The Booths Move to Downey Avenue

Dr. John H. Booth, a rising star within the Disciples of Christ's Board of Church Extension arrived in Irvington in 1928. He had already been named as the Executive Secretary for that organization as a young man and came to the neighborhood from St. Louis because the Extension moved into the Missions Building at 222 South Downey Avenue.

John Booth was born on a farm near Wichita, Kansas in 1880. His family moved around a lot so his education was intermittent. He was a determined young man, however, and managed to finished high school in his twenties. He matriculated to Drake University where he met Corinne Schultz. They married in 1907 and had six children. As a young man, he became a preacher for the Disciples of Christ.

In 1911, he joined the Board of Church Extension, an organization for the Disciples of Christ, that raised money and administered loans for congregations seeking to build churches or Sunday Schools. His job was a busy one and kept him away from his family for much of the year. Mrs. Booth, a classically trained pianist, kept the home fires burning in all of the places where the Booths lived. The couple moved into 280 South Downey Avenue in 1928 and remained in the lovely home for most of the rest of their lives.

One of his grandsons, Mac Fife, remembers Dr. Booth as a confident person with a booming voice. Mr. Fife noted that his grandfather was a man of conviction who was devoted to the church.  Another grandson, John Charles Booth, recalled sitting next to his grandfather as they listened to a radio newscast hosted by Gabrielle Heatter during World War II.  Dr. Booth frequently became emotional and angry upon hearing the casualty reports from the fronts. He also recalled that his grandfather smoked a cigar and that each time he smells one today he thinks of him.

The Booths frequently hosted missionaries from all over the world in their home. Mrs. Booth was a nurturing person who was very involved in Irvington organizations like the Chautauqua Club, the Tuesday Club, and many church groups. Beginning in 1938, Mrs. Booth began to document the family in her journals.  Dr. Booth led the Board of Church Extension through both the Great Depression and World War II. He retired in 1948 leaving the finances in healthy shape for the next generation.

Although he stepped down in 1948, Dr. Booth was still very active in the church for the remainder of his life.  He lived long enough to help dedicate the new Board of Church Extension building in the round at 110 South Downey Avenue in 1958. He died in 1960 of heart failure. Mrs. Booth passed away in 1971 and the beautiful home on Downey Avenue was sold to another family.

Dr. John H. and Corinne Booth posed in their home at 280 South Downey Avenue on Christmas Day, 1948. They had already dwelled in the lovely home for twenty years.

280 South Downey Avenue in 2018

Dr. John H. Booth and his son, George, listened to the radio in their home at 280 South Downey Avenue c1935.

Bill Watkins (on the right) and an unidentified friend visited the Booths at 280 South Downey Avenue sometime in the mid-1930s. Mr. Watkins had come to visit Marjorie Booth, a daughter of Dr. John and Corinne Booth. Bill and Marjorie later married. You can see the rear of 270 (at the left) and 280 South Downey Avenue in this historic image. The home at the far right sat at 287 South Downey Avenue. It was later demolished. 

Dr. John and Corinne Booth stood on their front porch at 280 South Downey Avenue in 1954.

Dr. John Booth and his wife Corinne Schultz Booth celebrated 50 years of marriage in 1957. Behind them, you can see a "money tree" in their home at 280 South Downey Avenue.

Corinne Schultz Booth wrote in her diary nearly every day of her life beginning in 1938. In this photo, she posed at her writing desk in her home at 280 South Downey Avenue c1960.  

Stories and photos for this post are courtesy of Mac Fife and John Booth, the grandsons of Dr. John and Corinne Booth.

A Mid-Century Marvel Arrives in Irvington in 1958

On June 17, 1958, officials from the Board of Church Extension, a division of the Disciples of Christ Church, gathered at 110 South Downey Avenue to dedicate the new "office in the round." The division had been responsible for raising money and administering loans to hundreds of communities throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and South Africa who wanted to build churches, Sunday Schools, or complete repairs to existing structures. The Extension had been in Indianapolis since 1928 in the Missions Building at 222 South Downey Avenue. In the mid-1950s, leaders began to look for a new site within Irvington to erect a separate headquarters.

By 1958, there was little land upon which the Board of Church Extension could build upon in Irvington. Therefore, they sought out an existing property that could be torn down. The site needed to be large enough to host an office building and a parking lot. They found that site just a block to the south of the Missions Building with the Scot Butler home and land.  Professor Butler, the son of the founder of Butler University, Ovid Butler, moved into Irvington in 1874. He and his growing family dwelled in the large brick Second Empire residence for decades. In 1943, the large old home became a post for the American Legion. Church officials bought the house and the three acres surrounding it in February of 1958. The historic home was removed and construction began in the spring of 1958.

