This real photo postcard features the Cooper Theatre, which was housed in a building that is still standing on Public Square, labeled here as “Monument Square.” Credit: Image courtesy of the Memories of Knox County Facebook group.

History Knox

Mark Sebastian Jordan authors a column each Saturday reflecting on the history of the community.

MOUNT VERNON — There’s a certain road, as the old saying goes, that is paved with good intentions.

Well, this winter, I’m belly-flopping onto a vintage Rosebud sled and skidding down that road, as I try to catch up with my correspondence.

Suffice it to say that this week’s image was provided to me by a helpful reader back in 2023, who preferred not to be identified, and I’m just now getting to it!

That’s what happens when you work three jobs and write books on top of that. If I ever say I’m not busy, then I’ve just forgotten one — or more likely, several — things I was supposed to get done.

So, this excellent postcard image, probably from somewhere around the 1910 era, gives us a photograph of a place that we’ve discussed here previously, the Cooper Theatre. It was home to both live shows and movies in the early part of the 20th century, and the building is still there.

From what I understand, the original stage is still there, despite a range of other uses in subsequent decades.

And, for everyone I’ve started conversations with, please follow up, because it gets hard to find emails and messages when I am constantly barraged with so many.

I know at the very least, I have some explorations of Wakatomika Creek in the works, and a visit that a lovely couple invited me to make to an old cemetery on their property. Your help getting me caught up is tremendously appreciated!

In upcoming projects, any readers down in Morrow County are invited to join me for events in March and April at the Mount Gilead, Cardington-Lincoln, Selover, and Perry libraries, where I will be leading workshops about writing out and preserving local stories/memories, thanks to a grant that the Morrow County Public Library system was able to procure.

I’m definitely looking forward to that.

Also, I’m looking forward to my first Knox County appearance in support of my new book, The Maplehurst Murder, at 4 pm on Saturday, March 21, where I will be signing books and talking about the unsolved case.