The work of the Salvation Army is an important part of the Christmas season, with the traditional red kettles and bell ringers stationed outside in countless communities to collect money so that the less fortunate can have a happy holiday season.

With the holiday season upon us, we’re planning family gatherings and other festive occasions.

The names Carl Scheid and August Schultheis were once synonymous with the retail furniture business in Vincennes. While the two men would each run their own Main Street furniture store for decades, when they started out in business, they were partners.

Autumn has always been my favorite season, with its cooler temperatures and colorful show of foliage, and Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, with its relaxed family gatherings and feasts.

The Bicknell High School Gymnasium, razed in 1995, was one of many Knox County buildings constructed by the New Deal agency the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression.

For me, author Ron Chernow falls into that select category of popular historians writing today, a list that includes David McCullough and Doris Kearns Goodwin, among others, who have a gift for writing scholarly works that are still very readable. Their books find large audiences, becoming b…

Saturday, Nov. 14, 1959, was a cold autumn day at Vincennes. Despite the fact that the high temperature was barely above freezing, lines of cars and buses were making their way into the city, filled with people who were coming to attend a special outdoor event. It was on that day that Vincen…

There is a crisp chill that can be felt in the morning air, the scent of pumpkin spice is becoming more frequent. The slightest threat of snowfall will trigger milk and bread to seemingly fly off the shelves within our local stores.

“The Stolen Lady” is Laura Morelli’s dual timeline novel of the incredible journey of the Mona Lisa set in two turbulent times in history. Loosely based on real events, the story begins in France, in 1939, as the invading German military forces are nearing Paris. Fearing that the arriving Na…

Roy Inglis, founder the Vincennes Youth Soccer Association, will be honored Sunday with the N. Philip Shelton Humanitarian Award, presented by the Vincennes Kiwanis Club in cooperation with Good Samaritan.

Jewelry stores have been an important part of the retail landscape of Vincennes from the 19th century up to the present day. There were several jewelry stores in the city that operated for decades, two examples being those run by the Ostendorf and Simon families. Another important early loca…

Nash Dunn has been named as chief operating officer for KCARC.

One of the most important occupations when horses were still a principal means of transportation was the horseshoer. Often, the term blacksmith is used interchangeably with horseshoer, as is farrier, but while similar there are subtle differences between these trades.

Mental health is in the public spotlight in October. Mental Illness Awareness Week took place from Oct. 3-9. National Depression Screening Day was Oct. 7 and World Mental Health Day was Oct. 10. This year, Mental Health America (MHA) raised awareness of mental health conditions that are ofte…

Francis Vigo Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution

William Jennings Bryan, three-time presidential candidate and one of the greatest orators of his day, came to Vincennes to give a speech on Monday, Oct. 22, 1906. It was actually Bryan’s fourth official visit to the city, and at each appearance thousands of people turned out to see him.

Vandalism. Riots. Shootings. Sounds like the unrest in cities of today, doesn’t it? But those violent acts took place in Terre Haute, in the summer of 1935, when the unionized employees of the Columbian and Enameling Company went on strike. Other city labor unions joined in to shut down the …

There was a time when tailors practiced their craft in virtually every community of any size. All affluent businessmen and other professionals had their clothes made, even after ready-to-wear clothing became available. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, one of the most skilled, sough…

The aroma of homemade bread baking in the oven does something to me. Its lofty notes of yeast transport me to my childhood. The yeasty memories were not from my mother’s kitchen (where truly magical homemade dishes emerged from), but from the lunch lady’s kitchen at school.

Donald J. and Marie C. Biggs will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary with a card shower. Cards may be mailed to: 235 E. Brookhaven Road, Vincennes, IN 47591.

While the name Bruno Roselli is likely not familiar to most Vincennes people, Roselli developed a connection to the city through his work as a scholar, author, and lecturer. In 1933, he authored a biography of Francis Vigo, who was significant in Vincennes history for the material aid and in…

Donald J. and Marie C. Biggs

Do you know if you can’t find a specific book or video at our library that you can borrow the item from another library in Indiana? This is one of a myriad of services available to you at the library. The State of Indiana’s definition of the “interlibrary loan program” is shown below:

This is the beginning of Energy Assistance Application Season (EAAS) and we, at the library, are happy to share good news about a special day for applicants. The 2022 season begins Nov. 1 and will end May 16, 2022. Library employees are often asked to make referrals to social service agencie…

In the latter half of the 19th century, William Green had the leading livery stable in Vincennes. In those days, livery stables were a ubiquitous part of every community, stabling horses, and renting out buggies and other means of transportation. Green, and later his son, Frank, operated the…

In the fall of 1908, the 24th annual convention of the Indiana Federation of Labor was taking place in Vincennes. The event was held at Harmonie Hall, on the southeast corner of Third and Busseron streets, over three days. Hundreds of people were in the city for the convention, filling hotel…

Everyone will probably remember this past year of 2020 as being memorable, traumatic, and stressful. I have often relayed to my sons that they live in a different era than what I grew up, during which things were much calmer. Ah for the good old days!