Auto tour to stop at Putnamville Monday

Saturday, April 30, 2011

PUTNAMVILLE ---- As part of a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the construction of U.S. 40, the National Road, an antique auto tour is scheduled to bisect Putnam County Monday afternoon.

The historic auto tour is part of a larger event planned by the National Road Alliance that will begin Sunday in Vandalia, Ill., and end May 8 in Cumberland, Md.

The tour will make a half-hour stop in Putnam County at approximately 3 p.m. Monday at the historic Putnamville United Methodist Church at U.S. 40 and State Road 43. The public may view the cars during the stop. The church and the Putnamville Museum housed there will be open to visitors.

Participants are invited to Marshall, Ill., Sunday for an evening banquet. On Monday, the caravan will travel to Terre Haute, touring various sites with lunch in Brazil before descending upon Putnamville.

After staying in Indianapolis Monday night, the tour will progress through Greenfield and finish in Richmond's Historic Depot District.

As the caravan crosses each state, the lead vehicle will carry a "set of bells" to the next state line and hand them off to the next state contingent. The bells replicate those that hung from the harnesses of oxen as they pulled wagons westward along the National Road.

The tour will culminate with a bicentennial celebration in Cumberland, where construction began in 1811.

Other upcoming HPS events include a Monday briefing on the National Registry designation of three Greencastle residential Historic Districts. John Warner will make the presentation at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

On Saturday, May 21, the Heritage Preservation Society will conduct a seminar at the Putnam County Museum, 1105 N. Jackson St., Greencastle. The purpose of the "DIGS" seminar is to support and encourage homeowners to spruce up and improve their properties. Topics are aimed at addressing both exterior enhancement of a property and the residential structure itself.

Scott Peters of Purdue University will address cost-effective landscaping. Stephanie Sheldon, owner of Shrubworks, Roachdale, will provide direction in successful container planting and lead participants in creating a container planting to take home. Joe Everhart of the Sycamore Group, Indianapolis, will speak on sensitive and cost-effective rehabbing of vintage structures.

HPS President Phil Gick will share a power-point presentation on ongoing restoration work at his home, Sunny Hill, an 1868 Italianate located at 911 E. Washington St., Greencastle. The house will be open to tour 1-5 p.m. Sunday, May 22.

The May 21 seminar will require paid pre-registration. The morning session from 9-11:45 a.m. deals with landscaping aspects and includes the container planting workshop costs $25.

The container planting to be taken home will have an estimated retail value of $30. The afternoon session from 1-3:30 p.m. deals with structural aspects and has a presentation on enhancing the Sunny Hill tour costs $10.

A break between sessions will allow those attending to eat a sack lunch brought from home or dine at nearby restaurants. Anyone attending the seminar may purchase up to two tour tickets for $5 apiece.

To register for the seminar, persons may call 653-4513 or 522-1430 or e-mail: putnamheritage@gmail.com Subject: DIGS.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: