Photos Show East Tenth Street Before Linwood Square

      On May 12, 1950, patrolman Millard Swain guided his motorcycle westbound on East Tenth Street near Linwood Avenue. It was a beautiful morning and he was just conducting his rounds when he slammed into a 1946 Dodge sedan driven by 74-year-old George Grist of Greenfield, Indiana just as the elderly man exited Linwood Avenue. The impact threw the police officer from his bike and he broke his wrist. A crowd gathered as a few police officers and an ambulance arrived. One of those officers was a police photographer named Wehman Hiner who documented the scene. While Mr. Hiner was there to record the accident of one his fellow officers, he inadvertently captured a vanished world. No one was charged that day, but Mr. Hiner's photographs show us what the Linwood Square area looked like before the shopping center arrived in 1963. 

     For decades the Madinger and Neuerburg families owned 23 acres of land south of Tenth Street, north of St. Clair Street, west of Linwood Avenue, and east of Gladstone Avenue. It remained undeveloped through much of the 20th century. Leonard Neuerburg built a two-story brick home on Tenth Street in the nineteenth century. Another family member built a grocery store visible in the photos below. That store was located on the southwest corner of Tenth Street and Linwood Avenue. In 1950, Mrs. Delia Spillman ran an antique shop out of the former store at 4425 East 10th Street. She might be the lady leaning up against a light pole in the second photo. If you look closely, you can see the Rosario Romano Fruit Stand just beyond the antique shop and the rooftop of the Neuerburg home. Over the years, Albert Neuerburg had allowed various Little League teams to play on multiple diamonds on his land just south of Tenth Street. As president of the Sherman-Emerson League he also permitted a Mardi Gras celebration each year on the property as a fundraiser for that civic organization. Across the street, you can see the tidy bungalows, many of which still exist in the 4400 block of East Tenth Street. 

   After Albert Neuerburg died, his estate sold the entire property including the structures to the Kimco Corporation in the spring of 1963. The developers immediately knocked down Mrs. Spillman's antique shop, the fruit stand, and the historic Neuerburg home. A new day had arrived, but on May 12, 1950, as officer Swain went to the hospital to reset his wrist, residents along East Tenth Street returned to their lives on that busy Friday morning. 

Police photographer Wehman Hiner aimed his camera west on East Tenth Street at the Linwood Avenue intersection on May 12, 1950. The larger building on the left started as a general store operated by the Neuerburg family at 4425 East Tenth Street. By 1950, Delia Spillman sold antiques out of the building. On the north side of the street beyond the crowd, you can see bungalows in the 4400 block of East Tenth Street. (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Collection, Digital Indy)

Officer Millard Swain crashed into a sedan at East Tenth Street and Linwood Avenue on May 12, 1950. Behind the cars you can see a woman leaning next to a light pole by the antique shop. Might this be Mrs. Spillman? (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Collection, Digital Indy)

Police photographer Wehman Hiner documented the crash from several angles. In this view, he snapped the rear of the motorcycle while looking east. The group of onlookers stood in the parking lot of a filling station run by James E. McDowell at 4502 East Tenth Street. (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Collection, Digital Indy)

Baist map, 1941; Tenth Street is at the top of the map. The Neuerburgs owned most of what would later be known as Linwood Square. The Madinger (misspelled as Maddinger) family married into the Neuerburg (misspelled as Neuerberg) family. 

     To see more of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police photos, click on the link below:

Police Photos (Digital Indy)

     I wish to thank Patrick Pearsey, the historian for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for his assistance particularly on identifying Wehman Hiner, and for all of the work he is doing preserving what might be the largest photo collection of the city of Indianapolis.  

Sources:  Accident scene:  "Cycle Patrolman Hurt," Indianapolis Star, May 13, p. 3; "Cycle Patrolman Breaks Wrist in Crash," Indianapolis News, May 13, 1950, p. 9; Linwood Square--"Shopping Center Gets Final Ok," Indianapolis News, April 9, 1963, p. 25; Little League--"Dedication of Neuerburg Field to Climax East Side Drive to 'Get Kids Off Street'," Indianapolis Star, June 19, 1954, p. 2; East side Mardi Gras--"Leslie to Speak at Mardi Gras," Indianapolis Star, July 21, 1929, p. 21. 

Parties Along Both Spencer Avenue and Audubon Road in 1947

      Howe High School student, Phyllis Halcomb, cultivated many friendships during her tenure in the school from the mid to late-1940s. In fact, she remained life-long friends with most of her girlfriends. After the young women graduated from high school, one-by-one they married and started their families. They attended each other's weddings and other joyful events. Phyllis would be the last of the group to marry. They are all gone now, but Phyllis, like many teenagers of her day, kept a scrapbook of her youth. The photos chronicle a brief moment in time. World War II had just ended. Some of the young women in the photos welcomed their brothers and cousins back home. The Korean War was still three years ahead and would affect another era of their lives. 

Jean Shaffer Hosts a Slumber Party at 135 South Spencer Avenue

     Sometime in the summer of 1947, Jean Shaffer invited several of her girlfriends over to her house for a slumber party.  All of young women attended Howe High School and belonged the D.M.O sub-deb sorority. Most of the teens lived in Irvington or at least on the east side of Indianapolis. The young women posed for photos and one could imagine the laughter that could be heard all along Spencer Avenue.

     Jean Shaffer was the daughter of Lawrence and Eleene Shaffer of 135 South Spencer Avenue. Mr. Shaffer earned his living as a linotype operator for both the Indianapolis Star and Times. The Shaffers moved into the small cottage in 1928 along with their son, Lawrence and daughter Jean. They were active members of the Downey Avenue Christian Church. Jean would later marry John Eugene Edwards in the church in 1951. At Howe, Jean was chosen as queen of the Sweetheart Dance. 

     We can only speculate on the topics discussed at the party. If the gathering was in June, then the ladies might have been talking about various films playing at east side cinemas. The Irving featured "Albuquerque" with Randolph Scott, who starred in several other films that year. At the Emerson on East 10th Street they could have seen "Frontier Marshall" also starring Randolph Scott. At the Tuxedo located at 4020 East New York Street, they could watch second-run or older films like "Robin Hood" starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. Another older film, "Good Girls Go to Paris" played at the Tacoma located at 2442 East Washington Street. Perhaps they spoke of their favorite swing bands. Boys were likely a subject as were dreams of the future. Some planned to attend college. Some planned to marry right away. Some, like Phyllis Halcomb, wanted a career. 

Jean Shaffer, stood on the porch of her home at 135 South Spencer Avenue in 1947. It was a fun day as she was hosting a slumber party for her friends from Howe High School. On the top step sat Pat Clause and Marilyn Doherty. On the middle step sat Phyllis Halcomb while Mariana Fullen and Margie Joslin sat on the bottom step. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Carol Schneider posed on the front porch of the Shaffer home at 135 South Spencer Avenue in 1947. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

One by one, each of the slumber party guests posed individually in 1947 on the front porch of the Shaffer home at 135 South Spencer Avenue. In this photo, it was Gladys Ferguson's turn. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Phyllis Leffler (Howe letter sweater), Pat Clause, and Marilyn Doherty stood along the front walk of the Shaffer home at 135 South Spencer Avenue in 1947. Above the three teens, four other young women, including Phyllis Halcomb, Mariana Fullen, Margie Joslin, and Jean Shaffer awaited their turn for more photos. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Gladys Ferguson and Carol Arnholter smile for the photographer at the Shaffer home at135 South Spencer Avenue in 1947. Miss Arnholter lived one block away and was best friends with Jean Shaffer. She later served as her maid of honor in 1951. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas) 

Nine Howe High School teens gathered at the home of Jean Shaffer at 135 South Spencer Avenue for a slumber party in 1947. Pictured: Top row--Phyllis Leffler, Margie Joslin, Mariana Fullen; Middle Row--Phyllis Halcomb, Carol Arnholter, Carol Schneider; Bottom Row--Pat Clause, Gladys Ferguson, Marilyn Doherty. Jean Shaffer must have taken the photograph! (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

135 South Spencer Avenue in the early spring of 2022

Friends Gather at Carol Arnholter's Home at 47 South Spencer Avenue

     Harold and Ethelwyne Arnholter purchased the beautiful American Four Square on the northeast corner of Spencer and Julian Avenues in 1932. Despite the Great Depression, Mr. Arnholter managed to keep his job as a salesman at the Upjohn Pharmacy Company. Both Mr. and Mrs. Arnholter were highly educated with Mrs. Arnholter eventually earning a Ph.D. in psychology from Purdue University. They raised their three children, Richard, Albert, and Carol at 47 South Spencer Avenue just one block away from the Shaffers. Young Carol frequently hosted meetings and gatherings at her home. The previous year in 1946, she helped to plan the "Truth or Consequence" dance at the Pleasant Run Golf house and called it the "Jive Hive." Reid Chapman served as the master of ceremonies while Ed Hall and his band played through the evening. The Arnoholters lived in the two-story home for over twenty years, moving out in 1954.