The Disciples of Christ employed architects whose primary job was to help local congregations build a church that was appropriate for their community. From the 1920s through the 1950s, architects designed structures in the Gothic or Colonial style, but in 1953, the church declared these two styles "artistically archaic." (Lani Olson, Building a Witness, 1983, 59) The design of the new headquarters would give the Disciples a chance to demonstrate a new era in church architecture.

Three architects assisted with the plans for the new headquarters at 110 South Downey Avenue with Charles J. Betts as the leader. Assisting him were Rollin V. Mosher and E. Roger Frey. All three men worked for the Board of  Church Extension as church architects. James Pifer, another employee, supervised the construction.  Costing $200,000, the new structure dazzled and confounded many residents. Designed as a double circular building with an open-air courtyard in the center, the inner and outer walls were to be primarily of glass. Employees could make use of the natural or the florescent lighting in their offices. Desks were designed to fit the radii of the building. Other modern features included an intercom system, an automatic telephone system, piped music, and air-conditioning.

The Disciples held two open houses. Over 400 people streamed through the building at the first open house on December 9, 1958. Betts and his team's new 10,000 square foot structure was unlike any ever erected in Irvington. The Disciples pulled out of the neighborhood in 1995 and the building has hosted various offices and businesses since that time. The structure has largely remained the same although an air-conditioning unit now sits along the limestone wall that faces Downey Avenue.

The Scot Butler Home at 124 South Downey Avenue was demolished by the Disciples of Christ for a new office building in 1958. (image courtesy of the Indianapolis Star, June 2, 1958)

Architectural rendering of the new Board of Church Extension office for the Disciples of Christ in 1958 (image courtesy of the Indianapolis Star, March 2, 1958)

Dignitaries from the Disciples of Christ gathered on June 17, 1958 to dedicate the cornerstone of the new office building at 110 South Downey Avenue. William T.  Pearcy was at the microphone. The man standing second from the left was Dr. John H. Booth, a past President of the Board of Church Extension. The man is the dark suit was Spencer Austin. At the far right in the photo was likely Charles J. Betts, an architect. (Image courtesy of Mac Fife)

Dr. John H. Booth (left) prepared for his dedicatory address at the Board of Church Extension ceremony on June 17, 1958. The man with the cornerstone in the middle was likely the Reverend Lloyd Channels, chairman of the Board of Directors. At the far right, stood architect Charles J. Betts. (Image courtesy of Mac Fife)

110 South Downey Avenue in 2018

110 South Downey Avenue in 2018

Sources:  "Church Group to Dedicate 'Office in the Round,'" Indianapolis News, June 14, 1958, 5; "Circular Church Unit Office Utilizes Glass for Majority of Wall Surface," Indianapolis Star, March 23, 1959, 20; "Church 'Office in the Round' Dedication to be December 9," Indianapolis Star, November 15, 1958, 10; "'Office in the Round' Planned as Disciples New $200,000 Home," Indianapolis Star, March 2, 1958, 5; Interview with Mac Fife, June 15, 2018.

A Postcard to Irvington--Mary Dale of Johnson Avenue

On July 12, 1967, "Marie" walked into a post office in Gillette Wyoming and sent her friend, Mary Dale of 37 Johnson Avenue, #12, a lovely postcard of the Badlands in South Dakota.

Hi!

The vagabonds enjoyed seeing the phenomena of nature at sunset last night. Quite a sight! We had such a good time in Boulder and are now heading toward Yellowstone and Tetons. Know you enjoyed your company over the week-end.  Love, Marie

While we have no idea at this point about any information regarding "Marie," Mary Dale was a well-known resident of Irvington from 1957 to 1979. Born and reared in Alva, Oklahoma, Mary Mondy was a bright student who received her Bachelor's Degree from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma and her Masters in Arts from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. For a brief time she taught high school in the Dallas area. So how did she get to Irvington and why was she living in Maplewood Court?   

