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131 North Walnut Street
Batesville, IN 47006
Contact
Hillenbrand Family Collection
Miriam E.
Mason Collection
Oral
Histories
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352nd Fighter
Group Memorial Aviation Collection
A special collection of aviation
books, videos and magazines has been donated to the library by Al Giesting and
Jim Mahle of Batesville, Indiana, Richard DeBruin of Wisconsin, Joe Noah at the
Preddy Memorial Foundation, and others, and dedicated to the 352nd Fighter Group
VIII AAF that flew over Europe during the Second World War.
Our collection contains over 600 items, including circulating non-fiction books on military,
commercial and private aviation, fiction books, videos and copies of The
Bluenoser, a newsletter from the
352nd Fighter Group Association, and Friends
Journal, a magazine from the
US Air Force Museum.
A plaque
with the names of present and former Batesville, Indiana area members of the 352nd
hangs above the collection. Those honored are: - T/Sgt. Albert Giesting, Bronze Star, Crew Chief for Capt. Virgil Meroney 487 Sqd., Pilot -
Sweet Louise P-47 & P-51-B
- 1st Lt. Malcolm Pickering, Pilot -
Gracie P-51-B
- Col. McDonald Godfrey, USAF Ret., Pilot -
Candy Lamb P-51-B
The plaque contains an illustration of the
Sweet Louise
in flight. Models of the planes flown by Pickering
and Godfrey are part of the collection.
The collection also includes
squadron patches from the 352nd Fighter Group,
prints drawn by John "wily" Mollison, of the P-51 Mustangs as flown by:
Raymond Mitchell, George Preddy, Dean Houston, Alden Rigby, and Ray
Littge, and a print of "Top Mustang Ace" Maj. George Preddy, drawn by
Lonnie Ortega, along with a plaque and brochures from the
Preddy Memorial Foundation.
Our thanks to those who have donated
these valuable materials to the library. If anyone has items that they
would like to add to this collection, please contact the library director, Mike
Kruse (bmpl@cnz.com)
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Chief Sgt. Al Giesting with
Capt. Virgil Meroney,
the 352nd's first Ace.
(photo courtesy of
352nd Fighter Group Association) |
For more info on the
352nd
Fighter Group and
other aviation history,
try these links:
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A Brief History of the 352nd Fighter Group
(PDF) |
Hillenbrand Family Library
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Click on a photo
to enlarge
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This non-circulating collection of books is from the Hillenbrand family's former home on Walnut Street
(photo, left above), the site of the current Batesville Memorial Public Library.
The collection is displayed
at the library along with busts of John A. and Clara M. Hillenbrand and a stained-glass window from their home
(photo, left below).
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Miriam
E. Mason Collection
 A portrait of Miriam E. Mason (Miriam Mason Swain), a resident of
Batesville and author of children's books from the 1930's to the 1960's, is
displayed along with an original manuscript of Caroline and the Seven Little
Words (1967) in the Youth Fiction area. The portrait and
manuscript were presented to the library by The Woman's Study Club of
Batesville. Click on the photo to the left.
We gratefully acknowledge the donation of another original
Miriam Mason manuscript by the
Stockton-San Joaquin County
Public Library in California. Along with
the manuscript of Little Jonathan (1944), they also donated an original
drawing from the book and a letter documenting Ms. Mason's gift of the
manuscript and illustration to a sorority. The items were purchased from
the sorority at a sale, and were given to the Stockton-San Joaquin County
Library. The manuscript, illustration and letter will be displayed in the BMPL's
Children's Area at varying times. Click on the photo to the right.
A newly-published series for young
people, the
Young Patriots Series
by Patria Press, has just re-printed
Miriam Mason's John Audubon : Young Naturalist with illustrations by
Cathy Morrison. Our thanks to the family of Miriam Mason for donating two
copies for BMPL users to enjoy.
A brief biography of
Miriam Mason Swain.
Oral Histories
The Batesville Memorial Public Library has collected over 40
interviews with people who recall local events, people, organizations, churches,
schools, and businesses throughout Batesville's history. This circulating
collection is on audiotape, some with accompanying materials and photographs,
and is shelved in the Local History / Genealogy area of the library.
Thanks to WRBI 103.9FM, for helping us convert the taped interviews to a digital
format.
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