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Batesville Memorial Public Library

131 North Walnut Street :: Batesville, IN 47006

Hours
Sunday (October - April) :: 1:00 - 5:00 pm
Monday - Thursday :: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Friday :: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday :: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Special Collections @ the Library

Aviation Collection   |   Hillenbrand Family Collection   |   Miriam E. Mason Collection   |   Oral Histories

352nd Fighter Group Memorial Aviation Collection
 

35nd FG Memorial Avaition CollectionThis special collection of aviation books, videos and magazines has been donated to the library by Al Giesting and Jim Mahle of Batesville, Indiana, Richard DeBruin of Wisconsin, Joe Noah at the Preddy Memorial Foundation, and others, and is dedicated to the 352nd Fighter Group VIII AAF that flew over Europe during the Second World War.
 
Aviation CollectionOur collection contains over 600 items, including circulating non-fiction books on military, commercial and private aviation, fiction books, videos and copies of The Bluenoser, a newsletter from the 352nd Fighter Group Association, and Friends Journal, a magazine from the US Air Force Museum.

A plaque with the names of present and former Batesville, Indiana area members of the 352nd hangs above the collection. Those honored are:

The plaque contains an illustration of the Sweet Louise in flight.  Models of the planes flown by Pickering and Godfrey are also part of the collection.

The photo at left shows Chief Sgt. Al Giesting with Capt. Virgil Meroney, the 352nd's first Ace. (photo courtesy of 352nd Fighter Group Association)

On display are squadron patches from the 352nd Fighter Group, prints drawn by John "wily" Mollison, of the P-51 Mustangs as flown by: Raymond Mitchell, George Preddy, Dean Houston, Alden Rigby, and Ray Littge, and a print of "Top Mustang Ace" Maj. George Preddy, drawn by Lonnie Ortega, along with a plaque and brochures from the Preddy Memorial Foundation.

352nd FG exhibitAt right is a photo of our exhibit that highlights the 352nd Fighter Group story along with our collection.

Our thanks to those who have donated these valuable materials to the library.  If anyone has items that they would like to add to this collection, please contact the library.

A Brief History of the 352nd FG



A Brief History of the 352nd Fighter Group [pdf]



For more info on the 352nd Fighter Group and other aviation history, try these links:

Hillenbrand Family Collection

Hillenbrand home, now the site of the Batesville Memorial Public Library

This non-circulating collection of books is from the Hillenbrand family's former home on Walnut Street (photo at right), the site of the current Batesville Memorial Public Library.

Hillenbrand Family Collection
The collection is displayed at the library along with busts of John A. and Clara M. Hillenbrand and a stained-glass window from their home (photo at left).

Miriam E. Mason Collection

A portrait of Miriam E. Mason (Miriam Mason Swain), a resident of Batesville and author of children's books from the 1930's to the 1960's, is exhibited near the library's Hillenbrand Family Collection along with an original manuscript of Caroline and the Seven Little Words (1967).  The portrait and manuscript were presented to the library by The Woman's Study Club of Batesville.

We gratefully acknowledge the donation of another Miriam Mason manuscript by the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library in California.  Along with the manuscript of Little Jonathan (1944), they also donated an original drawing from the book and a letter documenting Ms. Mason's gift of the manuscript and illustration to a sorority.  The items were purchased from the sorority at a sale, and were given to the Stockton-San Joaquin County Library.  The manuscript, illustration and letter are now part of our Miriam E. Mason display, housed in a display case which was generously donated by the Friends of Batesville Memorial Public Library.

Books by Miriam Mason are part of our Youth Fiction Collection, and may be checked out.  A series for young people, the Young Patriots Series by Patria Press, has re-printed Miriam Mason's John Audubon : Young Naturalist with illustrations by Cathy Morrison.  Our thanks to the family of Miriam Mason for donating two copies for BMPL users to enjoy.

A brief biography of Miriam Mason Swain.

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Oral Histories Collection


The Batesville Memorial Public Library has collected over 40 interviews with people who recall local events, people, organizations, churches, schools, and businesses throughout Batesville's history.  This circulating collection is on audiotape, some with accompanying materials and photographs, and is shelved in the Local History / Genealogy area of the library.  Thanks to WRBI 103.9FM, for helping us convert the taped interviews to a digital format.

Passenger depot, Batesville, IN
The collection includes an oral history of the train depot in Batesville, IN

Oral History Subjects
Ballstown School
Baas-Schultz-Nolte Drug Store
Will Bedel : Chamber of Commerce Roast
Benz Meat Market / Slaughter House
Blank's Pharmacy / Hillcrest Country Club
Early Batesville History
Brockman/Donnell/Meister/Hertel Shoe Store
Currin Bottling Works
Davis Grocery Store
Growing Up in Batesville
The Eureka Band (Transcript)
Batesville Fire Department
Flodder Bros. Plumbing & Heating / Flodder Grocery Store
Flodder Machine Shop
Growing Up in Batesville : BHS Basketball, 1943 ; Golden Villa ; World War II
The Gibson Theatre
Harmeyer Grocery Store
Hillenbrand Industries : Sewing Room
Flodder Corner Grocery and Beauty Shop
Huntersville, Indiana
American Legion Home / Fox Hole Bar
Liberty Park (Batesville, IN)
Lyric Theatre
Meyer-Walsman Company
Old Downtown Batesville and Others
Batesville Home Outfitters
People of Batesville
Poske Hardware
Rosemont
One Room Schools
Schrader Tin Shop
Schott Machine Shop
Senior Citizens Club
St. Louis Adult Choir : Midnight Mass, 1986
Stewart Dress Shop
Telles Clothing Store and Early Batesville, Indiana
Train Depot (Batesville, IN)
Triangle B
Fritz Turner Band
Union Furniture Company
Weberding Carving Shop
Builders of a City : A History of Batesville
Tri-County Baseball League
Huntersville Area / Boy Scouts
Borchelt & Koester Families

Eureka Band, Batesville, IN
The collection includes an oral history of
The Eureka Band

 
Batesville's Gibson Theatre
The collection includes an oral history of
Batesville's Gibson Theatre
Historic downtown Batesville, IN
The collection includes an oral history of downtown Batesville, IN


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