Back Home in Indiana: Plain Dealer

The Wabash Plain Dealer is a daily in Wabash, Indiana. The newspaper is published six days a week - Monday through Saturday - with a circulation of 6,100 copies. This newspaper is owned by Paxton Media Group, LLC. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Jack's

One of the many closed businesses along Wabash's Canal Street. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Wabash

Wabash has a population of 33,500 and an unemployment rate of 10.5%. A rich history of canals - Wabash/ Erie - and trains - several repair shops. Canals and train repair disappeared as roads and cars/trucks are today the way people and materials move. Prime Tea Party country. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: K of P

The K of P building housed a bank which is now the La Portaine Town Hall. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Side Street

View of La Fontaine from a side street. Near building once served as an location for engine/auto repair. Today it stands empty and unused. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: La Fontaine

La Fontaine is a town in Wabash County. The population is a bit less than 900. The ground floor of the IOOF building is now serves as the post office. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Boston School

The schools in Boston have been closed for a number of years. The buildings still stand and are - at least from the outside - in rather good condition. As so often happens when the school system is consolidated, the community begins to lose its identity. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Fairmount

As in most small communities, a Fairmount main street has a number of empty storefronts.

Hard times and big chain stores have contributed to this growing problem. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: No Service in Fairmount

Big box stores have lead to the closing of the local retail stores. It is also true that the large oil companies - think Speedway in Indiana - have forced smaller gas stations - that depended on repair as well as selling products - to close and go out of business. (click on image to enlarge

Back home in Indiana: Tat Shop

Times are difficult - even for a tattoo shop - in Fairmount. Here you can get 20% off on tattoos. Did James Dean have a tattoo? (click on image to enlarge)

Yes, We Have No Tomatoes

Here in Fairmount the high cost of tomatoes - due to winter weather elsewhere - has caused a boycott. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Fairmount

A bit of history. Some call Fairmount a "One Trick Pony" - James Dean. James Dean, famed actor, was raised in Fairmount. Dean graduated from Fairmount High School and is buried in Park Cemetery in Fairmount. However, Jim Davis, cartoonist of the comic strip Garfield, was also raised in Fairmount. Davis graduated from Fairmount High School in 1963. So, perhaps, Fairmount is a two trick pony. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Farm Supplies

Grain elevator and farm supply - now closed - in Converse, Indiana. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Joyful Noise

Many record/music/book stores are having a hard time staying open. Here in Kokomo Joyful Noise seems to be doing fine. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Buying Gold

Here in Kokomo hard times have lead to "buying gold" store fronts. Employment opportunities are few. Selling off personal items seems a way of holding on a bit longer. (click on image to enlarge)

Trust

You know you are in the Midwest when you see "Trust in the Lord" plates. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Cathedral of Praise.

A Kokomo union hall has been recycled into Cathedral of Praise. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Twisted Darkness

Kokomo's haunted attraction "Twisted Darkness" just waiting to scare you. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: OK's

OK's is a small store in a mostly boarded up Kokomo building. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Engel Jewelers

These are hard times -not only for manufacturing - for established retail businesses. Engel Jewelers has been serving Kokomo and the surrounding area since 1948. Now they are going out of business. (click on image to enlarge)

Back Home in Indiana: Election Day

There has been much debate in political circles about just how strong the anti-incumbent sentiment is out in the country. That theory will get a good test today as Dan Burton, a Republican House Member, faces a serious primary challenge. (click on image to enlarge

Back Home in Indiana: Kokomo

Kokomo is the county seat of Howard County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of a few more than 46,000. Kokomo was listed third by Forbes in a list of America's fastest dying towns. This is attributed to the financial problems of the automotive industry. (click on image to enlarge)

Farm Tire Service

Found this location on a College Corner "walk about". Often the rear and sides of a building appeal more that the public front view. (click on image to enlarge)