[MUSIC]. >> JUST NORTH OF NASHVILLE
INDIANA IN THE SCENIC ROLLING HILLS OF BROWN COUNTY SITS THE
TOWN OF BEAN BLOSSOM INSOLATED AND RELATIVELY UNSETTLED BEFORE
THE 20TH CENTURY BROWN COUNTY GAINED NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS
THE HOME OF THE HOOSIER GROUP A PRESTIGIOUS COLONY OF ARTIST
LED BY THE FAMED TC STEEL WHILE IT PUT BROWN COUNTY ON DISPLAY
BEAN BLOSSOM REMAINED RELATIVELY UNKNOWN.
[MUSIC]. >> THERE ARE SEVERAL STORIES
SURROUNDING THE ORIGIN OF THE SMALL TOWN'S QUAINT NAME.
ONE THAT IT SHARES WITH NEARBY BEAN BLOSSOM CREEK.
SOME SAY IT'S A TRANSLATION FROM THE MIAMI INDIAN NAME FOR
THE CREEK. OTHERS SAY THAT EARLY SETTLERS
TO THE AREA SURVIVED ON WILD BEANS THAT GREW ALONG THE
STREAM. DARKER LEGENDS, HOWEVER, CLAIM
THAT THE MONIKER CAME FROM A SETTLER WHOSE SURNAME WAS BEAN
BLOSSOM AFTER NEARLY DROWNING IN THE CREEK HE VOWED TO NEVER
TURN HIS BACK ON THE WATER AGAIN, SETTLING THERE
FOREVERMORE. EITHER WAY BEAN BLOSSOM WAS
FOUNDED IN 1833 BUT EVEN A CENTURY LATER, THERE STILL
WASN'T MUCH OF THE LITTLE TOWN. THAT DIDN'T MEAN THERE WASN'T
EXCITEMENT TO BE HAD. YOU JUST HAD TO MAKE IT
YOURSELF.
[MUSIC]. >> BY 1939 THE GREAT
DEPRESSION HAD ENDED AND HOOSIERS HAD A LITTLE MORE
SPENG MONEY IN THEIR -- SPENDING MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS
MORE FOLKS HAD ACCESS TO AUTOMOBILES AND MOST HAD A
LITTLE BIT OF FREE TIME AFTER CHURCH ON SUNDAY AFTERNOONS SO
RURAL HOOSIERS GATHERED AT EACH OTHERS' HOMES, TURNED ON THE
RADIO, AND LISTENED TO VARIETY SHOWS, COMEDY SERIALS AND OF
COURSE COUNTRY MUSIC. SOME, STIRRED BY THE SOUNDS
RESONATING FROM THE RADIO GOT OUT THEIR FIDDLES, ROLLED BACK
THE RUGS AND DANCED. THESE SPONTANEOUS MUSIC
SESSIONS INSPIRED MORE ORGANIZED CONCERTS HELD IN
CROWDED SCHOOL GYMNASIUMS AND TOWN HALLS.
DESPITE SUCH DIVERSIONS, THE NEWSPAPER REPORTED THAT LOCALS
SHARED A GENERAL FEELINGS OF BOREDOM.
THE TOWN HAD ONLY ONE TAVERN TO SPEAK OF AND NO MOVIE THEATER
SO THE FOLKS OF BEAN BLOSSOM CONTINUED TO MAKE THEIR OWN
ENTERTAINMENT AND HOW THEY WENT ABOUT IT MADE MUSIC HISTORY.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOWN, AT THE INTERSECTION OF INDIANA
HIGHWAY'S 135 AND 45 SAT ONE OF BEAN BLOSSOM'S FAVORITE
GATHERING SPOTS, DAN WILLIAMS' FILLING STATION MORE
SPECIFICALLY THE LUNCH COUNTER IN WILLIAMS' FILLING STATION
BECAME THE PLACE FOR MUSICIANS TO HOBNOB, PLAY COUNTRY TUNES
AND EXPLORE WHAT THEY CALLED HILLBILLY MUSIC THEY PLAYED
TUNES THEY GREW UP WITH AND SONGS THEY HEARD ON THE RADIO
THE KIND OF COUNTRY MUSIC BROADCAST BY THE GREAT OF THE
GRAND OL OPRY. ONE DAY A PASSING TRUCKER
PERHAPS CALLED BY THE SIREN SONG OF THE COUNTRY TUNES
STOPPED AT WILLIAMS' PLACE THE TRAVELER'S TRUCK OFFERED A
SPECIAL TREAT FOR THE MUSICIANS A SPEAKER SYSTEM TO AMPLIFY
RECORDS. A CROWD QUICKLY GATHERED AS THE
SONGS FLOATED THROUGH THE PARKING LOT AND SPILLED OUT
INTO THE STREETS AND AS PASSERBYS STOPPED AND JOINING
IN THE FESTIVITY SOME LOCAL BEAN BLOSSOM RESIDENTS GOT AN
IDEA. ONE THAT WOULD BECOME THE
FAMOUS BROWN COUNTY JAMBOREE.