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Bone Gap History, Bone Gap, IL (2026)

04/24/2026

THE EDWARDS COUNTY TOWN THAT DISAPPEARED:
There are several places in Edwards County that used to have small settlements and eventually became known as towns. Most of them have disappeared. One such town is Lexington. It was located about 2 and ½ miles southeast of Bone Gap. There is nothing in that location now to suggest that a little town once existed there.
Lexington was located in the northeast corner of Section 22 in Township 1 South and Range 14 West. James Ing was the first settler there in January 1837. On December 14, 1840 he sold an interest in the ground to Wiley West with plans to set up a town. The ground was surveyed and Lots were established by Sidney Spring in March of 1845. The picture shows how the town was surveyed and lots set up.
Lexington was along the banks of Bonpas Creek. Lots close to the creek were often flooded, but the rest of Lexington was on flat ground that stayed dry. Oliver Brown had acquired most of the ground by 1845. Unfortunately, land records at the Edwards County Courthouse in Albion say nothing further about Lexinton until the late 1800s.
Old newspapers indicate that at one time Lexington did have a small cluster of homes. There was also a store, a blacksmith shop and a church built on land on the creek banks owned by James Walton. All those buildings are gone. A.M. “Bert” Walton lived in a house near the creek, but that house is gone now, too.
Kitchen’s Bridge School was located along the creek in Wabash County, but that building is gone too. The last mention I can find of that schoolhouse is in 1902.
Dr. Ed Kitchen lived in the area known as Lexington. The iron bridge over the Bonpas was built in August of 1895 and became known as Kitchen’s Bridge. It is still known by that name today. However, the iron bridge has been replaced with a concrete bridge.
I have often wondered why there are so many graves at Wells Cemetery located south of Bone Gap. The answer is simple. The people who did live in Lexington were buried at Wells Cemetery when they died. This is another proof that at one time several families lived in Lexington.
In the picture you might notice a church located in Lot 39. It was known as New Hope Church. In an August 1899 Albion Journal article the church is called the Kitchen Bridge Christian Church. A December 1886 issue reports “Rev. H. Mullins preaches occasionally at Kitchen's Bridge Church, Edwards County, where it is said he has a large and appreciative audience.” There is no trace of that church now. The many floods along Bonpas Creek over the years have washed away everything.
Searching through old copies of the Albion Journal newspaper I found the following mentions about the town of Lexington. September 17, 1885: Ordered by the County Board that the county treasurer deliver to Christopher Rupper a certain note executed Oct 23, 1871 by P. Q. Barnett and in favor of Jeremiah Sweat to secure the note on Lots No 5, 6, 7, 8, 23 and 24 in the town of Lexington.
January 15, 1891: Morris Brissendon and wife to George L. Medler lots 11, 20, 21, 22,40 and 41, in Lexington. May 28, 1896: MASTER'S SAI.E. Marv E. Sloan et al vs. Julia A. Gooch et al ) sell at the south door of the Court house in Albion at public auction Lots 32, 33, 34, 35. 36. 37. 3. 42 43 44 45 46 in the old town of Lexington.
The Journal issue of December 24, 1896 reports: Harry Medler, of Lexington, has traded his farm for Farnsworth A Co.'s stock of goods and will move to town. January 27, 1898: C.E. Malone and husband to Jersey A. Farnsworth lots 19, 20, 21, 22, 40 and 41 in Lexington. August 15, 1899: George W. Knowles and wife to H. F. Thompson lots 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. 18, 4, 16. 17 in Lexington.
April 15, 1897: Sam Mundy, with his family, has moved on the Malone & Famsworth property at Kitchen bridge.
May 12, 1898: taxes on lots in the town of Lexington paid by J. P. & Benjamin Wells. October 26, 1899: Jersey A. Farnsworth and wife to Lewis W. Harper lots 19, 20, 21, 22, 40 and 41 town of Lexington.
The Journal reports on January 18, 1900: Alexander C. Sloan was in town Monday looking up the title to a tract of land for a new Christian church at Lexington, the old Kitchens' Bridge site.
The only structures still standing in what used to be the location of Lexington is the Raymond Kelsey Farm. Wells Cemetery is still being maintained and kept in good condition. There are 156 graves in the cemetery. Benson, Brown, Dukes Duncan, Ganong, Kitchen, McClane, Painter, Sloan, Sweat and Wells are the last names found many times on the tombstones.
I should also point out that Lexington was often called “New Hope”. There are several newspapers articles from the 1800s that mention New Hope and it clearly is the same place as Lexington.