Gladys Ferguson, who lived at 5201 East Burgess Avenue posed on the front porch belonging to the Arnholter family at 47 South Spencer Avenue in 1947. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Jean Shaffer, who lived just a block away at 135 South Spencer Avenue stood on the front porch at 47 South Spencer Avenue in 1947. Jean was a good friend to Carol Arnholter. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas) 

Mariana Fullen of 126 Berry Avenue posed on the front porch of the Arnholter residence at 47 South Spencer Avenue in 1947. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

47 South Spencer Avenue in the early spring of 2022

D.M.O. Sub-Deb Initiation at the home of Carol Schneider at 1003 North Audubon Road

     Eleven young women from Howe High School gathered on a chilly day in 1947 at the home of Carol Schneider. The purpose of the visit was to initiate some of the younger teens into the D.M.O., a "sub-deb" that functioned like a sorority. There were several such groups for young women and men who attended the high school although they were exclusive. The young women contracted Tower Studio in Irvington and posed for a formal photograph next to the Schneider fireplace with informal shots taken outside. 

     The brick residence was a beautiful place to hold the ceremony. Carol and her sister Ellen were the daughters of Ralph and Letha Schneider. Like Mr. Arnholter, Mr. Schneider not only kept his job during the Great Depression, but he earned enough money to buy the brand new house located at 1003 North Audubon Road. The builder situated the house to face Audubon Road but included a side porch on East Tenth Street. In 1947, there still existed a field behind the property and Audubon Road north of Tenth Street was a dirt path. That would all change soon. The Schneiders lived in the house from 1933 until 1954. 

     

     

Members of the D.M.O sub-deb group posed in front of the Schneider home at 1003 North Audubon Road in 1947. Left to right: Winnie Locklear, Gladys Ferguson, Diane Scott, Margie Joslin, Mariana Fullen, Diane Hays (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Several young women of the D.M.O sorority posed in 1947 in the side yard of 1003 North Audubon Road. Behind the young women, you can see the Schneider home as well as 5740 East 10th Street. Left to right: Diane Hays, ?, Mariana Fullen, Margie Joslin, Phyllis Halcomb, Carol Schneider, Carol Arnholter, Jean Shaffer, Diane Scott, Gladys Ferguson, Winnie Locklear; If anyone recognizes the young woman who is second teen from the left, please contact me at the e-mail listed on the page. (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas)

Members of the Howe High School D.M.O. sorority gathered in the Schneider living room at 1003 North Audubon Road in 1947. The photo was taken by Tower Studios who operated at 5454 East Washington Street. Standing--left to right: Carol Arnholter, Gladys Ferguson, Diane Scott, ?, Winnie Locklear; Seated--left to right: Mariana Fullen, Carol Schneider, Diane Hays, Jean Schaffer, Phyllis Halcomb, Margie Joslin. If you know the name of the young woman dressed in black (fourth from left), would you drop me a note at the e-mail listed on this page? (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas) 
    

1003 North Audubon Road on a rainy, April 6, 2022

Time Marches On: In 1998, many Howe graduates gathered for their fiftieth class reunion. Jean Shaffer Edwards Meek, who hosted those slumber parties in the 1940s once again welcomed her friends into her home. Pictured: Top row--Janet Eickhoff, Gladys Ferguson Lepper, Diane Hays Scott, Jean Shaffer Edwards Meek, Carol Arnholter Simmons, Winnie Locklear Miller, Phyllis Halcomb Pappas, Marilyn Doherty Thompson Stephens (photo courtesy of Mary Lee Pappas) 

      I wish to thank Mary Lee Pappas for the stories and photos from her mother's early years. I would also like to thanks Deedee Davis. 

