July/August 2023 OUR BROWN COUNTY

wild

We have curated a flavorful collection for your tasting pleasure with plenty to offer for foodies, the experienced cook, or the novice. It goes well beyond the high-quality olive oils and balsamics we built our reputation on. We’ve added jams, pastas, dipping oils, salsas, sauces, and much more. Come in for a tour of tastes and let us be your guide. You’ll be wild about our shop. Shop us online from anywhere, anytime at www.thewildolive.com

DIRECTORY

Contributors

12 HISTORY MYSTERY

13 SUBSCRIBE

16 Aquatic Center at the Lodge

~by Chrissy Alspaugh

24 Hill Folk Music Series

~by Boris Ladwig

30 Musings: July 1929

~by Mark Blackwell

34 Doc Tilton House

~by Julia Pearson

38-39 Photos by Mike Briner*

40-42 CALENDAR

44 Brown County Public Library

~by Bob Gustin

52 The Toy Chest Moved

~by Paige Langenderfer

56 Field Notes: Bird Sounds

~by Jim Eagleman

62 Miller’s Ice Cream House

~by Jeff Tryon

68-70 INFO PAGES

Cover: Dane Alspaugh

Abe Martin Lodge Acquatic Center

~by Chrissy Alspaugh

ourbrowncounty.com

ourbrown@bluemarble.net

Also online at issuu.com/ourbrowncounty and on Facebook OUR BROWN COUNTY

P.O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435

(812)

Jeff Tryon is a former news editor of The Brown County Democrat, and a former region reporter for The Republic. Born and raised in Brown County, he currently lives with his wife, Sue, in a log cabin on the edge of Brown County State Park. He is a Baptist minister.

Joe Lee is an illustrator and writer. He is the author of Forgiveness: The Eva Kor Story, The History of Clowns for Beginners, and Dante for Beginners. He is an editorial cartoonist for the Bloomington Herald Times, a graduate of Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Clown College, and a veteran circus performer.

Chrissy Alspaugh is a freelance writer and owner of Christina Alspaugh Photography. View her work at <ChristinaAlspaughPhotography. com>.She lives in Bartholomew County with her husband Matt and three boys.

Jim Eagleman is a 40-year veteran naturalist with the IN DNR. In retirement, he is now a consultant. His program “Nature Ramblings” can be heard on WFHB radio, the Brown County Hour. He serves on the Sycamore Land Trust board. He enjoys reading, hiking, music, and birding. Jim and his wife Kay have lived here for more than 40 years.

Boris Ladwig is a Columbusbased journalist who has worked in print, online and TV media in Indiana and Kentucky and has won awards for features, news, business, non-deadline news, First Amendment/community affairs and investigative reporting.

Mark Blackwell no longer makes his home in Brown County where “the roadway is rough and the slopes are seamed with ravines” He now resides within sight of the sixth green of an undisclosed golf course. He was born in the middle of the last century and still spends considerable time there.

Julia Pearson wrote for a Franciscan magazine for ten years and served as its human interest editor. She now resides in Lake Woebegone Country for life’s continuing adventures. Julia enjoys traveling and visiting museums of all types and sizes, with her children and grandchildren.

Paige Langenderfer is a freelance writer and consultant. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University and her master’s degree in public relations management from IUPUI. Paige lives in Columbus with her husband and daughters.

Bob Gustin worked as a reporter, photographer, managing editor, and editor for daily newspapers in Colorado, Nebraska, and Indiana before retiring in 2011. He and his wife, Chris, operate Homestead Weaving Studio. She does the weaving while he gives studio tours, builds small looms, and expands his book and record collections.

Cindy Steele is the publisher and editor of this magazine. She sells and designs ads, sometimes writes, takes photos, and creates the layout. For fun, she likes to play the guitar or banjo and sing.

*Mike Briner is a Columbus native who became interested in photography as a high school yearbook photographer. With a love of travel and the great outdoors and inspired by the natural beauty of nature, Mike’s photography quickly moved from the school to the out of doors. In 1998 he founded Mike Briner Photography and started his professional career as a travel and nature photographer. Mike now has well over 55,000 film as well as over 30,000 digital images in his library.

copyright 2023

Thanks, Mom, for making it happen!

When the county of Brown was created by the state legislature in 1836, Banner Brummett, Sr. became its first county agent. He served as a county commissioner, donated land to the county seat, and is credited with choosing the sites of the jail and courthouse. Brummett named the town that eventually became Nashville, but the name had to be changed because there was already another town in Indiana with that name. What was Nashville’s original name?

The answer to last issue’s mystery was The Liars Bench.

Aquatic Center Abe Martin Lodge

Staying indoors just isn’t an option for kids feeling frisky during summer vacation.

Thankfully, Abe Martin Lodge’s indoor aquatic center was a mere 15-minute drive away when my boy brigade awoke one rainy morning in June.

Nestled inside the Brown County State Park’s inn, the water park features a zeroentry swimming pool, water slide, lazy river, fountains, water volleyball, a hot tub for adults, and a whirlpool with a waterfall. The aquatic center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“A lot of people don’t even know all this is back here!” said lodge General Manager Gary Berquist.

Day passes cost $20 per swimmer. Overnight inn guests receive complimentary aquatic center wristbands with their stay. The number of day passes available depends on how full the inn is that day, and Berquist recommends calling ahead to check availability.

Going to the aquatic center didn’t require an exhausting amount of prep and packing, like so many destinations with kids. We just had to grab our swimsuits and go. The aquatic center provides towels, and I knew we could eat at the Little Gem Restaurant on the second floor of the lodge. The restaurant, open to the public, welcomes casually-dressed diners with family-friendly breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus in a non-smoking dining room, or on the outdoor patio overlooking the park.

Walking into the aquatic center, my boys couldn’t kick their shoes off fast enough. My five-year-old, Wes, headed straight for what he called the “spinning water shooters.” Eight-year-old Kase excitedly eyed the water slide, and eleven-year-old Dane couldn’t wait to try to beat me in water volleyball.

While there’s something for everyone at this 82-degree 63,000-gallon playground, one of my favorite parts is that its size and layout clearly had watchful parents in mind. Throughout our day, even though we were occasionally playing at different features, we all could easily check in with a smile and a wave.

~ story and photos by Chrissy Alspaugh

Dane, Kase, and Wes Alspaugh.

Front-desk receptionist Omii Weaver—after joking that she and her son swam there so often that she decided she should join the staff—said adults love the water park as much as children.

“It’s hilarious to see groups of adults playing on the water slide,” Weaver said, laughing. “It’s just such a great place for families. There’s really no place like this anywhere close by.”

The unique indoor aquatic center, combined with the draw of the surrounding state park, lured Michelle Kendall and her family down to Brown County from their home in Columbia City. She said her family loves the state park atmosphere, and the price of the water park couldn’t be beaten.

Berquist said many aquatic center guests swim in between enjoying some of the state park’s many other family-friendly activities: hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, picnicking, and visiting the playgrounds or nature center.

“My very favorite part is the water slide,” said four-yearold Oliver Kendall.

My boys’ least-favorite parts of our visit were the aquatic center’s 15-minute safety breaks. But they quickly realized we could use that time to buy snacks and trinkets in the lodge’s gift shop and explore the lodge. Built in 1932 of hand-hewn native stone and oak timbers that were cut in the park, the lodge is open year-round and boasts two large lobbies, fireplaces, patio rooms, and ballrooms. We loved finding fun facts sprinkled throughout the lodge about the American newspaper comic strip Abe Martin and its creator, Kin Hubbard.

And after spending the day at the water park with her family, Lafayette resident Misty Arenas said she, too, couldn’t wait to come back.

“We came down for our first time just looking for indoor swimming, and the kids are loving it,” Arenas said. “It’s really affordable, a super close drive, and we can picnic and hike. It’s just perfect.”

For more information, call 812-988-4418 or visit <in.gov/dnr/state-parks/inns/abemartin-lodge-at-brown-county-state-park/>. 

Evie Boling and Teresa Boling.

Shop small. Shop local.

Hill Folk Music Series Brown County Inn’s

As the patrons at the Brown County Inn dug into pulled chicken nachos and buttermilk fried chicken, Roger Banister picked a bluegrassy solo on his mandolin. Moments later, he sang a three-part harmony with bassist Denise Kocur and guitarist Tobe Woodrough, while Jim Richter added notes from his banjo.

The quartet played familiar favorites from country greats such as Merle Haggard and Dolly Parton, getting applause from the roughly 35 diners who had come to the inn’s Corn Crib lounge on a recent evening.

It’s become a familiar scene on Thursday nights, as the Hill Folk Music Series has developed a following among local patrons as well as regional and even nationally touring musicians.

“The Hill Folk Music Series is probably one of the most important regional and local series that’s been started in many years,” Banister said as he took a break on that recent Thursday.

Musicians and fans said the series has achieved its level of importance not just because of the artists but also because of influence of the series’ creator, Will

Scott, who has deep roots in Indiana but has lived on both coasts and established a network of musicians.

The Hill Folk Music Series provides a variety of folk, roots, blues, and Americana, sometimes veering into other genres, such as southern rock.

Scott grew up on the southside of Indianapolis and in the Chicago area. He attended Indiana University in Bloomington, where he studied religious studies and anthropology.

Scott came to music through his family. His father played jazz guitar, his stepfather played blues guitar, and his mother was a singer. His great-grandfather on his father’s side was a well-known fiddle player in southern Indiana.

He lived in Los Angeles for four years and moved across the country to live in New York for fifteen more years. About a decade ago, Scott moved back to Indiana to live closer to his ailing father.

“As I came back and started playing a lot more music in the Midwest, I just fell back in love with Brown County,” said Scott.

He came on a regular basis as a kid and when he was in college.

~ by Boris Ladwig

Jim Richter, Denise Kocur, Roger Banister, and Tobe Woodrough. photo by Boris Ladwig

While he uses his connections made from living on the coasts and from touring the Midwest, Scott said finding talent much closer isn’t all that difficult.

“There’s plenty of people down here that are touring all over,” he said.

Musicians usually have a tough time booking shows on Thursday nights, so the music series can provide gigs for artists on their way through the Midwest.

Many acts have brought people here who have never been to Brown County.

Nashville, Tennessee-based musician Tim Easton contacted him after a recent show, Scott said.

“He made a point of texting me—actually the next day— and saying, ‘I just fell in love with this place. And I can’t wait to come back and I’m going to bring my daughter. Can you book me again next year?’”

Banister and frequent audience member Bob Blass said Scott has brought something special to the region in giving the audience a venue for music they don’t generally hear live, while at the same time choosing the artists in such a way as to keep things fresh.

Blass, a fan of the Hill Folk series, has dabbled in choir, banjo, and saxophone. He says while he loves music, he is not a musician.

“For a town our size, we just got a multitude of talented musicians here,” Blass said.

One of those local musicians, Caitlin “Spanks” Spangler, said she especially enjoys the Hill Folk Music Series’ variety.

“When you come in one day you hear bluegrass. You come in another day, it’s folk—then blues to rock and roll to honky tonk—like a little bit of everything. And I think that’s what makes it so special,” she said.

Spangler, who promotes her music primarily through Caitlin Spangler Music on Facebook, had come to the inn that Thursday to listen to Banister and Kocur, but was also scheduled to play her original music the following night.

She said she loves to perform at the Brown County Inn, in part because she has a history there, having built

headboards and picture frames with a friend of hers, Jayme Hood, another local musician who is one half of The Hammer and The Hatchet.

She is grateful that Scott showcases original artists who don’t generally get a lot of exposure, as well as local and regional talent.

“He really gives a lot of people a shot,” Spangler said.

Scott himself plays shows a few times a month, but much less so than he used to, because he focuses more on his event production work, through Brown County Music Services, which can be found on Facebook. Scott said he enjoys that work, in part because it allows him to be choosy about where he plays.

The inn offers music on other days as well. An open mic night on Wednesdays, hosted alternately by Scott and Rick Fettig, brings in a “legendary” level of talent. Acts on Friday transition into more of a blues and singer/ songwriter vibe, while Saturday’s usually bring cover bands.

“That Hill Folk vibe still bleeds into all of it,” Scott said. 

Will Scott. courtesy photo

“When you come in one day you hear bluegrass. You come in another day, it’s folk—then blues to rock and roll to honky tonk— like a little bit of everything.”

—Caitlin “Spanks” Spangler

New Mural by Kurt Eagleman

Local artist Kurt Eagleman created a new mural in downtown Nashville featuring Brown County scenes and characters including Grandma Barnes, the Liar’s Bench, and Chris Brummett. It covers the entire south side of the Heritage Mall building on Old Hickory Lane. Eagleman used photos of Brown County characters taken by the famed photographer Frank M. Hohenberger as inspiration. A Public Art Activation Grant through the State of Indiana funded the project This is Eagleman’s second Nashville mural, the first being one of flowers along the west side of the building housing The Mulberry Cottage, on the corner of Honeysuckle Lane and Main Street. 

Eagleman mural at Old Hickory Lane. The artist Kurt Eagleman and his dad, Jim Eagleman, helping out. Left and below photos courtesy Joan Rigley

Hoosier Buddy Liquors

Cold Beer, Fine Wines & Select Spirits

Cold Beer:

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Musings

The Hoosier Magazine’s format was 8 1/2” X 12” and 64 pages in length. It contained 41 articles, numerous photographs, fillers, and advertisements. The articles included information about the art colony and artists, as well as nature features and attractions. They covered agricultural endeavors, logging, and folklore. And there are a few poems thrown in for good measure, I particularly liked this one:

Brown County Blues

~by Mark Blackwell

July 1929

In July of 1929, the first issue of The Hoosier Magazine was published by the Hoosier Publishing Company, 661 E. 21st St., Indianapolis. It was intended to be a monthly magazine with a single issue price of twenty-five cents, or a yearly subscription of two dollars and fifty cents. The managing editor was M. Z. Allen with Mabel Sturtevant assisting.

