Grace’s Corydon Trip Report #1
November 1, 1998

Phew, this is mainly for Applegate girls, they will relate the best! Feel free to delete, you others, if you want!

Today started at the Corydon Best Western with Grace’s much-needed coffee. RQ, too. Dressed for very pleasant weather, maybe unusual for Corydon this late in the year (Nov. 1, 1998, Sun.) We drove to Laura Etta’s to pick her up and head for Leavenworth (girls, this is one of the outlying towns where Daddy used to take us on doctor calls, remember?) We had breakfast overlooking the Ohio River at the (what else) Overlook Restaurant. Our next stop was the old farm, and what was left of it, then we headed to Blue River Chapel (Sue: you and I saw our first dead lady there, remember?) Lowell and Mabel took us to a funeral in about 1943. They are buried there. Blue River is right there, got a good picture. It was very low and very clear, not at all like the Louisiana rivers!

Next stop, White Cloud. I nearly stole a green highway sign that said “White Cloud 1/4 mile” but it was too risky, it was in someone’s garage on the wall. Man, sure wanted it for the bunkhouse wall!!! Girls, Richard and I stood on the porch where we used to drink our “pop” and Laura Etta took our picture. That used to be such a big treat when we left the farm and drove there for a treat.

When we came back into Corydon we took the buggy ride they now offer. $5.00 a person ($14 or so in Charleston). We crossed the Big Indian Creek to the fairgrounds (the concrete ford that the water kinda runs over). I saw where I fell off Lightning on the race track. Also saw where we won ribbons in the horseshow. We also passed the ice house where Bill Buchanan took us on horseback through the mud one day.

After that we made a trip to the cemetery (Cedar Hill) and visited all of the Applegates. Ann, was there a huge Applegate monument when we were there last? I got pics of all of the graves, now I know when everyone died, in case I want to check out the genealogy on the net, Barbara.

Next we stopped by to see Fred Griffin. He gave me a large autographed book he put together of Corydon newspaper articles. He even has an original picture of the one of us as we left Corydon in 1948. He’s going to donate all of his “stuff” (and he has LOTS) to the library when he dies. I found out lots about the 2 men Bobby saw hanged from the west bridge (the one by our house). After visiting Fred we went back to the cemetery to see the Daniel’s graves. I KNEW there were more ancestors there!! Got all their pics. Girls: remember Willie? He was Bobby’s little deaf brother who was walking along the railroad tracks and killed when he was between 8 and 12. There’s a small stone to mark his grave.

Next we went to get a milkshake (me) and 2 blizzards (RQ and Laura Etta) to tide us over til supper at L. E.’s (scraps, not leftovers). We’d forgotten the time and it was about 3:30 by then.

Coming back from “new fast food city Corydon” to old town we stopped to look in Bobby’s bedroom window. It made me remember Papa when we went back to see him after his stroke. Remember, girls? Then Richard and I walked back down the street so I could show him Annis and Dowling McGrain’s house and the place that Mother taught us to swim. Remember there by the dam? Drove on down from Bobby’s house and took a picture of Daddy’s boyhood home. Rica, (if you ever see this letter) Olive Miles sold her house and moved to Louisville so we didn’t see her. We did go down her side street and see the Constitution Elm where the 1st Indiana Constitution was written in about 1812.

Next stop, the Knobs. I told Laura Etta that that was a big memory so we made the trek out of Corydon past the old high school, through Lanesville, (she even pointed out Ruth’s house) and through beautiful countryside and ending up taking the knobs just before you got in New Albany. We came home via the new interstate that misses the old route.

All of the above took from 9:00 am to about 7:45 when we got back to the motel after eating scraps at Laura Etta’s.

We got here on Sat. and went to Laura Etta’s for supper, ended up staying til about 10:00 on Halloween night. BTW, Ann, Phil Jay (J.) Hughes’ little sister, Jo Ann, came trick or treating with her daughter and 4 kids while we were there. She said to be sure and tell you hello.

Last thing we did b/4 we left Laura Etta’s was to get me a stone dug out of the ground when they built a small house on Laura Etta’s land for her niece. I’m going to use it as a stepping stone in Colorado and Ann, I want you to paint Corydon on it, please.

Girls, I don’t remember the fall colors from when I was little but I will tell you that there could not be anything more beautiful than the leaves have been while we’ve been here. We hit the jackpot!!

If I can get Sonny Applegate to answer his phone we will go by there tomorrow and see him. If we don’t get ahold of him, we will go to Morristown anyway. Does anyone know where Patty Doc is buried???? Hello??

We have had some great laughs with Laura Etta. Sue, she laughed when she told Richard about us having to sing while Lowell separated the milk and cream. He told us that we had to sing nonstop or it wouldn’t separate. Also one time when they picked us up to take us to the farm I announced about halfway there that I had to pee and right now!!

And girls, one more thing: Who was the leader when we walked along the trestle (tressle?) by the north bridge??

This has been a really fun trip. Rica and I had a great time reminscing…. (I’m too tired to try and spell that)

Gotta try Sonny again.

Love from Grace and Richard who will be in Lafayette on Nov. 7 for “Stomp”.

One more thing, Lil, if you are still with me…I gave Laura Etta your book but I’ll get me another. She wants the others so I’m going to try and send them from Amazon.com

Bye, gg