Flashbacks

Gleaned from the Howard County News
Flash Backs

July 1952

McQuiston-Miller Spot "Saucer-Like" Objects

   Unidentified objects which bore a resemblance to "flying saucers" reported in various parts of the country were observed Wednesday night by Symie McQuiston and Bill Miller.
   Seen while the men were on observation duty for Operation Sky watch on the 8 to 10 p.m. shift, the objects appeared in the west.
   According to the men, two lights which resembled stars were seen at some distance.  They traveled in an easterly direction for some minutes, seemed to merge into a single light, separated into two distinct lights and disappeared to the north.
   The lights were definitely not those on an airplane the men said.  They were definitely not stars, they said, and they were on something that traveled at a great height.

Greentown Girl Appearing in Rodeo Show at Kokomo

   One of the outstanding performers of the rodeo troupe appearing nightly at the Kokomo Speedway is a Greentown girl, Miss Betty Thomas.  A trick rider, she is featured in one of the show's most thrilling acts when she rides her horse "Calgary Red" over the top of an automobile.
     Local residents remember Miss Thomas as an expert rider as a child at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred E. Thomas, operator of the Thomas Gravel Pit, just west of Greentown.  Following her graduation from Greentown High School with the class of 1945, she started riding as a professional.
.   She spends her winters near Indiantown, Fla., with her husband, Wiley Elliott, also a rodeo performer.  They live on a cattle ranch.  While living at home, Miss Thomas was a member of the Windfall Saddle Club.
  
*****
The Howard County 4-H Fair, held
July 30, 31 - Aug. 1, 2, 1952, in Memorial Park in Greentown, included Band Concert 
4-H Tractor Maintenance 
4-H Judging
Women's Hog Calling Contest 
Howard County Pet Show
Howard County 4-H Dress Revue 
Howard County Variety Show 
Women's Nail Driving Contest  Sack Race 
4-H Livestock Auction 
4-H Awards Presentation 
Howard County Guernsey Show 
                 30,000 Square Feet of 4-H Exhibits and Merchandise Exhibits
35 Rides and Concessions

July 1972

Greentown Gems

*****
 Greentown Firemen 
got a close look at the giant power station just east of town Monday night.
   Public Service Indiana and Indiana & Michigan Electric Co., co-owners of the station, had firemen in to show them the plant's setup in case they are ever called to fight a blaze there.
   The place carries some impressive statistics.  The main power line through it carries 750,000 volts of electricity, largest in the world.  The big transformers each hold 14,000 gallons of oil, and the entire system was built at a cost of $5-million per mile.
   It is more than 200 miles long!
*****
 Greentown’s Largest Crowd
since the Greentown Glass Festival parade was on hand Tuesday morning to watch another sort of "march."  The house located just west of Hudson's Super Market took a ride east on the highway - with wires being raised and lowered along the route.  The move came off without incident, other than the fact that there aren't many housed on the road these days.
+++NOTE++ The house was being moved by Forest Swisher and one of his helpers, Virgil Turner, had a run-in with the house.  It ran over the toes on his left foot, breaking them all.  He did not report the injury until the house was set in its new location on the corner of SR 213 and Walnut Street.  He recovered completely and laughed about the "house that broke his toes" each time he drove by.

July 1982

Recreation Center Has New Look

   The first sign of change at 126 N. Meridian St. was the removal of curtains that had blocked the views of passersby for months.
   Soon two Pac-Man-type gobblers appeared in the window, along with large letters stating "Video Games."
   "I just felt like there was a need for someplace for kids to go," said Dave Utterback, new owner of Greentown Recreation Center, which is located across from Panda Vans.  Utterback, a 27-year-old former Eastern High School student, purchased the business from William Voorhis late last month.
   The two pool tables and table tennis table previously in the business now have to fight for the attention of Utterback's patrons, who often are more interested in the newly-acquired video games and pinball machine.
   Utterback already has one pinball machine and three video games in place - including a pink-and-blue Ms. Pac-Man, and he hopes to add another four video games, an ice hockey game and a working jukebox to the room.  The owner is undecided what other video games will be added, but a game list on the wall invites suggestions of patrons.
   Business has been fairly steady in the first two weeks, Utterback said.  In fact, the day after he posted his open hours a group of youngsters on bikes was waiting outside the door at the specified time.
   Adult supervision is provided at all times, Utterback said.

Auction Gallery Changes Hands

   Herman McCombs, who started Greentown Auction Gallery several years ago, has regained ownership of the business at 121 N. Meridian St.
   McCombs said he will operate a retail business out of the front of the store and conduct an auction at 6:30 p.m. every Friday.
   Auctions have been held at the building each Monday since November, when Truman Slabaugh of Kokomo took over the business from Robert Scott.  In 1980, Scott had purchased the auction business from McCombs, the original operator.
   McCombs regular auctions began Friday with a grocery auction.  The grocery auctions will be conducted once each month, he said, while other regular auctions will consist of antiques, household goods and miscellaneous consignment items.
   Presently the front of the business is a small gift shop of collectible items, including Greentown Glass and other glassware, some furniture and other consignment items.
   McCombs said eventually he would like to make the shop almost exclusively for Greentown Glass.

Main Street Apparel Closes in June

   Main Street Apparel's June closing left the intersection at Meridian and Main streets with only two open businesses.
   Hutto Drug Store, 100 W. Main St. and Sycamore Ceramic Shop, 102 E. Main St., are the only two businesses still operating at Greentown's major intersection.  State Bank of Greentown, which formerly occupied the southeast corner of the intersection, moved its facilities to 200 W. Main St. in October 1979.
   Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hubbard, who own the building which housed Main Street Apparel, said they are hoping to lease the space to another business, although no prospects have been found.  The building, which has four apartments upstairs, also includes the area presently occupied by Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio and Main Street Beauty Salon.