The introduction states that the magazine “is the fruit of an idea conceived by “Demarchus C. Brown, that fine, scholarly man who served Indiana so ably as State Librarian from 1906 to 1926. The magazine’s purpose is to increase the mutual understanding and intimate knowledge of the various counties of the state. The history, the trend of thought, and the industrial growth of each county will be made the theme of one issue. Thus, by picture and word, it is sought to stimulate in the minds of loyal Hoosiers to see and know their own state.”

This certainly sounds like a noble undertaking, however, beyond the first issue, I can find no mention of the publication, or even the publisher, anywhere outside of the Indiana State Library. I would imagine that both the magazine and the publisher, like many others, were casualties of the Great Depression. Luckily, for us, that first issue survived because it is entirely devoted to Brown County and gives us a glimpse of our Brown County when it was just 93 years old.

I’m feeling blue

And lonely, too;

I’m longing for an old log cabin

Where I can be Happy and free All the day.

Don’t ask me why I say goodbye; I know a place in Indiana Far from the crowds

Up in the clouds, Listen to what I say.

I’ve got those Brown County blues

They’re sure hard to lose, When things go wrong

And days seem long

Something tells me that I belong ’Neath blue Hoosier skies.

Can’t you realize

What it means to let the world go by, Out where the hilltops kiss the sky— That’s the only place in all the world where I Know I’ll get my dues

Those old hills are calling me

And I just can’t refuse;

I’ll soon be Brown County bound, No more fooling ’round, And then I’ll lose those Brown County blues. —by “Happy” Hughes

It is good to see that the county was producing aspiring wordsmiths early on. However, poets, writers, and artists aren’t the be-all and end-all of our little piece of paradise.

The magazine goes on to tell us about the $10,000 a year sassafras industry, and “Tobacco, a profitable Brown County product.” There are articles on the home canning industry, herb culture, and one article entitled, “Peppermint Possibilities.” We also learn that maple syrup and fruit were considered likely income producers for the county’s hardscrabble farmers.

There are also articles concerning the culture of Brown County and activities for tourists. I found reports about various camps and nature clubs. For years I have admired an old farmhouse and barn on Owl Creek Road and I found out that in 1929 it was the headquarters of the Nature Study Club of Indiana.

There was a camp for girls called Hilltop Camp. The article gave high praise to the director, Miss Kate Andrews. She was a Wellesley college alumnus and did graduate studies at Chicago and Columbia Universities. She was a high school

teacher at several schools, principal of Seymour High and, as of 1929, was an assistant professor of English and Dean of Women at Hanover College. The camp offered girls “horseback riding, hiking, swimming, and all kinds of outdoor sports ably chaperoned.”

The magazine also had an article about buying and building summer homes for flatland vacationers. Advocating for “log homes with their picturesque… windless wells, cave cellars, and foot logs across creeks,” the article stated that, “No beauty lover who would choose the hills as a summer abode would want to mar the beauty by building a home out of harmony with its surroundings.” I can’t argue with that.

It seems that back in 1929 folks were already protective of the essence of the county and its landmarks, festivals, and points of interest.

Stone Head, the Spring Blossom Festival, and the old log jail are mentioned. What stands out by its absence is the State Park, although it opened in 1929. Perhaps it was still a game preserve at the time of publication.

It is fun to go back in time and get a look at the place we love. Like the magazine says, “SEE BROWN COUNTY FIRST, LAST, AND OFTEN.” 

Stonehaven

Brown County Music Center

July 22 The More Life Tour Starring Randy Travis & the Original Randy Travis Band

July 25 Melissa Etheridge

July 30 Ann Wilson of Heart & Tripsetter

Aug. 2 Boz Scaggs

Aug. 18 Steve Earle: Alone Again Tour

Aug. 19 Don McLean

Aug. 20 Jimmie Vaughan & the Tilt-A-Whirl Band

Aug. 24 Roots & Boots - Aaron Tippin, S ammy Kershaw & Collin Raye

Sept. 7 Everclear

Sept. 8 Grand Funk Railroad

Sept. 9 Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

Sept. 16 Warrant + Lita Ford + Bulletboys

Sept. 21 Beth Har t

Sept. 22 Squeeze / The Psychedelic Furs

Sept. 24 Penn & Teller Present: The Foolers

Sept. 28 Ray LaMontagne

Sept. 30 Rodney Carrington For

Doc Tilton House

When the pandemic brought a great pause to people’s lives, Jill Lane felt the beckoning of her Indiana roots.

Born in South Bend to teachers, Margaret and Lester Daniels, Jill was the middle child to brother, Eric, and sister, Leslie Ann. Her homebase was in New Mexico, where she had been inducted into the New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame in 2018. She was known to

many fans of her blog, “Jack’s Dog Blog Travelogue,” that chronicled her travels with her beloved bulldog, Jack, as they ventured forth and reported on petfriendly travel. Her famous sidekick Jack died in August of 2019.

A real estate listing for the historic Tilton house in Nashville immediately caught Jill’s attention. She had graduated from Indiana University and family members were living in

Bloomington, making a relocation to Brown County an attractive retirement option.

Located at 23 North Jefferson Street, by the Village Green, tax records show the Victorian home was built in the late 1800s by William Pittman. It was purchased by James Lewis Tilton and his wife, Sarah Jane, both descendants of early Brown County pioneers who emigrated from Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Tilton taught school for fifteen years, and over time was also a farmer, assessor, and postmaster. He was elected as a Van Buren Township trustee in 1874. In 1888, he moved to the Jefferson Street address with his family, including sons, Frank and Ray, and daughter, Mamie. The Tiltons were the proverbial pillars of the growing community, opening a general store on the northwest corner of Van Buren and Main. A fuel pump was installed on the south

~ by Julia Pearson

photo by Jack E. Harden

Frank M. Hohenberger photos: Ruth Tilton, 1950 and town square, 1934.

side of the store when auto travel brought a market for gasoline.

Branching out in business, Tilton was a partner in a lumber business, a furniture store, and undertaking business. He was part of the organization of the Nashville State Bank in 1905 and served as president from1911 until his death in 1950 at the age of 99. He taught Sunday School and never missed attending the Old Settlers gatherings.

Frank Tilton attended Moor’s Hill College and Indiana Medical College in Indianapolis. He was married to Rachel Josephine Gore, and their family grew to include son, Gore, and daughter, Ruth.

