avenue, and Johnson Avenue. In two of the images, I had even spotted my own home. After we examined the scrapbooks, we meandered along the streets and quiet alleys of the neighborhood. We managed to gain access into one of the family homes. Although he had not lived in the neighborhood in decades, Mr. Lollis had not forgotten anything. We even found a secret opening at the rear of a yard in one of his childhood homes along Julian Avenue. Mr. Lollis generously gave me access to any image I wanted for the site and I spent most of last summer blogging about his various family lines. Both he and Steve Lawton have lived remarkable lives since leaving the neighborhood. To visit Mr. Lollis's peace site click on this link:  http://peace.maripo.com/

The Stevenson family home at 5698 East Washington Street has been gone since 1928. Robert and Mary Stevenson enjoyed living in fine homes and owning fancy cars. They raised Edward Lollis, the orphaned nephew of Mr. Stevenson, in several Irvington homes. This photo was taken in 1913. (Photo courtesy of Ted Lollis) 

Edward and Georgia May Lollis moved into 5919 Julian Avenue in 1937. Shortly after settling in, Mrs. Lollis walked through each room and snapped photos like this one of the living room. (Photo courtesy of Ted Lollis)

Mary Stevenson, the aunt to Edward Lollis, likely took this photograph of the first Irvington Presbyterian Church at 55 Johnson Avenue around 1917. (Photo courtesy of Ted Lollis)

Mary Stevenson took this wonderful photograph of her grand nephew, Ted Lollis, in 1946 on her stoop at 112 Johnson Avenue. (Photo courtesy of Ted Lollis)

An Incredible Family

Over the years, I have spent many pleasant mornings dining in Dufour's Restaurant located 5648 East Washington Street. I had known that the Dufours were a large Catholic family and that they lived in Irvington. I had made overtures to meet some of the family, but I did not follow up. Then, on a spring afternoon I happened to walk by the establishment just as it was closing. Outside, Maria Dufour, the current chef and owner, was cleaning up. She offered to invite me to dessert with as many siblings as she could round up to talk about her family's story. We met several weeks later at the restaurant and gathered around the large table that used to sit in the family home at 53 North Audubon Road. The Dufour children spoke lovingly of their parents, Lawrence and Nell Dufour. Mr. Dufour earned a comfortable living selling supplies for industrial kitchens. He traveled around the state and the Midwest. Mrs. Dufour stayed at home and raised the couple's ten children! I met most of them on that beautiful spring day. They spoke of their mother's cooking, the laundry that never ended, playing outside and with whom. They remembered favorite neighbors and unusual features about their home on North Audubon Road. We laughed as they recalled pranks played upon one another and about Saturday nights where popcorn became a bedtime snack. One daughter, Sussanne, brought her mother's journals and allowed me access to these precious primary sources for the blog. Others brought photographs, including Lenore, the oldest sibling. It was a gift that I had the opportunity to meet Lenore as she passed away in September. I dedicate this entire blog post in her memory.

Lenore Dufour posed for this photograph at the Dufour family home at 53 North Audubon Road on Easter Day, 1961. This entire post is dedicated to her memory. (Photo courtesy of the Dufour Family) 

Putting Out Fires

Terry Wilgus, who lived for a part of her life along Lowell Avenue in the Irvington Terrace area loaned me several photos that belonged to her father, Robert McDonnell, an Irvington fireman. One of her photos was shocking and showed a small plane that had crashed into house at 354 North Bolton Avenue on June 20, 1953. She also gave me some incredible shots of the old fire station that used to sit at 5432 East Washington Street. There may be other photos from her collection so I always look forward to messages that I receive from her!

On June 23, 1953, a small plane crashed into 354 North Bolton Avenue. Fireman, Robert McDonnell can be seen on the roof trying to save the pilot and co-pilot. Amazingly, the pilots survived. (Photo courtesy of Terry Wilgus)

Two Interesting Ladies

Last winter I was invited to speak to a group of Howe High School graduates from the class of 1952. One of those attending was Diana Wilkens, who grew up in the area. Although it took us a few months, Diana eventually reached out to me and offered photos of her time spent on Linwood Avenue, Washington Street, and East Ninth Street. I found her story compelling as she left Irvington for New York City where she worked for an ad agency. During this tenure of her life, she met many important people in both the fashion and publishing world. Circumstances brought her back to Irvington and away from her exciting life in the Big Apple. She drove from Greenfield to Irvington to loan me her collection. I am so fortunate to run into kind people like Diana.

