>> PRODUCTION SUPPORT FOR "JOURNEY INDIANA" IS PROVIDED BY: >> COMING UP, SEE WHAT SCHOOLS ALONG WITH SOME INDIANA BROADCASTERS ARE DOING TO KEEP STUDENTS CONNECTED.

>> TRAVEL TO WABASH, TO LEARN HOW IT BECAME THE FIRST ELECTRIFIED CITY IN THE WORLD.

>> AND MEET SOME WARSAW ARTISANS IMPACTING LIVES AROUND THE WORLD.

>> THAT'LLTHAT'S ALL THIS EPISODE OF "JOURNEY INDIANA."

♪ ♪ >> WELCOME TO "JOURNEY INDIANA."

I'M ASHLEY CHILLA.

COMING TO YOU FROM THE WABASH COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM.

>> AND I'M BRANDON WENTZ.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, WE ARE COMING YOU TO HAVE THE SAME PLACE, ALTHOUGH THERE'S SO MUCH TO SEE HERE THAT I'M CHECKING OUT THINGS DOWNSTAIRS WHILE ASHLEY HEADS UPSTAIRS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, BRANNON.

WITH TWO FLOORS OF INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS, THIS MUSEUM IS ONE OF THE WABASH COUNTY'S TREASURES.

THEY HAVE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING HERE AND WE WILL LEARN ALL ABOUT THAT IN JUST A BIT BUT FIRST, WE ARE HEADED SOUTH TO JENNINGS COUNTY TO LEARN HOW EDUCATIONAL DATA CASTING IS BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.

PRODUCER JASON PEAR HAS THE STORY.

♪ >> SO JENNINGS COUNTY IS VERY PICTURESQUE.

IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO COME AND VISIT IF YOU WANT TO JUST GET AWAY AND GO TO A PARK, AND FISH AND GET AWAY FROM IT.

BUT IT'S VERY RURAL.

>> ONE THE CHALLENGES TO FOR SUPERINTENDENT TERESA BROWN AND OTHERS AT JENNINGS COUNTY SCHOOL CORPORATION SATELLITE UNMET NEED FOR RELIABLE -- IS THE UNMET NEED FOR RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE INTERNET.

ALL JCS STUDENTS, NEARLY 4,000 IN TOTAL HAVE BEEN ISSUED AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE.

THIS WORKS WELL IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT WHEN SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

>> OBVIOUSLY WHENEVER THERE WERE SNOW DAYS, WEATHER-RELATED DAYS, WE HAD A BUILDING THAT WAS SHUT DOWN FOR THE FLU LAST YEAR.

WHENEVER THOSE THINGS HAPPEN THAT OUR KIDS WOULD BE HOME, 30% OF OUR KIDS DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.

SO WE WERE ALWAYS MAKING THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS AND WE COULD DO THAT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF DAYS AT A TIME.

>> WHEN COVID-19 HIT JENNINGS COUNTY AND THE REST OF THE WORLD IN THE SPRING OF 2020, THE CLASSROOMS WENT FROM THIS... TO THIS...

ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS AND I.T.

PROFESSIONALS QUICKLY REALIZED THAT SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS WERE NOR GOING TO WORK.

>> IT'S WHEN WE HAD THIS EXTENDED TIME PERIOD THAT WE REALLY HAD TO FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS.

THEY COULDN'T TALK TO THEIR TEACHERS OR SEE THEIR FRIENDS OR HAVE ANY KIND OF COMMUNICATION REALLY OUTSIDE OF A PHONE CALL.

>> HUNDREDS OF CELLULAR HOTSPOTS WERE ISSUED, BUT THOSE WERE PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE AND DIDN'T WORK FOR ALL FAMILIES.

THAT'S WHEN SUPERINTENDENT BROWN ISSUED A MANDATE.

>> DROP EVERYTHING ELSE.

WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE THIS OUT.

NOTHING WAS OFF THE TABLE FOR US.

>> THEY DEFINITELY GOT CREATIVE.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT ABOUT SITTING AT HOME, A U.S.B.

