Starke County Historical Society

05/28/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14dFwicACGc/

Stop by North Judson's Maker Market and visit the Starke County America250 booth. While there, try your hand at our Starke County History trivia contest. We're there until 7:00 pm.

05/25/2026

Going to the beach is a long-time custom here in Starke County. This photo, taken in the late 1940's, shows the beach house at Bass Lake State Beach.

in 1931, Indiana Department of Natural Resources purchased this land to build a state beach. The Great Depression had led to both state and federal governments putting people to work on public works projects. Workers used long drag lines to pull sand from the lake's bottom to build the beach. Today some of the sand has been washed back into the lake, and the water's edge is up to the beach house.

During the 1930's and 40's, a gas station was located directly across from the new beach. It sold just about anything a tourist might need. During the 1950s, the state decided to expand and purchased the area across the road for use as a campground. It remains a campground today.

05/25/2026

This is Memorial Day weekend. Many of us have plans, which range widely - from picnics, visiting cemeteries, to watching sporting events.

Let’s go back 120 years…. before the Indianapolis 500 & NBA existed, before the holiday was named Memorial Day, and before the weekend was considered the “unofficial start of summer”. At that time, it was a day to decorate graves, specifically those of Civil War veterans.

According to the June 1, 1905 Starke County Democrat, the following is a description of how Decoration Day (what is today known as Memorial Day) was spent by many of our citizens.

*There was a absence of anything in the way of sports. Businesses closed from 9:00-11:00 AM.

*In the morning, people assembled in the courthouse yard, then marched to the cemetery. That procession was headed by Herman Seyferth, “resplendent in a military uniform, gold braid, and helmet” on horseback. Following him was a drum corps, a long line of Sunday School children with flowers, and Rev. Berry’s cadets in uniform. Following were Civil War veterans and then other citizens.vFollowing the ceremony in the cemetery, the procession reformed, returned to town, and then disbanded.

*The afternoon program (see attached news clipping) was carried out in the New Knox Opera House, which was almost full.

This year (2025) please join our local veterans for the annual Memorial Day event that begins at the Starke County Courthouse and ends with a procession to Crown Hill Cemetery. Event includes the presentation of wreaths, raising of the flag, 21 gun salute, taps, local high school band performance, and speakers. Activities take place at both the courthouse and the cemetery. The procession will be led from the courthouse down John St. to Crown Hill by the riderless horse. The speakers will be Sergeant First Class Retired Spencer England and Master Sergeant Retired Shirlene Olson.

05/20/2026

An upcoming event south of us....

The official traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica coming to White County Fairgrounds in June 2026.

05/19/2026

Reminder.... Schricker House will be open this Thursday, May 21, from 10:00 am-2:00 pm.

05/16/2026

Today, we celebrate Armed Forces Day. President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense and is observed on the third Saturday in May.

Learn more about Armed Forces Day at Almanac.com/fact/armed-forces-day-observed-on-the-third-holiday

05/15/2026

Looking for help from our followers....
San Pierre students attended this high school from 1923 until 1964, with 1964 being the last graduating class.

Below is a copy of an early school song we have for the school. We have been told there was a LATER school song, written after the colors changed to maroon and white. Do any of our followers have the words to the later San Pierre High School song?

"Onward San Pierre, Onward San Pierre
Come on Purple and White
Straight and True, She goes forever
Good old San Pierre High

"Onward San Pierre. Onward San Pierre
Precious as She's been
We're always with Her, If She loses or wins
Good old San Pierre High"

05/15/2026

We just posted a file on our website with funeral records on Thomas Hite. Here's a little information on Hite.

In early spring, 1907, Thomas Hite of Knox graduated from an embalming school in Chicago. (Starke County Democrat Apr-03-1907). A month later, he passed the examination to become an undertaker and embalmer (Starke County Democrat May-01-1907). He then became an undertaker working for Jones & Sons in Knox.

In 1914, Hite was elected county coroner and served for two years. John Jones died in 1916 ( Hite had worked for Jones for about 8 years). Thomas Hite and Frank Eatinger purchased his furniture stock and embalming equipment in late December, 1916 or early January, 1917. Eatinger already had a jewelry store and undertaking business in North Judson.

The pair continued in business for some years. In June, 1920, they received $81 from the county commissioners for burying the poor and another $75 for burying a soldier.

At some point after 1920, Eatinger reopened his own undertaking business in North Judson, in the same building occupied by the O’Donnell Funeral Home today. Thomas Hite continued in Knox.

05/15/2026

We just uploaded a file detailing funeral arrangements by Thomas Hite from late-1934 through mid-1939 .

Click on the link to check the file:
https://www.starkehistory.org/local-history/hite-funeral-home-records-knox-indiana-1934-1939?c=general-history

05/10/2026

05/10/2026

Thank you, Photos by Danny, for these awesome photos from last night's event.