July 30
In 1855, First Presbyterian Church was organized in Greenfield.
July 31
In 1997, the local firefighters association deposited $1,676 into a fund to care for Sparky, the Dalmatian living at Greenfield Fire Department. The money was part of more than $2,200 that poured in over several days, after Sparky’s bout with kidney stones racked up $883 in vet bills and started a discussion at a Greenfield Board of Works meeting. After a story about Sparky ran, the department was flooded with calls and donations. The donations made it possible to pay Sparky’s bills and set up a fund for his care. Sparky, Happy and Pepper, the department’s “fire dogs” over the years, are all buried by the fire station on South Street. These days, firefighters say the growth of the city over the years keeps them too busy to care for a station dog.
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Aug. 1
In 1917, high temperatures from the day before continued — and were believed responsible for bulging and raising in patches of the brick pavement on North State Street. Near the curb, some bricks were 12 to 18 inches above grade.
Aug. 2
In 2002, J.B. Stephens was honored at the dedication ceremony for the new J.B. Stephens Elementary School named in his honor. The longtime educator and retired local school superintendent visited the school for special occasions in the years that followed, presenting character awards named for him and attending belated celebrations of his Dec. 24 birthday there. The last one he attended was for his 99. A celebration of his 100 birthday was videotaped and sent to him as a get-well greeting. Stephens died in May 2008 at the age of 100.
Aug. 3
In 1987, a bricklayer working on a new Hancock County Jail was shocked when a piece of metal reinforcement came into contact with an electrical line. He survived. The explosion left some East Main Street businesses without power.
Aug. 4
In 1985, ground was broken to expand the former Ecoff Trucking building to become the new site for Fortville-Vernon Township Public Library. It moved from 115 N. Main St. to 625 E. Broadway eight months later.
Aug. 5
In 1944, 44-year-old Ferris Woods of Charlottesville died when lightning struck a tree he had gone under for shelter. He was driving cows home when a storm arose.
In 2016, former Hancock County resident Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell, who played basketball for Indiana University, signed with the National Basketball Association’s Brooklyn Nets.
