The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29
Years Ago Dicksburg Flourished
And Was Center Of Many Sports
Sodom lndan Is No Log
Ia Than One Hundre Years. TIC
Founded by James Dick Old Times Reoalle

quite as well as the men. but their enthu-
siasm reached its climax at the balls.
which Invariably wound up the festivities OF
a big day at the tracks, and often took up
nights In the intervals The dances were
held in the large log house built and occu-
pied by Cleave Horrall.
This house was the center OF attraction
at Dicks6uTg and stood near the bank of the
river. the site long since having been
washed away by the intrusive current. Its
immensely made il easily the most interest
ing building in the town. In IL were the
postof.ce, the saloon. the general store. the
home Of the proprietor and the lodging place
for the sojourners. The second story was
thrown into one large room, known as the
dancing hall, and it was in this that the
balls were held.
Mrs. Snder. landlaGy of the Snider
House at HaZleton, is one Of the few re-
naming terpsichorean enthusiasts who
tripped the light fantastic in the old dane
ing hall on many occasions, and she talks
of them as the greatest events OF her
younger days. One big pay bali she par
ticularly recalls. 1t occurred on pleasant
Christmas night. and was ATTENDED by an
unusually large crowd: The young PEG
pie were gaudily attired in the rural Iash-
ion of the day, and the SWANS wore boots
and carried their pumps" slippers, which
they wore on the dancing floor.
This being one of the swell events, the
young men were compelled to pay an ad-
mission fee of 81 for himself and lady,
which entitled the couple 10 dance as
often and as much as they desired. Inc
the dance began early and continued late
In order 10 accommodate the crowd, the
proprietor of the place moved his saloon TO
the front yard and in addition TO the
drinks served lunch while the merry
dancers tripped time to the music OF the
violin-four sets at a time. The Landlord
made a clear gain of $500 besides the proft
derived from the saloon stand, which
within itself would have been a good nights
fee.
The big pay balls occurred about four
L,,t 49,. N a
smaller scale interviewed with irregular
frequency.
But such Carvings on must have an
end. The maximum glory of Dicksburg
was reached just previous to the building
of the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad
in 1854, and from this date the town and
began to wane, and Hazeton began to
grow.
HOUSES CRUMBLED.
The last of the horse racing occurred a
quarter of century ago, and while coun-
try dances fiourished for a while, the big
events ceased. From disuse the houses be-
gan TO decay and crumble to earth, the lots
that were plated off by James Dick gradu-
ally took their old places on the farm and
not pillar or log is left to mark the exact
spot of this erstwhile resort of sports
The old dancing hall was the last of the
original Dicksburg houses to decay and be
torn down, though the old Dick homestead,
standing near the foot of the hill and away
from the encroaching waters of the river,
remained In dilapidated condition foe
years after the Horrall house disappeared
The history of Dicksburg is unique, and
doubtless stands without parallel in the
State. During the most brilliant days
there arose from the Gibson county bank
of the river, and several miles up the
stream. town that was intended to be
rival. This town called Buena Vista,
and for a while it seemed destined to equal
Dicksburg as a resort for amusements, but
its fiourishing days were short and it never
reached the prominence of its neighbor. 1t
was finally deserted, and its history is only
traditional. A log hut two, ragged and
decaying from the wear of years, are the
remaining landmarks of this town.
Z. A. KEMP.