Here is some info from the Vigo County Library's website at:
http://165.138.44.14/timeline/histeven.htm
Calvary Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery, located on the south side of U. S. 40 at 4427 E. Wabash Ave., was opened
in 1912. The land was a gift to the Catholic community from Herman Hulman, Sr.
Disasters and Political Scandals
March 1913 -- A year of disasters and political scandals. On Easter Sunday in March, a
tornado swept up the Wabash Valley took off from the river near the site of the present
sewage disposal plant, hit the Ijams Warren Park area, swept on into the city at Third and
Margaret Avenue angling northwest across the city and lifting in the area of Twenty-Fifth
and Crawford streets, leaving more than a score of dead, three times this many more
injured and damage to both industrial plants and residences of hundreds of thousands of
dollars. In the same month, the Wabash River set its record high mark of floods,
completely covering West Terre Haute, Central Terre Haute (Taylorville) and sweeping into
the north edge of Terre Haute. In the area south of Maple Avenue and north of Eight Avenue
and from Third street to the high ground at Seventh street scores of homes were floating
around. Terre Haute was isolated for several days from all travel by rail in any direction
out of the city. Po!
rtions of the rails were washed away and bridges over the Wabash were to weak to permit
train travel. On the political front in 1913, scandals enveloped the administration of
Mayor Donn Roberts, Democrat. When the federal court trials were finished, an entire
railroad passenger car full of city and county officials, including Mayor Roberts were
sent to Leavenworth, Kansas Federal prison for election law violations and other charges.
First Marriage License
April 4, 1818 -- The first marriage license was issued in Vigo County; to William Foster
and Elizabeth Wilson.
Great Hardship and Sickness
This year, 1821, was a time of great hardship and sickness with many of the early settlers
and pioneer leaders dying.
Highland Lawn Cemetery
The 138-acre site of Highland Lawn Cemetery was purchased on March 13, 1884, from Ray G.
and Grace Jenckes at a cost of $15,000. It is located on the North side of U. S. 40 at
4520 Wabash Avenue and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The Chapel, designed by architect Jesse Vrydaugh in the Richardsonian Romanesque style,
was constructed in 1893 and renovated in 1987-88.
The Bedford limestone bell tower, built in Romanesque Revival style, was built in 1894 and
renovated in 1990. The 1909 interurban waiting station now serves as the cemetery office.
Highland Lawn and Woodlawn are municipal cemeteries operated under the board of cemetery
regents, an authority proposed by Terre Haute Mayor Vern McMillan in 1943.
Indiana Territory
May 7, 1800, by an act of Congress, approved this day; a separate Territory is set out
from the Northwest Territory, called INDIANA TERRITORY.
Indiana Territory
February 3, 1809, by an act of Congress, approved this day; a separate Territory, called
Illinois Territory, is set out of INDIANA TERRITORY.
Influenza Epidemic
Women nurses and other volunteers worked with the sick at emergency hospitals during the
flu epidemic of 1918. In Terre Haute the epidemic was so bad that all public churches,
schools and theaters were closed from October 1918 until the spring of 1919.
National Road
The National Highway (now U.S. 40) was constructed as far as Terre Haute from Washington,
D.C, in 1838. Later it was pushed on to St. Louis, Missouri.
Red Light District
Terre Haute's notorious Red Light district which at times had more than 900 girls and
400 madams (1916) closed by Mayor Vern McMillan for his entire administration and during
the war years of World War II 1943. Later in the fifties and sixties it reopened on a
minor scale with not more than 10 houses and fewer than 30 girls working at one time.
Under the present administration of Mayor William C. Brighton there are no illegal houses
of prostitution in operation.
Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery (formerly City Cemetery) was opened for burials on July 1, 1839. It is
located at 1230 N. Third St. with boundaries at Eight Ave. (N), Third St. (E), First Ave.
(S), and First St. (W).
Bodies were transferred from two earlier cemeteries-the Indian Orchard Burying Ground at
the foot of Sycamore St. at the Wabash River and a graveyard which once was located at the
southeast corner of Sixth and Ohio Streets.
Woodlawn's north section was designated as St. Joseph Cemetery for Catholic burials
and a Hebrew Cemetery was located on the west side.
A tall stone Obelisk is located in the middle of a circular grass area in memory of 11
Confederate soldiers who died in a temporary prison in Terre Haute during the Civil War.
In 1973 Mary Grover, assistant city cemetery superintendent, was commended by the U. S.
Army National Cemetery Supervising Office for her upkeep of this Civil War Memorial.