Contents
Contributors
Contents
Contributors
12 HISTORY MYSTERY 13 SUBSCRIBE
16 The Cliffords ~ by Bob Gustin
22 Rivers and Roads ~ by Chrissy Alspaugh
30 Musings: Souvenirs ~ by Mark Blackwell
34-35 Photos by Lindsey Lewis * 36-37 CALENDAR
40 Being a Volunteer Firefighter ~ by Boris Ladwig
46 Field Notes: Crows ~ by Jim Eagleman
50 Nature Inspires Bridge Mural ~ by Jeff Tryon
54 Brown County Recycles ~ by Jeff Tryon
60-62 INFO PAGES
Cover: Derek and Sara Clifford ~ by Bob Gustin
Jeff Tryon is a former news editor of The Brown County Democrat, and a former regional 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.
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.
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.
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.
OUR BROWN COUNTY P. O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435
( 812) 988-8807
ourbrown @ bluemarble. net ourbrowncounty. com
Also online at issuu. com / ourbrowncounty Facebook OUR BROWN COUNTY
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.
Thanks, Mom, for making it happen!
* Lindsey Lewis operates a cleaning company called Brown County Services. In her free time she helps the Brown County Cemetery Preservation Society set, restore, and clean headstones. She also enjoys woodworking, making inlay barn quilts, and stone carving. Her daughter graduated from BCHS in 2022, and her son is currently enrolled at the middle school.
10 Our Brown County • Jan./ Feb. 2024 copyright 2024