Frank had a medical practice in Nashville, when he met Rachel, who was visiting her sister, Kate. A classmate from medical school told how Frank had plans to go into research until he met Rachel. True love intervened.

After Sarah Jane Tilton’s death, Frank and his family, moved into the house with his father in 1932, and continued his medical practice there.

Many tales of Doc Tilton’s medical practice and the patients he served are recorded in Brown County Remembers, published by the Brown County Historical Society.

In 1933, on a September day in Bean Blossom, Herb McDonald was shot in the right shoulder by James Jenkins, a member of the John Dillinger gang. Herb was taken to Doc Tilton, who determined that the bullet should be removed in the Columbus hospital.

In 1934, Doc Tilton rushed home to share with his family that he saw Eleanor Roosevelt as she stepped out of the Art

Gallery on West Main Street, another noteworthy event in Brown County history.

The house was Ruth Tilton’s lifelong home. A wellknown musician, Ruth had three music degrees and taught vocal and instrumental music in the Brown County schools for 40 years. She also gave private piano lessons, and was organist for the Methodist church.

In her will, the property was passed on to her nephews, Tom and Frank, and niece, Janice. They eventually put the house on the market.

Jill Lane moved into the house on June 7, 2021, the same day as the real estate closing. She promptly immersed herself in the Tilton family lore and knew she would call it the Doc Tilton House

Taking six months to settle in, Jill opened a year-round Airbnb on October 1, 2021. With a nod to her late canine companion, Jack, it is pet friendly. She lives on-site in the former medical office.

To honor the Tilton family’s historical place in the community for 140 years, Jill has curated a micromuseum in the parlor, highlighting the house and Brown County characters. There is a piano as a special tribute to Ruth, and guests are welcome to play.

A “Curio Shoppe” is stocked with vintage treasures, locally made heritage craft items, and antiques. The parlor and Curio Shoppe are open Wednesday–Saturday, noon until 5 p.m. For information about the Airbnb contact Jill at <Jill.trvl@gmail.com>. 

Jill Lane, owner of Doc Tilton House. photo by Cindy Steele

Parlor of the micromuseum. photo by Jack E. Harden

photos by Mike Briner

Calendar

Brown County Playhouse

July 7 Youth Music Showcase

Hosted by Kara Barnard $10

July 12 Kings and Associates

July 14 The Roundups

July 16 Kathy Anderson Gratitude Show

2:00 thanking her for generosity of time, talent, and treasure.

Reception to follow at Art Guild

July 27 Meet Loaf-tribute to Meatloaf

July 29 IN State Fingerstyle Guitar Fest

Competition 11:00, Concert 7:30

On Golden Pond (live theater)

Aug. 4, 5, 11, 12 at 7:30

Aug. 6, 13 at 2:30

Aug. 17 La Noche Flamenca [CHAMBERFEST BROWN CO]

70 S. Van Buren Street 812-988-6555

www.browncountyplayhouse.org

Brown County Music Center

July 22 Randy Travis & his original band

July 25 Melissa Etheridge

July 30 Ann Wilson of Heart & Tripsetter

Aug. 2 Boz Scaggs

Aug. 18 Steve Earle: Alone Again Tour

Aug. 19 Don McLean

Aug. 20 Jimmie Vaughan & the Tilt-A-Whirl-Band

Aug. 24 Roots & Boots - Aaron Tippin, Sammy Kershaw & Collin Raye 812-988-5323

www.browncountymusiccenter.com

Brown County Inn

Open Mic Nights Wed. 6:00-9:00

Hill Folk Music Series Thurs. 7:00-9:00

Fri. & Sat. Live Music 8:00-11:00 (ITR) - in the round

July 1 Gordon Bonham Trio

July 3 [party at garden tent] 6:00 Carpenter & Clerk Trio

July 5 Open Mic

July 6 Dietrich Gosser, Pat Otto, Sarah Flint (ITR)

July 7 Dakota Curtis & The Dark

July 8 Big Daddy Caddy

The schedule can change. Please check before making a trip.

July 12 Open Mic

July 13 Josh Harty

July 14 Zion Crossroads Trio

July 15 JC Clements Band

July 19 Open Mic

July 20 Chuck Wills & Will Scott - co-birthday show

July 21 Sean Lamb & Janet Miller

July 22 Jon McDonald Band

July 26 Open Mic

July 27 Kade Puckett

July 28 [GUITAR FEST] in tent

Fingerstyle contestants and previous winners perform in lounge- CPR Revival

July 29 John Whitcomb Band

Aug. 2 Open Mic

Aug. 3 Pablo Adams, Jan Bell, Krista Hoose (ITR)

Aug. 4 Davis & Devitt

Aug. 5 Rusted String Swindlers

Aug. 9 Open Mic

Aug. 10 Two for the Show- feat. Frank Jones

Aug. 11 Indy Annies Duo

Aug. 12 Nash Brown’s Roadhouse Revival

Aug. 16 Open Mic

Aug. 17 Brandon Lee Duo

Aug. 19 The Movin’ Hips

Aug. 23 Open Mic

Aug. 24 Taylor Hernley

Aug. 25 Sean Lamb & Janet Miller

Aug. 26 Acre Brothers

Aug. 30 Open Mic

Aug. 31 Paul Bertsch

51 State Road 46 East 812-988-2291

www.browncountyinn.com

Country Heritage Winery

Music Fri. & Sat. 6:00-9:00

July 7 Travers Marks

July 8 Steve Fulton

July 14 Forrest Turner

July 15 Indiana Petty & the Wildflowers

July 21 Michaell Reed

July 22 Dan Kirk Duo

July 28 The Paul Bertsch Band

July 29 Coner Berry Band

Aug. 4 John Ryan

Aug. 5 Gary Applegate & Joe Rock

Aug. 11 Flick ‘n’ Rainwater

Aug. 12 Tracy Thompson

Aug. 18 Homemade Jam

Aug. 19 Bakersfield Bound

Aug. 25 Coner Berry Band

Aug. 26 Ruben Guthrie & Albert Nolting 225 S. Van Buren Street 812-988-8500

www.countryheritagewinery.com

Sycamore Saloon at Harmony Tree Resorts

Wed. Trivia Night 6:00

Thurs. Karaoke & Open Mic Night 7:00

Fri. Live Music 8:00 | Sat. Live Music 9:00

July 1 4th Celebration on the 1st Travers Marks 6:00-7:30

1-4-5 Blues Band 8:00-10:00 Fireworks Show 10:00-10:30

1-4-5 Blues Band 10:30-11:00

July 7 Breanna Faith

July 8 Zodiac Lightning

July 14 John Kogge

July 15 Carpenter & Clerk

July 21 Jax Jordening

July 22 Rusted String Swindlers

July 28 Aiden Brown

July 29 Piney Woods & the Strip Mall

Wonder Band

Aug. 4 Ben Justus

Aug. 5 Barely Bones

Aug. 11 The Trio

Aug. 12 Throwback Thursday

Aug. 18 Zion Crossroads

Aug. 19 Colonel Angus

Aug. 25 Jaylen Martinez

Aug. 26 Lexi Len and the Strangers

1292 SR 135 S, Nashville 812-200-5650

www.harmonytreeresorts.com

Music at Abe Martin Lodge

Fri. & Sat. 5:30-8:00, in restaurant

Brown County State Park

1810 SR 46 East, Nashville 812-988-4418

Hard Truth Distilling Co.