STICK.

WE ACTUALLY HAD AN IDEA WHERE WE WERE GOING TO USE WATER TOWERS TO CREATE OUR OWN WIFI NETWORK AND BOUNCE SIGNALS OFF WATER TOWERS.

>> AND IT WAS DURING THIS PERIOD OF BRAINSTORMING THAT THE FOLKS AT JCSC WERE INTRODUCED TO DATA CASTING.

>> BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THROUGH DATA CASTING IS SEND DATA OVER OUR BROADCAST TELEVISION AIRWAVES, DIRECTLY TO A COMPUTER.

>> I HAD NEVER HEARD OF DATA CASTING BEFORE, BUT, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I GOT ON GOOGLE AND STARTED SEARCHING AND, YEAH, THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE SOMETIME.

THE FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE BEEN USING IT.

>> SO IT TAKES THE TELEVISION PART COMPLETELY OUT OF THIS AND I THINK ONE OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT DATA CASTING, IS IT GOES TO YOUR TELEVISION.

NO, IT'S REALLY INTENDED TO GO TO THE DEVICE, IN THIS INSTANCE THAT THE STUDENT IS USING TO CONSUME CLASSROOM CONTENT.

>> IT'S ALSO NOT THE INTERNET, BUT FOR RURAL JENNINGS COUNTY, IT SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT FIT.

>> THE BARRIER, OF COURSE, AT THIS POINT WAS JUST EQUIPMENT, RESOURCES, FUNDING.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD MAKE THAT HAPPENING.

WE KNEW THAT WAS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION.

>> SO JCSC PARTNERED WITH INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS AND APPLIED FOR A GRANT.

WHEN THAT WAS AWARDED, THEY BEGAN WORKING DIRECTLY WITH WTIU, THEIR LOCAL MEMBER STATION, AND SPECTRA REP, A LEADING PROVIDER OF DATA CASTING SOLUTIONS ON IMPLEMENTATION.

>> IT'S OFTEN AN HONOR TO BE THE FIRST BUT THERE ARE CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH BEING THE FIRST.

SO WTIU WAS FIRST STATION IN INDIANA TO BE STOOD UP WITH THIS EDUCATIONAL DATA CASTING CAPABILITY.

AND WTIU STEPPED UP AND PUT TOGETHER A WONDERFUL PROTOCOL, SO WE COULD UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE THE SIGNAL GOES AND HOW WELL IT WAS RECEIVED,ECEIVED, AND JUST THE EXTENT OF THE SIGNAL.

>> BEYOND THAT, THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS IN HELPING US JUST FIGURE OUT PROCESSES.

SO THAT IT REACHES THE LARGEST NUMBER OF KIDS, STUDENTS, FAMILIES.

>> IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN AN EASY PROCESS.

>> WE'RE 50 MILES AWAY FROM BLOOMINGTON, WHERE THE TV SIGNAL IS COMING FROM.

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IF WE CAN GET THIS TO WORK IN JENNINGS COUNTY, WE CAN GET IT TO WORK ANYWHERE.

>> AND IN THE SPRING OF 2021, NEARLY A YEAR AFTER SCHOOLS WERE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, THEY HAD IT WORKING AND BROKE NEW GROUND IN THE PROCESS.

>> AND SO TO THINK THAT, YOU YEAH, ONE OF OUR STUDENTS IN JENNINGS COUNTY WALZ FIRST ONE -- WAS FIRST ONE THAT HAD IT SET UP AND READY TO GO FOR THE COUNTRY, THAT'S SPECIAL, RIGHT?

YEAH.

WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT.

>> WE'RE PART OF A GROUP OF DATA CASTING PIONEERS.

THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LEARNING THROUGH WTIU'S RELATIONSHIP WITH JCSC AND THE WORK WE ARE DOING COLLECTIVELY, IT HAS NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS.

THAT'S EXCITING!

THAT STARTED HERE, IN INDIANA!

THAT'S AN AWESOME THING.

