Local History & Genealogy

In the early 1850s Henry Cross, a stone carver, fashioned three road-marker heads in Brown County, Indiana. The markers, one of which survives today on maps as Stone Head, were the first outdoor public sculptures in the Hoosier State. Through the years, counties throughout the state have continued to add to Cross's legacy, dotting the landscape with sculptures both realistic and fanciful. The wealth of outdoor public sculpture in the nineteenth state is highlighted in an authoritative examination of the art by noted public historian Glory-June Greiff. Remembrance, Faith, and Fancy:

Quilts from the Indiana Quilt Registry Project.

Hardcover. Art from all 92 counties on display at The Indiana State Museum.

"Prior to this book project I wrote for the Indianapolis Star. I traveled throughout Indiana writing about people and situations I found interesting. On my long drives through the state, I’d pass old homes along country roads or around courthouse squares and wonder who lived in them, and why?

Who hasn’t wondered that?" ―From the Preface by Bill Shaw

Indiana is blessed with a wealth of historic private homes. Ninety-nine of them are showcased in these pages, providing a rare opportunity for readers to enjoy a variety of house styles and types dating from the early 19th century through the late 1950s, and to see how they are preserved or restored, furnished, and lived in. Everyone who has lived in or admired an old home will find this book irresistible.

Bill Shaw’s essays help us get to know the owners, revealing how and why they came to choose these particular dwellings. Marsh Davis’s photographs depict not the glossy, overdecorated interiors of upscale shelter magazines, but rather homes as they are actually lived in. No props were used, no furniture was rearranged. The book encompasses every geographic region of Indiana and many styles of architecture, from early Federal and Greek Revival to Queen Anne to Arts and Crafts to Prairie and International.

As Historic Landmarks president Reid Williamson remarks in his foreword, "Home is the essence of this book. The people are of varied backgrounds and status in life and are from all geographic parts of the state, but they are bound by a common passion and dedication to their homes. They also share a profound respect and reverence for those who preceded them as occupants over the decades."

A Field Guide to Rustic Funerary Art in Indiana

A pictorial study of Indiana barns, locally published.

This long-awaited collector's book beautifully showcases a unique line of pottery that was overlooked and underrated for many years. Regionally affiliated with the Muncie, Indiana, area, Muncie pottery exhibits harmonious colors and an honest style which collectors have recently come to appreciate. The history, and development of this interesting pottery is entwined with its parent company, the Gill Clay Pot Company. Informative discussions about this company, as well as a section on James S. Gill & Sons and the Gill Brothers, are provided within the pages of this colorful book. Over 200 brilliant full-color photographs have been selected to represent the Muncie line. In addition, many black and white original company photographs and catalog reprints showcase the rich history of this interesting pottery. Aladdin lamps, Muncie glazes, wall pockets, Reuben Haley designs, and candlesticks comprise just a few sections of the book. Collectors will thoroughly enjoy-learning about this beautiful pottery, once just,of local interest, that has risen to a national collectible level.