Mossy Feet Books – Author Paul R. Wonning
Books About Indiana History, United States History and Garden Guides
The Nature Center, located in a former dairy barn, offers plenty to do for an afternoon’s relaxation. A bird viewing room is equipped with comfortable chairs and a large window overlooking a bird feeding station. Birds of all kinds and squirrels can be seen actively feeding at the various types of bird feeders. The Nature Center is located in an old renovated dairy barn that was originally constructed in 1833. Continue reading Visiting Hayes Arboretum
Forming a Committee
The DAR National organization appointed a committee to come up with an idea to honor the hardy pioneer mothers that journeyed west with their families to settle the west. The committee first proposed to have painted wooden markers along the route of the National Road Trail honoring the women. This idea was superseded by the concept of placing 12 statues in various states along the route. The DAR commissioned August Leimbach to sculpt the statues. Composed of Missouri granite, the statues are identical and are 10 feet high and weigh 5 tons. There is one statue in each of state, each of which is along the National Old Trails Road. Continue reading Madonna of the Trail Monument
King George Appointed Admiral Richard Howe as Commander of North American Operations on February 2, 1776. After completing his studies at Eton Coollege, he entered the British Navy in 1740 at the age of 14. He rose in rank, attaining the rank of Rear Admiral in 1765. Sympathetic to the colonies, Howe had opposed many of the provisions of the Stamp Act. He collaborated with Benjamin Franklin, whom he had become acquainted with while Franklin lived in London, with a peace plan that failed. Continue reading 1776 – The Week of February 1 – 7
Joseph Moore (February 29, 1832 – July 09, 1905)
The son of John Parker and Martha Cadwalader Moore, Joseph was native to Washington County, Indiana. After completing his elementary school education he attended the Friends Boarding School in Richmond, Indiana 1853. He would serve as an assistant teacher while attending the school. After graduating he worked as a teacher in various schools until 1859, when he enrolled at Harvard. He graduated from Harvard with a Bachelor of Science degree. Continue reading Visiting the Joseph Moore Museum at Richmond Indiana
Salisbury was created, and incorporated, in 1811 to serve as the county seat of Wayne County. A log court house, jail and a few other buildings were constructed by William Commons. This log courthouse served the county for about 4 years before Salisbury residents constructed a brick court house in 1816. Continue reading The Salisbury Courthouse in Centerville Indiana
Located in Fountain City, Indiana, the Levi Coffin Home was the site of an important stop on the Underground Railroad system that ferreted escaped slaves out of the country and on to Canada. Continue reading Levi Coffin State Historic Site
January 10, 1776 “Common Sense” By Thomas Paine Published
Few men were as influential to the cause of American independence as Thomas Paine. His forty-seven page pamphlet “Common Sense,” published in 1776, became the most read pamphlet in the colonies. Many historians feel that most of the 2.5 million Americans either read it, or had it read to them. Many estimate that printers published over 400,000 copies. Many newspapers at the time printed the entire text of the document. Continue reading Pivotal Event in American History – Thomas Paine Publishes Common Sense
Indiana possesses a wealth of botanical gardens, allowing plant researchers to study the plants growing there as well as provide casual visitors a place to learn about, and enjoy, them. Readers of Indiana Botanical Gardens will discover the history of botanical gardens in addition to listings of the world’s, United States and Indiana’s botanical gardens. Continue reading Visiting Indiana’s Public and Botanical Gardens
There are few things more satisfying to a writer than scribbling the last few words of a book. I have published many books over the years and that feeling of “I finished it,” followed by a smile of satisfaction when I hit the “Save,” button. Continue reading A Smile of Satisfaction
The traditional first basketball game held in Indiana was between the Crawfordsville and Lafayette YMCA’s after Nicholas C. McCay introduced the game to Indiana. Recent research by blogger S. Chandler Lighty has uncovered earlier reports of basketball in Indiana. Continue reading Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