Most music Fri.-Sat. 6:00-9:00, Sun. 4:00-7:00

July 1 King Bee & The Stingers

Southern Accents

July 2 The Hammer & The Hatchet with friends

O2R

Aug. 4 Doug Dillman

Aug. 11 Homemade Jam

Aug. 12 Clearwater Band

Aug. 18 Ruben Guthrie

Aug. 19 Past Tense

Aug. 26 Justin Slager

Nashville House

Music Fri. & Sat. 6:00-9:00, Sun. 1:00-4:00

July 1 TBA

July 7 TBA

July 8 Ciara Haskett

July 14 Michael Staublin

July 7

RoughHouse

July 8 First and Main

90 Proof

July 14 Isaac Rudd & The Revolvers

July 15 Vinyl Escape

Back to Mac

July 21 Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters

July 22 Rock 31

Rich Hardesty & The Little Nashvilles

July 28 Eric Hamblin Band

July 29 Paradise City Band

Kickitlester

Aug. 4 Stachin’ 8s

Aug. 5 Jonathan Plevyak

Dean Martini

Aug. 11 Late Nite Revelators

Aug. 12 Blue News

Six Foot Blonde

Aug. 18 Deadline & The Undertakers

Aug. 19 Jazz Elements

Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra

Aug. 25 1-4-5 Blues Band

Aug. 26 ilyAIMY

Street Pennies

418 Old State Road 46 812-720-4840

www.visithardtruth.com

19th Hole Sports Bar

Music Fri. 7:00-10:00 | Sat. 8:00-11:00

Karaoke nights till 12

July 1 Karaoke

July 2 John Ryan

July 7 Ruben Guthrie

July 8

Clearwater Band

July 14 1-4-5 Blues Band

July 15 8 Bit Audio

July 21 Dave Campbell

July 22 Past Tense

July 28 9 to 44

July 29 John Ryan

2359 East State Road 46 812-988-4323 www.saltcreekgolf.com

Ferguson House Beer Garden

Music Fri. 6:00-9:00, Sat. 1:00-4:00 AND 7:00-10:00, Sun. 1:00-4:00

July 1 Shyamm Akasha

TBA

July 2 Rich Hardesty

July 7 Caitlin Spangler

July 8 Paul Bertsch

Austin James

July 9 Allie Jean

July 14 Micke Goode

July 15 Forrest Turner

Brian Koning

July 16 TBA

July 21 TBA

July 22 Kit Haymond

Ciara Haskett

July 23 Jason Blankenship

July 28 Travers Marks

July 29 The Roush Sisters

July 30 TBA

Aug. 4 TBA

Aug. 5 Buck Knawe

Edward Frye

Aug. 6 Rich Hardesty

Aug. 11 Austin James

Aug. 12 Ben Justus

Cody Williams

Aug. 13 Allie Jean

Aug. 18 Foxxy

Aug. 19 Brady Meenach

Caitlin Spangler

Aug. 20 Jason Blankenship

Aug. 25 TBA

Aug. 26 Stant & Moore

Kit Haymond

Aug. 27 TBA

78 Franklin Street 812-988-4042

July 15 Dave Sisson

July 16 Ruben Guthrie

July 21 Ed Frye

July 22 Buck Knawe

July 23 Cody Williams

July 28 The Roush Sisters

July 29 Scott & Melissa Jackson

Aug. 4 Brian Koning

Aug. 5 Jaylen Martinez

Aug. 6 Travers Marks

Aug. 11 TBA

Aug. 12 TBA

Aug. 13 Ross Benson

Aug. 18 Married Band of Two

Aug. 19 The Roush Sisters

Aug. 25 Mikey Goode

Aug. 26 Shyaam Akasha

15 S. Van Buren Street 812-988-4554

www.nashvillehousebc.com

Madhouse of Mystery

Magic Shows

Fri. & Sat. 6:00

75 S. Jefferson - Antique Alley - Nashville 800-959-6401

www.dennysmagic.com

Village Art Walk

Fourth Fridays, 4:00-7:00 April-October

Free self-guided walking tour of downtown Nashville art galleries. Demonstrations. Make & take activities. Wine tasting.

Nashville Farmer’s Market

Sundays 11:00-2:00, Brown Co. Inn parking lot at State Road 135 & 46 intersection

Local produce, herbs, bedding plants, flowers, food, music.

CALENDAR continued from 41

FIREWORKS

July 1 | Harmony Tree Resorts at 10:00

Free concert Zion Crossroads, 1-4-5 Blues

starting at 6:00

July 3 | Brown Co. High School at dusk by Brown Co. Lions Club

July 4 | Story Inn at dusk

Free concet starting 3:00

King Bee & The Stingers, Will Scott, Dave Sisson & Caitlin Spangler

Hippy Hill Festival

July 27-29 | Bill Monroe’s Music Park

Music, food, vendors

5163 N. SR 135 812-988-6422

https://billmonroemusicpark.com/

12th Annual

Fingerstyle Guitar Festival

July 28-29 | Fri. Party in tent at BCI 6:00

Sat. Competition starts 11:00 am

Concert 7:30 at Brown Co. Playhouse

www.indianastringfest.com

www.browncountyplayhouse.org

Humane Society Barn Sale

Aug. 10-12 | 8-4 | BC Humane Soc. Fundraiser

Donate items Aug. 4-6.

Away A Day RV Campground (in Gnaw Bone)

5515 State Road 46, Nashville

3rd ChamberFest Brown Co.

Aug. 13-19 at various locations

Stellar lineup of world-class musicians

Concerts start at 7:00

Aug. 13 United Methodist Church

Aug. 14 Parkview Nazarene Church

Aug. 15 St. Agnes Catholic Church

Aug. 16 United Methodist Church

Aug. 17 Brown County Playhouse

Aug. 18 St. Agnes Catholic Church

Aug. 19 United Methodist Church

www.chamberfestbrowncounty.com

Southern Indiana Blues Fest

Aug. 24-26 | Bill Monroe’s Music Park

Music, food, vendors

5163 N. SR 135

812-988-6422

https://billmonroemusicpark.com/

Kings & Associates

Brown Co. Playhouse

July 12, 2023

One of Australia’s foremost blues and soul bands, Kings & Associates, will perform at the Brown County Playhouse. The band won “Blues Artists of the Year” in Australia in 2019, and were one of the top five finalists for “Album of the Year” in the international Blues Foundation Awards. The band formed in 2014, and received worldwide attention with their acclaimed second album, “Tales of a Rich Girl,” in 2018. The band is now on its third album.

