Greentown Historical Society helps celebrates town's 175th anniversary

Jul. 27—Did you know Greentown turned 175 years old this year?

That's the premise behind the Greentown Historical Society's newest exhibit, which is titled "Did You Know?"

While celebrating the 175th anniversary of Greentown's appearance in Howard County's official records, the exhibit also highlights little-known facts about eastern Howard County.

The "Did You Know?" aspect of the exhibit came about by accident, explained Joyce Lantz, who helped organize the exhibit.

When the exhibit committee first sat down to discuss how the Historical Society should celebrate the 175th anniversary, its members began to list off what the museum had featured in the past.

The members soon found themselves calling out facts, prefaced by "Did you know?," that others at the table hadn't heard before.

Did you know John Dillinger stopped outside the Historical Society building?

The Historical Society got its start at 101 E. Main St. in 2000. Since then, the museum was able to purchase the neighboring building, which used to be the State Bank of Greentown.

During his Depression-era crime spree, notorious bank robber John Dillinger stopped outside the bank and made a phone call. Lantz said he was likely scoping out the bank, but ultimately decided to move along.

The historian noted Greentown residents rushed to notify authorities once Dillinger was spotted in town, but he had already left by the time police got to the bank.

Ironically, the bank was the only one in Howard County that survived the Great Depression. Lantz explained it was a conservative bank that didn't take on risky investments.

You can still step into the bank's safe at the museum to see photos and artifacts from the building's past.

Did you know Greentown has a connection to John F. Kennedy's assassination?

Dr. Paul Peters, a Greentown High School graduate, was on duty when President John F. Kennedy was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas.

Museum visitors will be able to view Peters' yearbook photos, check out his family tree and watch recorded interviews on his role in the assassination investigation.

Notably, Peters testified before Congress for the Warren Commission during the investigation. He was also featured in a documentary about the former president's assassination.

Did you know Greentown sisters found success in entertainment?

The Seegar family had four sisters who appeared on the silver screen, early TV and on theatrical stages.

Helen Seegar, the eldest daughter, was the first to break into the entertainment industry. She worked in a theatrical producer's office in New York.

Dorothy Seegar, the second oldest, was next to enter the industry. She joined her sister in New York to perform on Broadway.

Miriam Seegar, the fourth daughter, was the third to move to New York. She performed in small Broadway roles before returning to Greentown to finish high school. Once she graduated, she moved to London and performed on stages and in movies.

Sara Seegar, the fifth daughter, also performed in London and New York. She took on theatrical roles, radio shows, films and television shows. She played Maud Dunlop in "The Music Man," and Mrs. Wilson on the television run of "Dennis the Menace." Sara also made appearances in shows like "The Brady Bunch" and "The Andy Griffith Show."

The exhibit features Miriam Seegar's steamer trunk.

Miriam lived in London when World War II broke out. The trunk carried her possessions to Hollywood, California, when she left Europe to avoid the war.

Museum visitors will also be able to watch a compilation of Miriam's and Sara's film and television appearances at the museum.

Greentown's 175th anniversary

Other displays in the "Did You Know?" exhibit cover farm history, Greentown's former newspapers, the town's wooden pump industry and a timeline of Greentown's growth.

A bulky historical book near the back of the museum documents Greentown's roots. There are handprints all over the ledger from more than a century of use. Most of the entries feature handwritten script.

There's an entry from April 5, 1848, that shows 72 lots along the intersection of Main and Meridian streets in Greentown. The page is the town's first plat, mapping out the initial buildings that founded Greentown 175 years ago.

Although the plat was recorded April 5, the town will hold its anniversary celebration in August. Organizers explained they held off the celebration hoping for better weather and that more people would be able to attend the festivities.

Starting Aug. 25, a portion of Meridian Street will be closed to accommodate bounce houses, vendors, a petting zoo and a stage for live music.

The Medicinal Bluegrass Band and Southern Rock Authority will appear on the stage Aug. 25.

A parade will be held at 11 a.m. the following morning. Then, at 2 p.m., members from the Historical Society will present a 1998 time capsule that was buried to celebrate the town's 150th anniversary.

After the capsule is opened, a new time capsule will be buried until the town's 200th anniversary. The Historical Society is taking suggestions for items to be stored in the 2023 time capsule.

Comedian Randy Maurer, singer Keyton Romero and The Checkered Vans band will perform on the festival's stage Aug. 26.

The Historical Society will also sell commemorative bricks for $50 during the celebration.

The Historical Society will be open during the festival's operation hours. If you aren't able to make it to the celebration, the museum is open 1-4 p.m. Mondays and Saturdays.

For a full list of scheduled anniversary celebrations, visit greentownindiana.org.

James Bennett III can be reached at 765-454-8580 or james.bennett@kokomotribune.com.