Dorchester MA Forms First School Funded By Local Taxes – 1639In this episode we learn about the first colonial school … Continue reading Dorchester MA Forms First School Funded By Local Taxes – 1639
The third of seven children born to Milton Wright and Susan Catherine Koerner Wright, Wilbur was born near Millville, Indiana. The family would remain in Indiana until 1869, when Milton Wright, a Bishop in the United Brethren Church, moved to Dayton, Ohio. The Wrights would return to Indiana in 1881, where Wilbur and his younger brother Orville took up kite flying. Continue reading Birthplace of Wilbur Wright and Museum
People celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green, displaying shamrocks and drinking green beer. The origins of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and parades date back to almost the beginning of colonization. Continue reading The First Recorded Celebration Of St. Patrick’s Day in Boston
The charter granted by the Crown on March 3, 1629 stated that the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s General Court had to meet on an annual basis. This General Court admitted new freemen, chose officers, and made laws and ordinances for the good and welfare of the company. These laws could not conflict with Britain’s laws. The first meeting of this General Court at Boston occurred on October 19, 1630. The main order of business was to admit freemen to the colony. Continue reading Representative Government Birthed in Colonial America
The Minnetrista complex consists of the land once owned by the Ball Brothers, Muncie’s leading family of industrialists and philanthropists. All five Ball Brothers had homes along the 6 acre strip of land between the White River and Minnetrista Avenue. The brothers coined the name “Minnetrista,” from the Sioux word for water, “mna,” and the English word “tryst.” “Mna,” is pronounced as “mini.” The word means “a gathering place by the water.” Four of the five Ball brother’s homes still stand on the site Continue reading Podcast – Visiting the Minnetrista At Muncie, Indiana
In a precursor to Hine’s Raid and Morgan’s Raid, Confederate colonel Adam Rankin Johnson captured the town of Newburgh, Indiana using two “Quaker Guns” as a ruse to subdue the town and to his nickname, Stovepipe Johnson. Continue reading Podcast/Video – Historical Site – Newburgh Raid
After a trial in Plymouth for murder, the jury convicted John Billington of murder. Massachusetts Governor William Bradford, after consultation with the Massachusetts Bay Colony governor, decreed death by hanging for the convicted murderer. Continue reading The First Execution for a Crime in British North America
Governor John Winthrop turned many heads with his use of a “split spoon” as he sat at his meal. During this time, Winthrop likely owned the only fork in North America as the clergy considered split spoons evil. Opposed to the use of the new eating utensil they considered that the only thing worthy of touching “God’s food” were fingers. Many considered them effeminate since Thomas Coryate introduced them to England. Continue reading Before the Table Fork, there were Fingers and Knives
Organized in 2013 as the Freedom Heritage Museum, the museum opened in May 27, 2017, as the Evansville Wartime Museum. Evansville played a prominent role in World War II. During the war workers from the Republic Aviation manufactured the P-47 Thunderbolt and a shipyard on the Ohio River built the LSTs (Landing Ship, Tanks). The Evansville Wartime Museum acquired a P-47 Thunderbolt in 2020 from the Lone Star Flight Museum. Restorers repainted the aircraft in a paint scheme that mimicked the style of the P-47 manufactured in Evansville. The local Chrysler plant manufactured ammunition for the war effort. Continue reading Evansville Wartime Museum
John Augustus Reitz constructed the home in 1871.
John Augustus Reitz (May 13, 1815 – December 17, 1891)
The son of Franz Josef and Maria Franziska Gertrud Fredebolling Reitz, John was native to Dorlar, Prussia. He attended Esloh, which was one of the leading schools in Germany. In 1836 he emigrated to the United States, landing in Baltimore in December. From Baltimore he migrated to Louisville, Kentucky where he lived for about a year. Continue reading Podcast – Reitz Home Museum
Mossy Feet Books - Author Paul R. Wonning 