July 28 and 29, 2023

Guitarists will converge in Nashville for the 12th Annual Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival. Musicians will compete for prize guitars as well as the opportunity to play during an evening concert featuring Michael Kelsey, Edgar Cruz, and Mark Cruz. Friday will feature a party at Brown County Inn, starting at 6:30. Nationallyranked guitarists will perform, including previous winners of the competition. This event is free to the public. The competition begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Brown County Playhouse. Top winners will be announced at 2 p.m. and the evening concert begins at 7:30. The Indiana State Fingerstyle Competition is one of only eight competitions worldwide to be accredited by the Walnut Valley Festival. Tickets www.indianastringfest.com or via Brown County Playhouse.

Brown Co. Music Center

July 30,2023

Ann Wilson, a founder and lead singersongwriter of the band Heart, will be performing at the Brown County Music Center. Widely praised among rock singers, Ann’s voice has been sending chills down her audience’s spine for over five decades, earning record sales of more than 35 million, an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award. “Barracuda,” “Crazy On You,” and “Magic Man” are among the many songs she’s written. This past year, Ann sang with Disturbed’s frontman David Draiman on the duet, “Don’t Tell Me” from their recently released record, and lent her voice to Dolly Parton’s forthcoming rock record.

Ann Wilson Steve Earle

Brown Co. Music Center

August

Steve Earle, one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation, will apprear at the Brown County Music Center. A protege of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, he became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and others. His record, Guitar Town regarded as a classic. The Revolution Starts...Now, Washington Square Serenade, and TOWNES received consecutive GRAMMY® Awards. Earle has published both a novel and collection of short stories; produced albums for other artists such as Joan Baez and Lucinda Williams; and acted in films, television, and on the stage. Earle was recently inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

August 13-19, 2023

The third annual ChamberFest Brown County will be held at various locations in Nashville. The festival presents music that spans the centuries and the genres, from Bach, Mozart, Ravel, and Gershwin, to a night of Flamenco song and dance. A stellar lineup of world-class musicians will perform: the Verona Quartet, Heartland Baroque, and Lincoln String Quartet; members of such nationally known orchestras as the Chicago Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, and Indianapolis Symphony; and faculty from

the IU Jacobs School of Music. In the spirit of making this music accessible to everyone, all but one concert is free. All venues have somewhat limited seating. If you’d like to ensure your seat, you can reserve one online.

Aug. 13 United Methodist Church

Aug. 14 Parkview Church of the Nazarene

Aug. 15 St. Agnes Catholic Church

Aug. 16 United Methodist Church

Aug. 17 Brown County Playhouse. Tickets required. La Noche Flamenca A night of Spanish Classical Guitar and Flamenco. Reception at Brown County Art Guild follows.

Aug. 18 St. Agnes Catholic Church

Aug. 19 United Methodist Church

Pre-concert open house at the Hoosier Artist Gallery. Get concert details or reserve your seat at www.chamberfestbrowncounty.com

Tickets for Thursday’s Brown County Playhouse performance at www.browncountyplayhouse.org

August 24-26, 2023

The blues fest kicks off Thursday with a jam session hosted by the Bloomington Blues Group House Band and is open to all musicians. Friday and Saturday will have two stages of continuous, live blues, and some workshops. The lineup this year will include Brown County’s Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band. Other acts: Walter Trout, Bobby Rush, Gene Deer, Brandon Santini, King Bee & The Stingers, and more. Golf cart parade and decorating contest to be held Saturday. For tickets/camping: https://billmonroemusicpark.com/ 5163 N. SR 135 812-988-6422

The Brown County Public Library

While the Brown County Public Library remains the focal point of the community’s literary life, it’s more than just that.

“We want people to check out books,” said Stori Snyder, director of the library. “But if people find the library is filling alternative needs, that’s fine too.

“We fulfill our role in the community by providing spaces, services, and access to materials.”

A table devoted to jigsaw puzzles for adults gets heavy use, as do coloring stations for kids. Toys spread through children’s areas keeps them entertained while their accompanying adults can interact. A bank of computers is available, and chess and dominoes have permanent homes, along with an impressive art collection, a used bookstore, and places to simply relax.

The library has three heavily used community meeting rooms on its lower level, which host clubs, organizations, and general meetings.

Local art and crafts have always been a part of the library’s mission, and are seen in details of the library itself. Works on display range from renowned historic figures such as T.C. Steele and Ada Shulz, as well as

contemporary artists working in the community today. A collection of Brown County pottery was recently added to the display.

Snyder, now in her 11th year as director of the library, says a trend toward digital media is the biggest change she has seen in the past decade.

Now, about 25 percent of the material checked out at the library is on digital or streaming services, a trend she expects to continue to grow.

~ story and photos by Bob Gustin

In addition to books, the library offers DVDs, CDs, magazines and newspapers, a used media store operated by Friends of the Library, digital and streaming services, internet access, government documents and research information.

More than 110,000 items were checked out last year.

Public funding for a library in Brown County began in 1836, and it was housed in schools and even private homes before moving into various buildings around Nashville in its 187-year history. The present 18,000-square-foot structure opened in 2001. A branch library is located in the Cordry-Sweetwater Lakes area.

Many children’s books are selected with the “windows and mirrors” concept in mind, where kids can find characters like themselves, no matter what their situation in life, or can look through windows into the lives of people who have different experiences.

A variety of programs for children, teens, and adults are offered at the library, including a popular summer reading program. Children’s activities include puppet shows, Monday Morning Storytime, Puzzle Pandemonium, comic book workshops, Lego Club, and “messy art.” Adult programs include workshops and presentations on art, history, and cultural topics,

current events, literature, life skills, self-care, music, economics, health and more.

Year-round reading programs explore all types of books.

“The beauty of reading programs is to try to stretch people’s comfort levels and explore different kinds of books,” Snyder said.

Many programs are supported by The Friends of the Brown County Library, a non-profit organization financed by its membership and by fund-raising events, including the Book Nook, where used books and other items are sold.

Among changes the library has seen in recent years:

Wickard endowment

Brown County resident Tesh Wickard left a $2.3 million gift to the library when he died in 2014, and an endowment was established in 2016, allowing the library board of directors to draw on the interest earned to be used primarily for improvements and maintenance to the building. It was the largest single donation ever made to the library.

Among the projects which have used Wickard funds are modernization of the checkout area, a new roof, new air conditioning units, and construction of power-producing solar panels.

“The Wickard endowment’s mission to fund maintenance and construction of the BCPL helps keep our wonderful library building in great condition,” said library board member Kathy Roberts, who also is president of the Wickard board of directors.

