Work already underway for explosions' 50th anniversary

Next year will mark a milestone anniversary of an event that shook Richmond residents and flattened part of the downtown area.

Back-to-back explosions rocked the intersection of Sixth and East Main streets at 1:47 p.m. on April 6, 1968. The blasts and resulting fires killed 41 people, injured more than 120, destroyed 15 buildings and splintered windows blocks away.

Investigators said the explosion might have started when a spark of unknown origin ignited natural gas from a leaking pipe. That spark then set off the gunpowder and ammunition stored in the basement of Marting Arms sporting goods store on the southeast corner of Sixth and East Main streets.

The explosion and fires, however, eliminated all evidence, also destroying the nearby buildings, including Vigran's Variety Store, two beauty shops, a law office, Holthouse Furniture, Birck's Hardware and others.

"It definitely shaped the history of this community," Wayne County Historical Museum Executive Director Jim Harlan said of that fateful day.

Now, the museum is looking for donations of items related to the downtown explosions as well as photos from that time that can be loaned and returned. Also, those who have memories of that day can participate in oral history recordings planned by Indiana University East.

Harlan said he's interested in acquiring artifacts that the museum can preserve for its permanent exhibit about the tragedy. He also hopes to gather memories and information that haven't been previously shared publicly.

"We want the community to have a chance to tell their story," Harlan said. "About everyone has a story, and we'd like to get those down. It's time for us to make sure we have all we can get."

Harlan has started gathering a committee of representatives from local organizations connected to the explosions, such as Richmond's fire and police departments. He's also trying to reach out to local arts organizations, downtown businesses, educational institutions and others who might want to organize events on April 5-7, 2018, to recognize the 50th anniversary.

He hopes to discover artifacts to help show visitors what happened and tell the personal impact of the tragedy. So far, Harlan believes the museum only has a pistol that was found on the roof of Bartel's Hoosier Store, a letter from Marting Arms that floated to North West Fifth and L streets after the explosion and a song about that day.

Harlan said those interested in donating items are invited to stop by the museum for them to be examined. If needed, a committee will review them to make sure they aren't already in the collection and decide whether to keep or return them.

The museum already has an extensive collection of newspaper articles from the explosion, so those aren't needed.

Harlan said gathering information and stories about the explosion is similar to the museum's other living history projects in recent years, including Wayne Works, NATCO, veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam, and Wayne County high school basketball players before school consolidations in the 1960s.

Explosion survivor Mark Stover helped rescue others that day and is now a deputy sheriff for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. He encourages area residents to step forward and share their stories.

"This is our community and it was a really devastating time in our community, and to put it in its proper place and record its history, the more people who get involved, the better the story that will be told," Stover said.

He said he never saw anything during his Vietnam service that compared with the heat and devastation of the Richmond explosions.

"It's something that's etched in my mind," Stover said.

Some of the stories from that day are gradually disappearing. For instance, Joseph M. "Joe" Perkins Sr. died Tuesday. Perkins was a Richmond Fire Department firefighter who wasn't on duty at that time, but rushed to the scene to help. He retired as RFD battalion chief in 1998.

"The dedication of the men and the citizens of Richmond was really something to remember. The county departments were a big help. We had Box 21 over here searching," Perkins said in a 2003 Palladium-Item interview. "It always comes back to your mind each time anything happens like that. ... You'll never forget it if you were here when it happened.

"I really would like for them to remember how it brought the city together — politically, both Democrats and Republicans, and people from all walks of life, all races, all religions ... all working side by side in harmony and probably some who didn't like each other," Perkins said.

How to get involved

Those who would like to share their memories, donate items or loan photos for the Wayne County Historical Museum's permanent exhibit about Richmond's 1968 downtown explosions are invited to contact the museum. 

They may stop by 1150 N. A St., Richmond, or contact Executive Director Jim Harlan at (765) 962-5756 or director@wchmuseum.org.

The museum is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday.

Anyone interested in organizing an event on April 5, 6 or 7, 2018 is invited to contact Harlan, who welcomes more representatives from local groups to gather monthly for discussing projects and receiving monthly updates.