Slightly Off the Mark

A small town needs certain things to stay alive. A post office; a gas station; apparently a dollar store, considering they're springing up like Marvel movies. The one strange guy who walks around at night talking/singing to himself. One or two people who loudly complain about everything.

And a grocery store. My home town of Albion lost its grocery store, which isn't a huge deal compared to bigger problems, like the constant threat of the reality TV. Still, ghost towns across the country attest to what happens when a community's base disappears.

Most of us didn't know until after the store closed that the family that ran it for forty-some years were not the same people who owned the building. I didn't, even though I worked there when they took over from the former business owner.

I'm the cute one. Okay--I'm the one in the center.

Rumors ran rampant about what would happen to the former grocery store building. It was originally built by Vikings who wandered into the area around 1021 AD, so many thought the owners might tear it down, replacing it with, say, an airport. The site's right next to the railroad tracks, so no one would even notice the extra noise.

One rumor was that it would become one of those Dollar General Markets, a mini-grocery store where you could also buy everything from clothes to dolls to doll clothes. But there are already two dollar stores in town, built directly beside each other because that makes sense. Granted, they're on the other side of town from the old grocery store, but there's not that much town.

And then: Construction crews moved in and started overhauling the old building, top to bottom.

It's being done by Amish workers, the best builders in this part of the galactic arm. If you gave them a blueprint they could build a starship, even if their faith prevented them from piloting it.

So what will the new building be?

Nobody knows.

Oh, there are rumors, but for some reason no one involved is willing to tell. It's their choice, of course: It's private property. Still, it's quite the mystery: If you were going to open a business, wouldn't you want people to know what it will be? It's just ... strange.

So I declared on social media that it was going to be a Galactic Empire shooting range. Those storm troopers, they really need the practice. 

Maybe if they tried to, I don't know, aim.

 I quickly realized this is exactly why the new occupancy is so secret: Because it's secret. So I came up with some possibilities. If you know but can't say, blink your left eye three times.

* Nuclear waste transfer depot. This is where the waste is transferred from truck to train. I mean, the tracks are right there. We might not like the idea now, but I'm sure in no time we'll all be just glowing.

* Vice-Presidential Museum. Indiana has produced the second largest number of  U.S. Vice Presidents. Only New York has more, and they've been around for three decades longer. Part of S.R. 9, which runs through Albion, is officially The Highway of the Vice Presidents, as it connects some of their former homes. We're Number Two! 

* Big box store in a little box. Groceries upstairs, clothes in the basement, everything else on the roof. If you catch someone trying to shoplift a power tool, just shove them over the side. This one needs thought: I'll workshop it. 

* Experimental indoor farm.  Many towns don't allow farm animals because of the noise, and the smell. If the workers install soundproofing and a filtering system, we may be looking at the future of agriculture. Worried about cows contributing to climate change? No problem: Now all the animal farts are captured, and used to power the indoor field sunlamps.

You know, that started as a joke, but I think I might be on to something.

* CIA regional office. That explains everything. I mean, everything except why it would be in Albion. All I know is, ever since I started writing this there's been a black SUV with tinted windows parked across the street.

* Secret archeology site. Who knows what's under the ground there? A mastodon? Prehistoric giant skeletons? Godzilla's smaller cousin, Joezilla? There's a reason why Dr. Jones goes by "Indiana".

And finally:

*  Nuclear missile silo. Look on the bright side: If WWIII breaks out, we'll be the first to know.

I still like our little town.

Our books, many of them about small town life, area here: 

·        Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO

·        Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

·        Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter

·        Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/

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·        Audible: https://www.audible.com/search?searchAuthor=Mark+R.+Hunter&ref_pageloadid=4C1TS2KZGoOjloaJ&pf

 At long last I can finally announce that we're finished with Haunted Noble County, Indiana!

I mean, of course, until I get edits back from the publisher. Emily finished her go-through, correcting all my small mistakes and showing me the big mistakes to correct. By the time you read this, our editor at The History Press will be shaking his head and muttering, "You had a whole year, and couldn't clean it up better than this?"

