Bakes Nothing but Pies

Known as the "original heaven of pies", Parks Purity Pie Company, was founded and ran by James and his brother Thurston Parks in 1925. This little company sat on Wabash Avenue. It only had three employees and made about 520 pies per day. After awhile, Parks was ready to sell the business. He decided he would offer it to one of his employees, Ivan Wilkinson, who was a native to Terre Haute and at 22 years old drove trucks for Parks. Wilkinson used a small amount of his savings for a down payment and in 1948 became the new owner to Parks Purity Pie Company.

He drove the truck for a little while, but the business began to grow, so he hired a new driver so he could manage the business full time. During the 50's, 60's, and 70's, the business just kept growing! These pies were quality pies, with no perservatives and a special crust. Because of the great demand for these pies, many pie companies around the state began to close. They were selling these pies all across Indiana, and as far as West Virginia. As to many young children growing up, these pies were their favorite snack to take in their lunch to school, and you could get one of these for only 10 cents.

Wilkinson didn't grow up in the best home life, and never was really that interested in school either. He wished that he would have been able to go to college, but in 1940 it just didn't happen. He taught himself about business and managment, and even though he didn't have degrees under his belt, he was still written about in three different books about prominent businesspeople. According to Wilkinson the secret to success is to, "have a good product and take care of your customers".

This business could have went nationwide, but Wilkinson wanted to be there whenever it was operating, and he didn't have it open on Saturday's or any night shifts. If he would have done this, they could have produced many more pies to be delivered all over the place. When Wilkinson was 57 years old, in 1980, he sold the business to Hollywood Brands Candy Company from Illinois.

Wilkinson said that no other pie could compete with his pies, and that the cherry pie was one of his favorites.

Paul Dresser

Paul Dresser was born in April of 1859 in the house pictured to the right. It was built in 1850, where originally it was located at 318 S. Second Street in Terre Haute. This house consisted of one bedroom, a kitchen, and a living room. In the 1960's, there were people, like usual, wanting to demolish the building, but with the help from the Vigo County Historical Society, they managed to find the money to save it and move it to where it stands today at Fairbanks Park. It now has a second floor that it didn't originally have, including two bedrooms that are accessible only from the outside of the building.

Paul, as a child into his teen years had many problems of getting in trouble with the law and spend several months in jail. After getting out, he joined a band and began traveling. He grew in fame and became very popular. He began writing music, and eventually wrote the most famous of his music, "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away". He became very wealthy from this, but it didn't last long, as the style of music didn't last and his income dropped tremendously. He eventually had to file bankruptcy in 1905, and the following year he passed away.

Clara Fairbanks Home

In 1924, a large brick home was built at the corner of North Seventh Street and Eighth Avenue, known as the Clara Fairbanks Home. Built by Crawford Fairbanks, dedicated it to his wife, Clara Collett, as a memorial.



Clara was born in August 1840 to Stephen and Sarah Collett, and was the youngest of nine children. Her father was the state senator of Vermillion and Parke county. When Clara was 3 her dad died, and then at the age of 12 her mother died. She was raised by her aunt, but was left with a large fortune by her father. In 1872, she married Crawford Fairbanks, who was a local successul businessman.



Clara was very interested in women's causes, especially their health. She was involved in many charitable events and gave large amounts of money and time.

The Clara Fairbanks Home was a place for aged women, most of who were alone, usually poor, and needed care. It was a place to give older women comfort and shelter. In 1971, it merged with the Chauncy Rose Home, another women's home, and stayed open until 1986. In February of that year the home closed and was purchased by Union Hospital. As most buildings in Terre Haute, it was demolished in 1996 and a women's health center was built in honor of Clara Fairbanks named, Clara Fairbanks Women's Health Center. It was in her honor for her lifelong dedication for women's health and needs. Union Hospital marked the site with a memorial wall with the original cornerstone. A picture of Clara and her husband Crawford, can be found in the Victorian Parlor in the Vigo County Historical Museum's second floor. She impacted many women in Terre Haute during her time, and her legacy still lives on even today.