01/05/2026

BONE GAP COMMERCIAL CLUB:
With no businesses remaining now in Bone Gap, we need to know that it has not always been that way in this little town in southeastern Illinois. Back in the 1800s and continuing into the mid 1900s, Bone Gap was a prosperous little village.
In November of 1920, several businessmen in Bone Gap decided to form a Commercial Club. Thirty men gathered to promote two major projects for the betterment of the community.
The first project would be the construction of an unloading shed for limestone and phosphate shipped into town by railroad. A good supply of these materials would be kept in the shed year round for the benefit of the farmers. During the wet season, roads in the Bone Gap area became nearly impassable. The Farm Bureau would act as the purchasing agent for the farmers.
The second project called for building more hard roads so that farmers could get to town during the entire year. Though not all of those 30 men who gathered to form the Commercial Club were farmers, those who were businessmen realized they depended heavily of the farmers to support them.
Among the men who were the charter members in 1920 were Grant Briggs, Smith Tribe, Nelson Fawkes, William McTaggart, Bill Warmoth, Elvis Harms, W.A. McClure, Homer McKibben, Earl Harms, Ben Drury, Asa Thread, Walter Harms, Dick Thread, Herschel Banker, George Gill, Frank Shurtleff, Verl Doty, Paul McManaman, Floren Fawkes and Charles Brokaw.
Over the years, members of the Commercial Club got involved in many activities. They provided trophies for basketball tournaments at the school, paid scholarships to high school boys attending Boys Town, and provided treats for the kids at Christmas time. Members brought their wives to special chili suppers, chicken dinners, and oyster suppers. Meetings and special events were held in the Hall that was located above the current location of the post office. Over the years, that was known as Murvins Hall and Briggs Hall.
The photos at the beginning of this story shows a postcard sent out at Christmas Time in 1945 by the Commercial Club. The list of names includes all the Bone Gap area men who served during World War II.
Sometime during the early 1950s, interest in the Bone Gap Commercial Club had faded and it ceased to meet and function. Community leaders in February of 1961 saw a need to revive the Commercial Club. Meeting at the Legion Hall, those attending elected Milton Bare, Alan Rigg, Howard Belt, and Floren Fawkes as the officers. With automobile transportation much more readily available in the 1960s, the members chose to take their wives out to places like the Holiday Inn at Olney and Two Tony’s in Carmi.
Newspaper accounts of the Club’s projects and activities after 1973 are scarce. Bone Gap began to lose businesses about that time as the residents began to do their trading at stores in larger nearby towns. Those businesses could offer larger selections of items and at lower prices than those stores still open in Bone Gap.
The closing of Bone Gap School in 1988 hit the community hard. It significantly reduced traffic into town. No more basketball games at the school. No more special programs by the students. Some people moved away from Bone Gap. The American Legion stopped sponsoring the Little League and Pony Leagues teams because few area boys were interested in playing baseball.
Could a Commercial Club be revived in Bone Gap today? It’s doubtful. A Ruritan Club was active for awhile in Bone Gap back in the 1970s and 80s, but it too ceased to function. The American Legion Post in Bone Gap used to put on chicken barbeques and pancakes & sausage suppers to raise funds for community projects. However, the Legion Post no longer exists. The Post Office is open just in the morning hours.
The only events still drawing folks to Bone Gap are the Bone Gap Chowder and the Bone Gap Fire Department Volunteers putting on their annual Chicken Barbeque. The Bone Gap Christian Church is still active. However, the former Bone Gap Methodist Church building is now in the hands of a small group of people who live elsewhere.
Those of us who grew up in Bone Gap are saddened by the situation there. Many of the houses are unoccupied and in need of demolition. A small group of people who still live there are on the Town Board, but a they are limited on what they can do because of a shortage of funds.
Will Bone Gap someday become a ghost town? Let’s all hope that doesn’t happen.

