Flag Stop from Hendricks' farm
By Paul DeVerter.
Copyright (C) 2003 Paul DeVerter
A flag stop shelter used to protect patrons of the
Indianapolis, Crawfordsville & Western interurban from the elements, circa
1911
BACKGROUND
The Indianapolis, Crawfordsville & Western, the Ben Hur Route, was constructed between Indianapolis and Crawfordsville, Indiana, generally parallel to the Peoria & Eastern (later NYC). Flag Stops were allowed at sites the Company considered to be promising for numerous patrons. This was not one of them, as the Martin stop was only 1/4 mile away. There was so much traffic for the Hendricks, that a petition was filed for an additional stop, which was granted only after a careful record was made of patronage by my mother. This structure was designed for the oil pumping station about 1 1/2 mile away, but was too small for that location. The base was packed cinders and the vertical column was only a 4 x 4, sunk into the ground about 4 feet, and not too solid. In fact it was ultimately blown over by a gust of wind. The walls were 1 x 10's and the roof wood. It was painted green. The attic was hollow, and was used to store newspapers, which were lit to signal the next car that a passenger was waiting. The IC&W was acquired by the Terre Haute, Indianapolis & Eastern in 1912, and service was abandoned in 1930.
The rather unique "X" shape was designed to protect the Hendricks and other patrons from blowing wind, rain and snow, no matter from which direction it might come. Only a vestage of the packed cinders remained in 1947. The remainder of the structure is based on recollections of my relatives. I wrote an article on the construction of this Flag Stop, which was published in Railroad Model Craftsman way back in 1949. The Hendricks Stop was about 1 3/4 miles East of Jamestown, Indiana.
