Aug. 7
In 1914, lightning struck the steeple of a United Brethren church at Swope and Lincoln streets, destroying the steeple and bringing water damage to the church. Lightning also struck a barn in Philadelphia and started a fire that consumed it.
Aug. 8
In 1967, county health officer Dr. Robert E. Kinneman confirmed a positive case of typhoid fever had been diagnosed locally. He said the youth might have contracted it on a recent out-of-state trip. He did not want “to push the panic button” but urged the public to be careful with water and milk.
In 1968, about 75 people gathered in the Hancock Superior Courtroom to object to a proposed airport at Mt. Comfort. Hancock County Planning Commission members deferred action and continued the case to the Sept. 5 meeting, but an airport — now known as Indianapolis Regional Airport — was eventually built.
Aug. 9
In 1967, it was reported that television thefts were up in central Indiana — particularly of sets with a color picture.
Aug. 10
In 2008, McCordsville 16-year-old Samantha Peszek competed in the uneven bars during the team gymnastics competition at the summer Olympics in Beijing. Suffering an injury during warmups, she was limited to that one event. She and her U.S. teammates received silver medals, second to host country China. This year, she has been part of the NBC broadcast crew covering women’s gymnastics at the Olympics in Paris.
Aug. 11
In 1996, Greenfield Mayor Pat Elmore presented Greenfield native and Olympic gold medalist Jaycie Phelps with a key to the city during a community celebration for Phelps at Greenfield-Central High School.
Aug. 12
In 1921, Census Bureau data showed 1.4 percent of Hancock Countians could neither read nor write. That was a lower percentage than the state’s (2.2 percent).
Aug. 13
In 1956, Greenfield police released two runaway boys to Ohio authorities. The boys, ages 12 and 13, said they had been on their way to Texas. They admitted to a string of petty thefts in Cambridge City, Dublin and Lewisville. “They carried hand bags containing dozens of packages of cigarettes, candy, fountain pens, a sling-shot and a head of raw cabbage to bolster their candy diet,” according to the day’s Daily Reporter.
