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Noblesville Library set up a reading room tent on the grounds of the 1915 Chautauqua, where Helen Keller was one of the lecturers.
Noblesville Library set up a reading room tent on the grounds of the 1915 Chautauqua, where Helen Keller was one of the lecturers.

Noblesville residents Nancy Massey and Carol Ann Schweikert create the city’s first pictorial history book

 

Meet the AuthorsNancy A. Massey and Carol Ann Schweikert’s book, “Noblesville” was a labor of love.

The authors and historian buffs spent the past three years working together across town and around the globe to create the first published book of the city’s history.

“I’m not sure we thought it would take so long,” Schweikert joked.

The two met in the Hamilton East Public Library’s Indiana Room. Massey was working there and Schweikert was doing research for the Noblesville Preservation Alliance.

“I had toddler kids, and Nancy was incredibly patient. That’s how we got to know each other,” Schweikert said.

Each had interest in creating a book on Noblesville’s history, but its depth was time consuming. In the end, both were contracted by Arcadia Publishing to coauthor the book.

“It was overwhelming for each of us individually. We decided to work as a team,” Massey said.

The two were a natural fit. Massey brings general knowledge of Noblesville and its families. Schweikert contributed her research and knowledge on the city’s development through its buildings.

“We equally gathered photos – about 98 percent we did together,” Massey said.

Creating the book came with a number of challenges: finding photos, names and research and a trip around the globe. Schweikert’s husband was assigned to China and the family moved there. During that time, the two collaborated via e-mail and online file sharing to continue work on the book despite the 12-hour time difference.

“Without an extension (from Arcadia) I probably couldn’t have gone,” Schweikert said, adding that a nine-month extension was granted. “Without the Internet, the book would have slowed completely or slowed dramatically. It slowed, but we were able to continue.”

Through her work in the Indiana Room, Massey said it was rare for a week to pass without someone asking if there was a book on Noblesville or what photographs were available of old homes and businesses in the area.

The Basics“I hope this will stimulate fond memories for Noblesville natives, perhaps inspiring more stories and revealing more photographs tucked away in someone’s photo album or scrapbook,” Massey said. “I hope it will inform newcomers of the rich history of Noblesville and help them to know about the community in which they now reside.”

“Noblesville is such a growing community but most people are probably (residents of) 10 years or less. It’ll appeal to a wide range of people,” Schweikert said. “It’s a reminder of great buildings. Some history can be lost unless you take effort to preserve it.”

“Noblesville” is not a chronological history, but based on themes such as education, churches, life in Noblesville, and entertainment.

“We cover the very early history right up to the demolition of buildings,” Schweikert said, explaining that the book begins in 1823.

Because of space, the authors were forced to leave out a few topics they wanted to include, such as a section on Hometown Heroes about the the various soldiers and military dress through the years; Infamous and Famous which was left out as a result of a lack of photos of certain people; and the Craycraft building which also was missing photos.

“Even though (the Craycraft building) was in Noblesville for 99 years, we asked and searched but never could find (a photo),” Schweikert said.

“We also wanted to do the 1973 sesquicentennial, but we didn’t have enough photos to develop a really good layout. We wanted more on that than what we had,” Massey said.

Schweikert estimates the two looked through 1,000 photos and scanned more than 400. Images came from many sources, but most were from the homes and albums of local residents.

“It was just incredible. They would take framed photos off the wall and give them to us,” Massey said. “It was amazing people trusted us with that.”

“It was one of the true privileges we had,” Schweikert said, adding that all photos provided were returned to the owners. “It’d be hard for me if roles had been reversed.”

Seeing family photos of Noblesville’s history was the “best part” for the authors – like when they saw a bathing beach at Forest Park.

“I was aware of one up the river, it was not uncommon at that time,” Massey said. “I got chills because I’ve never seen that before. People take it for granted because it’s been in the family all these years… It’s a side you’ve never seen before.”

“People just looked at them as just family photos – nothing unique or special,” Schweikert said. “It’s breathtaking when you realize what you’re looking at. These are images that can’t be recreated.”

Nancy Massey. left, and Carol Ann Schweikert sign copies of their book "Noblesville."
Nancy Massey. left, and Carol Ann Schweikert sign copies of their book “Noblesville.”

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