08/18/2025

1886 Rich Folks of Edwards County:
Who would you assume are the wealthiest people today in Edwards County? In my research of old newspapers, I discovered who were the rich folks of Edwards County in 1886. Here is that list and the valuation placed on their assets which would include land and businesses. Keep in mind these figures are just half of what they placed their total value at.
#1. Ansel Gould $56,351
#2. Philander Gould $27,546
#3. Jess Emerson $16,127
#4. Asa Pixley $15,716
#5. Churchill Bros. $13,000
#6. Harris Bros $12,400
#7. K.A. Bowman $11,726
#8 Daniel Bond $10,720
#9. Jos. White $7.764
#10 John Smith $7,378
Keep in mind that $100 back then is worth more than $3,400 today. Again those figures above are just half of their assessed valuation. If they were still alive, Ansel Gould would be worth $3.8 million today. His twin brother Philander would be worth nearly $1.9 million
If any of those people in the Top 10 List are your ancestors, do you wonder where the money went? #8 Daniel Bond was my wife Pat’s great, great grandfather. She surely didn’t inherit any of his wealth.

08/02/2025

THE KELSEY FAMILY AT KELSEY’S CORNER
This is the family of Arthur Woodford Kelsey. That’s Arthur leaning against the tree and the woman on the left is his wife Mary Louisa Stanley Kelsey. The picture was likely taken around 1900 at the south edge of Bone Gap, Illinois. That house no longer stands.
Correctly identifying the 4 children in the picture is difficult, if not impossible. If we assume the picture was indeed taken around 1900, the 1900 Census is a good reference to consult. It serves as a base for the 6 children living with Alfred and Mary Kelsey by 1900.
Charles Kelsey born in 1874 married Marinda Ballard in 1894 and they had 3 children by 1900. They were living on a farm in Bone Gap in 1900.
Otis Kelsey born in 1876 was 25 years old working on a farm owned by his grandmother Maria Stanley in 1900.
Frank Kelsey born in 1878 was age 22 was working on the Jacob Mason farm in Bone Gap in 1900.
Walter Kelsey born in 1881 was 19 yrs old 1900. He was living in Bone Gap in 1902 and got married in Iowa in 1906.
Sadie Kelsey born in 1883 was 14 years old in 1900 and died in 1902 at age 16. She is buried in Bone Gap Cemetery
Edith Kelsey born in 1885 was 14 years old in Bone Gap in 1900.
Hettie Kelsey born in 1888 was 11 yrs old in 1900.
Edna Kelsey born in 1892 was 9 years old 1900.
Albert Kelsey born in 1895 was 5 years old in 1900.
Lawrence Kelsey was 2 years old in 1900.
With all those facts, you can draw your own conclusions as to the names of the 4 children. Here’s the story on the Kelseys of Bone Gap.
ARTHUR WOODFORD KELSEY was born on July 10, 1850, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. His parents were William and Delia Kelsey who came to America from Ireland. Arthur must have come to Bone Gap sometime around 1871. He married Mary Louisa Stanley on August 15, 1872, in Bone Gap. The Stanleys were a prominent family in Bone Gap. That’s likely why Arthur and his wife spent some time in Bone Gap. Arthur died on April 26, 1906, in Bone Gap at the age of 55. He and his wife are buried at Bone Gap Cemetery. Arthur appears to be the root of the Kelseys who grew up in the Bone Gap area.
In 1876 the Arthur Kelseys were living in St. Louis, but they moved to Albion in 1880 then back to Bone Gap and lived there for about a year before going back to St. Louis.
The house is gone now, but it stood for many years at the south entrance to Bone Gap. That place was called Kelsey’s Corner. Otis Kelsey and his wife Jersey Ganong Kelsey lived there for many years. Jersey died in 1948 and Otis died in 1951. Both are buried in Bone Gap Cemetery. Their 2 year old daughter Gladys died in 1906 and she is buried in Bone Gap Cemetery. Their son Raymond born in 1912 established a farm south of Bone Gap and raised 3 sons (Jack, Ron and Eugene) and a daughter Reba who married Gilbert Smith. Reba and Gilbert are buried at Graceland Cemetery in Albion. Their daughter Gilberta is also buried there. Jack had a farm north of Albion. September 8, 2013 Jack Kelsey lost his life in a tractor accident in Edwards County. He is buried at Little Prairie Cemetery west of Albion. Ron and Eugene had farms north of Bone Gap. Eugene and his wife Lulu are buried at Bone Gap Cemetery. Reba and Gilbert lived in Bone Gap. Raymond died in 1999. He and his wife Edna are both buried in Bone Gap Cemetery.
Otis and Jersey also had a daughter Louella who married Robert Reid. Both are buried at West Village Cemetery. Otis and Jersey had a son a daughter who married Eldon Smith. They, too, are buried at Bone Gap Cemetery. Sons Elbert “Bope” Kelsey born in 1922 and Glenn “Ted” Kelsey born in 1925 were born to Otis and Jersey. Bope lived in that house until he went off to Barber School with Gene Hulfachor and established his home in Arcola. Ted Kelsey lived in Bone Gap and died in 1982. He is buried in Bone Gap Cemetery.
Kimberley Ann Kelsey, daughter of Clay Kelsey and granddaughter of Eugene Kelsey, died in a traffic accident May 20, 2002 at the age of 18. She is buried at Bone Gap Cemetery.
There are still a few descendants of Arthur and Mary Stanley Kelsey still living in the Bone Gap area. The house they lived in is gone, For many years the house sat vacant. People coming to Bone Gap from the south would see their headlights reflecting brightly in the windows of that house. People who have lived in Bone Gap most of their lives still call that place Kelsey’s Corner.