>> CURRENTLY, JCSC IS ISSUING HARDWARE IN LIMITED NUMBERS.

THE DATA CAST HAS BECOME A REALITY FOR FAMILIES IN JENNINGS COUNTY.

>> AND IT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER YOUR LOCATION.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU DO HAVENT NET, IF -- INTERNET, IF YOU DO HAVE A PROVIDER.

THIS WILL BE A SOLUTION FOR ALL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

>> AND THANKS TO THE LESSONS LEARNED BY THE FOLKS AT JENNINGS COUNTY, WTIU AND ELSEWHERE, A SOLUTION FOR OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

>> RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 15 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS OUR SEVEN OTHER STATIONS THAT ARE PREPARING TO STAND UP DATA CASTING.

THE BEAUTY OF DATA CASTING IS WE CAN GET TO THOSE KIDS WHO ARE GOING WITHOUT RIGHT NOW.

IT'S AN EQUALIZER.

IT'S A PLAYING FIELD LEVELER, AND THAT'S A FANTASTIC THING.

>> IF THERE'S A BIG TAKEAWAY FROM THE PANDEMIC IN GENERAL, IT'S THAT WE HAVE TO FUNCTION TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL CONNECTED.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DATA CASTING REALLY BROUGHT US TO WAS JUST THE SENSE THAT WE ARE PART OF A BIGGER GROUP.

WE ARE ALL WORKING FOR OUR KIDS.

>> I LIKE THE SUPERINTENDENT HERE.% I ALWAYS WANT TO FIND THE BRIGHT SPOT OF EVERYTHING, AND I THINK IF ELECTRIC THERE IS A BRIGHT SIDE FROM THIS TECHNOLOGY, WE PUSHED TECHNOLOGY TO HELP TO BRING US CLOSER AND I THINKS INCREDIBLE.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

JUST HEAD OVER TO IPBS.ORG/DATACASTING.

EARLIER WE CAUGHT UP WITH T.J. HONEYCUT HERE AT THE WABASH COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM.

>> THE WABASH COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM WAS STARTED HERE IN 2005.

WE HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN AT ANOTHER LOCATION NEXT TO THE COURTHOUSE AND THAT DATED BACK TO 1923.

OUR COLLECTION ACTUALLY DATES BACK TO TWO DOCTORS WHO WERE COLLECTING A LOT OF ANTIQUES, HAVING TO DO PRIMARILY WITH THE MIAMI INDIANS, AND ONE OF THEM HAD A HOUSE FIRE AND THAT FRIGHTENED HIM SO BADLY, THAT THEY DECIDED THEY SHOULD TRY TO GET THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT INVOLVED AND TRY TO GET THAT SET UP IN A SEPARATE SPACE.

THAT WAS OUR FOUNDATION AND THEN WE PIVOTED TOWARDS DIRECT AND YOUNGER FAMILIES AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY THAT WAY.

FRANCIS SLOW COUPLE SLOCUM IS AN IMPORTANT FIGURE AS SHE MARRIED CHIEF SHEPPACONNA OF THE MIAMI INDIANS.

SHE WAS A WHILE CHILD FROM PENNSYLVANIA THAT WAS ABDUCTED AND BROUGHT WEST WITH THE LANAPI OVER TIME.

AND THEN WHEN THE INDIAN REMOVAL ACT WAS PROMULGATED SHE AND EVERYONE RELATED TO HER WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE ACT BECAUSE OF HER ORIGINAL HERITAGE AS A PERSON FROM PENNSYLVANIA.

HER FAMILY DID ACTUALLY FIND HER WHEN SHE WAS IN HER 60s, AND THEY INVITED HER TO COME MOVE BACK TO WEDNESDAY WITH THEM AND SHE REFUSED AND CHOSE TO STAY A MIAMI FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.

THE BLANKET ITSELF IS INTERESTING.

THE RIBBON WORK WAS IN SILK RIBBON AND THAT WAS A HANDY CRAFT OF THE MIAMI IN GENERAL.

ALSO THAT PARTICULAR WEARING BLANKET EXPLAINS SOME OF THEIR RELIGIOUS VIEWS.

