I-69 Heritage Corridor - Allen County
DeKalb Cty -- Coney
-- Hochstettler
-- Houser
-- Minard
-- Myers
-- Placencia
-- Riser
-- Waterloo jam session
-- Sarasien
-- Sechler
-- Stackhouse
-- Rowe
Grant Cty -- Adkins
-- Butler
-- Petro
-- Neuhouser
-- Garage pickers
-- Cox
-- Hoke
-- Cash
-- Powers
Hamilton Cty -- Bundy
-- Davis
-- Day
-- Gordon
-- Cricket players
-- Dr. Bomie Han
-- Gerald Terry
-- Bobbie Kauffman
Delaware Cty -- Jackson
-- Doris Jean Coil
-- Ronald Davis
-- John Zile
-- Ken Shipley
-- Atchade
-- Roberts
Allen Cty -- Mowry
-- Zehner
-- Bozarth
-- Cynar
-- Lengacher
-- Gorman
-- Hollman
-- Patria Smith
-- Penny Myers
-- Rugsaken
Madison Cty -- Spencer
-- Joe Rice
-- Theoharris
-- Carol Ball
-- Greg Adams
Huntington Cty -- Enyeart
-- Glessner
-- Alice Stickler
-- Company Singers
-- Dick Hinton
-- Goldenberg
-- Jay Peters
-- Gil Shideler
Henry Cty -- Bennett
Patria Smith's combined Miami Indian and Polish-Russian ancestry is relatively unique: she only knows one other person who shares this heritage. --
Photo by Jim Diveney
Patria Smith -- Gourd art
Patria Smith of Fort Wayne is sought out for her decorated gourd creations. She became interested in this art form after a friend brought her a painted gourd and asked Patria to duplicate it for her. “The minute she put the gourd in my hand,” Patria says, “I loved the feel [of it].”
Drawing on painting skills learned from her mother and in art school, Patria began to experiment with gourd painting, eventually trying other techniques such as wood burning, staining, and carving. An oil painter in school, she felt that the rigidly structured courses did not permit full self-expression. She now draws her inspiration from nature (especially plants native to America) and her Miami Indian heritage to embellish the dried gourds.
Listen to Patria:
Describe the gourd dance
(transcript)
Describe gourd history
(transcript)
Describe the uses of tobacco
(transcript)