Diana Wilkens posed for this photo in 1954 at her family's home at 5120 East Washington Street. She would soon depart for New York City. (Photo courtesy of Diana Wilkens)

On the day that I met Nancy Ostrander, the United States and Cuba had just normalized relations. Why, you ask, would I mention this point on a blog post about Irvington? It turns out my timing could not have been more perfect. I met Nancy Ostrander on her front porch along with her favorite neighborhood cat. "See that," she pointed to a color photograph of an American soldier raising the Stars and Stripes in Havana, Cuba on the cover of USA Today, "behind the solider, you can see the apartment where I lived when I worked for the U.S. State Department before the arrival of Castro." I had heard from some of my neighbors that Ms. Ostrander was the "most accomplished" person living in the neighborhood and after meeting her, I can say without hesitation that they are correct. Nancy grew up along North Audubon Road and was raised with a cousin by her widowed mother. After graduating from Howe High School and Butler University, she left Indianapolis for Cuba to find work with the embassy. She worked her way through the State Department and eventually became the U.S. Ambassador to the South American nation of Suriname in 1978.  I met her on that front porch several times and we spoke little of her accomplishments and more about her life along Audubon Road.

Nancy Ostrander posed with her beloved "Koko" in front of her residence at 323 North Audubon Road in 1933. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Ostrander)

Yes, there will be a sixth year...

I have no idea how long I can continue to find incredible people like the folks mentioned above, but in the five years that I have been writing this blog there have been just as many each year. I am always on the hunt for more images of this very unique and interesting neighborhood. If you know of someone I should speak to, please drop me an e-mail at williamfranklingulde@gmail.com

Candid Photo: Mrs. Lawton Walks Home-1940

Emma McCord Lawton dwelled at 5915 Julian Avenue from 1939 to 1945 along with her husband, Burrell, and her two sons, William and Stephen. She had formerly worked for the Gregory and Appel Insurance Company but resigned in 1937 to start a family and raise her two sons. Living next door, in the summer of 1940, was the Lollis family.  In August of that year, a member of the Lollis family--most likely Mrs. Lollis--snapped this photo of Mrs. Lawton walking back to her home.  Behind her, you can see the Lantz family residence located at 5914 Julian Avenue. The Lawtons moved to Colorado in 1945. To learn more about the Lawton or Lollis families click on the links below.

Emma McCord Lawton walked to her home at 5915 Julian Avenue in the summer of 1940.

The Lantz family dwelled across the street from the Lawtons at 5914 Julian Avenue in 1940.  (photo: November 1, 2015)

The historic image is courtesy of Ted Lollis.  

Gathering in the Backyard of the Lollis Home

Edward and Georgia May Lollis moved into 5919 Julian Avenue in 1937 and remained until 1941. The small backyard served as a perfect spot for a growing toddler.  A mature apple tree at the rear of the property provided not only the perfect amount of shade, but also a plentiful fruit harvest.  In 1938, Mrs. Lollis recorded that it was a banner year for the apples. Her neighbors, the Lawtons, at 5915 Julian Avenue also had an apple tree in their backyard.  On July 15, 1938, at the height of the apple season, the Lollis family celebrated the first birthday of young Ted Lollis in the backyard and under that productive tree.  Several images from the Lollis family photo album reveal other joyful moments in the backyard as well.

Ted Lollis enjoyed his first birthday cake on July 15, 1938, in the backyard of 5919 Julian Avenue. You can see apples from the nearby tree at his feet.  Behind him you can see the garage and barn in the backyards of the homes in the 5900 block of Julian Avenue.

A happy Ted Lollis posed for his family on July 15, 1938. He had just celebrated his first birthday. Behind him, you can see the rear of 5925 and 5929 Julian Avenue.

Ted Lollis joyfully swung on July 15, 1938, in his backyard at 5919 Julian Avenue.  Apples from a nearby tree were strewn at his feet. You can see the rear of 5925 Julian Avenue behind him.  

Time to mow!  Mr. Lollis had just finished mowing the backyard of 5919 Julian Avenue in the summer of 1938 when this photo was snapped. His mower rested upon the sidewalk.  If you look closely, you can see the cistern near the rear of the house.  A trellis hosted flowers and the family also had a grape arbor.  The large tree visible in the photo was an apple tree. 

Georgia May Lollis posed with her son, Ted, in the backyard of 5919 Julian Avenue in February of 1938. Behind them, you can see the rear of of 5929 and 5935 Julian Avenue.  

The historic images are courtesy of Ted Lollis. To see images from the Lawton family who dwelled next door, click on the link below.