Item From the Past: Indiana '02

I've written about our visit to south-central Indiana in late March 2002 before, and I try not to repeat myself. (See March 24 and April 2, 2003.) But I didn't publish images in those days.

Such as an exterior view of the Ameritech/SBC switching station at Seventh and Franklin in Columbus, Indiana.

This is a better picture. The Columbus C&V Bureau notes: "Paul Kennon of Caudill, Rowlett, Scott designed this building in 1978. It is encased with a skin of reflective glass. The result mirrors activities of the surrounding neighborhood. Giant yellow, orange, red and blue 'organ pipes' on the west side are both functional and decorative."

After visiting Columbus, we went on to Nashville, Indiana, which has a history as an artists' town. To repeat myself from April 3, 2003: "There was one shop in Nashville that we liked more than the others, just a bit off of the main street, and we bought an inexpensive watercolor there. It illustrated the town of Story, Indiana, some miles south of Nashville.

"The man behind the counter, burly, tattooed, graying and about 50, told me that Story was worth seeing, very rustic, and that the drive there was hilly, not very Midwestern at all. Then he said, 'Thanks for buying my painting. I did that one.' And indeed, his mugshot and a short bio were pasted on the back."

I would mention his name now, but when I removed the watercolor to scan the other day, the information was missing, and I can't quite read the signature. This is the watercolor: