Contribute to the “Joyful Images” display at HCPL

In tandem with the 2026 SoIN Big Read, Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness (pick up your free copy at any HCPL branch starting Monday, September 21), Harrison County Public Library invites the community to contribute images to the Joyful Images photography display. Scroll to the end of this post to print a submission form.

Learn more about this year’s SoIN Big Read here !

Feel free to photograph something that brings joy to your life and submit one print (5” x 7” or smaller, unframed) for the library to display during October in conjunction with the SoIN Big Read.
The SoIN Big Read book is Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness. Make sure all images are appropriate and family-friendly! Photographs will be displayed from October 1-31 at the Main branch in Corydon. If you wish to keep your photograph after the display, please pick it up between November 2-14. The library will dispose of any photographs not picked up by November 14.

Full details

  • Ages 18 and up are invited to submit a printed photograph. Only ONE photograph per person.
  • The subject of your photograph should be something that brings you joy. All images must be appropriate and family-friendly.
  • Please submit prints that are 5” x 7” or smaller. Do not frame your print. If it is unclear, draw an arrow on the back of the print to indicate the correct orientation (i.e. This side up).
  • Adhesive tape will be used on the back of the print to display. Photographs may be touched by the public. Please only submit a print if you are comfortable with this.
  • All submissions will be displayed in the Main branch in Corydon.
  • Photographs will be displayed from October 1-31. If you wish to keep your photograph after the display, please pick it up between November 2-14. Any photographs that are not picked up by November 14 will be disposed.
  • By submitting your print, you are giving Harrison County Public Library permission to publicly display, photograph and promote it.
  • Harrison County Public Library reserves the right to reject any pieces that do not follow these guidelines.

Joyful Images submission form

 

 

2026 SoIN Big Read Roadmap

Contribute to the “Joyful Images” display at HCPL Read More »

It’s National Cheeseburger Day!

Contributed by Teresa Douglass, Genealogy Specialist

Take a look back at some favorite Corydon burger joints of the past with these print ads from the 1960s. Is anyone else getting hungry?

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Meet you there after the game!

Austin “Jocko” Timberlake opened Jock’s Lunch at the northeast corner of Chestnut St. and Capitol Ave. in 1949. Known for its burgers, early breakfasts, and Saturday special pork tenderloin sandwiches, Jocko’s was a favorite spot for teens and grown-ups alike to meet and laugh with friends, catch up on local news and gossip, and grab some good grub. In business at the same location for over 50 years, the small diner became an iconic spot in the Corydon community, with its location widely known as “Jocko’s corner” long after the restaurant’s closure in 2000.

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Have your cheeseburger and milkshake delivered to your car!

This print ad for the Dog-N-Suds drive-in restaurant features an image of the Corydon business where several vehicles are parked for curb service. The restaurant was located north of downtown on Highway 135 (current location of El Nopalito) and was a popular hang-out for teens and families.

Check out HCPL’s Businesses of Harrison County collection.

It’s National Cheeseburger Day! Read More »

Go, Dog, Go!

Contributed by Teresa Douglass, Genealogy Specialist

As the dog days of summer come to a close, we give a shout-out to our four-legged companions and take a look back at some well-loved canines of the past.

go dog 1Dr. Guy D. Baker of Crandall, Indiana (left), and Paul Reynolds of New Albany, Indiana (right) are pictured at the 1947 annual meeting of the Hoosier Fox Hunters Association. The foxhound in the photo belonged to Reynolds and won first place in the derby at the event.

View Group Collection No. 1

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The Griffin family dog, John Henry, leaps over the fence at the Porter-Griffin house toward Maurice Griffin in front of the home on Walnut Street in Corydon ca. 1910.

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Patrick and Helen Porter Griffin sit near their fireplace with John Henry sitting at their feet.

View Griffin Family Photos

go dog 5A young Bonnie Eckart (1933-2023) stands for a photograph with her dog Trixie ca. 1938. Bonnie was the daughter of Straude Ray and Myrtle McKim Eckart.

View Family Genealogy File Photos

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Standing beside the logging truck on Harry Conrad’s farm east of Corydon, near the Grange Hall ca. 1936 were, from left: Clarence Crecelius, Tom Crecelius, Oscar Crecelius, and Alvin “Smitty” Smith with “Peanuts” the dog.

View People at Work 

Go, Dog, Go! Read More »

Celebrate International Literacy Day!

Contributed by Teresa Douglass, Genealogy Specialist

September 8th is International Literacy Day, which highlights the importance of literacy to individuals, communities, and societies. Public libraries have long played a significant role in developing literacy in their communities, so to celebrate International Literacy Day, we feature a page from an early Harrison County library register with entries from 1839-1878. During this period, residents subscribed to the library for a set period of time or paid a small amount with each loan. The list of works loaned out ranged from popular novels to books on travel, science, nature, history, and politics. Some of the most popular items checked out of the library were:

  • Waverly novels – a series of wildly popular novels by Sir Walter Scott published between 1814 and 1831.
  • The Pickwick Papers – the first novel by Charles Dickens published in serial form between 1836 and 1837.
  • Plutarch’s Lives – Biographies of famous Greek and Roman men by Greco-Roman philosopher and historian Plutarch at the beginning of the second century.
  • Ferdinand and Isabella – a work about the young Spanish monarchs whose marriage in 1469 led to the unification of Spain.
  • Various nature field guides and sketchbooks on plants, gardens, botany, etc., and various medical guides.
  • Travel and adventure works about faraway places – Egypt, Yucatan, Poland, & Russia

FF - literacy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

View the complete Harrison County Library Register, 1839-1878

Celebrate International Literacy Day! Read More »

Back to School – Corydon

Contributed by Teresa Douglass, Genealogy Specialist

Corydon Grade School students are pictured in front of their school ca. 1897. The frame, two-story school building was located on the northeast corner of Mulberry and Walnut Streets and served Corydon students until 1915.

Browse more photos in HCPL’s Harrison County Schools collection.

Corydon grade school 1897

Corydon Grade School, ca. 1897

Several individuals in this photograph have been identified. For those for whom the name given is not a certainty, the name is followed by a “?”.

1st Row (L-R): Laurence Bennet, Hester Black, Nellie Williams, Cloe Frederick, Loraine Bulleit?, John Irwin, Jack Conrad, Unknown, Unknown, Curtis Lockhart, Walter Applegate, Bennet Caughlin, Keen Irwin, Royal Purple?, James Tabler, Bob Tracewell, George Miller, Marcella Webb, Emma Long.

2nd Row: ____ Steepleton, Willie Crecelius, Wilbur Miller, Unknown, Clara Anderson?, Faye Seig, Unknown, Bobbitt, Nell Keller, Monnie Conrad, Walter Cunningham, Waldo Hurst, Hardin Lemon?, Fritz Straub, Henry Sebrun, Mary Kirkham, Edna Lotich, Maude Davis, Clarence Lockhart, Nelly Funk, Forrest Swilte?, Willie Ball?, Grace Funk, Anna Chambers.

3rd Row: Laurence Garing?, Harry Funk, Harry Caughlin, Morris Kennedy?, Guy Bulleit behind Wilbur Miller, Mabel Jordan, Mrs. Ruth Funk, Slemmons Riely, Hattie Irwin, Unknown, Goldie McElfresh, Riely Bean?, behind Walter Cunningham, Tommie Long, May Crosier, Blaine Hays, Georgia Lemon, Cleve or Steve Blunk, May Feller, Emma Crosier, Elsie Lotick, Alma Lotich.

4th Row (starting just after Slemmons Riely): Bill Salts, Jesse Bennet, Lawson Reed, Ben Thornsbury, Ray DeMosse, Ollie Sebrun, Katie Emily, Nettie Lockhart, Louise Miller back of George Lemon.

5th Row: Bertha Sebrun?, Walter McGrain, Reed Culmer?, Wiley Patterson, James Applegate?, LaRella Bean, Alma Black, Blanche Elliott, Miss Ella Logan in back.

Back to School – Corydon Read More »

Back to School – Laconia

Contributed by Teresa Douglass, Genealogy Specialist

These Laconia 1st– and 2nd-graders look eager to get started. Even their teacher is smiling!

To see more photos, visit HCPL’s Harrison County Schools Collection.

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Laconia 1st & 2nd graders – 1939-1940

These children were 1st and 2nd graders at Laconia Grade School during the 1939-1940 school term. They posed for the picture outside of their school building, which was constructed in 1934 and served the community until 1986.  Individuals in the photo have been identified left to right as follows:

Front Row: Cletus Russellburg, Jack Briles, Jimmy Sample, Johnny Boone, Billie Crosier, Roselie Johns, Shirley Boone, Phyllis Ann Crosier, Mary Jones, Rosella Johns. (The Johns girls in this row are twins.)

Second Row: Margaret Ellen Crosier, Ruby Faith, Marilyn Beckort, Francis Timberlake, Joyce Denbo, Doris Williar, Alice Biddle, Mary Ellen Williar, ______ Howell, and Allen Denbo.

Third Row: Teacher Violet Rooksby (Gassert), Jimmy Allen Beanblossom, James Mathis, Maurice Russellburg, Lena Mae Kingsley, Donald Faith, Gene Best, John Maurice Ashton, Maurice Fisher Williar.

 

 

Back to School – Laconia Read More »

Who's Awesome featured photo July 2026

Who’s Awesome! Mariya Morton – July 2026

Mariya Morton, Corydon youth services library assistant, is HCPL’s Who’s  Awesome! winner for July. There were five nominations for the honor this month.

 Coworker Seren Lindsey nominated Mariya writing, Mariya is “always going the extra mile and really awesome at being a team player.”

Mariya joined HCPL’s staff in October of 2025. A lifelong library user, Mariya has two sons who love to visit the library. In addition to working at the library, she is a computer science teacher at North Harrison High School and has worked as a special education teacher at North Harrison Middle School. Her background in education made her a perfect fit for youth services.

 Each month a Who’s Awesome winner is selected by random drawing. Others nominated in July include: Debi Strubler, Julie Phipps, Bob Ohlrich and Steven Schifcar.

 

Article by Alisa Burch, Director

Who’s Awesome! Mariya Morton – July 2026 Read More »

Welcome back!

Contributed by Teresa Douglass, Genealogy Specialist

It’s back-to-school time already – summer goes by so fast, doesn’t it?

In honor of all our young scholars, this month we will feature Harrison County school groups of the past. We start with a group of first graders from Lanesville, ca. 1930. Visit the Harrison County Schools collection to view more photographs.

back to schoolLanesville 1st graders – ca. 1930

These Lanesville-area first-grade students pose for a photograph outside an entrance to their school building. Many of the students have been identified.

Left to right in the front row are: James Simler, Alvin Hussong, Luetta Emily, two unidentified children, Orville Hussong, an unidentified child, and Mr. Prage, the school principal.

Middle Row: Kenneth Day, three unidentified children, Gertrude Lottick (teacher), Russell Loy, Donald Kinzer, and Francis Zollman.

Back Row: Florence Prage, an unidentified child, Dorothy Prage, two unidentified children, and Cecelia Gleitz.

 

Welcome back! Read More »

And a one, and a two . . .

Contributed by Teresa Douglass, Genealogy Specialist

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Blue River Entertainers – 1931

These five men made up the vocal and instrumental group known as the Blue River Entertainers. Although their order in the photograph is unknown, members of the group were R. T. Ellis, Harley Baylor, Buch Armstrong, Wilson Kennedy, and Carl Rippy. The musicians were from Fredericksburg and were a popular group of the time that played engagements throughout surrounding counties. The group gained air time on WGBF and WHAS radio, and won a $50.00 prize in a musical contest at Purdue University.

The Blue River Entertainers performed in Corydon at the Harrison County Fairgrounds on August 4, 1931, at a large event hosted by Hopkins Fertilizer Dealers. A convention of sorts, the event drew representatives of the company and their families and friends from twenty counties in Southern Indiana and ten counties in Western Kentucky. Over 3,000 people attended the event, which had a day-long program featuring a variety of entertainment and music.

Visit the Music and Entertainment section of HCPL’s Corydon Photograph Collection.

And a one, and a two . . . Read More »

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