Vigo County Historical Society

Museum featuring phonographs of the past

I grew up in the days of the hand-wound phonographs. One major problem was I would have to race across the room the rewind the music box, because I usually couldn’t play an entire 78 rpm record all the way through with just one winding.

Most early phonographs on the inside lid would have a picture of a white-and-black dog looking at the name "Edison," accompanied by the slogan, "Listening to his Master’s voice."

The Vigo County Historical Museum has a similar phonograph with the name Grafonola, made in the United States by Columbia. The record that is on the turnstile is a Victor 78 rpm with a male quartet singing our state song, "On the Banks of the Wabash," written by Paul Dresser.

To start proceedings, the lid is raised and allowed to rest on its hinge. Then the machine is hand wound, with a small lever moved to the right to start the record revolving. The steel needle in the armature is then placed in the outside groove of the record and the music starts. The needle points become blunt quickly.

Also nearby in the museum is a majestic Reginaphone, which plays large perforated metal disks.

How many remember two of the most played songs of the 1930s being "Pennsylvania 6-5000" and "Beer Barrel Polka"? In the ‘40s were lots of patriotic war songs and the best seller, "Pistol Packing Momma," by Bing Crosby. By the ‘50s, we had small 45 rpm records with Elvis Presley rendering "You Ain’t Nothing But a Hound Dog" at 75 cents a copy.

I received my first Electric Music Box in 1943. I was home alone and peeked into one of my Christmas presents. After seeing what I had, I rode the bus downtown, for a nickel, and purchased a copy of Jeanette McDonald and Nelson Eddy’s version of "Indian Love Call." I was prepared for that gift.

I had my first job in 1944 at 50 cents an hour. After receiving my first paycheck, I went to a music store and bought the popular record, "The Last Time I Saw Paris." Leaning against the counter waiting for my change, I heard a crack, and my record was broken. I figured I had to work for six hours at 50 cents an hour to pay for the broken one and the replacement.

Time passed; I listened to Don Ho singing "Tiny Bubbles" on the new eight-track tape machine. The eight-track is no longer being made and neither is the 33 1/2 rpm long-play record. I have a lot of those records.

I recently invested in a large CD player, with lots of discs. However, just last week I heard on television that CDs are soon to be a thing of the past as more music become available through out computers.

But that is the future. To see phonographs of the past, visit the museum.