The Hamilton County Reporter’s annual April Fool this year is multiple choice. If you like local history and April Fool’s Day, you may enjoy this.
All the following statements are true except for one. It may be tougher than you think. Turn to Page 2 to see if you have chosen the fooler.
- According to some historical accounts, Noblesville was named by a city founder, Josiah Polk, for a woman named Levina Noble whom Polk hoped to marry.
- Indiana’s first electronic stop-and-go signal was invented and located in Hamilton County.
- A new library in the Nickel Plate Historic District features the story of how actress Hedy Lamarr invented and patented the foundation of today’s WiFi.
- Hoosier entertainer and race car owner David Letterman recently purchased the Carmel estate of the late Mel Simon in order to have a location to entertain his 500 race friends during May.
- Benjamin Harrison while president of the United States often went quail hunting in Hamilton County.
- During the Civil War, a battle between Southern sympathizers and Union loyalists was fought on the Courthouse Square in Noblesville.
Did you guess the wrong answer?
It is true that co-founder of Noblesville, Josiah Polk, courted Lavina Noble and wanted to marry her. She declined and left him. The city was named either for Levina or her brother James Noble, the first U.S. Senator from Indiana. (Polk was co-founder with William Conner.)
Also true is the fact that Leslie Haines, a Carmel electrician, invented the first automated traffic signal in Indiana, and one of the nation’s first. It was placed at the intersection of Main and Range Line Road in 1923.
Hard as it is to believe, popular actress Hedy Lamarr was also an inventor. She patented a secret communications system which she gave to the U.S. military during World War II. It eventually became the basis for today’s WiFi.
President Harrison, whose home was in Indianapolis, did indeed go bird hunting on a farm near Sheridan. Harrison and the Kercheval family, owners of the farm, were longtime friends.
Amazingly, there was a Civil War battle or skirmish on the Square in Noblesville. In 1864 a group of Southern sympathizers clashed with local citizens loyal to the Union. One man was wounded when shooting erupted. One horse was shot and killed.
That leaves David Letterman, who as far as we know has not purchased the Simon estate, a 50-acre parcel in Clay Township with a 30,000 square-foot mansion and private golf course. But, Dave probably does enjoy a good April Fool story.