In 1944, Mary Mondy married Jack Dale who sadly died at a young age.  As a young widow, Mary Dale became very involved in the Disciples of Christ Church so much so that in 1957 she was ordained.  In that same year, she packed her bags and moved to Indianapolis to work at the Disciples of Christ headquarters at 222 Downey Avenue. She became the Executive Secretary for the Department of Homeland Ministries, a position she held until 1970.  Many of the employees and missionaries for the Disciples rented apartments at Maplewood Court at 37 and 47 Johnson Avenue. Mrs. Dale leased #12. She likely walked to work.  Upon her retirement in 1970, Mrs. Dale spoke at Christian churches throughout Indiana before retiring first to St. Petersburg, Florida and eventually back to Dallas, Texas. Incredibly, she lived to be 100 years old passing away on December 26, 2003. If any of our readers remember Mrs. Dale, then drop us a note and we will share them.

Mary Dale dwelled in Irvington and worked at the Disciples of Christ headquarters. She moved to Indianapolis in 1957 and left in 1979.  She died in 2003 at the age of 100.  (Photo:"Woman's Day Set at Church," Daily Journal, Franklin, Indiana, February 21, 1975) 

Postcard found in a local flea market

Maplewood Court at 37 and 47 Johnson Avenue on January 16, 2017

     

Sources:  Obituary, Dallas Morning News, December 26, 2003; "Woman's Day Set at Church," Daily Journal, (Franklin, Indiana), February 21, 1975, 2.

Color Photo of Missions Building--1955

The Disciples of Christ had been operating the Missions facility at 222 South Downey Avenue for forty-five years when this photo was published in the form of a postcard in 1955.  The organization sent missionaries all over the world and invited many people from faraway lands to help train Americans.  The organization eventually obtained the Bona Thompson Library when Butler University moved to the Fairview campus in 1928. Over the years they added wings, an auditorium, and a community room on to the sprawling site.  In fact, the complex became the international headquarters for the Disciple of Christ and churches from all around the world received memos, letters, and missives from 222 South Downey Avenue.  This image shows the structures on a beautiful early autumn day. You can also see that Downey and Ohmer Avenues were still bricked in the mid-20th century. If you look closely, you can see the edge of the Bona Thompson Library at the far left with long boat-like automobiles parked in a nearby lot.

The Disciples of Christ maintained their international headquarters at the Missions Building (222 South Downey Avenue). It can be seen here in 1955.  

Missions Building--Going to Work 1947

Hundreds of local Irvingtonians have worked at the Missions Building at 222 Downey Avenue since the Disciples of Christ first opened the facility in 1910.  Affiliated with Butler University in the early years, employees served as teachers, ministers, missionaries, and clerical staff.   In this photo, taken in February of 1947, Anna Belle York, left work at the Missions Building to meet her fiance Leland Dickerson.  If you look closely, you can see the former Bona Thompson Library attached to the building at the far left of the photo.  Miss York stepped onto the formerly brick Downey Avenue and appeared to have been surprised by the photographer.  The couple married one year later. The Disciples of Christ pulled out of Irvington in the 1990s and the structure now houses senior citizens thanks to a committed group of neighbors who wanted to save the complex from demolition.

Anna Belle York departs the Missions Building at 222 Downey Avenue in 1947

This photo is courtesy of Leland Dickerson.

Missions Building c1915

The Christian Woman's Board of Missions opened their training school in Irvington in 1910.  Hundreds of missionaries over the years received training at the school operated by the Disciples of Christ.  Graduates traveled the world and some came back to teach at the institution.  Butler University students  were allowed to attend classes there and had only a short walk from campus.  Chinese, Tibetans, and Indians were just some of the nationalities who came to live in Irvington to work at this international institution.  The Disciples of Christ moved their headquarters onto the site and 222 Downey Avenue was on letterheads and envelopes in places like Beijing, Tokyo, and Cairo.  The institution eventually added wings so the view shown in today's historic image is no longer possible.

The historic postcard shows women in their long dresses gathered at the entrance of the building. Someone has marked an X on one of the windows perhaps indicating the office for where he or she worked.

Christian Woman's Board of Missions c1915

By the 1990s, the Disciples of Christ pulled out of Irvington provoking a small crisis as to what to do with the sprawling complex of buildings.  One proposal called for knocking down all of the buildings, including the Bona Thompson Library, for condos.  Stalwart Irvington neighbors rallied and found a developer to turn the site into senior citizen housing, thus saving the historic buildings for another century.

