Lafayette looks at 200
A Bicentennial year is around the corner. Could William Digby have even known in 1825?
Support for today’s edition comes from the Lafayette Noon Optimist Club, holding their annual Christmas Tree Sale. All funds raised go directly to support youth programs in Greater Lafayette. Buy your tree at the Original Frozen Custard, 2319 Wallace Ave., Lafayette, from noon to 8 p.m. daily – open until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Follow along on Facebook: www.facebook.com/noon.optimist
Sponsorship help for this edition also comes from Purdue Musical Organizations. The 91st Annual Purdue Christmas Show is the must-see event of the year! Gather your family and friends, and create lasting memories as you sing along to your favorite songs and marvel at the extraordinary Purdue student talent on display. Get tickets here.
LAFAYETTE LOOKS AT 200
Hints of Lafayette’s bicentennial, right around the corner in 2025, have been floating the surface lately, with announcement of plans to plant a sculpture at Ninth and South streets next year and last week’s installation of window dressing all over Lafayette City Hall.
The city laid out an invitation along with a yearlong planner to celebrate the time, 200 years ago, that William Digby platted the city along the Wabash River.
Why you love Lafayette: Specifically, the city is collecting memories and salutations, starting with the prompt: “I love Lafayette because …” Send yours by Jan. 1, 2025, at: www.lafayette.in.gov/love
Some Old Lafayette history: Bob Kriebel, the late editor of the Journal & Courier, had this look at the founding of Lafayette by riverman William Digby in a series of Old Lafayette columns in 2005: “Digby founded Lafayette on untamed land in 1825.” Kriebel also had this, via a 2001 Old Lafayette column, about how Digby settled on one important question: “How Lafayette got its name.”
Bicentennial community celebrations: On May 25, the actual 200th anniversary of the founding, will be sandwiched by a Memorial Day weekend of events at Columbian Park, including the Lafayette Citizens Band’s Bicentennial Concert on May 26. Others include a film festival featuring Sydney Pollack – the Oscar-winning director was born in Lafayette in 1934, you know, before directing “Tootsie,” “The Way We Were,” “Jeremiah Johnson,” “Out of Africa” and more – at the Long Center in downtown Lafayette; local art exhibits at The Arts Federation and the Haan Museum; Civic Youth Theatre will have a performance about the city’s history; Exploration Acres’ corn maze will take on a Bicentennial theme; and historic tours hosted by the Tippecanoe County Historical Association. Check the events here: lafayette200.com
The logo: Here’s the origin story behind a logo you’ll see a bunch in the coming year, via the city: “Originally known as the Star City, we honor that heritage with a prominent star symbol. The colors around the star represent key elements of our history: green for the verdant prairies of Indiana, purple for native wildflowers, yellow for maize — a staple of our agricultural roots, blue for the cherished skies above, and red for the hardships and sacrifices of our founders and settlers.”
The sculpture: The city announced plans earlier this fall for “On the Banks of the Wabash,” a sculpture by California-based Cliff Garten Studio, at the grassy plaza at the corner of Ninth and South streets to commemorate the city’s 200th. The $500,000 project includes $250,000 coming from the city and the rest coming from a fundraising campaign. The piece is scheduled to be in place for a Sept. 6 dedication, coinciding with the birthday of the Marquis de Lafayette, the city’s namesake. Here’s more about the sculpture:
Bicentennial Costume Ball: … will be June 28 at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds, featuring the Big Swing Band. Prizes, they say, will be handed out for the best costumes from Lafayette’s history. (Man, so many ways to go on that one …)
Locally branded Bicentennial products: A few have been rolling out already, including a collection of scented candles from Flora Candle Co. on Main Street. David Huhnke, director of communications and marketing for Lafayette, said others are in the works and that the city is looking for more Bicentennial collaborations. For details, he’s at dhuhnke@lafayette.in.gov.
The trailer: This video, produced by Lafayette native Jack Klink, landed late last week.
Thanks for support from Purdue Musical Organizations, presenting the 91st Annual Purdue Christmas Show, Dec. 7-8. Get tickets here.
And thanks to the Lafayette Noon Optimist Club, holding their annual Christmas Tree Sale at the Original Frozen Custard, 2319 Wallace Ave., Lafayette, from noon to 8 p.m. daily – open until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Thank you for supporting Based in Lafayette, an independent, local reporting project. Free and full-ride subscription options are ready for you here.
Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.