SO IT'S NOT QUITE WRITTEN LANGUAGE, BUT IT'S MEANT TO SORT OF PORTRAY HUMANITY'S PLACE IN THE COSMOS.

THAT'S THE STORY THAT'S BEING TOLD BY THE RIBBON WORK.

THE HAIR HARP IS AN INTERESTING DISPLAY OF SOMETHING THAT'S COMPLETELY GONE.

IN THE VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN PERIODS, WOMEN TYPICALLY MADE A LOT OF HANDY CRAFTS AND JEWELRY OUT OF HUMAN HAIR.

TYPICALLY IT WAS IN TWO SCENARIOS, EITHER IN IN COURTSHIP, WHERE IF A YOUNG LADY LIKED YOU ENOUGH, SHE WOULD GIVE YOU A BRACELET MADE OUT OF HER OWN HAIR.

OR IF SOMEONE PASSED AWAY, WOULD YOU MAKE JEWELRY OUT OF THEIR HAIR SIGNIFYING THE MOURNING.

SO THESE PEOPLE WERE ALL ALIVE AT THE TIME.

SHE WANTED TO MAKE A VERY LARGE HARP BASED ON DIFFERENT BIBLICAL PASSAGES.

WE BELIEVE IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST PIECES OF AIR HAIR ART.

AND WAS MADE BY MARTHA HOLLOWAY.

SO THE SERVICE MOTOR TRUCK, THEY ALL HAD TO HAVE THEIR OWN CAR COMPANY.

OURS WAS SERVICE MOTOR TRUCK.

THE ERA WAS FIRST WORLD WAR, WHERE THEY WERE CONTRACTED TO BUILD LIBERTY TRUCKS FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMY AND THEY WERE ONE OF THE DE FACTO OF LIBERTY TRUCKS BECAUSE THEY HAD PATENTS ON TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE GOOD FOR OFFROADING.

ANOTHER PARTICULARLY INTERESTING FACT ABOUT SERVICE MOTOR TRUCK WAS CHINA WAS ATTEMPTING TO BUILD UP ITS AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AND IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR, THEY CONTRACTED HEY BUNCH OF ENGINEERS FROM THE SERVICE MOTOR TRUCK IN WABASH AND TOOK THEM TO CHINA AND THEY SPENT 20 YEARS BILLING UP THE AUTO -- BUILDING UP THE AUTO INDUSTRY IN CHINA PREWORLD WAR II.

AND THEY SEND THE MEMOIRS AND LETTERS BACK TO US HERE.

THEY ARE QUITE INTERESTING!

THEY ARE IN THE ARCHIVES.

IT STILL RUNS AND LEAKS OIL SOMEWHAT, BUT FOR BEING OVER 100 YEARS OLD, THAT'S ALL RIGHT, I SUPPOSE.

INTERESTINGLY TOO, IT HAS ELECTRIC AND CRANK START.

SO YOU CAN DO IT EITHER WAY.

SO WE STARTED THE CHILDREN'S AREA UPSTAIRS ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO AS THE EDUCATION CENTER, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE WE HAD IDENTIFIED THE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR OUR KIDS TO HAVE A PLACE TO COME THAT WAS INDOORS AND THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT.

AND THAT CAUSED OUR ATTENDANCE NUMBERS TO OVER TRIPLE, AS FAMILY WANTED TO COME VISIT SOMETIMES EVERY DAY, TWO THREE TIMES A WEEK TO HAVE THAT EDUCATIONAL SPACE WHERE WE KIND OF WED HISTORY AND THE STORY OF THE COUNTY WITH PLAY ACTIVITIES.

>> AND YOU CAN LEARN EVEN MORE AT WABASHMUSEUM.ORG.

BRANDON.

>> THANKS, ASHLEY.

UP NEXT, WE ARE TRAYING STAYING RIGHT HERE, TO LEARN HOW WABASH, INDIANA, BECAME THE FIRST ELECTRIFIED CITY IN THE WORLD.

