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:
~ 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.
Brown County Blues
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
30 Our Brown County • July / August 2023