|
|
|
Reviews
This Place We Call Home
A History of Clark County, Indiana
|
By Carl E. Kramer and Mary Kagin Kramer
|
(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2007. Pp. xxi, 636. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. $35.00.)
|
| Carl E. Kramer's meticulous history is particularly strong in tracing the economic development of Clark County, Indiana—most specifically that of Jeffersonville, the county seat and the author's home town. Clark County's economic history was shaped by its proximity to the Falls of the Ohio River. The county's namesake, William Rogers Clark, was one of many early nineteenth-century speculators hoping to build a canal on the north bank, bypassing the falls and thus removing a major transportation obstacle. The canal was ultimately built on the Kentucky side of the river, causing the county to become more an "economic appendage" of Louisville than an independent entity. Kramer also does an excellent job of discussing the social life in Clark County communities, again focusing particularly on Jeffersonville. |
1
|
|
The Civil War changed life in Clark County in a major way. Unfortunately, however, the reader is left to wonder about the stories of Confederate sympathizers in the area, most notably Jesse D. Bright, the U. S. Senator from southern Indiana whose pro-Confederate sympathies led to his expulsion from the senate and the seizure of his property by the federal government. Similarly, the changing political views of Clark County's Hoosiers before and during the Civil War could have used more attention. Kramer does not discuss either of these important stories in any meaningful way. However, his discussion of the economic impact of the war on the area is superb. Jeffersonville became a major center for the Union war effort, gaining a U. S. Quartermaster Corps clothes-making operation and a major hospital for wounded soldiers. After the war, construction of the gigantic Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot spurred major changes in existing local industries, particularly railroad car-making, ship building, and the cement industry. |
2
|
|
Kramer likewise ably traces Clark County's development as a suburb of Louisville during the twentieth century. Jeffersonville, the county seat, and Clarksville, another primary community in the county, became largely bedroom communities for Louisville. One shortcoming of the book, though, is that it fails to provide a map of the county in each chapter. While such maps are fairly plentiful early on, a historical map particular to each chapter would have helped readers unfamiliar with the area. |
3
|
|
County histories are usually hyper-focused on important people and events within the county, making little or no connection to wider state or national history. Kramer offers a refreshing break from this typically myopic approach. While the title leaves a bit to be desired, and the 600-plus page length is daunting, this is not just a recounting of cherished provincial myths, but an excellent example of what a county history can be. It is well-written, well-researched, and its assertions are backed with proper evidence and citations. Kramer draws connections to important events in Indiana history as well as to events in the Louisville area that had major impacts on the development of the county. As such, he makes a major contribution to the history of southern Indiana. |
4
|
|
This book is highly recommended for readers wishing to learn more about the history of Indiana's Ohio River communities in the Louisville area. |
5
|
|
Thomas M. Spencer is associate professor of history and director of the Honors Program at Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville. He is currently editing an anthology of essays about the Mormon conflict in Missouri during the 1830s and working toward completing a monograph on the subject.
|
Content in the History Cooperative database is intended for personal, noncommercial use only. You may not reproduce, publish, distribute, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, modify, create derivative works from, display, or in any way exploit the History Cooperative database in whole or in part without the written permission of the copyright holder.
|