Carmel Magazine April 2023

MAGAZINE

APRIL 2023

A NEW ERA

KEVIN RIDER TALKS CANDIDACY FOR CARMEL MAYOR NICE COAT

Spray-Net Provides Innovative Painting Solutions

“HELLO, NEWMAN”

Indianapolis PopCon is the Convergence of All Things Pop Culture

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4 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

A TOWNE POST NETWORK PUBLICATION

For advertising information, contact:

IN THIS ISSUE

APRIL 2023

PUBLISHER JENNIFER LEEMAN jen@townepost.com 317-832-9495

12

TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC. FOUNDER/CEO TOM BRITT tom@townepost.com 317.496.3599 PRESIDENT JEANNE BRITT jeanne@townepost.com 317.810.0011 PRODUCTION COORDINATOR ERIN TURK DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT JOSH BROWN CREATIVE DIRECTORS TONI EADS VAL AUSTIN COPY EDITORS JON SHOULDERS NATALIE PLATT

This front cover spotlight is paid for by Rider for Carmel.

8

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BPI Outdoor Living Can Create the Ultimate Escape Right in Your Backyard

Spray-Net Provides Innovative Painting Solutions

AN OUTDOOR OASIS REAL-TIME ANALYTICS Scan the QR code to see this magazine’s real-time reach and distribution numbers.

TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC. 8800 North Street, Suite 117 Fishers, IN 46038 Phone/Text: 317-810-0011

#SPOTLIGHTINGLOCAL

NICE COAT

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26

Kevin Rider Talks Candidacy for Carmel Mayor

Indianapolis PopCon is the Convergence of All Things Pop Culture

A NEW ERA

“HELLO, NEWMAN”

17

28

The Indianapolis AlleyCats Are Ready for Action

A Glance at the History of Local Authors in Hamilton County

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LITERARY LEGACY

KEY CONTRIBUTORS FOR FRANCHISE INFORMATION, VISIT franchising.townepost.com

ALESHA MCCARTY / ALLI DONOVAN / DAVID HEIGHWAY / KJ MCGLINN MICHAEL DURR / RENEE LARR / SARAH BROWNING / WALKER PHOTOGRAPHY

YOU CAN BE A HERO TOO! Show Your Appreciation Support Our Local Public Safety Heroes

THE Y PU T THEIR L IVES O N T H E LI N E EVERYDAY! Through Your Donation, the Heroes Club Funds a $400,000 Accidental Death Policy for any Firefighter, Police Officer, or Public Safety Employee Who Falls in the Line of Duty Within the City of Carmel and Clay Township.

THE HEROES CLUB CAN ONLY CONTINUE ITS MISSION WITH YOUR SUPPORT Donate Today at TheHeroesClub.Org 6 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

DOABLE VIEWABLE AND

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Experience the arts in Hamilton County. View a wide variety of creative and free public art throughout the county. Immerse your inner artist in art classes, u-paint shops and festivals. Plus, sing along to your favorite songs with live music—from free to famous. With three recognized state cultural districts, no matter where you go in Hamilton County, experience the arts.

TownePost.com / APRIL 2023 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / 7 Start exploring at VisitHamiltonCounty.com/Art.

AN OUTDOOR OASIS

BPI OUTDOOR LIVING CAN CREATE THE ULTIMATE ESCAPE RIGHT IN YOUR BACKYARD

to connect both with nature and each other, the outdoor space is a cost-effective way to add living space to an existing home,” says J.D. Durst, President and Owner of BPI Outdoor Living. “Homeowners are now aware of their options and looking to create a cohesive connection between inside/ outside living.”

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to rely on the weather when you can rely on BPI Outdoor Living.

If you live in the Midwest, you have probably enjoyed a warm sunny day followed by a cold, rainy one the next. Your outdoor entertainment dreams don’t need

Outdoor living spaces have become an extension of the home and interior spaces.

“As homeowners realize how important it is 8 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

Homeowners these days dream of much more than a simple patio, deck or porch.

They want high-end finishes and features that bring the comforts of indoors to stunning outdoor spaces. Cooking areas take the form of an outdoor kitchen.

Heating sources include gas and woodburning fire pits, fireplaces and electric overhead heaters.

aspirations. They have been honing their craft for more than 24 years in the business.

With a core focus on designing and building luxury outdoor living spaces, the team focuses on asking the right questions to help clients maximize their spaces and budgets.

With skilled artisans who focus on timeless building techniques and materials, they ensure clients have spaces that they can enjoy year-round and for years to come.

STICK TO THE PLAN

When it comes to creating an outdoor oasis it’s best to think it through and develop a comprehensive plan. A well thought out design solution yields not just a better result, but a better overall experience.

Cover is now achieved in many forms, from pergolas and shade sails to detached and attached roofs. The outdoor living room is completed with outdoor audio and video, allowing homeowners to gather and watch their favorite show or sporting event while also enjoying the outdoors. These offerings provide the comfort needed outdoors that allows homeowners to brave the elements year-round.

“As modern homeowners focus on spending more time with friends and family, the desire to have a great outdoor kitchen and lounge area to congregate is equally as important as it is inside the home,” Durst adds.

The BPI team designs dream outdoor spaces tailored to individual homeowners’

“I’ve seen it time and again,” Durst says.

“When people don’t use a comprehensive master plan, the finished project often doesn’t look cohesive. Spending time on the front end not only gets you a better result but could potentially save you a lot of money and heartache down the road.”

The team at BPI Outdoor Living consider themselves landscape architects first and skilled artisans second. With multiple landscape architects and designers on staff, the team believes that design is paramount.

They pride themselves on creating an immersive experience for their clients, and they do that with their unique approach.

In most cases, a landscape company will come out to your house, walk the property, then sit down with you at your kitchen table and go through a stack of pictures. At BPI’s TownePost.com / APRIL 2023 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / 9

initial meeting, however, the design team utilize a customer questionnaire.

“It’s really more of an interview process so that potential clients can determine if we are a good fit for them and their type of project,” Durst adds.

By the end of that first meeting, which typically lasts 45 to 60 minutes, BPI has provided the client with a broad idea of what their space could include and approximately how much it could cost. Next steps involve talking about if the project will be done all at once or in phases.

Clients are then invited to BPI’s design studio where they are walked through a design discovery process that honors their goals, ambitions, and needs. Durst and his team discuss opportunities and constraints for the process and advise clients throughout that process, in terms of solutions, investment and return on that investment.

At the design studio, they utilize physical materials and vignettes as well as CAD 3D modeling software, fly-thru videos, and programs like SketchUp to show their clients exactly what a project will look like and how it’s going to feel in that space before they ever put a shovel in the ground.

TRUST THE PROCESS

The process when working with clients is simple. It’s all about having conversations and asking questions because through dialogue comes education and understanding.

“By honing all of our talent as a team, which includes build artisans and landscape designers, we come together to make a home’s outdoor living spaces more usable,

more memorable, and more intentional,” she people may ask about is not necessarily says. “And we want those spaces and elements the key issue, which is why we prescribe a to last.” design process that addresses the client’s root needs and desires, Scheuermann The BPI team follows a three-step design says. “We also determine what we can process that considers creativity, aesthetics and and cannot address as far as build and site investment. During the first step, they consult conditions.” with the client on the conceptual design.

To efficiently facilitate step one, the “This phase sets us apart because the first thing team presents the client with a series of questions to better understand the purpose and intention for the space. They then get into more detail in the second step where they present a 3D model of the outdoor living space to help clients more clearly visualize the design solution and overall plans. Step three involves discussing material choices. At this point, they have honed in on the final design package as well as the client’s investment level.

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According to Kyla Scheuermann, design associate at BPI, with every project they tackle, BPI Outdoor living is focused on building timeless experiences both for now and into the future.

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A NEW ERA

KEVIN RIDER TALKS CANDIDACY FOR CARMEL MAYOR Writer / Alli Donovan Photographer / Sarah Browning

Kevin Rider and Jeff Worrell 12 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

A big change is coming to Carmel. loves serving the community.

Mayor Jim Brainard is stepping down and not seeking re-election for 2024. This is the end of an era for Carmel as he has been in the mayoral seat for the last 28 years. He announced this decision in September of 2022.

restaurants, Woodys Library Restaurant and divvy, with his wife, Richelle.

The next question is, who will be the new mayor of Carmel? Mayor Brainard is leaving some large shoes to fill, as Carmel is considered one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.

“A huge goal of mine is to keep Carmel going in the positive direction that it’s already in,” Rider says. Another pillar for Rider’s campaign focuses on communication. It is critical to engage Rider’s dream to run for mayor started when in meaningful conversations and create he was a kid. He worked on Richard Lugar’s actionable outcomes. This is the key to campaign (mayor of Indianapolis from 1968 success, and a huge opportunity to build to 1975), passing out signs to the public. He trust between residents, elected officials and always loved politics. As a high schooler, he key community leaders. was highly involved and enthusiastic about Rider’s strongest supporter is Carmel various debates.

City Council President Jeff Worrell.

Rider’s desire to become mayor for the City Worrell serves as the unofficial chair of the campaign and has helped develop Rider’s of Carmel comes down to one reason - he

One of the candidates seeking election for the mayoral position is Kevin “Woody” Rider.

Rider has been in the Indianapolis area all his life. Born and raised in Indy, Rider moved to the city of Carmel in 1983 and has resided here ever since. He is a local businessman in Carmel, owning two

In addition to owning two successful businesses in Carmel, Rider has been highly involved in community efforts. Rider has served on the Carmel City Council for 16 years. Of those 16 years, 12 were also dedicated to serving on the Carmel Plan Commission. He also spent one year on the Carmel Redevelopment Commission.

TownePost.com / APRIL 2023 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / 13

Rider has hit the ground running for the campaign, going door to door, speaking with Carmel residents and keeping the community informed.

platform and issues. He is working to help bring Rider’s message to the community and is committed to working with Rider as a partner on the city council after the election.

“Everybody knew that one day Jim Brainard would not be our mayor anymore,” Worrell says. “This will be a transition. What I can do to best support Kevin is to be there to support him in this transition.”

"THE PEOPLE OF CARMEL ARE SPECIAL. THEY’RE KIND, GENEROUS AND GIVING. CARMEL IS A PLACE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE CAN BE VERY PROUD OF." —JEFF WORRELL

The campaign is ramping up over the next several weeks. What the community doesn’t know is that Rider’s team has been working on this campaign for three years, and they are ready to serve. For the next two months they know it is vital to continue to meet and talk with the community, and get their message out to the public.

“The City of Carmel has given me the life that I have,” Rider says, when asked what he loves about Carmel. “Everything that I’ve had in my adult life has come from living in Carmel. It’s a dynamic place to live. This is where I chose to spend my life, build my family and grow my businesses.

“For me, Carmel is about the people,” Worrell adds. “The people of Carmel are special. They’re kind, generous and giving.

Carmel is a place that the people who live there can be very proud of.”

May 2 is the 2023 primary election.

Early voting information can be found at hamiltoncounty.in.gov/1399/Vote-Early--In-Person. A public debate amongst mayoral candidates was held March 28 at the Palladium in Carmel to hear more information from each candidate.

Rider, Worrell and the rest of the Rider for Carmel team are ready to answer the community’s questions. For more information on Rider, visit the campaign website, riderforcarmel.com. On the website, you can reach out to Rider to discuss any ideas or issues directly.

The Rider for Carmel campaign headquarters is now open at 452 East Carmel Drive. The community can also follow the campaign on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

14 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

TownePost.com / APRIL 2023 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / 15

s n o i t a n i Nomow Open!

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TOP LOCAL NOMINATE YOUR TOP LOCAL BUSINESSES We are looking for your favorite local businesses to feature in our Towne Post Network magazines, website, and social media. Each month, we will acknowledge Townies’ Top Local Award recipients and list them in our monthly print publications. There is no cost to be recognized, we’re just looking for the businesses that locals feel are the best!

HOW TO QUALIFY To be considered, your business must be nominated by someone other than the owner(s) of the business. Those with the most nominations will be considered before others, so make sure you get your most loyal local fans to nominate your business. When being considered, Towne Post Network editorial staff will review the following criteria to insure these qualifications are met:

Online Ranking 4.5 Stars or Higher Listing on TownePost.com Supports Local Charities Locally Owned

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DISC UP

THE INDIANAPOLIS ALLEYCATS ARE READY FOR ACTION Writer / Alesha McCarty Photographer / Michael Durr

TownePost.com / APRIL 2023 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / 17

T

he members of the Indianapolis AlleyCats thoroughly enjoy competing as part of the American Ultimate Disc League.

Travis Carpenter, handler, stresses the simplicity and various physical challenges of the game in particular.

“All you need is a disc and a field,” Carpenter says. “I love the challenge - running, stamina and coordination. It’s low impact in contrast to other sports. You don’t even need cones. You can play just about anywhere.”

Although being a pro athlete is a full-time job, most team members have other careers and are involved in their communities.

The humility of the players makes them relatable. Several of the players say that the team meet-and-greets are some of their favorite moments on game days. You can chat with your favorite AlleyCat player before and after each game.

“I love the up-close-and-personal aspect,” says Tim Held, majority owner.

The sport is for fans of all ages, and Carpenter says kids get the most excited.

“It’s fun to see how super pumped they get,” Carpenter says. “Sometimes they’re getting their first frisbee or our autographs, and seeing their pure excitement is inspiring.”

Derek Tow, a minority owner, is excited for the 2023 season.

“I love the camaraderie,” he says. “There’s nothing like seeing ultimate live. They have exciting plays, big dives and big jumps on a regular occurrence.”

18 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

Tow’s enthusiasm for the sport is infectious. Game day is family day, and you can find his wife, Cindy, running the ticket office, or his two kids cheering on the team. The AlleyCats are passionate about revamping the kids club this year, including an opportunity to run the team flag across the field.

The AlleyCats kids club membership is a perfect gift.

“We want to keep it accessible for everyone,” Held says.

A one-year membership is only $30, and includes a ticket to all six home games, a membership card, team frisbee, water bottle, merchandise discounts, game tickets and access to meet-andgreets with players for the kids. In an effort to continue making events kid friendly, they are introducing a team mascot at the home opener on May 6.

Details can be found on the official team website. Kids 5 and under can attend games for free. Your child may grow up to be an AlleyCat one day, and attending a game can be a great way to get them introduced to the sport.

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Home games are played indoors at the award-winning Grand Park Events Center in Westfield. Located above the south end zone is Grand Stand Sports Pub and Concessions, which is a family-friendly environment offering a full restaurant and bar stocked with local favorites. The 150seat space overlooks the action happening on the field, so you can fuel up and not miss any of the action. The pub will also host post-game celebration parties.

“Everybody’s welcome,” Tow says. “Meet the team, get an autograph, grab some grub and just celebrate community.”

The AlleyCats are one big family, if that family had 29 brothers.

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Order tickets and follow the AlleyCats at myalleycats.com. For more on the American Ultimate Disc League, go to theaudl.com.

TownePost.com / APRIL 2023 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / 19

NICE COAT

SPRAY-NET PROVIDES INNOVATIVE PAINTING SOLUTIONS

Rodney Kuhl

AFTER Writer / Renee Larr Photography Provided

A home makeover can often be as simple as a new paint color. Spray-Net North Indy offers an innovative exterior and kitchen cabinet repainting solution. Spray-Net specializes in painting exterior siding, doors and windows, and kitchen cabinets, with proprietary coatings engineered specifically for each surface.

Owner Rodney Kuhl says Spray-Net offers its own proprietary coating specifically formulated for each type of paintable surface. Kuhl says each proprietary coating provides a factory finish warrantied for 15 years, engineered specifically for the needs of that surface. For instance, the kitchen cabinet coating is a hard, durable finish that is scratch and stain resistant, and washable, made to withstand the daily activity in your kitchen. Whereas the brick coating isn’t a paint at all. It’s actually a stain. The

BEFORE stain allows the porous brick to breathe so “Our process is always brush-free, only moisture isn’t trapped inside and the coating using paint sprayers. For kitchens, our twowon’t peel. component paint is odorless and dry to the touch in 15 to 30 minutes, so you can return to using your kitchen as soon as we leave.”

“We’re a much more cost-effective alternative to replacing your kitchen The brush-free finish means newly painted cabinets or exterior siding, often saving cabinets look brand new. Spray-Net clients 50-75% vs. replacement,” Kuhl says.

20 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

BEFORE provides a thorough process by bringing the factory directly to the client’s home.

Kuhl says they bring a portable spray booth they can set up inside a home or garage. From there, the Spray-Net team prepares the rest of the home by covering any exposed surfaces.

“We have a HEPA air scrubber running to clean the air while we paint,” Kuhl says.

“We take the doors off the cabinets and spray those in our portable spray booth, ventilating dust outside. The cabinet boxes stay on the walls to be painted, but we mask off everything else and put up a plastic barrier from floor to ceiling to protect the rest of your home.”

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Kuhl was looking to get out of the corporate world and find a business opportunity that allowed him more freedom, time and flexibility in his work life. Kuhl was drawn to Spray-Net because of its unique approach to home renovation.

“I liked the idea that Spray-Net could bridge the gap between painting and replacing, and filled a large void,” Kuhl says. “I liked my corporate job but I was sitting behind a computer all day.

I love getting out and meeting new people. Spray-Net was an opportunity to provide a high-value service and a great employment opportunity for those in our community.”

Kuhl says each surface type is different, necessitating different formulations of primer and paint. Spray-Net customizes

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“One of the other nice aspects is our clients can be in their home while we work,” Kuhl says. “There is minimal disruption to their everyday lives. We thoroughly protect everything else in the area.

Also, conventional cabinet repainting rarely holds up and often has to be redone every few years. With our process, your cabinets, exterior siding, doors, and windows are guaranteed for 15 years, so you save a lot of money vs. replacement now, and compared to conventional painting in the long run.”

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INDIANAPOLIS POPCON IS THE CONVERGENCE OF ALL THINGS POP CULTURE Writer / KJ McGlinn Photography Provided

It was more than 10 years ago when PopCon co-owner Carl Doninger and a few close friends had the idea to create not just another convention, but an experience unlike any other. This experience would immerse attendees in familiar pop culture while introducing them to new, exciting experiences.

Doninger had a passion for tabletop gaming while some of his friends loved comic books and another with a passion for the show “My Little Pony.” A few just loved popular TV shows and creators on YouTube. What the group realized was every person in their life had a passion that fell under the pop culture category, but not everyone had a place to gather and celebrate that passion.

Soon, Doninger was joined by co-owner Kris Keys. “I thought it was a cool opportunity to plan an event that was a little different than other conventions out there,” Keys says.

The first PopCon was held in Indianapolis in June of 2014. Nine different pop culture genres were represented from movies and TV, to comics and anime and to eSports and tabletop gaming. Now, 10 years later,

PopCon is a tradition for friends and family alike in Indianapolis and an annual trip for many people from around the world.

Each year, more than 30,000 people attend PopCon. “Once you fall into our universe, you are welcomed and immediately feel like you are part of something bigger. Friends are made and cultivated. Annual reunions are organized,” Doninger says.

While the term ‘comic con’ is something you’ve most likely heard, PopCon is not a comic convention. You will certainly find comic books and people in cosplay--hat is part of the fun. But, you’ll also find a fully immersive world of pop culture.

“Most importantly, you’ll also find a family,” says Doninger. “I love seeing the previously oblivious parents thrilled to see their kids in their element, and then realize that they love PopCon too.”

As an attendee of PopCon, not only does the event promise a welcoming atmosphere but also the opportunity to try escape rooms, virtual reality, laser tag, tabletop gaming and video gaming.

Celebrities that have already been 26 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

announced this year include Patrick Warburton (“Rules of Engagement,” ”Seinfeld”), James Marsters (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Torchwood”) and Michelle Gomez (“Doctor Who,” “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”). Voice actors from popular anime shows like “My Hero Academia” and “Attack on Titan” will also be in attendance. The convention is a favorite among anime fans.

a place for them to bond, learn and share the through the vendor hall full of artists and excitement. creators. Sit down and try a board game or take the young kids to the Lego display that is bigger than a basketball court.

“It’s special when that parent that drove more than 12 hours to bring their child to meet someone at PopCon, realizes there are Simply put: If you’re passionate about it, 100 other parents that did the same thing,” you’ll find it at PopCon. Doninger says.

Tickets for the 10th annual PopCon Indy happening August 25th-August 27th are on If you’ve often thought a comic con might sale at popcon.us. not be your thing, the duo invites you to For parents who may not know anything come to their event where they assure you about the anime that their children love, it is that PopCon will become “your thing.” Walk

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Literary Legacy A GLANCE AT THE HISTORY OF LOCAL AUTHORS IN HAMILTON COUNTY Writer / David Heighway, Hamilton County Historian Photography Provided by Hamilton East Public Library

David Heighway, Hamilton County Historian

While Hamilton County produces many quality authors now, it has a long history of literary endeavors. The list includes fiction and nonfiction writers, playwrights and poets, and a few unique characters.