Sources: Interviews with Mary Lee Pappas March 18 and 21, 2022; The 1930 and 1940 Federal Census for all three families featured; Shaffer family--"Jean Shaffer, Queen of Howe Hi-Y Dance," Indianapolis Star, February 23, 1947, 18; Shaffer wedding--"Rites to be Feb. 9," Indianapolis Star, January 7, 1951, 65; Obituaries for Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer-- Indianapolis News, January 10, 1986, 26;  Indianapolis News, January 29, 1988, 2; Arnholter family--"Jive Journal," Indianapolis Star, , January 20, 1946, 68; "Jive Hive Will Have Dance," Indianapolis News, May 31, 1946, 26; Obituaries--"Harold H. Arnholter Active in Theater," Indianapolis News, December 28, 1968, 11; Ethelwyne Arnholter--Indianapolis News, March 7, 1986, 29; Schneider family--William Gulde, The Schneider Cottage: The Story of 1003 North Audubon Road, Unpublished, September 7, 2013. 

Bob Hunt's Service Station at East 10th Street and Arlington Avenue--1950s

James Robert "Bob" Hunt, who dwelled at 336 North Arlington Avenue, operated his very own Mobil Gas Station from 1955 until 1959 at 990 North Arlington Avenue. City directories indicate that a service station had been in operation on the southwest corner of Arlington Avenue and East 10th Street since at least 1932. Typical of the times, Mr. Hunt operated a full-service station which included tire repair and replacement, oil changes, batteries, spark plugs, and engine repair. Attendants pumped the gas for those who pulled in and washed the cars. Mr. Hunt was a World War II veteran, who had been stationed in the Pacific Theater working in a machine shop and rebuilding torpedoes.

By the mid-1950s, the intersection at of 10th and Arlington had been full developed by Joseph Guidone with a grocery store,  a pharmacy, the Arlington Theater, a bank, and numerous shops. Mr. Hunt's brother, Harold, operated a jewelry store at 6006 East 10th Street. North and east of the intersection, developers were busy adding new housing additions to accommodate the building boom taking place in Indianapolis.

After four years in operation, Mr. Hunt decided that the venture had not been profitable and he went to work for US Naval Avionics to support his wife Ruth and their young son Bob. In 2019, a gas station still operates on the southwest corner of Tenth and Arlington.

Bob Hunt operated a service station on the southwest corner of East 10th and Arlington Avenue from 1955-59. Across the street, you can see the Arlington Supermarket owned by Joseph Guidone, a fabric shop, and a water tower. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

Bob Hunt held the grand opening event for his new service station at 990 North Arlington Avenue on July 27 and 28, 1955. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

Bob Hunt operated a full-service Mobil Gas Station at 990 North Arlington Avenue. In this photo, snapped c1955, Mr. Hunt stood next to his service truck. Behind him, you can see the Arlington Theater and the American Fletcher National Bank on the northeast corner of East Tenth Street and Arlington Avenue. Local residents who needed to get ahold of Mr. Hunt simply called Fleetwood 7-0836. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

Image courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt

Bob Hunt, at the far left, stood with Howard "Bud" Tellman, Max Sharp, and another unidentified employee c1955 at his gas station located at 990 North Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of Bob Hunt's son, Robert Harold Hunt)

A special thanks to Robert Harold Hunt for making this post possible.

New Residence For Sale--1947

Throughout the summer and into the autumn of 1947, realtors advertised the sale of a brand new brick home at 6131 East Tenth Street.  Designed in the Cape Cod style, the dwelling was listed at $19, 500, a large sum for that year. Developers hoped that the post-war real estate boom in Indianapolis would continue as returning World War II veterans married, started their families, and needed proper housing. It appears that the first family to move into the lovely house was Morgan V. and Mary R. Ray. Mr. Ray was a sales manager for the F.S. Royster Fertilizer Company. They had two sons, Phillip and Morgan, Jr. The home went back on the market in 1955 and was eventually purchased by the Epping family. Several others have called the residence "home" over the years.

Little has changed in the seventy years since this attractive brick home at 6131 East 10th Street was constructed in 1947.  Ads in the summer of 1947, touted the home's proximity to the Pleasant Run Golf Course.  (image courtesy of the Indianapolis Star, July 27, 1947)

Saddle Up! Get Your Photo Taken on a Pony! 1947

Throughout the early to mid-twentieth century, photographers would travel from town to town all across the United States and make money by snapping photos of children on ponies.  Family scrapbooks were filled with such imagery.  In the summer of 1947, an unknown solicitor likely knocked on the door of the Koepper home at 5263 East Tenth Street to inquire if the family would be interested in a photo with a pony.  This particular photographer not only provided the animal, but also the costumes as Westerns were the rage in the cinema at the time.  Stephen, Paul, and Susan Koepper donned their attire and stood along Tenth Street next to a tall shrub.  Behind them, you can see the bungalow located at 5264 East Tenth Street. To learn more about the Koepper family, click on the link below.

Stephen, Paul, and Susan Koepper posed with a pony in their front yard at 5263 East Tenth Street in the summer of 1947.

The historic image is courtesy of Stephen Koepper.  

Winter Scene 1944 and Today

Norman and Lora Koepper took turns posing with two of their children, Paul and Susan, on a winter's day in 1944.  The Koeppers dwelled in a Craftsman bungalow at 5263 East Tenth Street. Behind the happy family, you can see 5256 and 5260 East Tenth Street. 71 years later, I returned to the scene after a recent snowstorm on February 21, 2015, to snap the same houses.  In 1944, Louis and Winifred Schade dwelled in the Tudor-Revival house at 5250 East Tenth Street. The Schades ran a local motel. Norine Sparks dwelled in the cottage at 5260 East Tenth Street.  Sadly, she lived alone in the house as her husband, Robert, had passed away at a very young age in 1942.  To learn more about the lives of the Koepper family, click on the label below.

Norman Koepper posed with his children, Paul and Susan Koepper, in the winter of 1944.

Lora Koepper beamed as she posed with her children, Paul and Susan Koepper. Behind the family, you can see 5256 and 5260 East Tenth Street in the winter of 1944.  

5256 and 5260 East Tenth Street on February 21, 2015

The historic images are courtesy of Steve Koepper.  

Winter in Irvington--1941-42

Irvington residents had a lot on their minds in the winter of 1941-42. The Japanese had just bombed Pearl Harbor and President Roosevelt had asked Congress for a declaration of war against both the Japanese and the Germans.  A beautiful snow might have come as a welcome respite from all of the gloomy news.  At the Koepper home at 5263 East Tenth Street, little Susan Koepper helped to build snowmen in the front yard perhaps at different times that winter.

Three Snow Creatures!  Susan Koepper posed in between two snowmen in the winter of 1941-42. Behind her you can see the front porch of her house at 5263 East Tenth Street and that of the Latta Family at 5261 East Tenth Street.  

Susan Koepper was the daughter of Norman and Lora Koepper.  She posed next to a snowman during the winter of 1941 in front of her home at 5263 East Tenth Street.  

Fat Snowman! Susan Koepper, who dwelled at 5263 East Tenth Street, stood next to her snowman during the winter of 1941.  Behind her, you can see the homes of the Schade family at 5256 East Tenth Street and the Sparks family at 5260 East Tenth Street.

The historic photos are courtesy of Steve Koepper.  

Emerson Heights Kindergarten 1943

The Kindergarten Movement, a German idea, had been embraced by millions of Americans by 1930 when the Emerson Heights Kindergarten first opened its doors to students at 4805 East Michigan Street. Many Hoosiers realized the value of educating children at an early age and began to send their kids to private schools to prepare them for the first grade. It appears that Helen Martin was the founder of this school and she located it in the southern section of the Emerson Heights neighborhood. Many younger families had moved into the modest bungalows and American Four Squares nearby so Mrs. Martin had a ready and willing market who had big dreams for their children. The school moved from the Michigan Street location to 1012-14 North Emerson Avenue in 1932 and remained there until 1946.

Susan Koepper Foster, who dwelled at 5263 East Tenth Street as a child, attended the kindergarten located in the commercial strip on the northwest corner of Emerson Avenue and East Tenth Street. Her teacher in 1943 was Mrs. Fields. We do not know much about Mrs. Fields yet, but she can be seen in the photo.  We also know the names of some of the children in the image. Mrs. Foster remembers that it was a lively and engaging school where she received an introduction to reading and math.  She also recalls that Mrs. Fields taught her how to skip. There was not much of a playground so the children mostly stayed inside, however, in 1943 they gathered outside for a photo at the rear of the building and along the alley that runs parallel to East Tenth Street. Sadly, this part of the structure was demolished in the summer of 2014 by a developer who did not have proper permits.  Most of the kids in this photo are now well into their retirement age and enjoying grandkids of their own!

All dressed up:  Here are the names of the kids we know at this point.  Front Row: The second girl from the left is Marsha Thomas.  The fourth girl from the left is Susan Koepper. Elaine Clayton is the second girl from the right. Middle Row:  Sandy Fotiades is the second girl from the left. Ronnie Meek is the seventh child from the left. John Kot is the third child from the right. Top Row: The boy with the head bandage is Howard Franke. Next to him is Mrs. Fields.  The boy to the right of her is Bob Hibner. Mike Corcoran is the third child from the right while Karen Group is the blond girl at the far right of the row.  The Emerson Heights Kindergarten was located at 1012-14 North Emerson Avenue.  

