The Jail The jail itself has seen many changes over the years. When it was originally built, there was only one floor in the mens' area. The cells were around the outside of the room, Common Area was in the middle of the room. There was a catwalk above the cells so the staff could look in the cells without having to go into the cells. 1883 Indoor plumbing was added in the jail and the home. 1898 Electricity and gas heat was added to the jail. 1931 Original cells were removed and sold for scrap metal. 1941 Metal Stairway in the back was added to get to the women's cells and for future when they added the second floor of mens' cells. 1941 Men's cells were updated. Cells were moved to the middle of the room with hallways along the sides for the deputies. 1977 The new jail on Cumberland Road was completed and they moved to the new facility. The last Sheriff to live in the jail was Larry Cook, 1971-1977. Main door to the jail area. When the jail was active, this door was usually closed and locked. Cell Block A - First Floor and to the Left Hall to Cell Block A Cell A1 Cellblock A - Common Room Cell A2 Cell block B First Floor and to the right. Exterior Hall to Cell Block B Hall to the cells and common area Cletus Knorr and Samuel Banta were successful in breaking out of the jail in September of 1940.. They took advantage of a broken cell and banged it against the concrete wall. After the first blow, the were confident that the staff was out of the building and they continued until they squeezed through the broken wall. and out the kitchen door. The pair were never caught. They were wanted in several states and the Sheriff received a letter from J Edgar Hoover about them and their crime spree. The locking mechanism made by The Fries and Son Steel Company of Covington Kentucky. You could open the cells or the common rooms, or the exterior doors from this unit. Common Room Cellblock B Cell B2 Visitation Window Cell Block C - Second Floor Stairs leading up to the Second Floor mezzanine and cells. Cell C1 Cell Block C Exterior Hall Steps leading into the second floor juvenile cells and also for adult overflow. Cell C2 Cell Block C common area Jail - 3rd Floor The cells on the third floor have seen the least amount of change. These are the Victorian cells. These were used to house women. Occasionally, they would have housed those that needed to be away from the main jail population. This would most likely have included D.C. Stephenson when he was in this jail during his trial and hearings. Juveniles may also have been housed up here before the second floor cells were added. When the jail was built, you could only access this floor through the residence. The back stairs were added in the 1930's and at that time, the entrance through the home was closed. Stairs that lead up to the 3rd floor Victorian cells. Sun shining through the bars. This chair was in the courtroom during DC Stephenson trial. There was a bathroom on the third floor. What the cell may have looked like when he was in our jail. Many books have been written on DC Stephenson, Madge Oberholzer, and the trial. These are two that our visitors have recommended. When he was 15 years old, Charles Manson was held in our jail as a runaway. He was here for several days until staff from the Plainfield Boys School came up pick him up and take him back to the reform school. The third floor shows some graffiti as well. To preserve the graffiti, the walls have not been painted in these cells. These cells were bigger, but they did not have a common area to go to.

Annual Meeting 2025 David Heighway, Hamilton County Historian Emeritus Jessica Layman, President 6 years Quilt of Valor Wreaths Across America

We want to sincerely thank sponsors and donors of our museum and our programs. With your generosity, we can offer programs that showcase our local residents, their contributions, and share the history of this prominent county in Indiana with our museum guests. Hamilton County Commissioners Steve Dillinger Mark Heirbrandt Christine Altman Become a Corporate or Event Sponsor! Please consider becoming a corporate sponsor or event sponsor for HCHS . Your company can receive exposure to local residents and tourists alike by sponsoring any of the HCHS events or activities. We are available to meet at your convenience to discuss an opportunity to enhance your company, our community and the Hamilton County Historical Society. Thank you! Contact us at info@hamiltoncoinhs.com or 317-770-0775 .

