Mongo, IN: St. Joe Valley Line Depot, Bridge and School

Rural American History Captured posted
St. Joe Valley Line Station. Years of Operation 1906-1918. Mongo, IN
Debra Gould Collection

Normally I put bridge postings in the main blog, but I'm making an exception for this one.

Rural American History Captured posted
Mongo, Indiana. Post card. Looking south. Debra Gould Collection. Zoom in and you can see the train.

I drew a red line where I think the old St. Joe Valley RR ran:

Satellite plus Paint

Rural American History Captured posted, cropped
What a beautiful building! Hard to believe that this was in the lot beside the church.
Dennis DeBruler My grandfather, Russel Talmage, was born in 1900. I think he went to Brushy Praire for the lower grades. But he boarded with someone in Mongo to finish high school. I've been told that it was rare back then for a boy to get a high school diploma. Even though he lived on a farm, his mother was a strong believer in the importance of education.
[The grove is still there.]
Loralee Taylor Mongo only had 11 grades when the Talmage boys attended. Russell's diploma is from Fremont, and he boarded with a Brown relative. We think Ernest graduated from Kendallville.
Karla Miller Mom said both grandma and grandpa graduated from Kendalville. Grandpa roomed with a former neighbor and friend who had moved and grandma with her sister Ruth's family. Apparently he was valedictorian and also beat their best boxer and so was resented there. Said Uncle Charlie had taught both boys to box.