PRODUCER TODD GOULD HAS THE STORY.

>> MARCH 31st, 1880.

THE FAME OF WABASH, INDIANA, HAS BEEN WAFTED UPON EVERY BREEZE AND HERALDED FROM ONE POINT OF THE COMPASS TO THE OTHER, UNTIL EVERY NOOK AND CORNER IN AMERICA HAS BEEN REACHED.

THIS IS BECAUSE SHE IS THE FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD TO BE LIGHTED BY ELECTRICITY.

IT WAS THE STRANGEST LIGHT EVER EXHIBITED IN THESE UNITED STATES, FORT WAYNE GAZETTE.

♪ >> RARELY DOES THE GEOGRAPHIC LAYOUT OF A CITY GUARANTEE ITS PLACE IN NATIONAL FAME, BUT SUCH WAS THE CASE IN 1880 IN THE TOWN OF WABASH, INDIANA.

WHICH ENJOYS THE CLAIM OF BEING THE FIRST ELECTRICALLY LIGHTED CITY IN THE WORLD.

>> THEY HAD THIS COURTHOUSE HIGH ON A HILL THAT WOULD ALLOW THE LIGHT TO SPREAD OVER THE WHOLE TOWN.

AND SERVICE THE WHOLE TOWN.

AND LIGHT THE WHOLE CITY.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL THING.

>> IN 1879, DR. CHARLES BRUSH OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, WAS ONE THE FIRST ENTREPRENEURS TO SHED NEW LIGHT ON THE FUNCTIONAL USES OF ELECTRICITY.

RUSH WAS WORKING WITH A NEWARK LAMP, WHICH GENERATING, SENDING ELECTRICAL SPARKS FIRING THROUGH CARBON RODS CREATING A BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT.

AT THE SAME TIME, IN MENLO PARK, NEW JERSEY, THOMAS EDISON WAS MR.ING HIS NEW INCANDESCENT LIGHT.

IN A HEATED PUBLICITY RACE, BOTH MEN WERE EAGER TO SHOW HOW THEIR INVENTIONS COULD LIGHT AN ENTIRE CITY WITH ELECTRICITY.

MEANWHILE IN WABASH, INDIANA,ED, THAD BUTLERA.

LONG WITH T.P.

KEITHER THOUGHT THEY COULD OFFER A SOLUTION TO HELP RUSH SUCCEED IN BEATING EDISON.

>> THESE TWO MEN WERE WALKING ONE NIGHT AND NOTICED THAT BIG COURTHOUSE AND THOUGHT, MAYBE THE TOP OOP OF THAT COURTHOUSE WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO TRY LIGHTING THE TOWN WITH THESE NEW LIGHTS THEY READ ABOUT.

THAD BUTLER WENT TO CLEVELAND AND TALKED TO CHARLES BRUSH AND PRESENTED HIM WITH THE IDEA AND THEY BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

♪ >> NOTES FROM A CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN FEBRUARY 1880 STATED THAT WABASH WOULD AGREE TO PAY $100 TO THE BRUSH COMPANY TO SET UP A LIGHTING DEMONSTRATION AT WABASH COURTHOUSE IN MARCH.

IF THE EVENT PROVED SUCCESSFUL, WABASH WOULD PAY THE COMPANY $1,800 TO SET UP A PERMANENT LIGHTING SYSTEM IN THE TOWN.

THE TWO EDITORS FROM THE PLANE DEALER WERE THRILLED, BUT AS SOON AS THE DEAL WAS SIGNED, WABASH CITIZENS BEGAN TO QUESTION THE MOVE.

THE CITY'S RIVAL NEWSPAPER CALLED THE LIGHTING EVENT A STUNT, AND MANY WORRIED ABOUT THE MOTIVES OF FOLKS FROM OUT OF TOWN WHO MIGHT ABSCOND WITH THE TAX MONEY RAISED BY THE GOOD PEOPLE OF WABASH.

NONE OF WHOM HAD EVER SEEN ECTRICEL LIGHTS BEFORE.

