Logansport...

About ten years ago, one of my cousins and I started doing a little geneology research - and that is where I found out that I accidentally named my son Jacob after my great, great grandfather, Jacob.

My family has lived in Logansport since the early 1800's, and back in the 40s and 50s Loner Lumber built many of the houses in the neighborhoods bordering Logansport High School. I remember driving through those neighborhoods with my folks on Christmas Eve, talking about how the family had built many of those houses. My Great Uncle Herman still lives in one. When the business folded, my granfather and 6 of the 8 kids moved out to Kansas City, where much of the family still is, but my dad and his brother stayed in Indiana.

I lived on High Street for a couple of years, in a house that was just three doors down from where my father grew up, and about two blocks away from where my mom grew up - bordering Riverside Park. I had a lovely old home -it was huge, with pocket doors and a 26 foot kitchen - I think it is still blue - 1324 if you drive by...That is still my FAVORITE house of all time. The big mint green one, with the spire, where the mayor used to live - that was where my dad's family grew up -they played baseball at Riverside park. My folks used to meet on High Street and walk the last little bit to school together when they were dating - the school is now where Marsh sits, right there on Market and Broadway - the iron fence, where they walked through the gates.

My son, Josh, received his first Reconciliation and Communion in the same church as my parents, and it is still decorated by a big golden figure of Jesus, right as you come over the bridge from the river. I loved that church and it always feels like home. My mother's dad and step mom were buried from that church, aunts and uncles were married in that church - and some day, my own parents receive their final blessings there as well. Baptized, married and buried my dad says.

When I think of Indiana, it is often that drive from Indy to Logan that comes to mind - the sycamore trees, the corn fields, the little green oasis as you pass through Deer Creek... I loved it there and my memories of the time I lived there are some of my best ever.

If you travel to Logan, make sure you stop off and get a Spanish Hot Dog - and a root beer in a mug, not to go - there is no comparison.

Thank you for asking about Logansport - it was a great trip down memory lane on a cold Monday morning...