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The Kitchen This kitchen was not only the heart of the home, but also of the jail. The sheriff had a small staff, some of them were only part time. The sheriff depended on his family to help with the jail house's duties. The sheriff’s wife was a staff member and received a stipend. She had to prepare meals for the inmates and her family. If there were women or children in the jail; she was also the matron for them. The sheriff’s children helped when they were needed. Children had chores to do, including cleaning and upkeep of the yard. The children were expected to help in the kitchen. Early days required that there always be firewood in the kitchen so that they could have a good hot stove to cook their meals on. The children were called upon to deliver trays at mealtimes. The prisoners were served three meals a day. Breakfast was usually simple and consisted of a biscuit, an egg, usually boiled and some coffee. Lunch was also a simple meal, and they had a sandwich, soup, and bread. Lunch varied depending on the seasons, what was available, and sometimes what community members and businesses in the area had and shared with the jail. More than once, a prisoner said that he loved the cooking and the meals that he had here at the jail. Depending on whether ‘Dad’ was home for the meal, decided on where they ate. If he was away from home, they would eat here in the kitchen. If they were lucky to have Dad home for a meal, then that would sit at the dining room table. Family members of the sheriff who have been interviewed, told us that at holidays, sometimes a long table was set up in the Foyer. They played wiffle ball outside, had pets, and the courthouse square was their playground. There was a swing in the tree outside the west porch. The sheriff’s children were allowed to have friends sleep over. The attic was a favorite place to pla y, as well as the downtown square. The Majestic Manufacturing Company, sometimes called the Majestic Stove Company, produced about two million ranges between the 1880s and the 1940s and was one of the ten largest stove producers in the United States prior to World War II. Many of their ranges are still in use today, and they are very commonly found in stove restoration shops. We have a majestic stove here at the museum. Source: https://stoves.com/2011/10/great-majestic-cook-stove/#:~:text=The%20Majestic%20Stove%20Company%20produced,prior%20to%20World%20War%20II. McDougall was one of the early manufacturers of a Hoosier cabinet. An advertisement from 1919 identified the McDougall as "the first kitchen cabinet". George McDougall began the McDougall Company in Indianapolis, Indiana, sometime after the Civil War. The company's products were pie safes and kitchen tables. H oosier cabinets were more than just a cabinet; they were a must-have in most homes. The cabinets not only stored kitchen staples like flour and sugar, they also held workable utensils inside. Most Hoosier cabinets housed flour sifters, Lazy Susan's for spices, bread boxes, and even meat grinders. The typical Hoosier cabinet had a large base, sometimes on casters, with a pull-out work surface and several drawers. The top was narrower and had several cabinets and drawers and usually one compartment had a roll-top or tambour. Most were made of oak or other solid wood. The Hoosier cabinet began to decline in popularity after World War II when more modern appliances began to emerge. Source:https://www.americanantiquities.com/Journal%20Articles/who%20made%20it.html#:~:text=McDougall%20was%20one%20of%20the,pie%20safes%20and%20kitchen%20tables. The hand pump may seem like an antique to us, but the sheriff and his family were thankful to have “running water” in their home. Before the luxury of the indoor pump, they had to bring their water in from the outside well. Hand pumps are one of the most ancient water-lifting devices that have been used for thousands of years. In recent centuries, these devices were often installed over community water wells in the days before piped water supplies. During the Industrial Revolution (1760 – 1840), hand pumps became a common sight in Europe and North America. They were used for a variety of applications, including pumping water from wells, cisterns, and water tanks. A hand pump works by creating a vacuum that draws water up from a well or other water source, such as a borehole. The pump has a piston or plunger that moves up and down inside a cylinder, creating suction that draws water up through a valve at the bottom of the cylinder. As the plunger is lifted, water is drawn into the cylinder through a one-way valve at the bottom, and when the plunger is pushed back down, the water is forced out through a spout or outlet. This process is repeated until enough water has been drawn up or the desired pressure has been achieved. Source: https://www.aymcdonald.com/en/news/2023/May/get-a-handle-on-the-history-of-hand-pumps--304#:~:text=Hand%20pumps%20are%20one%20of,days%20before%20piped%20water%20supplies. Antique iceboxes , in principle, work similarly to the modern refrigerator. Simple, yet practical. Given the limitations of the 19th century, the icebox got the job done. The icebox itself was hollow and lined with zinc or tin. This lining kept the internal temperature cooler longer. An ice block was placed in the top compartment near food that needed to stay cold. The ice would typically last about two days with the exception of the hot summer months. The design of the icebox and the humidity circulated the cold air in the device. Source: https://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2019/03/icebox-exploring-states-of-matter-using-historic-photographs/ This is the first CROCK POT A piece of home cooking history! The Ideal Cooker by The Toledo Cooker Co. was an early version of today’s crock pot or slow cooker. The spacious metal lined well within the wooden housing was designed as a new style of cooking, advertised as economical in fuel saving and in keeping the kitchen cool in warm months. The lid has a supporting hinge and securing latch. Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/846324954994313974/ THE TOLEDO COOKER CO. Ideal Cooker History of our braided rug - with a tuxedo woven in ! Our braid rug history – with a tuxedo woven into it. Braided rugs can be traced back to the 1700’s. They started as all things did back then, of necessity. We wanted to cover our bare wood floors. Wooden floors were not smooth like they are now. Straw mats were first used. Wool was preferred over straw mats as they were more durable and prettier. Hand braided rugs continue to be a favorite with many, even today. Noblesville native Denzel Hufford loved many things, besides her main love of gardening, Mrs. Hufford also caned chairs and braided wool rugs. She was a longtime member of the Huckeepudler Rug Hooking Association. We are fortunate to have one of her rugs donated to us at the Historic Sheriff’s residence and jail on the square in downtown Noblesville. Most of everything that Denzel was involved in she always threw in a little bit of fun with it. Our kitchen rug is no different. Denzel was married to Marvin ‘Red’ Hufford, who was a very well-known big band leader in the 30’s and 40’s in Indiana and surrounding states. Denzel used some of Red Hufford’s tuxedo’s that he wore as a band leader to make the rug that we have in the kitchen of the sheriff’s residence. All the black fabric is from his tuxedo’s. Recently at the historic sheriff’s residence and jail we took some time to repair the rug in the kitchen. Board members, Nancy Massey, Janet Phillips, and Sandra Lynch. During our ‘sewing bee’ we began to wonder about the history of this rug, and we wanted to share that story.

