A Celebration for Mulberry, Madison Township, and the Area
Tuesday, June 3rd - Sunday, June 8th 2008

Summary and Selected News Items of The Mulberry Centennial 1858 - 1958

The theme of the Centennial was an effort to salute Mulberry's progress from the past with a re-creation of the town in 1858. The goal was realized with Mulberry citizens wearing old costumes, beards, moustaches, sideburns, plus the story of Mulberry's history told in a pageant given five nights running during the Celebration. The pageant was named The Mulberry Centurial by Mrs. C. C. Rex and was presented five nights, Wednesday through Sunday. It had a cast of two hundred fifty citizens who told the story of Mulberry during the first 100 years.

Some of the fund raising activities of the Centennial were the sale of: advertisements sold in the Mulberry Centennial Souvenir Book, The sale of the Mulberry Souvenir Centennial Books, Queen's Contest votes, souvenir item such as Centennial neckties, derbies, bonnets, badges, bumper stickers, shaver's permits, cosmetic permits, and fines levied from the Kangaroo Court. The marketing of the Centennial was displayed by advertisements sold for the Mulberry Reporter in antique motifs, radio broadcasts on WOWO, WASK, and television stations WFBM and WFAM-TV. Articles in the Mulberry Reporter, and displays of painted pictures in the windows of stores like, Heavilon's Super Market captured the spirit of the Mulberry Centennial. Parking was planned with lots in the Emily Yoder addition and on William Glick's pasture just north of the pageant site. Thirty spots were filled for traffic detail during The Centennial week.

In the Mulberry Reporter was recorded: the Mulberry Centurial Proclamation for the male citizens and for the Sisters of the Swish. The Kangaroo Court and the Mulberry "Keystone Cops:" Lesley Huffer, Max Krammes, Elmer Mays, Leo Bryan, and Herb Ruch were instrumental in keeping the peace and raising funds during the busy Centennial days. Fines were levied for such infractions as: improper parking of a baby buggy, removing the judge's hat, purchase of a shaver's permit, loitering in the barber shop, not wearing a Brothers of the Brush badge, no bicycle license, hurrying to make a float, etc. Judge Noah Gascho presided over the court and stockade with jury: Merrill Sanders, Mr. and Mrs. Ross Hart, John Carter, Mr. and Mrs. K.P. Clendenning, Roy Cleaver, Skip Rex and Clem Miller. Joe Rex was Bailiff and Sam Lehr was foreman.
-From The Mulberry Reporter, July 17, 1958

Centennial Program during Centennial Week
July 22 - 27, 1958
Tuesdays Grand Opening
11AM - 5 PM Registration and information
Rides and concessions
6 PM Kangaroo Court
7 PM Dedication of the Colors
8 - 12 Midnight A record hop
10 PM A fireworks display

July 23, 1958
Wednesday, Youth and Governor's Day
11AM - 5 PM Registration and information
Rides and concessions
12 Noon Commercial Antique Show
Antique displays in store windows. Agricultural exhibits on school grounds
2 PM Children's Parade
4:30 PM Boy's and Girl's Bike Giveaway
6 PM Kangaroo Court
7:30 PM Musical program by Mulberry High School Chorus
7:45 PM Governor Harold E. Handley
8:10 PM Crowning of Centennial Queens by Gov Handley
8:30 Historical Spectacle "Mulberry Centurial" at pageant site, N. Glick St.
9:30 - 12 Midnight Street dancing, West of Weaver's on Glick St.

July 24, 1958
Thursday, Clinton County Day
11AM - 5 PM Registration and information
Rides and concessions
6 PM Kangaroo Court
7 PM Ballon Ascension at baseball field, N. Glick St.
7:30 PM Musical program by the Men's Barbershop quartet of Lafayette, west side of Weaver's Store
8:30 Historical Spectacle "Mulberry Centurial" at pageant site, N. Glick St.
9:30 - 12 Midnight Square dancing, west of Weaver's

July 25, 1958
Friday, Farmer's Mutual Insurance Company Day
11 AM - 5 PM Registration and information
Rides and concessions
4:15 PM Horseshoe pitching
6 PM Kangaroo Court
7:30 Nancy Lee and the Hill toppers, west of Weaver's Store
8:30 Historical Spectacle "Mulberry Centurial" at pageant site, N. Glick St.
9:30 - 12 Midnight Street Dancing, west of Weaver's

July 26, 1958
Saturday, Homecoming Day
11 AM - 5 PM Registration and information
Rides and concessions
11 AM Homecoming Parade, "A Century of Progress"
1 - 3 PM Open house at Mulberry's Post Office, Maxine Bailey, Postmaster
1 PM Horse Show, sponsored by Clinton County Saddle Club, at baseball field
3 PM Awarding of parade prizes, by Ora Hawkins.
3:15 - 3:45 PM Recognition of Old-Timers, P.V. Ruch
3:45 PM Variety Program by Jack Noel and Happy Valley Four, Sponsored by Shady Acres
6 PM Kangaroo Court
7:30 PM Old-Fashioned Costume contest, By the Sisters of the Swish. Shaving Contest by the Brothers of the Bush. Awarding of Beard Prizes with the Brothers of the Bush
8:30 Historical Spectacle "Mulberry Centurial" at pageant site, N. Glick St.

