A quiet park offers the perfect place for a little reflection.

By Shari Benyousky
Photos by Tony Garza
Guest Column

It’s easy to take a rural Indiana town for granted. So easy to drive fast down Main Street and get annoyed when the single stoplight turns red or when the only gas station closes at dark. You know what I’m talking about. So, when one September Saturday, Tony suggested that we take a drive out to Mentone for Rotors Over Mentone, I didn’t expect much.

Mentone isn’t much more than a tic-tac-toe board of streets surrounded by egg barns and fields. In September the soybeans had begun turning their particular color of lemon-yellow and the corn stalks already waved brown seams. Looking down the side streets, I could see fields on both sides of town. But downtown Mentone looked festive with flags on the light poles honoring Sept. 11. Many downtown businesses offered roadside tables stacked with wares – antiques, used books, Cub Scout popcorn, pulled pork sandwiches. We would have to come back to investigate.

Bell Aircraft Museum

As we arrived at the Museum on the west side of town, a blue helicopter buzzed over and then a red one from the opposite direction. Dozens of people milled in and out of the museum, looking at aircraft displays and munching on freshly grilled hamburgers and somebody’s aunt’s homemade potato salad.

I savored a mustardy bite and wondered why I knew nothing about Mr. Bell. “Because you’re always in a hurry,” Tony informed me. “Us people that pay attention know all about one of America’s foremost aviation pioneers.”

Sadly, his sarcasm was lost under the bone-deep thrum thrum thrum of a Huey arriving, although he didn’t miss my eye roll. Tony had stumbled upon the museum before, walking in on three gentlemen sitting around a table in the museum. These men in jeans had turned out to be the board of directors. They had given him a private tour and invited him to Rotors Over Mentone. The swelling crowd followed the olive-green Huey as it settled to the lawn, and the American Huey 369 group set up their information about Vietnam veterans and helicopter ride offers.

In the museum itself, I was surprised to learn that hometown boy Lawrence Bell created the enormous Bell Corporation in Buffalo, N.Y., which was producing 400 fighter jets per month in the important year of 1941. Bell’s company also built the Bell X-1 (yeah, the one piloted by Chuck Yeager and now at the Smithsonian Museum), the first aircraft to break the speed of sound.

“See,” lectured Tony. “Geniuses come from anywhere, even little Mentone, Indiana.”

Tip: Visiting the Lawrence D. Bell Museum is always free, but donations are gratefully accepted. Hours can be found here. If you visit this year in September for the Rotors over Mentone event, flying in the Huey will cost you $100, but the smaller helicopters are just $50.

Pocket Garden 

After being educated about loud engines and cool flying displays, we wandered back uptown to see what other amazing things happen in Mentone. Although it didn’t break any records, the little pocket park was a good place to lick an ice cream cone. At the far end, some other genius Midwestern sculpturer had erected a picnic shelter made of a corn crib. “I like the sense of humor in this town,” I said, slurping an iced coffee from Java Jacks while reading a new-used book about Lawrence Bell from one of the best little used book stores I had ever been to – Pages Aplenty. The store and the knowledgeable staff were definitely worth the short drive down to stock up on all of the books you didn’t know you needed. I’ll be back.

Speaking of books

To finish the day, Tony wanted to visit his Free Little Library. His? Yep, in addition to being an expert with engines and law, Tony creates little libraries for children in his rare free time. We stopped on Jackson Street near the corner of Broadway to refill it. It’s always true that no matter how many books we give away, one of us always has a trunkload or a countertop of already-read-books that someone else needs.

So, before you blow that one stoplight in the middle of Mentone and miss the entire charming place – as I did – stop by and read the sign – Need a book? Take one. Have a book? Leave one.

Tip: If you still miss the Ace Hardware from Warsaw like we do, stop by the Mentone Ace Hardware for personal service or to scoop bulk seeds from a big wooden bin.

What we want to go back for: Someone told us about an amazing wood sculptor who lives in Mentone. We need to figure out who and where. Also, long-time restaurant Teel’s, famous for its one pound of bacon breakfast, is up for auction. Surely someone will buy it and we will need to stop by for a snack? Maybe that someone is YOU.

Know of an interesting place, statue, or restaurant which you’d like to see featured in this column someday? Send Shari Benyousky an email at [email protected].

A look inside the Bell Aircraft Museum.