Side entrance to Missions Building in 2013

Ellenberger Park 1943 and Today

I love it when readers respond to posts.  After reading my most recent blurb on Ellenberger Park, Don Rouse, a frequent contributor to this blog sent in some wonderful images of the park from 1943.  His mother, Christine Bruckman, worked at the Missions Building at 222 Downey Avenue.  She along with two of her coworkers trekked to Ellenberger Park in April of 1943 to take a few photos.  Mr. Rouse also included a few Bruckman family shots from 1943. The park has changed significantly since those days.  You will note that there are more trees along the stream today and that the old wooden bridge has been replaced.  Thank you, Don Rouse for your timeliness!

Christine Bruckman (center) and two of her  unidentified colleagues from the Missions Building pose along the pathways of Ellenberger Park, April 1943

Bruckman family and friends:  Top Left--Christine Bruckman, Lower Right--Joan Bruckman, Front--John Bruckman c1943 in Ellenberger Park with two unidentified ladies.  

Christine Bruckman (left) with two colleagues in Ellenberger Park (April, 1943)

Elsie Cook Liverette stands on the old wooden bridge at Ellenberger Park in 1943

Pleasant Run Creek in Ellenberger Park in 1943

The bridge in Ellenberger Park in 2013

Pleasant Run Creek in 2013

Downey Avenue Christian Church Youth Group--1930

Many of the local churches had active Sunday schools and youth groups.  Downey Avenue Christian Church's location one block north of the international headquarters for the the Disciples of Christ, made it a frequent subject in church newsletters sent all over the world.

In this photo, taken in 1930, local youth complete their exhibits for "Parent's Day." Pictured in this photo:   unknown girl, Christine Bruckman, Russell Barnett, Anna Vert, unknown boy, Betty Flay

How do some photos survive through time and others are lost forever?  In the case of this image, the provenance is quite interesting.  After the photo was taken, it was used in a church promotional.  Many years later, Florence Carmichael (an aunt to musician Hoagy Carmichael), decided to go through her files since she had made the decision to retire from the Disciples of Christ Education Division.  She came upon the photo and saw Christine Bruckman in the picture.  Miss Bruckman had become Mrs. Rouse and worked on the third floor of the Missions building so Mrs. Carmichael sent the photo downstairs. Mrs. Rouse kept the photo and later shared it with her son, Don Rouse, who lent it to me for this blog.  Mrs. Carmichael could have have easily thrown the photo away or it could have become lost over the years.  You will note that the children are standing in a building that was torn down to make way for the current church in the early 1950s.  One other any interesting note is that Russell Barnett was the father of Steve Barnett, who has been the Director of the Irvington Historical Society for many years.

This image is courtesy of Don Rouse.

Lost Irvington: 216-18 Ohmer Avenue

Ever wonder what used to be where many of our parking lots are today?  Houses close to businesses, lodges, churches, schools, and other institutions have often been demolished as the need for more parking has grown.

Such is the case for today's profile.  This early twentieth-century residence used to sit on the northwest corner of Downey and Ohmer Avenues. (216-18 Ohmer Avenue)  Its location near the former Butler University campus made it an ideal location for renters and boarders over the years.  It sat across the street from the headquarters for the Disciples of Christ.  That fact, would in the end, spell the doom of the historic home because the Disciples tore it down for more parking.

It was first built as a single family residence. Professor Richard B. Moore and his family dwelled at 216 Ohmer Avenue in the early twentieth century.  Later it appears to have been turned into a duplex.  In this photo, taken in 1947, Johnny Lindeman poses in front of his childhood home.  The Lindemans dwelled in 218 while Mr. and Mrs. Earl Deeter lived at 216 Ohmer.  This historic image is courtesy of Sue Thompson.  The contemporary image was shot in the winter of 2012.

216-218 Ohmer Avenue in 1947--Young Johnny Lindeman

The same view in 2012.

The McVeys of Good Avenue

William Thomas McVey (1866-1922) grew up on a farm along the National Road near Franklin Road. His mother's people, the Askrens, were some of the first white settlers in the area. As a young man, he began working for the Krumrine (also spelled Krumarine) family, who ran a drugstore along Bonna Avenue in Irvington. While working there, he took note of Grace Krumrine (1869-1947), the daughter of the shop owner. They were married on February 27, 1887.

William became a carpenter and he eventually built a small gray cottage at 207 Good Avenue (sometimes known as 209) around 1890 near a coal yard. The couple raised seven children in the tiny home before William eventually built 211 Good Avenue next door in 1901 for $900. Five more children would be born in that home!