Well, I hope that's not what he's saying.

This is the longest it's ever taken me to write a book, with the exception of Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights. In both cases that includes long delays in which nothing got done at all. Not my fault! Mostly.

Then there were the pictures. We planned on about thirty, most taken by Emily and me; we turned in fifty.

Photography wasn't all that easy when John A. Harkless was doing it.

That's the tombstone of John A. Harkless, a photographer who should get his own credit in the book. For this book and for Images of America: Albion and Noble County, we depended on several local sources for historical photos. But most of the older photos, at least from the Albion area, originated with Harkless.

It wasn't unusual for us to find the same photo in more than one collection--sometimes from four or five sources. In that case, we credited the first place we found it. Often that was the Noble County Historical Society (which operates the Old Jail Museum), or the collections of Mike Mapes and Grace Leatherman, or the Stone's Trace Historical Society.

The funny thing is that Haunted Noble County, Indiana isn't an historical book, really. It's supposed to be about ghosts and haunted places, and that means places that are haunted today, doesn't it? But I love to research, and I love history. Whenever we encountered a local ghost story I couldn't help thinking: What events let to a spirit hanging around? How long have they been there? What was the place like when they were alive?

We found this photo of the Wolf Lake Onion Parade in three places, although first through the Noble County Historical Society.

Well, if you love researching, and you get a chance to research, what happens? That's right: rabbit hole. A lot of rabbit holes.

It's not the only thing that delayed the project, of course. I've mentioned before our visit from COVID, which overstayed its welcome. We got so delayed that when I finally saw the finish line, I realized I had to make a dash to reach it. Or, to put it another way, the deadline was approaching like Godzilla on a bender.

This photo was in Mike Mapes' massive collection. (Just to clarify, none of the photos in this blog are in the book--they're just examples of what great history people have preserved.)

So once again--I said the same thing in May--sorry to anyone I didn't reconnect with before it was too late. Also, thank you to those I did connect with, and there were many, and thank you again for all those history buffs who helped lead me down those various rabbit holes. Sometimes I ended up in areas that didn't add to this project, but that doesn't mean they weren't fun.

The Stone's Trace Historical Society had this photo of downtown Ligonier.

And when will the results of our hard work be revealed to the world? Well ... I did mention that we missed deadlines, right? Our editor was very understanding, but the world of traditional publishing plods on like an old plow horse, and I wouldn't expect to see it before the spring of 2025--maybe later. I'll keep you updated.

• Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
• Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"
• Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter
• Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/
• Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter
• Substack:  https://substack.com/@markrhunter
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• Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914

Remember: Every time you read a book, an ancestor smiles in their grave. Which is actually kind of scary.

 I want to apologize again for how slow I've been with the Haunted Noble County, Indiana  project. I've collected most of the photos and written half the manuscript, but haven't been getting back to people about their individual tales as I should.

It's the same old story, to an extent: injuries, sickness, death, Covid, chores I couldn't put off. Basically everything except writer's block, and at least that hasn't been a problem. In addition, I hadn't anticipated how much time all the research would take. I've done this before, with Images of America: Albion and Noble County. But while history research gets time consuming, extra digging is required when it comes to the supernatural.

Not literally. Well, not usually.

There's also the fact that I'm an introvert, or suffer from social anxiety, or whatever the kids are calling it these days. Among other things, I hate talking on the phone. Do you know what I do for a living?

 

Yeah, I talk on the phone and radio for 12 hours a day. For thirty years.

I know what you're thinking: Why does someone who hates talking do it for a living?

It's because I used to work in factories, and also in the service industry. That's why.

I get off my night shift not only tired, but seriously stressed (which is not uncommon for dispatchers, overall). The last thing I want to do is talk on the phone, or be otherwise social. Between that and my weird schedule, I have real difficulty picking up the phone.

That's the long winded reason why I'm so far behind in calling people about this project. It's also why I much prefer talking about it by e-mail or messenger, and have difficulty finding a time to talk when either I or the other person isn't asleep.