“It also means more of the annual budget can go into the resources and programs that are at the heart of what we all love about our library.”

Solar energy

In 2021, an array of power-producing solar panels was built in the lower level parking lot and energy-efficient retrofitting was done for a cost of about $800,000. The project was completed without going into debt or raising taxes.

The 324 solar panels on carport-like structures are expected to pay for themselves over a 15-year period by producing nearly all the power. Two charging stations to be used by owners of electric vehicles are included in the project.

Stori Snyder, director of the library.

Across from the entrance to the BROWN COUNTY MUSIC CENTER located inside

Book bike

The library received a grant to acquire an electric-powered three-wheeled bike to make intown deliveries. In April through October, patrons can reserve books, which will be delivered on Wednesdays to Johnson Street Park, Willow Manor, or Hawthorne Hills Apartments.

Tax preparation help and legal aid

In the weeks leading up to the tax filing deadline, tax preparation help is available free of charge for those needing it.

Regular legal aid clinics are held at the library, where patrons can get free confidential phone consultations. An Indiana State Bar Association kiosk is available to print legal forms and access resources regarding rent, eviction, and foreclosure.

Safe haven

The library has been designated as a “safe place” for children and teens who feel they need protection. It has also been certified as a friendly environment for people suffering from dementia. Public access computers and hot spots

Eleven computers and two laptops are available to be used free of charge during library hours. In addition, free wi-fi is available in the library and its parking lots.

The library added wi-fi hotspots to the list of items which can be borrowed.

Genealogy

The library’s genealogy section includes stories of about 280 Brown County families, collected by Kenneth and Helen Reeve. The library also has

LIBRARY continued from 45

microfilm of the Brown County Democrat newspaper dating back to 1914.

Little Free Food Pantry

This summer, the library will be adding an outdoor pantry, based on the Little Free Library model, where nonperishable food may be donated or taken by those who need it.

The Brown County Public Library at 205 Locust Lane in Nashville is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday; and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. The Cordry-Sweetwater branch at 8751 Nineveh Road is open 2-5 p.m Tuesday, and 3-6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. For more information call 812-988-2850 or visit <browncountylibrary.info>. 

COFFEE BAR

The Toy Chest moved across the street

The Toy Chest recently moved into a beautiful Victorian building on South Van Buren Street in Nashville’s Calvin Place, across the road from its previous home in the Artists Colony Inn shops.

The Toy Chest has been a staple in Nashville since 1970. It was first owned by Helen and Ed Hollis and started out on Main Street. It moved to the Artists Colony Inn area in 1988, when the complex was first built. Cathy and David Martin bought the business in 1989 and ran it until they sold it to the current owner, Hilary Key, in 2014.

The location became available in February, when the owners of the shop Madeline’s retired. By May 25 Hilary and staff had completely renovated the new location, moved the store, and opened to the public.

After just three weeks in the new location, Hilary noticed a dramatic increase in foot traffic.

“In our former location, it was really difficult for people to just stumble upon us. Now you can’t miss us,” she said.

Hilary and her team pulled up carpet, painted every wall, added wallpaper, refinished floors and even had new hardwood floors installed in one of the rooms.

~ story and photos by Paige Langenderfer

Hilary Key, owner of The Toy Chest, at the new location.

“The old location didn’t look or feel like me,” Hilary said. “You could say my personality has exploded in this store and that feels good.”

In its new location, The Toy Chest is separated into five rooms, with different flooring and wallpaper.

“It feels like each room is a different store,” Hilary said. “Each room has a different feel. For instance, one room has an older feel, and that is where we put the toys for older kids and adults.”

The high ceilings and natural light from the numerous windows makes browsing the rooms almost dreamlike. With toys, books, games, puzzles, crafts, fidgets and so much more from floor to ceiling, shoppers would have to spend days in the store to see every item.

Toy enthusiasts, and kids, will be happy to find brands like Tonies, Melissa and Doug, Playmobil, HABA, SmartNoggin, Fat Brain, Usborne, Gund, Thames and Kosmos and so many more.

“I think they’ve done an amazing job redesigning the space. It is so beautiful,” said Courtney WootenBurkey, who works part time at the store. “I love coming to work here. It makes me feel so creative.”

Hilary said her goal is to make The Toy Chest a premier toy store. She spends hours researching and attending trade shows to learn the latest trends in the toy industry.

“I want people to come here and make memories and make a relationship with us so they will want to come back, or shop online with us,” she said. “We are so much prettier than Amazon, and our staff truly cares. You can ask us questions and we know what we are talking about. We will even create custom gift baskets for you based on your child’s age and interests.”

While she is ecstatic with the store’s success, Hilary said the road to this shining moment has been bumpy.

In 2020, the pandemic changed the world, and changed how they do business.

“It’s kind of weird to say, but it was kind of a blessing in disguise,” Hilary said. “We had been talking about getting our online store up for a while, but the pandemic really forced us to do the work. We actually ended up growing significantly during the pandemic.”

But, with online sales booming, Hilary felt the constraints of the former location.

“There was no office space or stock room,” she said. “So, any growth we had really fell to me because I had to do the office work from my home and I had to store everything in my garage.”

While the new location is still not large enough for all of the stock, there is space on the second floor for storage and an office.

“Now I hope to be able to get help from staff on office work and stock room management,” Hilary said. “At the old location, I really felt like I was just keeping my head above water. Now, I want to focus on settling in and doing business really well.”

The Toy Chest, located at 100 S Van Buren Street, is open 10 a.m to 6 p.m. daily.

Information: <www.browncountytoychest.com> or 812-988-2817. 

Courtney Wooten-Burkey pointing out some new items on display.

“I want people to come here and make memories and make a relationship with us so they will want to come back, or shop online with us.”

—Hilary Key

Field Notes

~by Jim Eagleman

Bird Sounds

My open bedroom window lets me awaken to the many bird songs in our woods. I am usually up by seven, some days earlier, and the chorus kicks in right at daybreak.

Having fasted all night, birds are ravenous and feed at the first sign of light. This also signals to parents of birds just fledged to feed their young—maybe to last all day long. Begging calls from the young sound different than adult calls, accompanied by a fluttering of wings and short flights. This feeding frenzy—wings moving all the time while perched—can make for some great watching.

Birds vocalize for a variety of reasons: to attract a mate, announce their presence, to group together for feeding and safety, and to call for distress. While songs

may be melodic and rather pleasing, they are not sung to entertain. Calls and songs are learned instinctively by the young as parents reinforce this connection. In many species, the young male must hear a song at a certain age in order to learn it. This leads to more individual variety in songs than in calls.

Bird communication has been studied by many scientists and naturalists for a long time. The public televison broadcaster David Attenborough’s account of birds recorded in different countries and featured in various nature programs, helped me appreciate the variety and complexity.