The Parlo r Like most parlors in the day, ours is located at the front of the home. Parlors were intended for special occasions. Children dare not tread into the parlor. The parlor was typically the only room in the home that had a large carpet. The room may have been kept locked for most of the winter months when not in use so they did not have to heat it. Most parlors either a piano or organ in the room. We are fortunate to have a Kimball pump organ Kimball Pump Organ Kimball (W. W.) Co. William W. Kimball, a native of Maine, moved from Iowa to Chicago in 1857, when he was 29 years old. Kimball made a living by renting pianos and selling sheet music. By the 1870s, his music store reported annual sales of nearly $1 million. At the beginning of the 1880s, Kimball opened his first factory, which made organs and pianos, at 26th and Rockwell Streets. By 1900, W. W. Kimball & Co. employed about 1,500 people at this facility. By the 1910s, the company was turning out more than 13,000 pianos each year, making it one of the top 10 manufacturers in the U.S. piano industry. During the 1950s, when it moved its main plant and general offices to suburban Melrose Park, the company continued to employ hundreds of Chicago-area residents. In 1959, Kimball was purchased by the Jasper Corp. of Jasper, Indiana, a maker of television cabinets; the piano plant moved to West Baden, Indiana. In 1974 the name of Jasper Corp. became Kimball International Inc.; at the end of the century, this company was still making Kimball pianos. WW Kimball made 13 types of pump organs. This type is fittingly called the parlor organ. Wilson, MR January 18, 2024. Encyclopedia of Chicago, http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/2740.html About The Pump Organ Pump organs are interesting musical instruments. Human beings have always been interested in creating a culture wherever they ended up settling, and we see that this isn’t limited to a particular region or part of the world. Of course, they came up with their own instruments and unique instruments, as well. Many people might not be familiar with the pump organ, but it has quite a rich history that can’t be denied. One of the reasons that pump organs gained popularity centuries ago is because they were often times more portable than pipe organs. It became a staple of many affluent homes, and some churches ended up adopting pump organs rather than pipe organs, as well. A pump organ is also called a “harmonium.” The pump organ ended up being replaced by the electric organ, but it had several decades of popularity. You can still find it being used by certain musicians, but you are not as likely to hear a harmonium in modern times. However, it is still used in Indian music and Pakistani music. The pump organ works by pushing air past a piece of thin metal (called a “reed”). It should be noted that while a pump organ can sound incredible, it is somewhat limited in tone. The pump organ was most popular between 1850 and 1930. You can hear the pump organ in the work of many classic artists, from Debussy, to Bach, to Franz Liszt. From The Keyboard Experts, January 24th, 2024 https://www.pianoorganrepair.com/a-brief-history-of-pump-organs Parlor Fireplace In 1978, our museum underwent a huge renovation. From 1972 to 1977 the home was only used as a jail and sheriff office. They had taken over the family portion of the home for much needed office and jail space. The before and after of this fireplace shows the great strides that we made in getting back as closely as we can to the original look of the residence. The room was usually cold and originally fires were started with coal. In the 1880's there was a natural gas boom in Indiana, and the fireplace would most likely have been converted at that time. The Family Bible – The original Ancestry.com Prior to easily retrievable birth certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates, and digitized record keeping in general, the family Bible held the ultimate narrative of ancestral history. They are a treasure trove for both genealogists and historians. Often, the family Bible was the only written record of births, marriages, and deaths of loved ones. In addition, between the leaves of this precious possession one could expect to find a wealth of newspaper clippings, letters, photos, and other ephemera pressed for safekeeping over generations of forbears. It was understood that the book was to be carefully guarded and passed along. Source: https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2019/09/family-bible.html Parlor – Wool Rug By the late 1700s, an important innovation occurred: the ingrain carpet. These bold flat-pile wool floor coverings were made on a more sophisticated loom that could produce elaborate geometric and floral patterns. The most popular colors were red, yellow, and green. Since ingrain carpets were machine-made, they were relatively affordable and were found increasingly in middle-class homes. Ingrain carpets retained their popularity well into the 1800s. We are fortunate to have a wool rug for our parlor in such great condition considering it is most likely over 150 years old. We love that the colors are still so vibrant and beautiful. American author Edgar Allan Poe is best known for his mournful poetry and eerie short stories. He also had plenty to say about what we today call interior design. In an 1840 essay about interior decorating , Poe states, “A carpet is the soul of the apartment.”

