Metamora VFD Reality TV Show

Check this out: Filming a reality TV show about Metamora and the Metamora Volunteer Fire Department- what a kick! Check the story at this link.

Bacon & Eggs

The following story was written by Max Sloan, local resident of Metamora.  If you'd like to write a post for this blog, please do and email it to MetamoraIndiana@gmail.com.

I very rarely eat breakfast, but for some strange reason late this morning the thought of bacon and eggs at Ruth Ann's Country Diner sounded irresistible. So, putting on my shoes, my green baseball cap with 'Metamora' embroidered on it, and my billfold, I headed out the door. As I rounded the corner of Bridge Street, I noticed a car slowly driving up the street behind me. I stopped and turned toward the car thinking that it might be one of my friends. The car stopped but I didn't recognize it or the driver.

I started over to the car as I could see the driver rolling down his window, a scene I have encountered several times with people wanting directions or information about the village or the many events that are scheduled here. As I knelt down next to the car door my gaze fell upon the frail, elderly, smiling face of a gentleman who had seen many more sunrises than I have. Then, I guess drawing an inference from my hat, he asked 'Are you you the main man here?' I replied, keeping a chuckle to myself, 'No, I'm not but is there anything I can help you with?' By then I had noticed an equally frail, elderly, and smiling lady sitting in the other seat. He then asked, 'How is the town doing?' 'It is doing pretty good' I told him. Then he said something that was to make my day ; 'Today is my wife's birthday and she was born here.' My mind was immediately flooded with thoughts of the knowledge she must posses about the history of Metemora as I hoped that I could persuade them tarry long enough to have a cup of coffee and share a conversation with me. They accepted my invitation and we walked on to Ruth Ann's.


After selecting a table, ordering coffee and a cinnamon roll each (that the lady had spied as we walked past the display case), introductions were exchanged, and the questions soon would start flowing. As I looked at them a vision of Grant Woods 'American Gothic' popped into my mind, and with another chuckle that I keep to my self, I thought these two could be the parents of one of those two people in his painting. That is how adorable this couple is.


Their names are Louise and Ellis Myers. She is 91 and he is 95, and they have been married for 70 years. Even though Ellis has all of my admiration for being a lifelong independent farmer (and their farm is still in the family, being operated by their son), it is Louise that captured most of my attention.


Louise was born on May 21, 1921 to the couple Beecher and Winifred Matthews. Her father, Beecher, was also born in Metamora. She grew up in the last house at the East end of the South side of the canal. The house is no longer there. She attended Metamora Elementary School (in a class of 8), graduated from Brookville High School, and left Metamora shortly afterwards.


Throughout our conversation I could sense that she was struggling to bring forth the memories that I was eager to share with her. It is heart-rending that age can rob us of precious memories that we wold love to share with others.


One of the memories that Louise shared with me was clearer in her memory probably because of it's intensity. It had to do with the day the grist mill caught on fire. She clearly remembered that the whole town turned out. She was 14 at the time and clearly remembered helping to carry 25 pound bags of flour from the burning mill across the street to the Banes house. The fire department got the fire put out without the loss of the mill. When questioned about the method of shipping the flour, she replied that most of it was sold locally with very little be shipped elsewhere.


As we parted company, her and her husband were planning on coming back for another visit during the Strawberry Days festival on June 2nd and 3rd. I certainly hope they can. I am looking forward to another visit with them. It is strange the way some things work out. If I had left my home one minute earlier or one later, I would have missed out on this wonderful experience.


By the way, I never did get my bacon and eggs today.

Things Happening

Metamora continues to evolve and things are warming up for the 2012 year. Next weekend is the second annual Towpath 10K Fun Run through the historic village and down the Whitewater Canal Trail. Over a hundred runners in the innaugural race last year, more expected this year.

New this year is the Metamora Museum of Oddities- a unique collection of cool things to see and stories to hear from "Indiana Joe".

This photo shows a number of the curiousities that await. There are more than 2000 oddities on display from all over the world and many different time periods.

And Indiana Joe has a story for each item!

Thirty plus years of collecting and studying world cultures brings a unique perspective to this historic village. And don't forget to check out the adjacent "Healing Cross of Metamora".

If you have not seen Grannie's collection of more than 2500 cookie jars, they will entertain you

for quite awhile at Grannie's Cookie Jars and Ice Cream.

Of course, the canal boat ride is running, drawn by two Belgian draft horses in the fashion of the 1840's. A half hour ride takes you through the country's only wooden aqueduct that is still in service as it carries the Whitewater Canal seventeen feet above Duck Creek.