So ... I'm sorry. My deadline is looming, so I'm back on the horse and working, and I will call the people I promised to. I hope the rest of you will contact me online, especially if I forgot about you, which after so many months is possible. I want to make this as good a book as I can, but man--it's been a slog. And that's not the fault of the material!

• Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
• Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"
• Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter
• Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/
• Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter
• Substack:  https://substack.com/@markrhunter
• Tumblr:  https://www.tumblr.com/ozma914

Remember: Keep plenty of books around for ghosts to throw off the shelves.

 My interview with Eric Olson of 21Alive's "21 Country" segment went pretty well, other than that TV cameras are really good at picking up bald spots. Here's the link:
 

https://www.21alivenews.com/2023/10/26/21country-haunted-noble-county/

Thanks to Eric, who's interviewed me three times now since I first got published in 2011. (I believe the last time was 2017.) I didn't think about it when he contacted me, but interviewing someone writing a book called "Haunted Noble County" pretty well fits in with the season, doesn't it?

Now I have to write the darned thing.

I'm actually progressing well on the research, and I've written some of the text. I'm running behind on going out to actually talk to people due to some ongoing time and health issues, but catching up is my middle name. (My middle name is actually Ketchup. Long story.)

• Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
• Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"
• Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter
• Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/
• Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter

Remember, not reading can lead to your being haunted by a dead author. They smell like ink and desperation.

 A few thoughts on our upcoming book project, which is tentatively titled Spooky Noble County, or: Hoosier Ya' Gonna Call?

(Kidding! I'm just calling it Haunted Noble County, although History Press may have something to say about that.)

I'll probably cut down to posting one blog a week, for now. I post based on my work schedule, which amounted to one on the weekend, one the next Wednesday or so, one the next Monday or so; repeat. Luckily I have some good blogs already written and waiting, along with some bad blogs. That'll give me more time for research and writing, plus in September I'll be on vacation, which will make things complicated.

I just realized I'm doing vacations wrong: They're supposed to be less complicated.

This is what a less complicated vacation looks like.

Emily and I want to tour around Noble County, looking for spooky/haunted things/places to take pictures of. If a ghost shows up, that's just gravy.

By the way, I knew about Spook Hill, although I haven't been there for many years; I also knew about Sand Hill, which is the second highest hill in Indiana. What I didn't know is that the Spook Hill Cemetery (that's not its real name) is actually ON Sand Hill.

Emily wanted to know who determined these things. Did they count the Indiana Dunes? How about Brown County? I assured her surveyors have pretty good rulers, although climbing up three feet at a time can be a pain.

Anyway, we'll use two cameras: The newer one, called the Blue Camera, has better pixel thingies, for photos so sharp you'll need bandages. The older one, called the Black Camera, can switch from automatic to manual for more creative photography.

The black camera looks something like this one. You know: black.

Sadly, I had neither with me when I spotted what I thought would be perfect for a book cover:

Isn't it cool? I KNOW! But it was an off the cuff picture snapped with my cell phone, and cuff photos often don't cut it. So every time there's a storm forecast I'm going to stand in the same spot with the blue camera (it's waterproof) and wait for my chance. Or maybe I'll get lucky and someone will donate an historical photo that's better.

Meanwhile I have a list of people to talk to now, and tales of haunted places around the county I didn't know about. I intend to do the bulk of the interviewing and researching in September ... we'll see. But I have deadlines now, so I can't slack off.

I mean, I can ... but Emily recently bought a whip, and the more she practices, the more nervous I get.

By the way, while this process is going on you're all welcome to check out our previous historical books, or humor books, or fiction, or, by gosh, anything else you want, 'cause this is America! Remember, writers live on reviews, purchases, and coffee ... and I don't drink coffee, so don't let me metaphorically starve.

• Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
• Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"
• Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter
• Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/
• Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter
• Substack:  https://substack.com/@markrhunter

 I've been contacted by the Acquisitions Editor for The History Press, which is a part of Arcadia Publishing. They do local and regional history books, and Emily and I wrote Images Of America: Albion and Noble County for them.

