Bonnie Strassell - Owen County Historical Society

For 80 years it served Owen County — a notable amount of time to service a community. In a matter of a few seconds it was gone, but memories of days when it was a vital part of the Gratz scenery live on in the hearts and minds of local residents

Whittling away on a stick, his gravely voice at times dropping to an emotional whisper, James, a 90-year-old Confederate veteran, transported a crowd of 30 back in time to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the Civil War.

It’s been called the War of Northern Aggression, the Civil War, the War Between the States, and the War of Rebellion. Perhaps the most poignant name given to this tragic time in our country’s history is the Boys’ War. Boys, some as young as 12 and from all areas of the country — including Owen County — joined the fight. Although they were familiar with firearms and their bodies were hardened by toil, nothing could prepare these young men for the carnage, disease, and devastation wrought by war. Owen countians James Mason, W.E.

It’s been eulogized in stories and poetry, and has been characterized as judgment of a stern, uncompromising old man, or soft feathers lightly shaken from a pillowcase. It can be light and airy, crusty or crunchy. It is a delight for children and a barely tolerable event for adults. It can evoke pleasure gliding atop its surface, shooting sprays of sparkled dust, which dissipate into the air; or wreak havoc if the gliding involves damage to a car or injury to a person.