Historic Treasure of the Week - June 23, 1991
By David M. Buchanan
Vigo County Historical Society
Historic Treasure of the Week - June 23, 1991
By David M. Buchanan
Vigo County Historical Society
Terre Haute birthday bash in ‘66 was grand
Not so long in terms of human history, but in terms of Indiana history, especially because we’re on the western side of the state, it’s a birthday worth noting. The last time attention focused on Terre Haute’s birthday was in 1966 . . . and what a celebration that was!
A presentation folder, given to Joseph Badger for his help in the TH-150 pageant, contains many of the articles, souvenirs, and memorabilia of that pageant. The folder was given to the Vigo County Historical Society in 1987.
The sesquicentennial was a week-long extravaganza involving thousands of people. The several-page list of events included parades, sporting events, dances, picnics, concerts, a coronation, exhibits, luncheons, religious services, auto races, open houses, art exhibits, flower shows, industry shows and more. Each day culminated with the TH-150 performance, a musical extravaganza.
The 150th week began June 11, 1966, though there were three days of "Pre-sesquicentennial events" before the 11th. These three days included activities such as Stage Coach Mail pickup, "Bargain Days" for area merchants, historical window displays, a pen and brush art exhibit, and a Sesqui-A-Go-Go dance for teenagers at the Terre Haute House.
Shares of stock for Terre Haute Heritage were issued at $1 each. A souvenir book was published and priced at $1 a copy, but each page was underwritten by area.
Among the more unique aspects of the celebration were The Brothers of the Brush and the Sesquicentennial Belles. Mayor Ralph Tucker issued a proclamation: ". . . all males so inclined may wear a full beard, muttonchops, Van Dykes, goatees, sideburns, mustaches, or any facial foliage they so desire. This hairy growth shall be of such length and luxuriance that it can be readily seen and recognized at eight paces." . . .
The proclamation continued, ". . . all female citizenry so inclined may dress in the mode and fashion of our illustrious ancestors."
In a decade of clean-shaven faces may men suddenly began sporting beards, while long dresses and bustles began to appear on the sidewalks downtown.
The Brothers of the Bush set up a Kangaroo Kort for those not willing to join them in celebration. One could be subpoenaed for not having official head wear, membership buttons, or shaving permits. Justice at the "kort seshuns" was described as unmerciful.
For those unwilling to be a Brother of the Bush, but wanting to support the sesquicentennial, a Smoothie Charter was granted and all members held the Shaving Permit. A shaving permit cost $2 and it certified the owner was a "Bald Faced Varmint unable to shave because he was either Henpecked, too ugly as is, breaks out in boils, or physically impossible."
Alice Compton was Queen of the Sesquicentennial. The queen was chosen by votes and votes were gotten by the sale of seat coupons for the show.
The most spectacular portion of the celebration was the TH-150 90-minute presentation, with more than 1,000 people in the cast, at Memorial Stadium. The pageant had five parts. It began with Indian dances, frontiersmen, and missionaries and moved through the taming of the wilderness by pioneers, to the age of transportation and the Gay ‘90’s. It ended with the turn of the century through World War I and the Roaring ‘20s. The pageant was a nightly event and ended with a burst of aerial and ground fireworks.
An editorial, published after the last TH-150 performance, summed up the community’s united effort. In part, it said: "In this spectacular celebration of Terre Haute’s 150 years, the city did itself proud. It is completely impossible to name all those responsible--they didn’t do it for that, but out of love for the city and for the fun of it. [This fun meant a lot of hard work.]"
Nor, 25 years later, the city celebrates again. This celebration won’t be as spectacular as the last one (as big as the 150th celebration was, a lot of those involved probably still feel they’re recovering).
Anniversaries like these aren’t just celebrations of the city’s past. They are statements that we’re alive, well, still writing history, and looking forward to the 100th.
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.