Bird calls are a challenging and rewarding soundtrack to the “sport” of birdwatching, now called birding. I call it a sport since those involved can sometimes make it a contest, documenting the birds seen and heard with each outing, and comparing numbers.

Learning bird songs for me is a life-long pursuit. Each spring into early summer, I review the warbler, flycatcher, and vireo songs. Memories of the first time and place I heard the bird, maybe years before, are recalled. A sense of place, historians call it, when a significant event can help recall the location where it occurred. A hooded warbler singing above me in a Chicago forest preserve years ago, is an example. I had never seen one in class or with friends before that. Alone and thrilled at the sight and song—the event stayed with me.

No bird apps for identification, or learning songs were available when I took my first ornithology class in the early 70s. The professor suggested we purchase a long-playing album of bird calls from the university bookstore. A few of us pitched in and bought the album. One day I heard the album at a friend’s place. “The black-capped chickadee, song one,” said the narrator, followed by a familiar call we

recognized, but with other background calls we didn’t. “The black-capped chickadee, song two,” came next— even more confusing. This went on for five or six songs of more birds, all producing different versions. Listening to this entire album in hopes of learning bird calls was futile. “Torture,” we called it, and we soon opted to head outside to watch and listen for the actual bird. This we found was the best way to learn bird calls. For me, it still is.

When I first started listening to bird sounds, I had trouble describing what I was hearing. Was it a whistle, a song, a squawk? When asked how many birds we saw on an early morning walk, the normal response was, “We heard a lot more than we saw.”

Compounding the challenge, some songbirds can actually sing two notes simultaneously. I paid attention to pitch (high or low), tempo (speed), and how the tone sounded. I made rough descriptions of the bird sounds and then sought to match them with characterizations in the birder and field guides. Soon, I was able to differentiate between trills, buzzes, whether rich or thin, harsh, bell-like, flute-like, whistling, or metallic. It helped that I was in a marching band years before, because I sometimes compared bird sounds with instruments and

music—the melodic notes of a thrush, a rusty screech of the common grackle. Like voices of friends, you recognize the differences.

Many birders see the value in learning to recognize songs. People may speak of “birding by ear” as if it is different from normal birding. It’s not. It is something you are already doing. When I’m outside, I never stop listening for birds. Sound is often the best way to detect when a bird is near. “Birding by sight alone,” our professor told us, “is like watching television with the sound turned off. You’ll miss most of what’s going on.”

Still, birding by ear can seem daunting when first getting started. I’m overwhelmed with dozens of different species calling all at once during a summer sunrise. Picking out a single species is difficult. Will I ever learn them all?

I don’t have to learn them all, especially not at first. The benefits of listening begin to kick in as soon as a few calls become familiar. Mastering one or two species is the key to learning more. Like learning an instrument or foreign language, you build up your mental library. With practice and repetition, you have more basis for comparisons.

Summer is upon us, and the sights and sounds of the Brown County woods are here. Happy birding! 

Miller’s Ice Cream House

New Owners, Anthony & Allex Dobbs

~ story and photos by

When Anthony Dobbs decided to follow in the footsteps of his Nashville shop-owning family, he reached back to one of the most pleasant memories of his youth—and he bought an ice cream shop.

And not just any ice cream shop, but the venerable Miller’s Ice Cream House, which has been serving home-made ice cream from its location on South Main Street, at the Village Green Building, since 1977.

The motto down at Miller’s Ice Cream House is “Yes, we really do make it ourselves!”

“We make the waffle cones fresh every day,” Dobbs said. “The smell is overwhelming. A lot of times people come in because they smell that wonderful smell of fresh-made waffle cones.”

And it isn’t just the cones—all of Miller’s Ice Cream House’s sixteen flavors are made in a back room of the store in wooden tub freezers with rock salt, ice, and flavorings.

“We still make everything just the way that it’s always been made here, with quality ingredients, just the way you would make it at home in an old-

Jeff Tryon

fashioned wooden ice cream freezer, except on a much larger scale,” Dobbs said.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Regular menu flavors include many nature or Brown County-inspired tastes like blackberry, persimmon, sassafras, black walnut, maple nut, and pumpkin. There’s also a flavor called “brown county campfire,” which mimics that classic camping treat, s’mores.

Along with the store, the Dobbs’ obtained all of the recipes from nearly 50 years of the ice cream trade in Nashville. Of those, about a dozen are permanent, and the rest can rotate through by season or whim.

Surprisingly, the number one seller of all the flavors is the classic vanilla. Another current favorite is apple butter ice cream, made with apple butter from a neighboring shop, The Harvest Preserve.

Dobbs said that along with his life-long favorite flavor, cookie dough cream, he is also partial to the blueberry custard flavor.

Owning a shop in Nashville must be in the genetic code for Dobbs, whose grandmother, Gloria, owned Pit Bull Leather for years. He grew up around his father

Mike Dobbs’ Little Rascals Toy Shop, just across the street from the ice cream shop.

“I learned how to run a cash register before I was ten years old,” he said. “I remember when I was a kid, coming over here to get an ice cream cone.”

“Cookie dough cream, still my favorite!”

Dobbs and his wife, Allex, stay on top of things day-to-day, but when summer heat brings in hordes of tourists seeking the sweet, cold concoction, as many as seven people are called upon to dip the tasty treats into the shop’s signature homemade waffle cones.

“We are hiring,” he said.

Sometimes those crowds lead to long lines and a bit of a wait for the ultimate summer treat, but, Dobbs assures, “It’s worth the wait.”

On sultry summer days, the cool, air-conditioned parlor is welcome and inviting. Happy families crowd around the old-fashioned ice cream parlor chairs and tables. In the lobby, a player piano plinks out old familiar tunes.

In addition to the classic cone, Miller’s offers sundaes, including brownie fudge, banana split,

caramel apple, tin roof, turtle, strawberry, Oreo heaven and “choco-holic heaven.” Also, a waffle cone sundae and a “teeny tiny sundae.”

Dobbs, 25, graduated from Brown County High School in 2016, and has been running the shop with his wife for about three years.

He said he is grateful to Alan Miller and the Miller family for the great opportunity to buy the town’s most established ice cream shop.

While the shop consumes a lot of his time, in his spare time he does the yardwork and upkeep on the couple’s home just outside of town.

Of course, the ice cream trade tends to be a seasonal business. When the summer temperatures are scorching, the air-conditioned ice cream shop is packed with visitors. But during late December to mid-March, the store is closed, and the Dobbs get an opportunity to vacation or just have some time off.

If you are feeling the completely understandable urge to experience for yourself the delight of old-fashioned, home-made ice cream, you need look no further than the giant ice cream cone hanging from the corner of the Village Green Building at 61 West Main Street.

There, just as it has been for nearly 50 years, you will find this classic summer treat, made just as it always was.

Miller’s Ice Cream House is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 6 p.m. on Friday’s. 

Weed Patch Music Company