Garfield High School

Garfield High School, in Terre Haute, IN was opened on September 3, 1912 to its first 432 students. The school was not completely finished, as the floors were not finished and it did not have heat. Albert E. Highley, a math teaher at Wiley from 1910 to 1912, was the first principal of Garfield High. The students were the ones to decide what colors they wanted to represent as their school, and they chose purple and white.

After one year, Highley became superintendent of the schools in Marion, IN. In 1913, Garfield received a new principal, T. W. Records. In this year the first yearbook of Vigo County, the Benedictus, was published. In 1914, the senior class got to see the first printing of the school newspaper, "The Garfield Review", which before this time, that I found interesting, was that the newspaper was handwritten.

In the 1930's, the stock market crashed, leaving disaster. Even though the school had to get rid of some things, it did not affect their school spirit. The Junior-Senior prom had to be cancelled, but they came up with the idea to have a sunrise dance and breakfast to replace it.

On April 29, 1934, Garfield High was severley damaged by a fire, but survived. In November it was rebuilt, and even this did not take away the school spirit. In 1936, Russell McCoy, wrote the words and music to the school song, "Purple and White", which is followed:

"Purple and White,

See our banners gaily fly.

Purple and White,

We'll wave them through the sky.

Blaze away, O Eagles in your flight

Soaring on and up until you reach the height.

Purple and White,

7-6 will guide us there.

Purple and White,

Our drums and fife declare.

Go Garfield Go,

To the march of victory."

Garfield had a reputation of producing outstanding students, such as business leaders, while also having three Olympic gold medal winners, Clyde Lovellette in 1952, Gregg Bell in 1956, and Terry Dischinger in 1960. In 1971 sadly, Garfield High School closed due to consolidation.

Collett Park

I stumbled upon a park in Terre Haute, one that is the oldest park in Terre Haute, that I had no idea was even there. It consist of 21.1 beautiful acres about 1 mile east of the Wabash River on the north side of Terre Haute. In 1883, Josephus Collett made a living building railroads and decided he wanted to really give something to Terre Haute by donating some land. This was the city's first public park and was put in the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. Today the park includes tennis courts, children's playground, horseshoe pits, picnic shelters, and enclosed pavilion for gatherings of 50 or fewer people. Now instead of people riding a horse and buggy to the park to play they pile out of their parent's cars or ride their bike.

A Secret Society?

Many people may not know what the Freemasons are, but they aren't necessarily a secret either. The masonic lodge building here in Terre Haute is about 90 years old. This building was actually built to be fireproof because just before it was built in 1915, there were many fires that destroyed many buildings. Today there are about 2,000 members of the fraternity.

There isn't as many members as there used to be though. More recently, Freemasons have gotten more attention after the releases of, "The Da Vinci Code" and "National Treasure". To join the fraternity, there are a few requirements that have to be met; must be a man of good morals, depending on where you live at least 18 years old or in some cases 21, have a belief in a Supreme Being, ability to support themself and their family, and the most important one is to join on thier own free will.

I have three members of my family that are part of the Freemasons, and even though I know people that are in it, I still do not know what they really do or talk about. The Freemasons are a big part of our history that at times is still a mystery.

Indiana Theater

A place that I thought was quite interesting, that I havent had a chance to go to, is the Indiana Theater here in Terre Haute, In. I remember driving by it one day and was amazed that there was a theater that looked like it did and you don't see very many theaters like that around here. I looked to see what the price was to go watch a movie and was surpirsed to see that you can enjoy a movie for only $4.00. You definitely can't go watch a movie for that at a regular movie theater.

The theater can seat 1,600 people, and the screen that the movies are played on is the second largest in Indiana. The screen can also be lifted up for people to do live performances. I think that this is a great thing to have in Terre Haute, and a great place for families to go to have fun. This again is another part of the history that is only a few blocks away from us.