Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Day 29, September 29—Destination the West Side of Danville

Muncie
About 12 miles west of Danville is the little town of Muncie, which has about 200 inhabitants. (The 2000 Census recorded 155, but the population sign claims 200.) They continued their Christmas tradition form 28 years, with the Muncie Baptist Church putting on a live nativity scene along the alleyway behind the church building from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in December.

When Mary and I attended that event a few years ago, we were surprised to see a couple of camels tied up. Of course there were also the usual farm animals that might well have been in or near a stable in Bible times.

I don’t think it’s a sister city thing, but the camels come from Muncie, Indiana. The church is a friendly place, and they even build half an hour of fellowship time into their Sunday morning schedule: Sunday school 9:00 a.m., Fellowship time 10:00, Worship service 10:30. Sadly, the lady who got the live nativity started passed away about 5 years ago. Then the pastor of many years left. Then they had to get camels from Ohio, and finally the company that owned the camels started charging $3000. Others had started competing live nativity scenes, perhaps inspired by the one in Muncie, so last year (2009) they decided not to have the event. It’s a loss.

I met a very young 83-year-old lady in town who had recently acquired a horse-drawn sleigh. Along with the sleigh, she got photos, stories, and a complete history. The sleigh was complete rebuilt a few years ago by some Amish people in Columbia, Missouri, and it’s in mint condition. The new owner is hoping for at least one sleigh ride (she doesn’t have a horse), and she is planning to display the sleigh on the porch of a large house in town at Christmas time this year.


Conkeytown
Just about a mile and a half 3 miles southwest of Muncie, was Conkeytown, laid out by Jeff Conkey in 1839. Matt Smith’s CafĂ© was the scene of many battles among the feuding Cannons, Hayses, and Phelpses. The men of these families were all of very large stature and heavy build, and they all loved to brawl. The story is also told of a colorful local by the name of Jim Knox, who would stand behind a mule and let it kick him in the chest, without so much as batting an eye.

The town soon had a store, a blacksmith shop, a gristmill, and a post office. Things seemed peaceful enough until Matt Smith from Danville opened a dancehall, wine room, restaurant, and a few sleeping rooms. Smith brought in some show girls from Ohio, and their evening productions packed out the place, drawing young men from far and wide.

Conkeytown also served as an Army recruiting station during the Civil War. Jim Knox and Jim Cannon were pretty wild until their conversions at a little church that still stands near the old Conkeytown. Instrumental in their spiritual awakening was the Reverned Thomas Fulton, who, like some other preachers of his day, was reputed to be a very good fighter.

Like many other early local towns, Conkeyville eventually faded away and is no more.
Oakwood
Oakwood is home to a very dynamic high school football team. It was also the home town of Darrin Fletcher, who played baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Montreal Expos, and the Toronto Bluejays. He played professional ball from 1989 until his midseason retirement in 2002.
American actress Angela Watson was born on November 12, 1975 in Danville, and she grew up in Oakwood. She’s probably best known for her role in the sitcom Step by Step, which I confess to never having seen. Watson grew up as the youngest in the family on their farm near Oakwood, until she was 10, when her parents moved the family to Cape Coral, Florida, and began entering her in beauty pageants. She did well, and she would eventually win 60 crowns and 200 trophies. In Dallas Texas, when she was only 13, she won Model of the Year. She would later graduate from John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California.
Watson is on the Screen Actors Guild National Board of Directors. She also founded Child Actors Supporting Themselves (CAST), an organization that trains child actors and athletes to handle their finances and that aims to help protect them from those who would take financial advantage of them. She hasn’t been in any major movies that I know of, but it seems she keeps busy with various philanthropic causes.
On Oakwood Road there are several support our troop signs, listing the name and branch of service of the person from Oakwood who is defending our nation. That’s an awesome concept, and I believe I’ll try to implement something like it in Champaign when this walk is over.


The support-our-troops signs are made and put up by a lady who is a resident of Oakwood. She and her husband started the practice, and she has kept it up since his death. I salute her for this fine and important work, and for showing such great support for our troops.



Support Our Troops Signs in Oakwood

Oakwood was founded in 1870 and became a coal-mining center in the 1890s. There was actually a competing settlement, also called “Oakwood,” that was started around 1868, but  whose cemetery has burials as old as 1838. That Oakwood is about a mile and a quarter south of Muncie, and the cemetery is still there. Though the sign at the entrance says “McFarland Cemetery,” some locals call it the “Dalbey Cemetery.” Both titles derive from local family names.

When the Glenburn Mine closed in 1898, the town of Glenburn, not far to the northeast of Oakwood, perished with it. Some of the buildings (at least 5 houses) were moved to Oakwood following the demise of that mine. Some of the miners travelled on foot to other mines in the area, and some simply left the area. The old Glenburn store continued in operation, run by Oliver M.  VanAllen’s three lovely daughters, and did not close until some time in the 1950s.

Oakwood itself started life as Oakwood Station on the Indianapolis, Bloomington, and Western Railroad, which crossed Oakwood Township in 1870 and 1871. The town at the station was platted in April, 1870, just 5 months before Muncie would be platted, in September of the same year. In 1871 Henry Dulin opened a drug and grocery store, and a Dr. Gavin opened a practice. 

Later that same year, a terrible fire, fanned by high winds, burned almost the entire village. Two local shopkeepers by the name of Johns and Stewart were financially ruined. Henry Dulin rebuilt his store and later became postmaster. The fire even destroyed the railroad depot, only partially built at the time.

The following year, 1872, a smallpox epidemic struck Oakwood and the surrounding communities. Oakwood reported 15 cases, with 2 deaths, and nearby Muncie and Fithian fared even worse. But Oakwood weathered this disaster too, and by 1874 there were 12 houses and 4 buildings that housed businesses.

Oakwood is a genuine community, with community spirit and a determination to persevere. People have lovely yards and flower gardens, and the major business, as elsewhere in this rural area, is agriculture, with corn and soybean fields coming right up to the edge of town. I would venture that it’s a great place to live and raise kids.


Lovely Fall Marigolds in Oakwood

Not far south of Oakwood is a little winery. I'm used to seeing grapes grown on hill soil, but the grapes in this vineyard seem to be thriving.

Verdant Grape Vines

Sign at Entrance to Sleepy Creek Vineyards

Hillery
East of Oakwood, U.S. 150 turns toward the northeast and skirts Kickapoo State Park, then crosses I-74, where it runs through, Hillery, an unincorporated community in Danville Township, Vermilion County. From there Route 150 runs along Danville’s Main Street. It crosses a bridge into Danville proper, originally called the “Victors’ Bridge,” but later renamed to honor Korean War veterans. Just to the right, immediately following the bridge, is a statue of what looks like a Greek god with a sword, and the names of World War I veterans are inscribed on the sides of the obelisk that supports the statue. An American Flag on a flagpole waves high above the statue.

God willing, I’ll start the last leg of my walk on the north side of Danville’s Main Street right at the war memorial at 8:00 a.m. Thursday (tomorrow). Only one more day to go.



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