08/01/2025

FIRST SCHOOL LUNCHES IN EDWARDS COUNTY
Not many folks in Edwards County went to school and had to take their lunches with them. The National School Lunch Program, a federal program that provided low-cost or free lunches to children in public and nonprofit private schools, was established by the National School Lunch Act, signed into law by President Harry S. Truman on June 4, 1946. This act was a response to concerns about child nutrition, particularly after investigations revealed many Americans were unfit for military service during World War II due to poor nutrition.
In 1946 there were several schools in Edwards County. Consolidation into the Edwards County Unit 1 School District didn’t happen until 1948. The new federal-state school lunch program required all schools to begin serving lunches to the students at noon as quickly as possible. The question was which school would be the first to get the program going.
A search of Albion Journal Register newspapers revealed that the first place in Edwards County where lunches were provided to students was Bone Gap. Students at Bone Gap Grade and High School ate their very first school lunch on Monday, January 27, 1947. Though students could still take their own lunches from home if they wished, most of the Bone Gap students sat down at noon to a school-provided lunch. The paper didn’t mention what was served to them.
The federal government paid 9 cents per meal and the state chipped in 2 ½ cents. Students were charged 15 cents. The federal government also paid the school districts $300 to pay for any equipment they needed to provide the lunches. That lacked enough money for what it was going to cost the school districts, but through more grants and public donations there were hopes that tax monies would not be needed.
Churches loaned dishes and cookware to the schools. Students were required to bring their own forks, spoons and knives. The Albion Journal complimented the Bone Gap School District for “providing a valuable service to the students. Too much cannot be said of the value of a hot lunch program in the school. Congratulations, Bone Gap!”
Well, the school lunch program has certainly changed over the years. Even with funds from the federal and state governments, many school districts still end up in the red for the school lunch programs.