Perhaps the first attempted author in the county appeared in the 1830s. On May 18, 1837, a letter appeared in the Noblesville newspaper from a person calling himself Isaac Cachel, and he announced his candidacy for the state legislature. He said he would resolve the state financial issues by designating raccoon skins as the official currency. He stated his qualifications as follows: “I believe that I was the first civilized man that skinned a coon, chased a deer, caught a bear or treed a wildcat on the west side of the White River.” This

statement is what got everyone’s attention. Even at that time it was an unusual resume for a politician. This caught on with newspapers around the U.S. and even went international. He wrote a series of letters and attempted to get funding for a book, but was unsuccessful.

The whole effort may have actually been done as satire.

Probably the most well-known county author is Rex Stout (18861975), the creator of fictional detective Nero Wolfe. His father was the editor of the Noblesville Ledger newspaper. Stout’s birthplace still stands on Cherry Street in Noblesville, but the family left town while he was an infant and he said later that he had no memory of Indiana.

Another author who left while very young was Lillian Albertson (1881-1962). She was a famous actress on Broadway who became an acting coach in Hollywood. She was very well-respected and wrote “Motion Picture Acting” (1947), a definitive manual for film actors.

Cyrus Colter (1910-2002) came from an old county family. His mother was related to the free people of color who established Roberts Settlement. His family moved out of state when he was young, but he would talk later of his memories of Noblesville. He took up novel writing after retirement from a business career and achieved literary fame late in life. He was known for his novels “The Beach Umbrella” (1970), “Night Studies” (1979), “The Amoralists and Other Tales” (1988) and “A Chocolate Soldier” (1988).

His father was also a writer and served as a correspondent for the Indianapolis Recorder.

Beatrice O’Niel (1894-1941) was another correspondent for the Recorder. She started Hamilton County’s only African Americanowned newspaper in 1929. It was called The Future and unfortunately only lasted for a few issues.

Thomas Stanley (1884-1965) began his career as an advertising illustrator and became a business teacher. He wrote two books on the subject of advertising, “A Manual of Advertising Typography” (1935) and “Techniques of Advertising Production” (1940). He also created a regular comic

28 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / APRIL 2023 / TownePost.com

Jessica Strickland Photography Berta Jones

strip - sort of a “Dilbert” for the 1920s.

Stanley and others, like the Brehm and Booth brothers, were part of a school of illustrators who worked with authors like Mark Twain, William Faulkner, Theodore Dreiser, James Whitcomb Riley, Booth Tarkington, Gene Stratton-Porter and others.

Two people experimented as playwrights at the turn John Wise of the 20th century. John Wise (1860-1941) was a newsstand and theater owner in Noblesville who wrote short pieces for newspapers.

Eventually he wrote two full-length plays, “Forsaken” (1897) and “Forgiven” (1898). Berta Jones (18771918) was the wife of a storekeeper in Hortonville.

She also wrote short pieces Jessica Strickland Photography before she wrote the play “Rashleigh” (1901). None of these plays were successful and no copies of “Rashleigh” exist today.

Beatrice O’Niel

Poets from this area have been a fairly eclectic group.

Gordon Olvey (18871958) was one of the most well-known. Because of his position at the city post office, he was known as the Postmaster Poet.

He later became mayor of Noblesville. Allegedly, Benoni Todd was another local poet - however, it’s not certain if he was even a real person. He is discussed in an article in the New York Sun from December 2, 1904.

Except for a poem in an 1881 religious journal, there is no other evidence for his existence.

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An anonymous poem appeared in the Noblesville Ledger on February 3, 1888, called “Cheeseekan.” It is about a Native American using the medicinal spring that used to flow near Conner Street, and was very heavily inspired by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Song of Hiawatha.”

Finally, there was one local man who served as the basis for a fictional character. James Burchem moved west to hunt for gold in the 1840s and got the nickname Bedrock Jim. He appears in several short stories by western artist and author Charles M. Russell.

Visit hepl.lib.in.us for the most up-to-date information on the upcoming Local Author Fair.

The county has never lacked for literary connections.

Moving forward to today, the Hamilton East Public Library (HEPL) is excited to announce Saturday, April 15 as the date for this year’s annual Local Author Fair. It will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the FORUM Events Center, located at 11313 USA Parkway in Fishers.

Join more than 40 local adult, young-adult and children’s authors and literary organizations at this open-house-style event. Authors will be available for book sales and signings. There will be chances to win book bundles and other prizes. There is no entry fee and registration is not required. New this year are several free writing workshops for writers of all ages, and they will run concurrently with the fair.

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