Although many people have heard of bodysnatching, most don’t know that it is closely connected to modern medicine. Nor do they know that Indiana had some startling cases of grave robbery by these “resurrectionists” in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In this presentation, Tamara Hunt traces the medical history of bodysnatching and focuses on occurrences in Indiana that made national or even international news.
Dr Tamara Hunt has been a professor at the University of Southern Indiana for twenty years, teaching a variety of courses on European and World History. Among her most popular courses are “Social History of Murder” and “Social History of Ghosts.” The research for those classes led to this study of grave-robbing. She is currently working on a book on publishing in eighteenth century England and is writing a book with her husband, Scott Myerly, on how the ideology of capitalism and chivalry combined to create modern male dress from the medieval period to the early twentieth century.
Another Evansville landmark turned 100, though technically last year. The General Cigar Company at 2nd St and Court St was completed in 1923 so HistoricEvansville will spotlight its belated centennial.
Philip F Grill established the Grill Cigar Co which operated out of the old Allen House at the same corner of 2nd and Division (renamed Court St later). The local cigar maker incorporated his business in 1917 which continued to grow.
The General Cigar Co out of New York acquired the business in 1919, and Grill Cigar became a branch of the national company. The manufacturer prided itself on made by hand quality cigars. General Cigar thrived in Evansville, and soon a new facility was planned.
Famous local architect Alfred E Neucks proposed a new building while remodeling part of the old. The 1870s boarding house on the corner would be torn down. A c1898 addition would be modernized and a top story added which meant the factory would have 40,000 sq ft of operating space.
The design was rough texture brick with Indiana limestone trimming. The final building would be 3-story with a basement. The 1st floor would contain the main offices, and on the 2nd would be cigar making. The 3rd floor would include packing, shipping, and crating, and also include a nursery and a lunch room. The basement would house a tobacco sweat room, the boiler, and receiving / storage.
The contract to construct the new factory was given to Hoffman Construction Co (who also built Reitz High School) in October 1922. They started tearing down the old Allen House in December 1922. The foundation was poured February 1923 and by March brickwork was started. The building was under roof in April, and some sections opened in May 1923 when departments began to use the first story.
The building officially opened August 4, 1923. The newspaper reported over 7,000 in attendance, including New York bigwigs that came to town. A dance was also held to celebrate its opening.
Sadly, the good times did not last. After operating here for decades, General Cigar closed the facility c1950 as cost beat quality, and the company couldn’t compete with mechanized plants.
Over the years, the building has been a variety of concerns including the local Indiana state employment office, Pro-Tex-All, and Girls Scout offices. It has found new life as it is currently a small business center. This building is a living testament to the city’s cigar history and has been cared for well. Here’s to 100 more!
General Cigar shortly after openingRear of the original buildingLimestone detail over the entranceView along Court St at the original 1900s addition with arched windows. The darker brick at front (right) is the 1920s section juxtaposes the old with its rectangular windows.
We regret to announce that due to circumstances beyond our control the “Food Traditions” program scheduled for Thursday 19th September has had to be canceled. We will keep you informed about any make up date as soon as we know about it.
Friday, February 2, 2024 6:00 PM Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science 411 Southeast Riverside Drive Evansville, IN, 47713
A second seating of Zoom-In Evansville will be presented Friday, February 2 at 6 pm. Join us for this program in the Evansville Museum’s Koch Immersive Theater and Planetarium. In this program, the VCHS board members Tom Lonnberg and Savanah Summerfield will zoom in on select photographs featured in the current Evansville Museum exhibition Evansville Then & Now. Savanah and Tom will “walk” through interesting facets of each image and explore these historic photographs of our city from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Lonnberg is the chief curator and curator of history at the Evansville Museum and Summerfield was a 2023 history intern at the Evansville Museum and is a history and archaeology major at the University of Evansville. For complimentary reservations, please click on this link. https://emuseum.org/rsvp.
On the heels of the Roaring Twenties, the economy was in full gear and capitalism was at its finest. Cities were growing and businesses were booming. Enter the Strongcord Tire and Rubber Co who was incorporated in November 1919 specializing in making automobile tires and rubber goods. They company started off at fast and furious pace. Stocks were sold to help raise capital for the company. Almost immediately plans for a factory were announced and there was even an investor’s picnic. See the full page ad they placed in the May 7, 1920 Evansville Courier.
In Early 1920, a large tract of land at Columbia and Oak Hill was purchased, putting it close to the Southern RR and the Boonville traction line. Shown below is the proposed design for the Stroncord factory. Work started in June 1920, the foundation was done in July, with plans for it to be completed in Jan 1921.
But all the initial progress would soon fizzle out and investors got antsy. The factory building was still only partially erected, and there was no machinery of any kind on the premises. In July 1921, a lawsuit was filed against company claiming it had no funds to finance the venture. By late 1921, the court case went against Strongcord and the stocks became worthless. The defunct company went into receivership to try to recover some funds and was forced to sell the partially built factory in May 1922. It’s unclear if it was a scheme or the business model just didn’t pan out. Either way the building at 1701 E Columbia with “STRONGCORD” in the parapet represents a company that was a blip in Evansville’s history
In the 1940s, the site was purchased from the Mike Helfrich estate, one of the big losers in the Strongcord deal. The large parcel was divided and about 5.3 acres of the factory were sold to Goad family with the rest divided for lots for housing. Goad Equipment, who specialized in restaurant and store equipment and fixtures, enclosed part of the building that was still described as “unfinished”. They would operate here for several years with the old Strongcord property serving as its factory and warehouse.
In September 1989, Evansville Bolt & Nut, Inc, a new company that served as a wholesale distributor of threaded fasteners. took over the building. Now just known as EBN they still specialize in industrial supplies.
Next time you’re out near Oak Hill Cemetery, take a look to the right (south side). You’ll catch the short lived venture of the Strongcord Tire & Rubber Co, but its stamp on Evansville’s history still endures!
