John Hay Center
Encyclopedia
The John Hay Center is on the eastern edge of the Salem Downtown Historic District in Salem, Indiana
. It comprises:
The annual expenses of the Center is $80,000, of which only $7,000 comes from the county. No money was ever borrowed to make improvements on the center; everything was paid with funds already in hand. The Center was the brainchild of native Everett Dean
, who had a fondness for local history. Much of his memorabilia are within the museum.
Salem, Indiana
Salem is a city in Washington Township, Washington County, Indiana, United States. Salem serves as the county seat, and its downtown area is on the National Register of Historic Places...
. It comprises:
- Hay-Morrison House: birthplace and home of Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's private secretary and Secretary of State under William McKinleyWilliam McKinleyWilliam McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
and Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, John HayJohn HayJohn Milton Hay was an American statesman, diplomat, author, journalist, and private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln.-Early life:...
, and is on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1971. It was purchased in 1837 by Hay's father, Dr. Charles Hay. The Washington County Historical Society purchased the home in 1967, and restored it to an 1840 appearance. - Pioneer Village: a "living village" typical of the 1840s in IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. The general store and post office were from New Philadelphia, Indiana, and the bell tower, blacksmith, cabin, carpenter, church, jail, loom, school, and smokehouse buildings were constructed of logs from old Washington County stores and homes. - Stevens Memorial Museum: It was built in 1970 from materials of several local historic buildings, particularly brick. It holds several artifacts of Indiana and American importance, and a genealogy center. Exhibits include a dentistDentistA dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
office, a local candy maker, and antebellum attorneys. Additions were added in 1984 and 1995. - Depot Railroad Museum: Built to resemble the depot burned by John Hunt MorganJohn Hunt MorganJohn Hunt Morgan was a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.Morgan is best known for Morgan's Raid when, in 1863, he and his men rode over 1,000 miles covering a region from Tennessee, up through Kentucky, into Indiana and on to southern Ohio...
in 1863, and holds various railroad memorabilia and panoramas of the Washington County, IndianaWashington County, IndianaWashington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 28,262. The county seat is Salem.Washington County is part of the Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Early settlers:...
landscape in historical times. This includes a money chest that was checked by Morgan's Raiders for money, and when it revealed only tools, the depot was burned. It was dedicated on September 22, 2001, thanks to the efforts of a local retired newspaper editor whose collection was the basis of the depot, with several grants from contributors and 39 students moved the model trains to the newly built building.http://salemdepot.com/news/view_article.asp?id=31&cat=9
The annual expenses of the Center is $80,000, of which only $7,000 comes from the county. No money was ever borrowed to make improvements on the center; everything was paid with funds already in hand. The Center was the brainchild of native Everett Dean
Everett Dean
Everett S. Dean was a college men's basketball and baseball coach.Born in Livonia, Indiana, Dean was the head baseball and basketball coach at his alma mater, Indiana University, from 1924 to 1938. In 1938, Dean was named head basketball coach at Stanford University, where he coached the team to...
, who had a fondness for local history. Much of his memorabilia are within the museum.
External links
- John Hay Center Information from the City's website
- Depot Railroad Museum's official site
- Washington County listings at National Register of Historic Places