Mystery Paintings

Painting of Abe Lincoln  Painting of George Washington

January, 2013, two large paintings were found in the storage room across from the school board meeting room at the Kennedy Lifetime Education Center of the South Spencer County School Corporation in Rockport, Indiana. This building was originally built for Rockport High School and opened in 1957. Later, the building was used for South Spencer Middle School.

It is unknown how the paintings came to this room or where they were displayed. One is of Abraham Lincoln, the other painting is of George Washington.

The paintings are 64" x 72" and look like they have been in storage for years. They have a gold painted wood frame. The name of the artist could not be seen.

If anyone has information about these paintings, please contact Raymond Dawson.

In February, 2013, a member of The Friends of Lincoln Pioneer Village e-mailed this message:
Those paintings have been at the museum for years. Unable to properly display them (because of their size) or store them, I spoke with the school superintendent , along with permission from Charlie Finecy, to possibly display them at the Center. I am not aware of any record of where they actually came from but someone mentioned they were possibly at the Old High School. I believe at one time they may have been in the basement of the Courthouse also.

At one time, there was a museum room at the courthouse. When the Lincoln Pioneer Village Museum was built, the items at the courthouse museum were moved to the Village. It is assumed the paintings were on display at the courthouse in years past. Unfortunately, there is still no identification of the artist.

Mystery Paintings Identified

February 11, 2016 While doing research at the Rockport Library, Raymond Dawson came across this article from the April 25, 1952 Rockport Journal.

Lincoln Village Draws Large Crowds

Last Sunday's beautiful spring weather brought a large crowd to the City Park, Pioneer Village and Museum. Attendance reports on the latter two show a great increase over previous years for the months of March and April.

On May 29 a large group of the Terre Haute branch of the American Childhood Education Association will be here to tour the village. They have made arrangements with a local church society to furnish them a luncheon at noon.

On May 25 a group from a Ft. Wayne Junior high school will tour the village. They have made reservations at a local restaurant for their noon luncheon.

A former resident of Rockport, Mrs. Maude Jennings Cryderman, has loaned to the museum two very large oil paintings made by her. One is a portrait of George Washington on horseback and the other is of Abraham Lincoln.