We believe we have the only complete bibliography for public access listing of books on T.C. Steele. Recently in our search, we found a book on the history of Waveland, Indiana where T.C. Steele lived as a child and through his time at Waveland Academy. Steele met his first wife Mary Elizabeth Lakin Steele at Waveland Academy and married her after they both completed their studies.
Waveland-Brown Public Library steered us to a book in their collection titled: A History of Waveland, Indiana authored by Virginia Banta Sharpe in 1958. The book is 35 pages and full of the history of Waveland from the earliest of settlers in the pioneer times of Indiana in 1822, to the time of Virginia Banta Sharpe writing the book in 1958.
The book ends with a brief addendum she wrote on November 14, 1958 that mentions the building of a new Bell Telephone Company on West Main Street, beginning the installation of a dial phone system in the town and community.
The book consists of 10 chapters and includes a solid bibliography:
- Founding and Settlement
- Educational Development
- Churches
- Military History
- Social scene
- Transportation
- Newspapers – Libraries
- Business Growth
- Events of Interest
- Personalities
The book is available for reference only as the library has only one copy. This book, in its entirety will be digitally available for the web enabled T.C. Steele Historic Trail project commencing in 2021.
We highly recommend you take a visit to Waveland and visit this beautiful Carnegie Library, built in 1915, and browse the book.
The library includes a landscape painting T.C. Steele donated in honor of the opening of the library. It remains today in its intended spot above the fireplace.
Steele’s Legacy in Waveland
T.C. Steele painted in nearby Shades (now a State Park which includes Pine Hills Nature Preserve), and Yountsville which traverses Sugar Creek. If you have time, be sure to take a hike or canoe Sugar Creek.
You can also take a walk down Cross Street and see where many of the buildings featured in the book remain.
Lastly, there are three distinct Steele legacy artifacts remaining in Waveland:
- T.C. Steele boyhood home, 110 S. Cross Street, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- Unnamed Landscape which hangs in the Carnegie Library (Waveland Public Library, 115 Green Street), donated by T.C. Steele at the opening in 1915
- Burial sites of his grandfather, father, and two sisters in the Waveland Methodist Cemetery, located behind the former church at 121 Green Street (referred to as The Baptist Church by locals)
Special thanks to Rick Payne, Director and his team who have been exceptional in helping us learn about this town and pointing us in the right direction with our research.