The historic image is courtesy of Susan Koepper Foster

An Old Farmhouse Along East Tenth Street

On April 11, 1956, children gathered at the home Steve Koepper at 5263 East Tenth Street for his twelfth birthday party.  All of the children in this photo attended Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School at 26 North Arsenal Street.  Behind them you can see the historic farmhouse located at 5302 East Tenth Street.  It was the tallest home in the area and predated all of the bungalows that now surrounded it.

The earliest origins of the farmhouse at 5302 East Tenth Street are not known at this time, but Martin and Anna Staub moved into the dwelling in 1906.  It is possible that they might have built the home but more research will be needed to discover that fact.  The Staubs owned several acres and ran a dairy farm.  Their operation was quite successful and by 1910 they had a servant named Charles Morse living in the house.  An Indianapolis Star article reveals that in 1919 Mr. Staub remonstrated against the city of Indianapolis over annexing the area for development. He lost that battle and soon the bucolic world that the Staubs had come to enjoy would end as developers and dreamers added avenues, sewer lines, streetlights, and residences north and south of East Tenth Street.  Mr. Staub died in 1928, but Mrs. Staub continued to dwell in the large house until 1942.  She often times took in boarders. Louis and Anna Haboush moved into the home in 1943 and remained in it well into the 1950s.  The couple had many children and actually carved the house into two separate apartments in 1945.  Widows, single people starting out in their careers, and families have all called this dwelling "home."

Friends of Steve Koepper gathered for a photo on April 11, 1956, for the occasion of his twelfth birthday party.  Front Row  (l-r):  Linda Manteuffel, Cheryl Kubiak, Janet Behrmann, Douglas Felten, Tom Holtman, Grant Jacobson Back Row (l-r): Eursa Lynn Breedon, Sandra Griffin, Fred Von Spreckelsen, Steve Koepper, Bill Hoff, Irvin Coffer

The old Staub Farmhouse at 5302 East Tenth Street on December 30, 2014

One of the many tenants who dwelled at 5302 East Tenth Street was Hollace Arment.  Dr. Arment and his wife Ruth moved to Indianapolis in 1956 so that he could take the position of Music Director at the brand new North Central High School at 1801 East 86th Street.  

8th Grade Graduation Party--1958

Members of the eighth grade graduating class from Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School gathered at the home of Steve Koepper in 1958. They would be the last graduating class from the Arsenal Street location as the congregation built a new school on East 16th Street.  Four of the graduates in these photographs went on to Thomas Carr Howe High School in Irvington. While the kids laughed and ate snacks in the dining room, the adult chaperones gathered around a card table in the living room and sipped on some coffee. Everyone is dressed up as they had just come from the formal graduation ceremony. Like many teens in the U.S., they likely kept up with popular culture.  The number one song on the radio on June 6, 1958, was "The Purple People Eater." by Sheb Wooley. If they had gone to a movie that year at the Irving Theater then some of these kids might have watched "South Pacific," the top grossing film for the year.  As more Irvington families added television sets into their living rooms, some of these teens might have spent some time watching "Leave it to Beaver," "I Love Lucy," "Candid Camera," or the "Ed Sullivan Show."  The baseball fans in that dining room likely enjoyed the start of the new Major League Baseball season as they followed favorite players like Willie Mays, Mickey Mantel, and Ted Williams.  If they were Yankees fans then they were in for a treat later in the year.

On the cusp of high school, the kids enjoyed a few light moments together in the Koepper family bungalow at 5263 East Tenth Street.  They were about to separate and leave their insular world of their smaller school for much larger institutions; however, on this lovely spring day they just had fun.

Treats in the Dining Room:  Graduates from the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School gathered at the home of classmate, Steve Koepper, at 5263 East Tenth Street one final time in 1958 before moving on to various high schools. Pictured: Cheryl Ann Kubiak (standing), Grant Bernard Jacobson (drinking), Rose Anna Baumgart, Daniel Mark Edwards,  Sandra Lenore Griffin, Stephen Lee Koepper (sitting in foreground), Douglas James Felten (waving), Steven Ralph Deal (eating a sandwich)  

Rosa Anna Baumgart and Grant Bernard Jacobson had fun at their eighth grade graduation party at the Koepper home at 5263 East Tenth Street in 1958.  Cheryl Ann Kubiak stood behind the couple.  You can also see the cage for Pete the Parakeet behind young Grant.  Pete had free reign in the house and he particularly like to perch atop the eyeglasses of various family members!  