Hamilton County and Noblesville, Indiana both celebrated their 200th birthday in 2023. 2023 Hamilton County Bicentennial January - December, 2023 · 9 Townships · Hamilton County, Indiana View 2023 Gallery Watch Podcast Bicentennial Blog Bicentennial Commission Kathy Williams, Co-Chair Kent Ward, Co-Chair David Heighway, Hamilton County Historian, ex-officio Ron Stone, Adams Township Deborah Gangstad, Clay Township Rick Fain, Delaware Township Suzanna Hobson, Fall Creek Township Nicole Duncan, Jackson Township Dottie Young, Noblesville Township Danielle Tolan, Washington Township Diane Nevitt, Wayne Township Jamie Rulon, White River Township Jessica Petty, Bicentennial Coordinator Guiding Principles The Bicentennial celebration was created with these guiding principles in mind: We plan to celebrate … all 200 years of Hamilton County history (and beyond) in a complete, accurate way. We will reflect … on our past, celebrate our present, and build towards the future to make Hamilton County a better place for all people to live. We aim to represent … many different perspectives and raise all voices in celebration, not just the most visible ones. We strive to collaborate … and advocate for community through programming, publications, and promotion of our Bicentennial themes. Hamilton County Bicentennial January 2024 Final Report Celebrating Hamilton County, Indiana: 200 Years of Change Our book is available for purchase on Amazon, the publisher’s website, and several locations throughout Hamilton County. We have sold (at least) 695 books out of a 1,000 book print run - so get them while you can! Budget: We distributed $58,000 in grants to 29 organizations and representatives from all nine townships for almost 50 programs. We paid the Bicentennial Coordinator, three communications contract workers, a photographer and videographer, and three content developers. Our merchandise provider MarketPro allowed us to only pay for merchandise that did not sell before the end of 2023 Communications: Our website, hamcoturns200.com, included a biweekly blog, a monthly email newsletter, and served as the clearinghouse for public information on the Bicentennial. In addition to advertising online and in print publications, this team sent press releases, designed and developed merchandise with local partner MarketPro, designed a print calendar, created special video promotions for social media, as well as designed several aspects of the book. Traveling Exhibit: Funded by the Hamilton County Community Foundation, it covered all 5 themes and traveled over 35 weeks to almost 30 locations throughout the county, including schools, libraries, businesses, etc. It will continue to be used by the Hamilton County Historical Society. Event Management: This team planned our opening ceremony in January of 2023, as well as our closing event, the Bicentennial Bash in December. The opening, at The Palladium in Carmel, had around 600 attendees and the Bash at Ivy Tech in Noblesville had around 360. Both showcased the entire county. Our grant-funded programs had a total of approximately 15,250 attendees. High School Ambassador Program: Funded by County Commissioners individually, 11 students from almost every high school in the county attended programs led by community leaders as well as Bicentennial events. They engaged in approximately 60 hours of activities. Transportation Marker Program: In development as a legacy project, the Hamilton County Historical Society will take the foundation of this idea and bring it to fruition. Lost transportation routes like canals, stagecoach stops, interurban stops, etc, will be memorialized with permanent signage. Photographer/Videographer: We contracted with Daniel Grose Photography and Adam Grubb Media to create a permanent record of the Bicentennial.