As I was planning my trip to Louisville Kentucky to search for my American Revolution ancestor, I decided to stay across the Ohio River in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Louisville has too big of a city feel for me. I prefer quieter, small towns. So, I booked my hotel in Jeffersonville, and set out on the 9 hour drive from Kansas City.
Early the next morning, I walked through the awakening residential area to the coffee shop around the corner.
Visiting local coffeeshops is bliss for me. Pearl Street Coffee House is in an old cottage home. It is tranquil and comfy. I came here several times a day. One morning, I sat on the porch and read a book, while sipping my latte. I enjoyed the vantage point of watching the townfolk pass by and begin their days.
There is a historic walking bridge over the Ohio River. It is a one-mile walk. I strolled with the locals across it in the evenings. No one was in a hurry. The tempo of life in Jeffersonville is relaxing.
I was encouraged by a local to visit the Clark County Museum in Jeffersonville. However, I couldn’t find it, even with GPS. I had to ask for directions. When I arrived, I was unimpressed. As a museum enthusiast, I was so underwhelmed that I almost dismissed it and kept driving. But on a whim, I decided to give it a try. I soon learned never to judge by appearance.
I met Jeanne, the Director, as I entered. She gave me a personal tour. She is a talented story teller and had me hooked from the start.
Jeanne showed me the photo displays of Rosie The Riveter, who lived in Clark county. She was a widow with two children, when she went to work riveting in the local factory during WWII. I asked Jeanne if she was as tough as the postor portrayed her. Jeanne pointed at the other two photos. After the war, Rosie became a beautician. See her teased bouffant?! And then later, she ran her own construction company. So she was definitely a formidable woman.
During the gangster era, the region had numerous casinos. The mob bosses, including Al Capone, frequented this small town. Dillinger too. That seems a little scary.
Jeanne has fascinating stories about the German POW camp, and the massive 16,000-patient war hospital right in the midst of this Indiana countryside.
I wondered how that affected the lives of the townfolk. It had to have a significant impact on their comforting daily rhythms.
The museum has a display of carrier pigeons used during the war, including a taxidermied German carrier pigeon with a camera strapped to its chest. Jeanne labeled it a “messenger drone” which made me smile.
I could have stayed for hours and listened to her stories. So I would recommend that you go and hear them yourself. No one can tell them like Jeanne. Also, I would recommend that Jeanne write a book or start a YouTube channel, where we can all watch her tell these stories. There are plenty more in the museum she is ready to share.
Jeffersonville has much to explore and do. Everyone in the family will enjoy a visit here.