Little is known at this time of Grace, but William was a finish carpenter and he helped to complete the Christian Women's Board of Missions Building on University Avenue in 1910. He also helped to build several central Indiana schools including one in Zionsville. Sadly, he developed Bright's Disease and died at the young age of 56 leaving his widow Grace alone to raise the remaining children. City directories reveal that the McVeys moved out of 211 Good Avenue shortly after William's death in 1922. By 1930, the younger children and Mrs. McVey moved in with the older siblings along Dewey Avenue. The youngest daughter Grace, born in 1913, later became a teacher.

The historic images reveal the McVeys in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Most of the photos were likely taken at the first home at 207 Good Avenue. This home burned in 1913 and eventually became part of a double lot for 211 Good Avenue.

In the top photo, William and Grace McVey pose with their oldest children in the yard of 207 Good Avenue. The image was likely taken around 1895. Note the bicycle behind the family.

In the second photo, a young girl sits on a tree stump behind the McVey home. A workshop of some kind or perhaps the first McVey house sits behind her.

The third photo is a portrait of William Thomas McVey taken around 1890. The bottom picture shows Mr. McVey with his tuba. He was part of a small Irvington band and in this picture he stands on the steps of the Bona Thompson Library.

The photos have been handed down from one homeowner to the next. Lori Malander kindly donated copies to the Irvington Historical Society so they could be preserved.

I would encourage every resident of Irvington to join the Irvington Historical Society. This wonderful organization is preserving photos, documents, and art related to the history of the neighborhood. To join go to http://irvingtonhistorical.org

Lost Irvington--222 Ohmer Avenue

This lovely American Four Square used to sit at 222 Ohmer Avenue across from the Christian Women's Board of Missions. The intended object of this photo was not the house, but rather Don Ward (238 Ohmer Avenue), who was playing ball next door at 230 Ohmer Avenue at the Pflueger home in 1945. Behind him looms the ghost of the house not seen in Irvington in over thirty years.

The house used to sit along the alley connecting Butler Avenue and essentially Butler University. In 1909, Harry Wilfred Ballard and his family dwelled here. He was the president of the Indianapolis Engraving Company. Curiously, three other engravers lived in the neighborhood during this time including Harry Simpson (5743 Oak Avenue), S.Turney Downs (5803 Oak Avenue), and Charles Hackleman (34 North Ritter Avenue).

By 1912, the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity moved in and remained in the house until 1919. The home's location next to campus undoubtedly made it highly desirable for Butler students. The dwelling's position across the street from the Missions Building also made it attractive to the Reverend Oscar W. Wiley and his wife Ida. The Wileys set up housekeeping here in 1921 and remained well into the 1940s. In the 1950s, Ada M. Mosher, a librarian, lived at 222. By the early 1960s, another minister named Spencer P. Austin and his wife Margaret called the place home. The house remained listed in both the 1970 and 1980 directory, but vanished from record shortly thereafter. Perhaps some of our astute readers will be able to tell us what became of the house. In more recent times, a small home has been constructed on the site.

Ohmer Avenue Crew in 1941 and 1947

Many children lived with their families in the newly-built cottages along Ohmer and Butler Avenues. Some dwelled in the older and taller homes nearby. In these two photos, children pause from playing outside for a photo. In the top photo, the kids gather at the Ward Home at 238 Ohmer Avenue. The matriarch of that family, Mae Yoho Ward, worked across the street at the Missions Building. She had traveled all over the world and spent extensive time in Argentina as a missionary. Her photo is included as well. The children seen on the front porch of the Ward Home in 1941 include: Top Row--Bill Parrey (306 Ohmer), Mike and Cliff Wagoner (215 South Ohmer), Don Ward (238 Ohmer), and Morgan Sly (?) Bottom Row--Neal Lindeman (218 Ohmer Avenue), Nancy Pflueger (230 Ohmer Avenue), and Susie Westlake (234 Ohmer Avenue)

In the bottom photo taken in 1947, several neighborhood children pose near the Missions Building on the Ohmer Avenue side. This view is not possible today because the Disciples of Christ added a wing onto the structure in the 1950s. Pictured in this photo: Top--Nancy Plfueger, Tudie Applegate, Susie Westlake, Carolyn Carpenter; Bottom Row--Janet Pflueger, Melinda and Jimmy Lynch

The images showing the children of the neighborhood are courtesy of Sue Westlake Thompson.

Butler University Campus Redeveloped

After Butler University moved away from Irvington in 1928, the land proved to be valuable as there was very little space to build new houses in the neighborhood because it was largely developed. In 1940, the Hall-Hottel Company (129 E. Market) purchased part of the site and built small homes along South Ohmer and Butler Avenues. Construction largely came to a halt in 1942 with the arrival of World War II, but would resume after the war.