07/26/2025

MARY BARTON SHAW MORRIS. 15 CHILDREN?
Within Bone Gap Cemetery is the grave of a woman who may have the Edwards County record for giving birth to the most babies. Her name was Mary E. Barton Shaw Morris. According to an article in the May 16, 1946 issue of the Albion Journal newspaper, Mary gave birth to 15 babies. Here’s her story.
Mary was born May 20, 1871 in Shelbyville, Illinois. On October 3, 1889 in Shelbyville she married Fred Shaw who was born 1873 in Fairfield, Illinois. They began having children. William in 1891; Gertrude in 1892; John in 1892; Charles in 1895 and Bessie in 1897. They were all living in Wayne County.
Fred Shaw died in February of 1898 at the age of 24. So Mary needed a man to help her provide for her 5 children. On September 6, 1898 she married 28 year old George William Morris who was born September 6, 1898 in Wayne County. They lived in Leech Township of Wayne County and Mary began having more babies. George was born in 1900; Sadie in 1902 and Walter in 1903.
George and Mary Morris and their children moved to St. Francisville where a son Floyd was born May 29, 1906. Then came daughters Lillie in 1908, Beulah in 1912, Mary in 1914 and Allena in 1916. The 1920 Census shows Goerge and Mary with 8 children living in Albion. Apparently some of Mary’s children from her first husband were living elsewhere.
Sometime in the early 1920s the Morris family moved to Bone Gap. Mary’s husband George died on December 11, 1924 and was buried in Bone Gap Cemetery. The 1930 Census shows Mary as a widow living in Bone Gap with son Billy Shaw and daughters Edna and Allene.
If you count up all those children’s names you will find that the number stands at 13. However, 2 of Mary’s babies died in infancy and there is no record of their birth, death and burial location. So Mary Barton Shaw Morris gave birth to 15 babies. My guess is that’s a record for Edwards County.
In 1940 Mary Morris at age 69 is still living in Bone Gap with her 51 year old son Billy Shaw, her 24 year old daughter Allene Bunting, her 9 year old grandson Estel Bunting, and her 66 year old brother Ed Barton.
Mary Barton Shaw Morris died in Bone Gap on May 14, 1946 at the age of 75. In addition to the 15 children she gave birth to, Mary had 37 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. She was buried in Bone Gap Cemetery next to her second husband George Morris.
Bone Gap Cemetery also contains the graves of some of Mary’s children. Her son Charles Shaw who died August 21, 1938 was the first family buried there in Bone Gap. Billy Shaw died in 1963 and was buried at Bone Gap. Gertrude Shaw had married Albert Painter and lived in Bone Gap. Albert died in May of 1973 and Gertrude died April 11, 1977. Both are buried at Bone Gap Cemetery.
Floyd Morris married Lulu Etchason February 12, 1927 and they lived on State Street in Bone Gap. They had a son Floyd, Jr. and 4 daughters Mary, Lois, Joyce and Dixie. Floyd carried the mail between Albion and Bone Gap for several years. Floyd died February 27, 1963, Lulu died December 22, 1994, Mary died June 24, 2002 and Joyce died August 29, 2018. All are buried at Bone Gap Cemetery. Floyd, Jr. died in 2012 and is buried in Rossville, Kansas.
John Finley Shaw died in 1971 and is buried at Graceland Cemetery in Albion. Daughter Allena Rieffel is buried in Graceland Cemetery in Albion. Daughter Bessie Mae Shaw Stangle is buried in St. Francisville’s Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Cemetery.
Sadie Morris Craig is buried at Highland Memorial Cemetery in Mt. Carmel. Son Walter is also buried at Highland Memorial Cemetery. Daughter Lillie Morris Bare in buried at Marion Cemetery in Edwards County. Son George Morris is buried at Danville. Daughter Beulah Morris Williams is buried in Hammond, Indiana. Daughter Mary Morris Ibbotson is buried in South Bend, Indiana.
In these days, it is uncommon for a woman to give birth to more than 2 or 3 children. That could be for several reasons. We might be tempted to think of the costs today to raise children, but economic conditions back in the late 1800s and even into the late 1940s were worse than they are today. There were no birth control pills for women to take back then and wives kept their husbands satisfied sexually whether they really wanted to or not. Wives did not work outside the home and they kept themselves busy taking care of their large families.
Whatever your opinions might be for reasons why not to have lots of children is acceptable and reasonable, we must admire those women who went through numerous pregnancies and gave birth to lots of sons and daughters. It certainly must have been difficult. Too bad they didn’t have Mothers Day celebrations back then to honor them.

