A treasure trove of Lafayette (Ind.) memories

I grew up in Delphi, Ind., where the nearest city of any consequence was Lafayette, some 18 miles west and south.

That’s where all of the good shopping was – department stores, furniture stores, music stores and, of course, the life-altering McHaley’s Surplus.

I spent a lot of time in Lafayette, so it seemed natural to sign up for a Facebook group called “You know you’re from Lafayette, if…”

One of the posts this week was a photo of the old Columbian Park swimming pool, where I took swimming lessons in the 1950s. Looking for more images, I did a Google search and found aerial photos of the pool by Jesse McGreevy. I recognized the name from the days when I read and carried the Lafayette Journal & Courier. A little exploring brought me to a web site lovingly created and maintained by his granddaughter Christy Marks, who is also a professional photographer.

The site is full of amazing images from McGreevy’s archives, including lots of photos of his kids, who were contemporaries of mine. I never knew them, but my ex wife, a Lafayette girl, grew up with them.

If you grew up in Lafayette or near there in the 1950s and ‘60s, or are just nostalgic for the period, you need to check out The Photos of William Jesse McGreevy.