The Westlake family purchased 234 Ohmer Avenue in 1941. For John and Dorothy Westlake it was their first home. Their daughter, Susie, fondly recalled all of her playmates who lived in the cottages around her. Her photo albums, seventy years later, are filled with pictures of children riding their bikes, playing ball, and just having fun on summer and winter days.

In the winter of 1942, Susie and her friends borrowed the family camera and snuck in the Missions Building across the street from her home. Children were not really allowed to run around in the structure, but Susie and her crew managed to get to the top floor to snap two amazing photos of the newly built homes across the street on a snowy winter day. In both photos you will see 238, 234, and 230 Ohmer Avenue. Both photos are not possible today because the Disciples of Christ added on a wing in the 1950s along Ohmer Avenue. Furthermore, she also captured two structures that have not been seen in many years.

In the bottom photo you will see 222 Ohmer Avenue at the far right of the picture. It is a two-story American Four Square. In the top photo at the far left you will see the back of 5326 University Avenue. This home was demolished to make way for the 1950s wing of the Missions Building. I also happen to think that these two photos are even more remarkable because they were taken by an eight-year-old girl. The images and stories are courtesy of Sue Westlake Thompson.

The Westlakes Arrive in Irvington--1941

John and Dorothy Westlake purchased their first home at 234 Ohmer Avenue in 1941. The house was brand new and had been built on speculation in the previous year on the grounds of the former Butler University campus. The college had been gone for over a decade and the buildings fell into disrepair, eventually succumbing to the wrecking ball by the end of the 1930s. The site provided a chance for many local families to build or buy a slice of the American dream.

John Westlake (1907-1976) began as a bellhop for the Claypool Hotel in downtown Indianapolis and eventually worked his way up to becoming the night auditor. His wife Dorothy Westlake (1908-1984) worked across the street for the Christian Women's Board of Missions. Their daughter Susie found plenty of friends in the area as most of the people who lived around her had young children.

The historic photos reveal Susie Westlake on her new bike in 1941. In the background you can see the Missions Building before a major addition was put on in the 1950s along Ohmer Avenue. The middle photo shows 234 Ohmer Avenue when the Westlakes purchased it in 1941. The bottom photo is of John and Dorothy Westlake proudly standing in front of their Ohmer Avenue home in 1945. These images are courtesy of Sue (Susie) Westlake Thompson. More of this interesting part of the neighborhood will be forthcoming!

One Year and Still Going Strong! Aerial Photo of Irvington in 1970

Vintage Irvington reached a milestone this week. One year ago I jumped into the idea of creating a blog dedicated to documenting Irvington's historic and near recent past. I was not sure if I would have enough material, but thanks to all of you the photos, letters, journals, and pieces of ephemeral keep coming. Send me scanned photos of your family's home! I would love to profile and celebrate your Irvington heritage. You may reach me at sleeth28@rock.com.

In honor of the one year anniversary, I hope you enjoy this aerial photo taken of Irvington in 1970. The pilot hovered just above the tower of Our Lady of Lourdes Church so that the photographer could take a south and slightly southeastern shot of the neighborhood. Some of the structures seen in the photo are no longer standing and folks in that part of Irvington will also notice trees that have come and gone since 1970. This photo first appeared in Gertrude Hecker Winder's book, A Glimpse of Irvington Then and Now, 1870-1970.

Christian Women's Board of Missions Building--1926

During the winter and spring of 1910, Irvington residents watched as a commanding four-story brick building with a chapel began to arise along University Avenue behind the Bona Thompson Library. Commissioned by the Christian (Disciples of Christ) Women's Board of Missions, the facility would be loosely connected to Butler University. The purpose of the the imposing structure was to prepare missionaries for an overseas assignment. Thousands of people answered the call over the decades and served their posts in places like China, India, and Tibet. Often times, visitors from all over the world came to Irvington to train the missionaries on culture and language. The institution remained in Irvington until the 1990s even when Butler moved in 1928. In the 1990s, the facility was rehabbed and turned into senior housing.

In this photo taken in 1926, you can see the structure from the west. This view is no longer possible as the Disciples added a large addition in the 1940s. In the background you can see the Bona Thompson Library.

Irvington Kindergarten--1912

Irvington has had several kindergartens over the decades. One kindergarten was located in the Missions Building on University Avenue. In this photo dated to 1912, the class poses with their two teachers. This image is courtesy of Isabelle Layman Troyer.