>> PEOPLE HAD READ ABOUT ELECTRICITY.

PEOPLE IN WABASH HAD READ ABOUT IT, BUT THEY HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED IT.

>> THEY WERE DOUBTING.

BOTH NEWSPAPERS HAD ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, LIKE THE COWS BEING SO STRESSED OUT FROM LIGHT ALL THE TIME, AND SO TIRED THEY WOULDN'T GIVE MILK, THE CHICKENSHE T SAME THING.

THEY WOULD PROBABLY CROAK, THEY WOULD BE SO TIRED.

>> AS THE TIME DREW CLOSER TO THE MARCH 31st, LIGHTING EVENT, TENSIONS SOARED IN WABASH.

THAD BUTLER SAID THAT ONE DAY THE ARGUMENTS GREW SO HEATED BETWEEN THE TWO WITH BASH NEWSPAPERS, THE EDITOR OF THE RIVAL PAPER ACCOSTED A PLAIN DEALER EDITOR BY HOLDING A PISTOL TO HIS THROAT AND THREATENING HIM.

BUTLER AND MANY MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEGAN TO DOUBT THEIR DECISION.

>> THEY HAVE A MOMENT WHEN THEY ARE WONDERING WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

WHY DID WE DECIDE TO TAKE THIS ON?

WILL IT WORK?

>> [ TRAIN WHISTLE ] >> ON MARCH 31st, 1880, SPECIAL TRAINS FROM ALL OVER THE MIDWEST POURED INTO WABASH, CRAMMED WITH PEOPLE HOPING TO SEE THE SPECTACLE.

THE TINY TOWN OF 2300 CITIZENS WAS FLOODED WITH MORE THAN 10,000 SPECTATORS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

>> SO ON MARCH 31st, AT 8:00, LOCAL TIME.

IT WAS PITCH DARK.

AND THE ARRANGEMENT WAS THAT THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AT 8:00, AT THE STROKE OF 8:00.

THERE WAS TREMENDOUS TENSION IN THAT CROWD.

THEY WERE STANDING THERE AND HEARING THE CLOCK GO BONG, BONG, BONG... >> ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LIGHTS CAME ON.

AND IT WAS SUCH AN AWESOME THING.

THEY WERE SO BRIGHT.

THE PEOPLE WERE ABSOLUTELY QUIET FOR A LITTLE BIT.

THEY -- THEY DIDN'T EVEN SAY ANYTHING.

IT WAS LIKE, AH.

>> THERE WAS DEAD SILENCE.

COULD YOU HAVE HEARD THE PROVERBIAL PIN DROP.

>> AND THEN THE CHEERS, OF COURSE AND THE CELEBRATION.

AND SUPPOSEDLY, A FARMER OUT IN THE COUNTRY, IT WAS SO BRIGHT OUT THERE AND HE SAW THIS LIGHT AND HE RAN IN AND SAID, GET ON YOUR KNEES, MOTHER.

THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END!

>> THE CROWD SPREAD OVER THE SUBURBS, MAKING TESTS BY LOOKING AT WATCHES AND READING NEWSPAPERS IN AN AREA THAT JUST MOMENTS BEFORE WAS PITCH BLACK.

IN SHORT, WABASH NOW ENJOYS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE FIRST CITY IN THE WHOLE WORLD TO BE LIGHTED BY ELECTRICITY.

"CHICAGO TRIBUNE."

>> THIS BECAME A GREAT MATTER OF CIVIC PRIDE.

AND SOME OF THAT STILL EXISTS TODAY.

♪ >> YOU KNOW, WATCHING THAT STORY, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE AFRAID OF THIS CHANGE.

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE A CHANGE WHERE THIS WAS NOT THE NORMAL.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE WABASH COUNTY HISTORICAL INFORMATION HAS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS STORY AND YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT WABASHMUSEUM.ORG.

ASHLEY.

>> AND FINALLY, WE ARE HEADED NORTH TO YOUR HOMETOWN, WARSAW.

TO MEET A TEAM OF ARTISANS WORKING TO CHANGE THE WORLD ONE MUG AT A TIME.

