Mossy Feet Books – Author Paul R. Wonning
Books About Indiana History, United States History and Garden Guides
The French brought slavery with them when they settled the area that is now Indiana in the early 1700’s. When the British took control after the French and Indian War, the practice continued. At the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, there were slaveholders in the area. Continue reading Podcast – The Mary Clark Decision Ended Slavery in Indiana
I will start at the county seat, Versailles. Platted in 1819 by Mr. John Ritchie. It was not the first county seat, that honor is reserved for New Marion, which had the first court session in 1818. The court moved to Versailles shortly after and has remained there ever since. Continue reading Happy Birthday, Ripley County
Military buffs visiting Vincennes will want to visit the Indiana Military Museum. At the entrance of this impressive museum the visitor passes by a military guard shack watched over by a uniformed mannequin in full uniform. Continue reading Video – Indiana Military Museum
The Daughters of the American Revolution, Francis Vigo Chapter, own Grouseland.
When you visit Grouseland a volunteer from the group will conduct a guided tour of the mansion. Continue reading Grouseland, President William Henry Harrison Mansion
Lesko Park occupies a grassy, landscaped strip along the Ohio River waterfront. There are three parking areas strung along Indiana State Road 56 just west of downtown Aurora. River access for boats is nearby using the Aurora Landing just off Judiciary Street. The park derives its name from Aurora Clerk-Treasurer Tony Lesko.
Lesko Ohio River Park features a wide, asphalt walkway which is about a mile long. The walkway provides a great way to get a bit of exercise after a picnic lunch. It is an easy hike along the river. Continue reading Podcast – Lesko Park and Dearborn Trail – Dearborn County, Indiana
The Sea Venture was the first ship designed as an emigrant ship and included several new interior design features. The hold was designed to accommodate passengers. Previous vessels had their defensive guns placed below decks. This placement called for a double-planked hull so it could withstand the concussion of the cannon. The Sea Venture’s guns were on the main deck, eliminating this need. The Sea Venture had a displacement of 300 tons. Many sea historians think she was the first single timbered ship built for immigration. Continue reading Podcast – The Disastrous Jamestown Third Supply Mission
Each year in March the event known as Hoosier Hysteria begins and several hundred Indiana high school basketball teams begin their quest to become the best basketball team the state has to offer. This is a short history of this beloved Indiana institution. Continue reading Podcast – The Story of the Indiana State Basketball Championship
Greetings, today I will talk about Indiana native Colonel Harland Sanders.
Everyone is familiar with Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of the famous Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chain. Few may know, however, that Colonel Sanders was born and raised near Henryville, Indiana in Clark County, Indiana. Continue reading The Story of Indiana Native Colonel Harland Sanders
Most basketball fans know that the athletic director at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, James Naismith, invented the game of basketball in 1891. Continue reading The Father of Indiana Basketball – Ralph Jones
Greetings, Today I will discuss the Pivot, or Initial Point in Indiana.
What is the Pivot Point, you ask? Well, it is the initial point of all land surveys in Indiana. The point was established by a surveyor team led by Ebenezer Buckingham on September 1, 1805. I did visit the site in the summer of 2025, however I did not walk back to the actual stone marker, as it is on private land. An historical marker near the road is about 600 yards east of the stone pillar. Continue reading Podcast – Indiana’s Pivot Point
Greetings and happy new year. Today we will visit the memorial dedicated to Hoosier astronaut Gus Grissom, located at the entrance of Spring Mill State Park near Mitchell, Indiana.
Gus Grissom Memorial Continue reading Podcast – Gus Grissom Memorial – Spring Mill State Park
Wildlife lovers should think about making a trip to Muscatatuck National Wildlife Area. The Refuge is on US 50 just east of Seymour, Indiana. The diversity of wildlife visible to even casual visitors to the Refuge is a delightful thing to see. The Refuge consists of 7,724 acres of which forestland covers about seventy percent. The remainder is wetlands managed by National Park Service personnel. The Refuge is in both Jennings and Jackson Counties, however the entrance is near Seymour, in Jackson County. Continue reading Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge
Jackson-Washington State Forest comprises 18,000 acres in the beautiful “knobs” area of central-southern Indiana. The knobs, or as geologists call it, the Knobstone Escarpment, includes some of Indiana’s most rugged terrain. Continue reading Podcast – Jackson-Washington State Forest
Obannon Woods, Wyandotte Cave and Squire Boone
Last week we visited Corydon, Indiana’s second capital. Today we visit three other destinations in Harrison County, O’Bannon State Park, Wyandotte Cave and Squire Boone’s cavern and village. Continue reading Video – Obannon Woods, Wyandotte Cave and Squire Boone
Last week we visited Corydon, Indiana’s second capital. Today we visit three other destinations in Harrison County, O’Bannon State Park, Wyandotte Cave and Squire Boone’s cavern and village. Continue reading Podcast – Obannon Woods, Wyandotte Cave and Squire Boone
The story of the founding of St. Augustine, Florida begins with a disastrous French settlement on Pariss Island in 1562, North Carolina and ends with the destruction of the French Fort Caroline in Florida three years later. Continue reading Pedro Menéndez de Aviles and the Founding Of St. Augustine
Corydon Indiana, in Harrison County, served as Indiana’s second Territorial capital and later as the first state capital. Vincennes had been the Territorial Capital from 1800 until 1813, when it moved to Corydon. Continue reading Podcast – Indiana’s Second Capitol, Corydon, Indiana
Guilford has the last remaining covered bridge in Dearborn County, constructed by noted bridge builder Archibald M. Kennedy & Sons of Rushville. Mr. Kennedy was hired by the County Commissioners in 1879 to construct the 101 foot long bridge spanning East Fork Tanners Creek. Continue reading The Covered Bridges of Southeastern Indiana
Versailles State Park, located east of Versailles Indiana on US Route 50 is Indiana’s second largest state park. It includes 5905 acres, the 230-acre Versailles Lake, a public swimming pool and one of the finest campgrounds in the Indiana State Park system. The northern area of the park features an extensive Mountain Bike trail system. Horse trails occupy the southern reaches. Continue reading Podcast – Versailles State Park
Capping off a series of strong basketball teams over a number of years,tiny Milan, Indiana defeated basketball giant Muncie Central in a true Hoosier Barn Burner with a last second, top of the key shot. Milan had defeated Muncie Central 32 – 30 on March 20, 1954. Continue reading Podcast -The Milan ’54 Museum
Mossy Feet Books - Author Paul R. Wonning 