Chaperones Monitor Behavior from the Living Room:  Norman and Lora Meyer Koepper (couple on left) agreed to host a reception for the graduates of eighth grade class from Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School on June 6, 1958 in their home at 5263 East Tenth Street.  The Feltens joined them.  Henry Felten (foreground) was the principal and their teacher in the school. His wife, Erna, can be seen behind and to the right of him.  Their son was also a graduate and in the next room.  

A Fish, A Clock, and A Coconut Story

In 1954, the Koepper family gathered around the fireplace in the family home at 5263 East Tenth Street for a photograph.  Every single member of the family appeared to be looking at someone else or perhaps another photographer.  Someone has likely said something amusing as they were all smiling.  Behind the family, you can see many artifacts of importance in their lives.  Hanging over the mantel was Norman Koepper's prized wide-mouthed bass that he caught at the Geist Reservoir.  Like any proud fisherman, he had it mounted.  On the fireplace mantel, rested a beautiful clock that has an interesting provenance.  In 1913, a terrible flood struck the city of Indianapolis.  Ed Meyer, the father of Lora Meyer Koepper, saw the beautiful piece floating in the water and retrieved it.  He brought it back to his home at 815 Weghorst Street on the near south side and cleaned it up and managed to get it running again.  By 1952, the clock sat on the mantel inside the Tenth Street bungalow. The beautiful antique remains with a Koepper family member 102 years after it was first salvaged by Ed Meyer. On the far right of the mantel, you can see a coconut purchased by the Koeppers while on a family vacation to Florida in 1953.   Other items in the photo, include small vases and bowls used for decoration and many books and games resting on the built-in shelves next to the fireplace. All three of the children in this photo went on to higher level college degrees and professional careers.  One family photo can reveal many clues!

Family Portrait:  Norman and Lora Meyer Koepper proudly posed with their children Susan, Paul, and Steve (kneeling) in 1954 in the living room of their home at 5263 East Tenth Street

The historic image and stories are courtesy of Steve Koepper.  

Family Celebrations at the Koepper Home

When do we take out our cameras and snap family photos?  If you are like most Americans, your scrapbooks are filled with special occasions like baptisms, birthday parties, and holidays celebrations.  Thankfully, these moments usually document extended family members and good friends as well.  Norman and Lora Meyer Koepper, who purchased 5263 East Tenth Street in 1940, did a great job of capturing important moments in their family's story.  Below are some of the important celebrations in the tale of an Irvington family.

Baptism:  Norman and Lora Meyer Koepper hosted a family gathering for the Meyers and Koeppers at 5263 East Tenth Street on August 17, 1941.  They assembled for the occasion of the Lutheran baptism of Kent Meyer (in the bassinet), the nephew of the Koeppers.  This wonderful photograph documents three generations.  Standing (L-R): Bud and Mary Jane Pattison; Del and Lois Meyer; Claude Pattison, Ed Meyer, Lora Meyer Koepper and Norman Koepper; and Catherine Pattison Meyer; Seated on chairs (L-R):  Bea Pattison, Emma Harting Meyer, Lillian Westmeier Meyer; On the ground and next to the bassinet (L--R):  Leslie Meyer, Susan Koepper, Gayle Meyer, Barbara Meyer

Easter Egg Hunt:  The Koeppers celebrated Easter at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1954. At some point, the family hosted an egg hunt and the children in this photo displayed their bounty. Behind them, you can see the garages at both 5263 and 5261 East Tenth Street.  Pictured (L-R):  Paul Koepper, Norman Koepper, Steve Koepper, Lora Meyer Koepper, and an unidentified young man.  Susan Koepper might be the photographer.  

Confirmation: It was a special day for young Paul Koepper in 1955 when he was confirmed into the Lutheran Church. His extended family members from near and far gathered at the home of Norman and Lora Meyer Koepper at 5263 East Tenth Street to be a part of his special day.  Pictured (L-R):  Delbert Meyer, Claude Pattison, Lois Sundvahl Meyer, Henry Koepper, Bea Pattison, Josephine Koepper, Orville Meyer, Catherine Pattison Meyer, Leslie Meyer, Kent Meyer, Paul Koepper, Steve Koepper, and Lora Meyer Koepper

Christmas:  Norman and Lora Meyer Koepper hosted a Christmas gathering in their home at 5263 East Tenth Street in 1966.  This wonderful color photograph shows not only their grown children, in-laws, and grandchildren, but also the couple's living room.  Pictured (clockwise from lower left):  Sharon Morelock Koepper and Paul Koepper; Eddie Foster and Susan Koepper Foster; Kristin Lenore Foster; Steve Koepper, Lora Meyer Koepper and Kerry Lee Foster.  

Christmas Morning:  All was quiet in the bungalow at 5263 East Tenth Street owned by Norman and Lora Meyer Koepper on Christmas Day, 1966 as they awaited the arrival of their children and grandchildren.  Two stockings were hung on the fireplace for the couple's two grandchildren at the time, Kristin and Kerry Foster. You can see the family pooch, Freckles, resting near the blue patterned chair.  The manger scene on the fireplace, a family treasure, was collected by Steve Koepper throughout the 1950s and came from Danner's Five and Dime Store in Irvington. Mrs. Koepper clearly kept abreast of the latest in decorating with her mod lamp and mid-century furniture.  

Easter Brunch:  On Easter Sunday, 1967, the children and grandchildren of Norman and Lora Meyer Koepper gathered in the family home at 5263 East Tenth Street for a meal.  The family dog, Freckles, a cocker spaniel mix, made her presence known and visited with Tiffany, a dog belonging to Paul and Sharon Koepper.  The humans at the table in the photograph (from clockwise left to right) included:  Beverly James (future wife of Steve Koepper), Steve Koepper, Sharon Morelock Koepper, Lora Meyer Koepper, Kerry Lee Foster, Paul Koepper, Kristin Lenore Foster, Susan Koepper Foster, and Eddie Foster   

The stories and historic images are courtesy of Steve Koepper.

Only Two Families Have Dwelled in a Tenth Street Bungalow

It is very rare to find a house with so few owners, but the modest bungalow at 5263 East 10th Street has had only two separate families dwell in it.  Dr. John W. Graves and his wife Mae Belle first resided in the cottage in the late 1920s.  Dr. Graves, a physician, worked out of an office at 4604 East 10th Street.  The young couple were only in the their late twenties when they moved in and they had one daughter, Katherine. The 1930 Federal Census reveals that the house was worth $6,000.  The Graves family remained in the home throughout the 1930s.  They sold the property to Norman and Lora Meyer Koepper in 1940.

Norman Koepper and Lora Meyer grew up together on the near south side of Indianapolis. Their paths constantly crossed as they both attended church and grade school at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran and later at Emmerich Manual Training High School.  Miss Meyer earned the top scholarship for any senior at Manual High School because of her amazing GPA.  She later went on to study at Ball State University.

The couple married on August 3, 1935.  They dwelled in an apartment and a double in and around the Irvington area before finally purchasing the bungalow at 5263 East 10th Street. Mr. Koepper worked for the J. S. Cruse Realty Company.  He eventually owned the firm and managed property around the city of Indianapolis.  Mrs. Koepper worked for the Indianapolis Public Schools in the Social Services Division.  The couple raised their three children, Susan, Paul, and Steve in the house on Tenth Street. They both retired in 1974.  Mr. Koepper died at home in 1986, but Mrs. Koepper lived to be over 103 years old before passing away in 2013.  The house has been in the Koepper family for 75 years!  (The historic images below are courtesy of Steve Koepper.)  

Handsome Couple:  Lora Meyer on her wedding day on August 3, 1935, and Norman Koepper while attending Benjamin Harrison Law School in Indianapolis in 1937

Paul, Susan, and Steve Koepper stand near the front porch at 5263 East 10th Street on May 5, 1946.

Camping in the backyard:  Steve, Paul, and Susan Koepper posed in their "tent" in the backyard of 5263 East 10th Street in 1950. 

Steve, Susan, Norman, Lora, and Paul Koepper posed for this snapshot on Easter Sunday, 1956.  You can see the rear of 5263 East Tenth Street behind them.  

Birthday Celebration:  Lora Koepper posed next to her husband Norman on her 54th birthday on May 2, 1964, in the living room of 5263 East Tenth Street.  She actually had several more birthdays to go as she lived to see 103 years!  

The Graves-Koepper home at 5263 East Tenth Street in the final days of 2014