Visiting Wakarusa, Indiana

Thursday p.m.

Was a nice day today after a cold start. Well anyway I thought it was nice – low 60s – The Driver thought it was pretty cold. Really bothers his leg.
Praise be – the washer/waxer guy is actually here. He has washed the back, right side and front of Alfie and has been here about 4 hours. Glad he is paid by the job and not the hour. He does an excellent job though.
This morning we went out to breakfast then drove a ways south to visit Wakarusa. Just a little town but interesting. We were there last year but it was on a weekend day and everything was closed. Driving into town.

The main area of town is just four corners. This is one of the old buildings. The front of it is stamped metal that has been painted. As you can see one section needs to be repainted soon. A few of the buildings were the stamped metal.

One of the reasons we went there was to go into the Wakarusa Hardware store to see the tin ceiling and wall of drawers.

The hardware store has been open since 1904. The wall has over 1,000 drawers.

Can you imagine building this?

There are a couple of ladders that can be pushed along the wall to reach all the high drawers.

Then down a half block to check out the Quilt Garden that is here. In the area are 18 quilt gardens – each quilt garden has hundreds of plants that form a quilt square. Really pretty to see, but wish there had been a ladder to get a good over view.

Had to stand on a bench for this shot.

There are also several quilt murals around the area. This particular one is different and replicated every year into a Queen size quilt that is raffled off.

This is just one of the doorways in town.

Then around the corner to Wakarusa’s Dime Store – has been in business since 1907 and now sells over 300 kinds of candy. The original owner traveled the county with a pack on his back selling his wares from farm to farm before opening the store. They are known for their Jumbo Jelly Beans – all kinds of flavors

Talk about a kid in a candy store - just a very small part of the store

And of course I had to buy some. – They are really big – one is enough.

This is a “quilt” made out of jelly beans. It is called Grandma’s flower garden, is 4’ x 8’ and is a 9 patch pattern. There are 1600 Jumbo jellybeans, 7040 smaller jellybeans and took 60 hours to make.

Jellybean Quilt

Saw a lot of candy I remember from my childhood that I’d forgotten about. Just a couple of pictures. My Great Uncle used to give me these candy sticks when we visited his grocery store.

Bubble Gum Cigars – Oh Yah.

And Candy Cigarettes! Are they PC and more? We used to think we looked pretty sophisticated with them.

Eat your heart out Joan Crawford

And lots of old time soda pop.

Wakarusa is also the home of Monaco/Holiday Rambler RVs. Drove out around their plant. Just some of the stock sitting in a lot.

New transportation to old transportation. Share the road.

Just a pretty picture of the countryside.

Then back to the real world to WalMart to get a few more things we forgot.

It’s now 8:00 and Joel the washer guy just left – he’ll be back tomorrow to finish washing then start waxing.
I actually cooked dinner tonight – wow – then remembered we didn’t have any hot water to wash dishes – Yah I know – I just heated some in a pan. Can’t imagine how those women crossed the plains in covered wagons.
After the repair man comes tomorrow I hope we get out and about again. Tonight is supposed to be down in the 30s again. Brrrrr. Is it winter already?