Wicked Terre Haute

Wicked Terre Haute
Author: Tim Crumrin
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 138
Release: 2019-03-18
Genre: History
ISBN: 1439666385

Join local historian Tim Crumrin as he reveals the blackguards, rogues and swindlers of Terre Haute's rough and rowdy past. For more than a century, Terre Haute earned its reputation as a sin city. One of the most notorious red-light districts in the Midwest, the West End, housed sixty brothels and nearly one thousand prostitutes at its height in the 1920s. Across this sordid scene strode the stylish and indomitable Edith Brown, the city's most famous madam. When Prohibition made the city bootlegger central, violence erupted as rival gangs vied for turf. Gamblers flooded in from all corners of the country, making Terre Haute's Wire Room second only to Las Vegas. Through it all, corrupt politicians like Mayor Donn Roberts profited handsomely from grift and deception.

Hidden History of Terre Haute

Hidden History of Terre Haute
Author: Tim Crumrin
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 144
Release: 2020-08-24
Genre: History
ISBN: 1439670900

Many know about Terre Haute's long-gone reputation as a "sin city," but that hardly tells the whole story. Unknown to all but a few, the city was home to a POW camp for Confederate prisoners and divers once plucked valuable freshwater pearls from the Wabash River. Druggist Jacob Baur discovered a way to liquefy carbon dioxide, earning him the title "King of Soda Fountains." Before the advent of Hollywood, motion pictures were made here. And one of the biggest child stars of the 1930s and '40s was a local boy named Billy Lee. He joined another child star from the area, Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer of Our Gang fame. Historian Tim Crumrin reveals the overlooked events and people in Terre Haute's past.

On This Day in Terre Haute History

On This Day in Terre Haute History
Author: Dorothy Weinz Jerse
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 231
Release: 2015-10-12
Genre: History
ISBN: 1625851901

On the east bank of the Wabash River, Terre Haute was established as a real estate venture in 1816. Two hundred years of history is chronicled here, one day at a time, with stories of its remarkable events and colorful characters. In 1915, Coca-Cola introduced its iconic green bottle, designed and manufactured locally at Root Glass Company. Giving credit to the town's "Sin City" moniker, authorities seized the largest moonshine still ever discovered in Vigo County on July 15, 1929. Many notable Hoosiers have called Terre Haute home, too, including labor leader Eugene V. Debs and Tony Hulman of Indianapolis 500 fame. Every date on the calendar reveals a story to fascinate, educate or entertain.