Historic Columbus Indiana In The 1950s And 1960s (And Before)

Mission: To offer broad public access to the history of Columbus Indiana through an online library as an educational resource, available and useful to the residents of Columbus Indiana, and the American people. The Historic Columbus Indiana website is NOT affiliated or associated with the Bartholomew County Historical Society. Historic Columbus Indiana is designed and created by David Sechrest. Historic Columbus Indiana is located inside the Cummins Bookstore building, 406 Washington Street, Columbus, IN 47201. (812) 376-8734

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Francis O. Galbraith, Photographer

Historic Columbus Indiana from the 1950s and 1960s! Click here to enter!

Historic Columbus Indiana is located in the heart of Bartholomew County. All pages contained within this site concern historic Columbus Indiana during the 1950s and 1960s, and is a reference to the city during this time. This site includes a tour of Columbus, pictures of downtown business from the 1950s and 1960s, photos of CHS graduates, articles and information about the Crump Theatre, Columbus Drive In, a reconstruction of downtown Columbus, as well as photos and articles about many places that no longer exist. I hope this site will be an all inclusive historical reference to Columbus during the 1950s and 1960s. This can only be achieved with YOUR help. Photos and stories you have about living in Columbus during this time frame will help add to the historical significance. Thanks to Harry McCawley for his article about this site published in The Republic, Tuesday March 5, 2002. The inspiration behind this site was Columbus: 125 Years, © 1997 by The Republic, a wonderful pictorial essay about our city. I recommend it highly. Sometimes this site goes beyond the boundaries of our city, and touches upon outside influences. What we watched on television and what we listened to on radio are two areas where the outside world is brought into our town through the miracle of technology... Area business ads depict many businesses that no longer exist. Most of these ads were taken from old phone books that I have been able to locate. Cummins Bookstore has been a tremendous asset in locating information, from old postcards to old yearbooks. My brother Dale owns and operates it, and tries to keep Columbus memorabilia in stock. You might stop in, take a look around, grab a coke (in glass bottles no less!) from the Coke machine in the back, and peruse through his books. You just might find something of interest...Hopefully, this site will grow, with your help. Tour the site, reminisce your way by the Drive In, plop down on a stool in Zaharakos, drive through downtown streets before the mall was built, gaze at the homes, and enjoy the history of our city. Life in our city, the architecture, the history, the old high school, Zaharakos, the downtown area, and life in general in the 1950s and 1960s was a wonderful time for me. I hope you enjoy this site, and I hope you will stop by often.