July 27, 1958
Sunday, Festival of Faith Day
Church Services and Sunday School in all churches
7 PM Union Vesper Service, all churches participating, at Historical Pageant site
8:30 Historical Spectacle "Mulberry Centurial" at pageant site, N. Glick St.
-From The Mulberry Reporter, July 17, 1958

Preparations for the Centennial showed a group of Brothers of the Brush in front of the Rex Brothers Service Station, Karl P. Clendenning, Joe Rex, Charles Kleinsmith, William Staley, Eldon Skiles, Clayton Bass, and Harold Johnson. Joe Rex was Chairman of the beard growing committee. --From the Mulberry Reporter, March 6, 1958

A representative of a specialty house was present to display advertising novelties. "Present to look them over were William Staley and Joe Rex, members of the hat and tie committee." - From the Mulberry Reporter, March 20, 1958

Mrs. Joseph Rex and Mrs. Harold Johnson were shown in dresses made for the Centennial celebration. -From the Mulberry Reporter, April 10, 1958

The Centennial Committee met at the Community Club dressed in fashion of 100 years ago. 105 members and guests attended. The women wore old fashioned dresses and the men string ties, vests, and plug hats. The official seal and the new bumper stickers were displayed. -From the Mulberry Reporter, May 1, 1958

Mrs. C. C. Rex selected the title of the Mulberry Centennial Pageant, The Mulberry Centurial. It will be presented five nights beginning Wednesday, July 23 and continuing through Sunday, July 27. A cast of 250 is expected to take part in this spectacle which will tell the story of Mulberry during its first 100 years. -From the Mulberry Reporter, May 15, 1958

Children's Parade will have eleven classes will be one of the features on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 pm. All children in Mulberry and the area are invited to participate. L. C. Rex, Mrs. Herbert Ruch, Mrs. Kenneth Weaver, and Mrs. James Vice are in charge of the parade. Prizes of $5:00 will be for first and $3.00 for second in the following classes: Best oldest Centennial costume. Best nursery rhyme character, Largest family dressed in Centennial style, Smallest animal, Largest family, Largest animal family, Most original, Best decorated bicycle, Best decorated tricycle, Best decorated doll buggy, Smallest pony. -From The Mulberry Reporter, July 17, 1958

30,000 Visitors throng Mulberry for Centennial. Officials of the Mulberry Centennial Association estimated that during the six-day run of the Centennial celebration there were approximately 30,000 visitors in Mulberry. The Centennial did get good coverage in newspapers and in radio and television broadcasts. Highway signs, paper napkins and bumper stickers helped carry the message. -From The Mulberry Reporter, July 31, 1958

Just after the pageant was over Saturday night, the crowd was so dense on the carnival midway that at one place the crowd came to a deadlock-no one was moving in any direction. -From Centennial Notes, The Mulberry Reporter, July 31, 1958

The parade was said to be one of the finest ever seen in this area and one of the largest in Clinton County. It took almost an hour for the parade to pass through the business district. There were two bands, 45 horses, 25 floats, 15 antique vehicles, bicycles, a troupe of clowns, a group of twirlers, two color guards-one of which was the mounted Indianapolis Grotto color guard. -From Centennial Notes, The Mulberry Reporter, July 31, 1958

…All the other dresses were beautiful too. I couldn't afford one-eight dollars for the material and three dollars to have it made. Someone told me Mrs. Burris made thirty-one costumes and refused to make anymore; she was thoroughly sick of 'em-skirts 8 yards round. -From Centennial Notes, The Mulberry Reporter, July 31, 1958

700 attend Garden Club Flower Show that was held on Friday and Saturday of Centennial Week in the Mulberry high school gymnasium. -From The Mulberry Reporter, August 7, 1958

-Summary by Dania Remaly, 2008

-To use this material, please cite this internet source.

-Editor of Publications for the Mulberry Sesquicentennial, Mrs. Dan (Dania) Remaly

Coorespondance and Donations can be mailed to:
Sesquicentennial Committee
P.O. Box 426
Mulberry, Indiana 46058

Our meeting place and day has changed for The Sesquicentennial Committee. We now meet the last Tuesday of the month, 7:00pm at the Trinity Church of Mulberry.