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Photo courtesy of American Black National Museum Inc. The 1954 Junior Cavaliers Boys Club of McCulloch Recreation Center included (left to right) Bob Hawkins, Charles Jackson, Wilfred Doty, Emmerson Turner and Elbert Wyatt.Howell Barn/McCulloch Center reunion set for July 3-4Special to Frost Illustrated, courtesy of Charlotte DuboisFORT WAYNE—Some memories are golden—sometimes, even long bygone ones. Local residents who came of age in the 1950s will have a chance once again to bathe in the sparkle of the past at the Howell’s Barn/McCulloch Center Region, 6 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., July 3 at Link’s Wonderland, 1711 E. Creighton Ave. and from noon to 5 p.m., July 4 at Memorial Park.The event is being organized by the Howell Barn/McCulloch Center Reunion Committee which includes: James Kendricks, chairman; Charlotte Dubois, co-chair; Barbara Neal, secretary; Ellen Watson, treasurer; Helen Martin, decorations; Amy Powell, corresponding secretary; Eugene “Bill Jr.” Jackson, entertainment; Nate Alexander, ticket chairman; Janet Barron, fundraising; Bobby Starke, publicity, and Vianna Sims, acting secretary.In 1950, Thurston Howell took an old bam and fashioned it into one of the most unique social spots for young people in Fort Wayne. When it opened, an ad appeared in the city’s black paper, the “Hue and Cry,” proclaiming “Hamburgers, Cokes, Banana Splits, Sundaes, the Best Fries in Town.” Chick, fish and shrimp were also on the menu.After games, dates, skating, parties, work and school, the Bam was the last stop before going home. The food was delicious and the service superb. Everyone was welcome and it was great to have a place to go where you could sit in a booth, enjoy the sights and juke box music—even if you were broke. In those days, respect and decency were insisted upon by Mr. and Mrs. Howell, if someone got out of line, they were warned. If the offense was repeated, they were put out and could not come back. Because of the mles of no cursing, fighting or vulgar dancing, the Bam earned the respect of many parents who would let their young people go there for fun.At first, the Bam was just a building with a soda bar, booths and dining room on the first floor. Then, “Mr. Howell” built a concrete platform out from the Bam for the kids to dance on. Later, he extended that platform and enclosed it, making the Bam twice as large. He added another counter and lined the walls with booths. Kids danced the Chicken, the Pony and, of course, the romantic slow dance. The Bam was so much fun in those days, you could meet and see just about everybody there.That yellow brick, shingled building held such joy and good times for at least three generations of Fort Wayners for more than 10 years. The memories of it and the people are so warm and real— memories of people like Mr. Howell, Mrs. Culpepper and Mr. Loften, wonderful people who worked at the Bam. Around 1936, the YMCA opened a portable wood Army barracks on McCullochStreet to the public as a recreation center. The idea was to provide supervised activities, such as crafts and recreation, to keep kids occupied. Looking toward the future, the city planner determined that the wood barracks were too costly to maintain and, in 1947, they razed the old “Y” and replaced it with the new brick McCulloch Community Center.Today, the McCulloch Center, now known as the Jennings Recreation Center in honor of the late A1 Jennings Sr., the long time director of the center, is still providing supervised, year-round social, educational, cultural and recreational experiences for youth today.That’s why many of us who remember, celebrated the Howell Bam with reunions throughout the years and plan to do so again this year, as well as the memory of another time-honored community gathering site—the McCulloch Center. For those who experienced first-hand the joy and fellowship of those institutions, the July 3 gathering will be a chance to relive some golden memories. For others it will be a chance to learn about an important piece of history.Tickets for the reunion are $25 in advance or $28 at the door. For more information and tickets, call Nate Alexander at (260) 483-0289; Charlotte Dubois at (260) 432-3911; Helen Martin (260) 458-8156, or Ellen Watson (260) 411-0876.
Newspaper Details
Fort Wayne Frost Illustrated
Fort Wayne, Indiana, US
Wed, Jun 23, 2004
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Marilyn H.
USA 25 Mar 2025
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