Then you can visit the Metamora Gem Mine, panning for gemstones in a water raceway in the fashion as gold miners used to pan for gold.

When your travels through the wonders of the village leaves your throat parched and/or stomach empty, stop in at the Smelly Gourmet for one of the "best cappuccino's this side of the Atlantic Ocean" or a cold pop or iced tea, and try one of their 11 varieties of grilled cheese panini sandwiches!

And you can also experience 13 different varieties of gourmet popcorn packaged in recycled liquor, wine and beer bottles as well as pickle jars and other unique looking packages. Free samples are always popping.

They also give free samples of their homemade body and hand lotion, and of many of the coffee bar drinks. They utilize a "two-sip" policy as a money-back gaurantee for every coffee bar drink they make. A truly unique experience.

Or if you're in the mood for pizza, try the new Cat & Fiddle at the Thorpe House where Catrina is make not only pizza, but a large array of gourmet hot dogs and macaroni & cheese.

Next, on weekends anyway, take a ride on the Whitewater Valley Railroad that operates vintage railroad equipment through Metamora. Coming soon for only two weekends, they are bringing a coal-fired steam locomotive to town.

Metamora has much to offer, and it changes often with new things being added to enhance your experience. Come see us!

What Do The Redbuds Look Like When You're Blind?

I love the Whitewater Valley in the springtime. Driving down highway 52 outside of Metamora, I was struck by the beauty of the flowering redbud trees. Their vivid fuschia color presents a striking contrast to all the tender new green growth on the surrounding trees and assures that springtime is here.

As I pondered the beauty along the roadway, my mind was occupied by an upcoming tour I am to conduct in Metamora for a group of blind high school students. I’ve conducted tours of the town before, describing the history and stories as the tour group walked along with me down the canal. But I’ve often felt that my spoken words for such a tour are often just footnotes to the interesting actual appearance of the main street of the village, with its large variety of architecture and age, the way the canal looks with the ducks swimming along, etc., which led me to wonder how I could do justice to the description of the surroundings when speaking to those who have never had the blessing of sight. How can I envelope this high school student group in the magic of Metamora through mere words?

Metamora Redbud Tree in bloom (in background)

So as I continued driving past the gorgeous redbud/springtime fresh green color contrasts along the highway, I experimented with trying to describe the appearance of my current surroundings in some fashion that would have meaning to a blind person to help them enjoy their current surroundings.

It’s easy enough to leave color and light/dark out of the words, though that is where the real beauty is for those of us who can see. I understand that the other senses of blind folks usually are heightened over those of us who take vision for granted. So I’ll assume my tour group is probably far more sensitive to taste, smell, touch and hearing than I am. (Of course, my dear wife would interject that everybody’s sense of hearing is better than mine.)

So, as to a non-visual description of the beauty of the redbuds and their contrast to the gentle greens of springtime: From a taste perspective: I love the taste of properly cooked prime rib. With just a hint of peppery crust, the beef flavor of the super tender, warm juicy beef cooked to a perfect medium rare is just to die for. That might equate to the appearance of the redbud trees. Then pair that prime rib taste with the taste of piece of creamy, cool, Muenster cheese. The cheese flavor is very delicate, smooth and subtle. That might equate to the appearance of the light greenery surrounding the redbud trees. Put both on your plate, enjoy a taste of one followed by a taste of the other, and the mingling of flavors, temperatures and textures in one’s mouth might be the taste equivalent to the visual appearance of the gorgeous redbud trees against the fresh springtime growth surrounding us.

As I continued driving, and since I am overweight, I thought I should try to come up with equivalent comparisons with senses other than food. So my mind toyed with the sense of touch: A comparison here might be similar to the feel of running your fingers through a loved one’s fresh clean hair, then letting you fingers drift to smooth skin. (Or one could go back to the previously described taste sensations of the prime rib and muenster cheese- the textural difference in the mouth might be more properly classified as the sense of touch on the tongue.)

The sense of hearing: The redbuds could be the sound of Isaac Stern’s playing of “The Flight of the Bumblebees” (bright, active, exciting) followed immediately by the beautiful sound of an operatic voice singing “Ave Maria”.

I never quite got to the sense of smell, as I was nearing my destination by this time. But it was an interesting experience.

The blind school teacher making the tour arrangements told me to not worry about conducting the tour, just do what I normally do, which I shall. We’ll see how much the students enjoy it.

She also told me the students had been reading the MetamoraIndiana town blog, where I am posting this writing. If so, students, your tour has begun early, as the redbuds will likely be green before you get here- the vivid color is unfortunately very short-term, just as prime rib is not nearly as good once it has been left out on the table overnight.