On an unrelated note, I noticed the Images Of America books are on sale over the holiday weekend:

https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/

Long story short, I'm starting work on a new book for them. The tentative title is A Haunted History of Noble County, Indiana. 

Spooky, and I didn't even have to edit. It's an Old Jail--has to be haunted, right?

All I need now is you.

Overall it would be the fifth Noble County related book through Arcadia Publishing, and my second. Just as I asked for old photos for our Images Of America book, I'm seeking help from locals, people who used to be locals, and general history and ghost buffs. I need stories: Tales you've heard about supernatural stuff in Noble County (Indiana!), strange things you've witnessed, rumors, general weird stuff, from homes, businesses, cemeteries, isolated roads ... and, of course, any photos of possibly haunted places, old or new.

I do like old photos, but this book will have fewer pictures and more stories than the last one.

This will be my fourth history book: I found copies of the other ones in the Noble County Public Library's history and genealogy room in Albion.

Of course, in the book I'll credit anyone who sends in anything--unless you don't want to be credited, in which case my lips are sealed. And if you have photos, Emily can scan them and get them back to you. We have scanned historical photos already, from the last project, but we don't have them all by a long shot.

I prefer to communicate through the wonders of the web, like e-mail and messaging, because I work nights and sleep when most people are up; but I can act like a regular person and talk by phone or in person. At least, I used to be able to. How hard could it be? We can be contacted at ozma914 at hotmail dot com, if you correct the at and dot and remove the spaces.

Sadly, this pushes my schedule back on our other book projects, including a second book about the Albion Fire Department, but I promise to get back on those just as quickly as possible. Help me out by sending me those stories! It's a spooky world, so freak me out.

Actually, the genealogy and history section of the library seems to have all my older books, which puzzled me until I realized they were in a local authors section.

http://markrhunter.com/
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

As a firefighter, I studied building construction a lot. Sadly, this gave me no skills in actually building a structure, although I can tell you why a lot of them fall down.

So when they started building the new Noble County annex in downtown Albion (which is right beside uptown Albion), I took double interest, since it was to be my new workplace. That's why I started stopping by periodically to take photos of the construction process, which I'm now sharing even though I'm pretty sure no one asked. (You can click on the images to expand them, which would be handy with real buildings, too.)

First is the skeleton of the building, more than a year before it was done. As you can see, the rib bones are connected to the hip bones.

The corner facing the camera is where our new dispatch would be, on the top floor. If they had run out of money right there, we would be dispatching al fresco, which means in the open air, which would play hell on our electronics. It wouldn't do me much good either. I believe you used to be able to buy cans of fresco at the grocery store. (Wait, do they still make Fresca?)

The final product looks way better than I thought it would, although it can't beat the old jail you can see here, just past it. There aren't a lot of bells and whistles, but there are doors and light switches, and that's something.

And here is my workplace, which doesn't seem to be making me sick like the old one. (I'm talking literally--allergies.) The job remains the same, but we don't blow a breaker whenever we use the microwave ... and that's also something.

We have our own kitchen! Which may not seem like much, but when you work 12 hour shifts it's nice to have a sink to wash your dishes in. Overall I can't complain, although I probably will anyway. I'll probably stay on until I hit the bestseller list, or get taken out on a stretcher.

With the Albion Fire Department's annual fish and tenderloin fry coming up Wednesday (June 8th), I thought I'd let everyone know just how long the AFD has been doing this fund raiser, which you can read more about here:

 https://www.facebook.com/events/1125758564936177

The answer: I don't know. I do know we've been doing it for at least forty-five years, with pauses for such things as, oh, pandemics. So I consulted the ultimate guide to the AFD:

But then I remembered: "Oh, yeah ... I wrote that." So if I didn't know it, it isn't in there. However, there is one moment in the book that might give us a clue of the annual fish fry's origins:

 ###

            Sometimes people forget volunteers must be ready always; there’s no time when a fire isn’t possible. Sometimes even firefighters forget that.

