TRAVEL TO BRAZIL FROM BOWLING GREEN ca. 1917

Reminiscences by Jim CAMPBELL

Terre Haute wholesalers supplied the merchants of early Bowling Green. The merchants would take Bowing Green produce (poultry, eggs, & butter) to Terre Haute and return with canned goods and clothing for their customers. Drummers (traveling salesmen), also, came to Bowling Green selling their wares.

For fifteen years Pap MURBARGER brought the mail from Terre Haute to Bowling Green; his last day of mail delivery was June 26, 1902. After that date the mail came from Terre Haute to Brazil and then by train to Center Point. From Center Point it traveled by “hack” to Bowling Green. The hack came in various forms depending on who successfully won the bid to carry the mail between Bowling Green and Center Point. Regardless of the type of vehicle employed as the “hack”, it could always carry some passengers.

When I was a child it was a big day when we went to Brazil. I would look forward to meeting the hack at Bowling Green and traveling with the mail to Center Point. We would arrive at the train station on the north edge of Center Point before the train arrived. It was always a thrill to watch the train coming in and a thrill to board the train. On our train ride to Brazil we passed through the stations of Stearlyville and Asherville. The last stop on our way to Brazil was Knightsville.
Our reason for going to Brazil was to shop and visit relations grandfather’s sister and her family, the Roy SHATTACKS. After an early lunch at the Oak Restaurant or Adelotte, we would go shopping. We were able to buy things not handled by our local Bowling Green merchants such as dress shirts and dress shoes. After window shopping, we were on our way to the train station and back to Center Point where we once again boarded the hack to Bowling Green.