07/07/2025

Bone Gap Bank
The first bank in Bone Gap, Illinois was established in 1905. Newspaper accounts in May of that year indicate the organization of a Board of Directors. Ervin Gould was named president; J.M. Franklin, vice president; and U.C. Bower, cashier. The Board also included G.W. McClure and Charles Marriott as directors.
In June of 1911, the Bone Gap Bank was making newspaper headlines. It was reported that the affairs of the Bank were far from satisfactory. It was said that stockholders would be compelled to dig up a considerable sum to cover the loss of deposits. Though depositors would apparently get back their money, close to $35,000 was missing due to loans on notes of questionable value.
J.A. Turner the cashier of First National Bank in West Salem was appointed by the court to wind up the affairs of the Bone Gap Bank. A new company was organized and was to be known as Bone Gap Banking Company. Former Edwards County Clerk Ben Mayne was named cashier. Several West Salem area financiers were said to be interested in the Bank. It apparently became known later as First National Bank of Bone Gap. In June of 1926, newspaper articles state than Bert Lucas of the First State Bank in Bone Gap is chairman of the Edwards County Bankers Federation.
In late January of 1927, 25 year old Francis Jones of Louisville, Kentucky was caught trying to break into the Bank. Ab Jordan, watchman at the Bank, saw the burglary attempt and trailed the man as he attempted other break-ins in the town. Jordan went to the home of Lowe Harms. The two men secured guns and a watchdog owned by Harms. They captured the burglar and called the Edwards County Sheriff Charles Naylor who placed the suspect in the jail at Albion. Jordan was also a suspect in the burglary of a store owned by Grant Briggs.
The Bone Gap Bank closed on March 18, 1930. The Board of Directors reported to the State Auditor that Bert Lucas, cashier of the Bank, asked that a state examiner be sent to inspect the accounts. The Bank had deposits of $43,000, capital of $15,000 and a surplus of $500.
On November 13, 1930 an examination of the funds at West Salem State Bank began. That came after 45-year-old Stuart Walser, cashier of that Bank and Receiver for both the West Salem and Bone Gap Banks, was found dead on November 12. West Salem Bank employee Sybel Fishel found the body when she reported for work. A revolver was found near the body and su***de was suspected. Family members of Walser claimed the man had been in ill health and that was why he apparently shot himself.
On November 17, 1932 Bert Lucas was indicted on embezzlement charges by an Edwards County Grand Jury. He was accused of taking $33,300 for speculations. He had previously fled to Texas, but was found, arrested, and returned to face the charges. The question remained whether Lucas and Walser had worked together in the alleged embezzlement of funds from Bone Gap. There was no mention of any embezzlement at West Salem.
Incidentally, Stuart Walser was the son of Gaither Walser, a prominent businessman and banker. Gaither had established the bank in West Salem in 1909 serving as a Director and vice-president of the bank there and vice-president of the First State Bank in Bone Gap. The Bone Gap Bank was located in the two-story brick building that now houses the Post Office. There is a walk-in vault in the building.