            On April First, 1946, the AFD held its traditional fish fry at the fire station. Unlike today, the fish fry wasn’t a fundraiser, but a social event held on a Monday before the regular fire meeting, with the Town Board members as guests.

            Chief Harry Campbell himself caught the fish – one of his more pleasant duties – and they were prepared and served by firefighters Ted Frymier, Byron and Welty Smith, Harry Butler, and Don Barcus, at “Gerald Fryonler’s restaurant”. In the midst of their supper, a young girl ran into the establishment and reported a vehicle fire at the REMC, which at the time was around the corner on East Main Street.

            (The REMC – Rural Electric Membership Corporation – was then in the same building that, back when it was a Chevy garage, first housed the ’29 engine.)

The men can’t be blamed for the obvious conclusion: It was an April Fool’s joke. Certain their falling for the joke gave some prankster great amusement, the volunteers hurried to the scene.

There they found a car, blazing merrily away.

###

 I've always wondered if one of the volunteers had to stay behind to make sure the fish didn't burn.

Anyway, hope to see you at the *mumblemumble*ith anniversary fish and tenderloin fry, and don't worry--you don't have to bring your own fish.

If anyone's interested in reading more about the AFD's history, there should be copies at the firehouse, plus I have some, or you can find them on our website:

http://www.markrhunter.com/

Or on Amazon with the rest of our books:

https://www.amazon.com/Mark-R-Hunter/e/B0058CL6OO

Or what the heck, even Barnes and Noble:

https://www.amazon.com/Mark-R-Hunter/e/B0058CL6OO

Everyone who's tried them agreed that yes, the fish fry has fish, and yes, the AFD history book is about the AFD's history. If they fried up books at the fish fry, that would be odd.

 I don't eat a lot of scones. But when a new coffee shop here in Albion came out with something called a bacon cheddar scone ... well, there are always exceptions.

The Fox Den. There's a great view from there, which you can see reflected in the window.

The Fox Den is in the old Black Building (which is green), at the main intersection in Albion. (The building gets a mention in our books Images of America: Albion and Noble County and Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights.) It used to be the Noble Art Gallery, which I was disappointed to see go because I hate to see any Albion business go, and also because they were one of the few brick and mortar places where you could find my books for sale. Also, the art was cool. And they had scrapbooks of old Albion newspapers that were fascinating to poke through.

I was really disappointed.

But on the other hand, no one in that storefront has, to my knowledge, offered bacon cheddar anything, at least since John and Mid's Restaurant was there forty or so years ago.

There is still art there: Here's a fox! In the den.

I know what you're thinking: So, how was the scone? Fair question. But before I forget, Emily and I did encounter something there I found exciting.

That's right: books! Hey, we all get excitement our own way. Sadly, none of them were my books, but don't you need something to read, for long mornings (or afternoons) sitting and sipping? Not sipping scones, that would be silly, but coffee shops quite often serve beverages.

Oh, and more food than just scones, too. It's worth checking out if you happen to be near Albion, or going through Albion, or anchoring your hot air balloon on the courthouse.

See, it's a fox! Relaxing in its den. With scones.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot: The bacon cheddar scones are spectacular, and by that I mean really good. We got ours to go, which isn't the preferred way to do it, but hopefully we'll get a chance to hibernate up there a little longer, next time.

Well, shoot ... disregard. The price shot back up to normal while I was in the middle of spreading the word all over the internet, so I just look like an idiot. I suspected it was a mistake, but I'd hoped some readers would be able to take advantage of it. Instead I have egg on my face.



Amazon has the hardcover edition of Images of America: Albion and Noble County set at only $10, which is a heck of a bargain. I don't know why it's six bucks less than the paperback version--in fact, it's so low for a hardcover that I honestly wonder if they made a mistake.

But it would be a great Christmas present, and rumor has it we're going to take a shot at doing the holidays this year. If you do give it as a present, you can say you got it at full price--we won't tell.