Lawrence County Speedway
Roy Hayden of Vincennes opened his miniature automobile (midget) racing bowl in July 1946 located on the blacktop road north of May Chapel Church known then as the George Field Road between Lawrenceville and Vincennes. He called it the Lawrence County Speedway. The track was a fifth of a mile. He advertised nationally known drivers and racing cars from Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Florida would appear. A chartered bus service for fans, leaving from Vincennes City

Lawrence Lore
17 minutes ago4 min read
Stethoscopes and Illegal Whiskey
Dr. Harlie V. Lewis, the oldest physician in Lawrence County in 1939, died at his home at 809 13th St at 3:25 pm Saturday February 1. He suffered a stroke at 8:30 that morning and his condition was considered serious from the first. Dr. Lewis had been in his usual health the last month except for a slight cold that had confined him to his home in the latter part of that week. Dr. Lewis was born in Bridgeport, Illinois, the son o f William M. Lewis and Katherine Eaton Lewis

Lawrence Lore
1 day ago4 min read
Born, Died, Miscellaneous
Vital Statistics for the Year 1940 Lawrence County Total Births in the County: 803 Total Deaths: 193 (two stillborn and 7 cases recorded as miscellaneous) (Not sure how a death could be classified as "miscellaneous" . . .you were either dead or you weren't. . . ) By Township Allison: 34 births, 5 deaths, 1 stillborn and 4 miscellaneous Bond: 56 births, 13 deaths Bridgeport: 12 births, 28 deaths Christy: 94 births, 23 deaths Denison: 133 births, 22 deaths Lawrence: 176 bir

Lawrence Lore
3 days ago1 min read


Memorial for Those Killed at Refinery
Lawrence County News November 14, 1928 IN HONOR OF COMRADES Men of Indian Erect Monument to Memory of Those Who Died in Service A monument to the memory of the men who have been killed in the service of the Indian Refining Company was unveiled with impressive ceremonies Monday afternoon, Company L and members of the American Legion participating in the ceremonies. Fully one thousand people were present on the company grounds when a beautiful silk flag was placed at half mast

Lawrence Lore
Dec 30, 20253 min read


Merry Christmas
Christmas 1944 George Field: Col Bobzien and 3000 presents for the soldiers The Research Library and History Center will be closed the week of December 21-27.

Lawrence Lore
Dec 25, 20251 min read


Christmas Sales 1940
We know how busy this time of year is going to be for everyone with shopping, decorating, wrapping etc. so we present “gift buying through the decades” –five days of gifts that Lawrence County residents were purchasing locally. Today showcases December 1940.

Lawrence Lore
Dec 12, 20251 min read


Christmas Sales 1930
We know how busy this time of year is going to be for everyone with shopping, decorating, wrapping etc. so we present “gift buying through the decades” –five days of gifts that Lawrence County residents were purchasing locally. Today showcases December 1930.

Lawrence Lore
Dec 11, 20251 min read
Ten Thousand Men Cry
Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) Vernon L Burda was a navigator on a B-24 bomber in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Burda was captured by German forces after his aircraft was shot down on or about July 16, 1944, and was held as a Prisoner of War until his return to U.S. Military Control at the end of hostilities in May 1945. (This is a long article but the ending will make you cry.) While not a resident of Lawrence County, Burda’s experiences were recorded in the George

Lawrence Lore
Nov 11, 202510 min read
Aid during the Depression of the 1930s
During the Depression in Lawrence County, a drive was held to raise a sufficient sum of money to care for the needs of the deserving poor of Lawrenceville during the coming winter. People able to contribute to the fund responded very liberally, but the amount asked for had not yet been raised in the fall of 1931. Many of the merchants agreed to donate food and clothing in lieu of money subject to the order of Mrs. George Nunn, while others promised peaches and other fruit whe

Lawrence Lore
Nov 7, 20251 min read


Peaches and the Depression
During the depression times were hard for the people of Lawrence County. In August 1931, the Lawrence County News noted that peaches used to sell for $3 to $5 a bushel but were then selling for 50 cents to $1.50 a bushel and the local orchardists were facing a financial loss. Three railroad cars of peaches were shipped from the Van Syoc Orchard near Sumner but most of the orchardists were delivering the fruit by way of the highways using trucks for the larger shipments and

Lawrence Lore
Oct 31, 20252 min read