07/05/2025

TRUE LOVE IS WORTH THE EFFORT:
In May of 1904, Aaron Thrall of Bone Gap was in love with Olive Weibking, a sweet young 16 year-old widow from White County who had a 5 year old daughter named Emma. Apparently the wedding was going to take place in Wabash County.
On Monday, May 9th young Thrall saddled his horse and rode to Mt. Carmel to obtain a marriage license. Jim Carlton, the man authorized to grant marriage licenses, looked over Thrall and suspected that he wasn’t old enough to legally get married. Thrall insisted that he was 20 years old and his bride-to-be was 23. So Carlton gave Thrall an affidavit to take home and have his father sign it granting permission to get married.
Thrall got back in the saddle and rode home. On Friday, May 13th, young Thrall rode back to Mt. Carmel with the signed affidavit. Again Carlton was suspicious that he was being duped and refused to grant the license. Thrall left the office with tears in his eyes and rode back home.
Refusing to give up because of his deep love for Mrs. Weibking, Thrall persuaded his father Augustus to go with him back to Mt. Carmel. So off they rode on that Saturday, May 14th. This time the license was granted. Thrall and his father rode quickly back to Bone Gap and hurriedly made plans for the wedding. The marriage took place the following afternoon in Wabash County.
Aaron and Olive established their home in Bellmont, then Mt. Carmel and finally settled in Lawrence County where they raised a family and lived until their deaths in that county in 1962 and 1967 respectively. They are buried in a Lawrenceville cemetery.
Aaron’s father and mother Augustus and Lacy Thrall are buried in the Bone Gap Cemetery. Aaron’s grandparents Benjamin and Margaret Rice Thrall are buried southeast of Bone Gap in the Old Trinity Cemetery.

06/13/2025

COLONIAL LAUNDRY:
On February 20, 1967 residents of Bone Gap got a place to go do their laundry. Ivan and Eleanor Case opened their Colonial Laundry for business on that date. The Cases offered their customers on that first day free drying from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
This was a new building measuring 50 feet by 30 feet and had carpet on the floor. Fourteen new large capacity Maytage automatic washers, a heavy duty Multi-Boy washer and 5 preheated automatic Sahara dryers provided the latest equipment available for washing and drying clothes.
The building also included on the south end of the building a 9 by 16 foot room that was used as a barber shop. Jerry Mewes cut hair there each Monday and Thursday from 2:30 to 8:30.
I don’t have the date, but the Colonial Laundry finally ceased business operations. It now serves as a residential house for a family.
Ivan and Eleanor purchased the property for their new laundry from Charlie Thread in September of 1966. Over the years that block in Bone Gap had been the location of several businesses. Charlie had operated his feed store there since 1941 was torn down to make room for the laundry building and a parking lot.
According to old Charlie, the following businesses were there starting from the north and extending to the south: The first telephone system office, Maggie Rice’s millinery store, Dorman Brothers Tin Shop, George Gould & Bill Voyles Restaurant and General Store.
Charlie said his father John Thread built the first restaurant in the village when Bone Gap was moved to its current location in 1881 and 1882.
I am also aware that the Blue Front Movie Theatre which seated 200 customers was in operation in Bone Gap from 1928 to 1932 and was located where the laundry was built.

05/30/2025

BONE GAP WOMEN HIT BY TRAIN:
On Tuesday, February 23, 1960 four women from Bone Gap had finished their days work at the Meissners Plant in Mt. Carmel. To save expenses, the 4 ladies had been car pooling from Bone Gap to Mt. Carmel. Perhaps tired and anxious to get home, they loaded into the 1959 Chevrolet car owned and driven by Francis Briggs, the wife of Melvin Briggs. The 3 passengers were Rosemary Pierson, wife of Ausby Pierson; Rose Ann Root, wife of Kenny Root; Sharon Myers, wife of Roy Myers, Jr and Marion Siefferman, wife of Kenny Siefferman.
Coming from the Meissners parking lot, at 4:10 p.m. their car approached a stop sign near the New York Central railroad tracks at the junction of Ninth and Walnut Streets. Those tracks are gone now. A train was approaching the railroad crossing with lights flashing and a bell ringing. After stopping at the stop sign, Mrs. Briggs told police later that she did not see the train coming and began to drive across the tracks. For some reason, the car stalled and would not start. Police said the women could have gotten across the tracks safely had the car not stalled. The train was moving slowly.
The four women managed to get out of the car before the train slammed into it. The vehicle was tossed around and hit Mrs. Pierson. She was the last one able to get out of the car. The other 3 ladies escaped injury, but Mrs. Pierson was taken to Wabash General Hospital for treatment of a possible back injury. She had no broken bones and was released from the hospital a few days later.

Bone Gap History

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