PRODUCER JASON PEAR AND EDITOR JAKE LYNNDIE HAVE THE LINDSAY HAVE THE STORY OF MUD LOVE.

>> I PURSUED WHAT I FELT GOOD AT, WHAT I FELT MY GIFTINGS WERE.

♪ THAT EVENTUALLY LED ME TO START MY LOVE, ACTUALLY IN A BASEMENT.

IT EVENTUALLY MOVED TO THE GARAGE.

IT STARTED IN 2009, SEPTEMBER.

MY MOM AND DAD, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE ALWAYS JUST DONE THEIR OWN PROJECTS, D.I.Y.

MY DAD WAS A CARPENTER.

IT IS JUST SORT OF IN MY BLOOD.

I GRADUATED IN 2008.

AND I HAD THIS CERAMICS DEGREE FROM INDIANA WESLEYAN.

I DID CONSTRUCTION WITH MY DAD BUT THE PHYSICAL LABOR WAS TOO MUCH.

I KNEW THIS WAS MY LAST JOB AND I NEEDED A BACKUP PLAN.

♪ AND I HAVE THIS CERAMICS DEGREE.

I WILL THOUGHT WHY DON'T I JUST START SMALL?

I DON'T NEED A LOT IN LIFE.

I CAN LIVE SIMPLY AND, YOU KNOW, LIVE PAY CHECK TO PAY CHECK IF I HAVE TO.

MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ART TEACHER, MRS. VEONA VINE, SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO WEAVE THIS BRACELET AND I STAMPED OUT THESE BRACELETS AND I MADE ABOUT 100.

I DIDN'T MARK THEM, I PUT THEM ON MY TABLE AND LET THEM SIT THERE.

PEOPLE WOULD LOOK THROUGH MY POTTERIES AND THEN THEY WERE DRAWN TO THESE BRACELETS WITH WORDS LIKE, HOPE, LOVE, FAITH AND THEN PEOPLE WERE BUYING A BUNCH AT A TIME, AND GIVING THEM ALL AWAY AND THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE THAT GIFT WOULD COME INTO MY SHOP AND LOOK AT THEM AND DO THE SAME THING.

♪ EVERY MUG IS WHEEL THROWN, WHICH IS CHALLENGING BUT WE HAVE SOME GREAT POTTERS HERE THAT HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT PRETTY QUICKLY.

♪ YOU KNOW, THEY ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT BE, BUT IT CAN'T BE TOO FAR OR ELSE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE REPRESENT ON THE WESTBOUND SITE WON'T BE -- WEBSITE WON'T BE ACCURATE.

THIS LIGHT MANUFACTURING IS WHAT GETS ME OUT OF BUD AND DRIVES MANY HE.

>> THE MUD LOVE COMMUNITY HAS REALLY MADE THE BRACELET WHAT IT IS.

EVEN EARLY ON, PEOPLE WERE SAYING, WELL, I WANT TO BUY 50 AND THEN RESELL THEM TO RAISE MONEY FOR WHATEVER.

WE TOOK THAT AND BUILT A SYSTEM FOR THAT.

YEAH, REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE JUST CREATING SORT OF I A VESSEL FOR PEOPLE, THE COMMUNITY THEY ARE THE ONES CREATING THE IMPACT AND WE JUST GET TO HELP FACILITATE THAT.

I FELT LIKE GOD WAS JUST CALLING ME TO CREATE A BUSINESS ABOUT SOMETHING OTHER THAN MYSELF, AND JUST MAKING MONEY.

AT THE CORE, MUD LOVE, OUR GOAL IS TO MUTT LOVE IN ACTION.

IT CAN BE CHALLENGING WHEN WE ARE RUNNING A BUSINESS.

EVEN IT COMES OUTSOURCING.

HOW CAN WE DO THIS IN A WAY THAT'S THOUGHTFUL AND IMPACTFUL.

AFTER TALKING TO A FEW PEOPLE AND THINKING ABOUT IT LONGER, I DECIDED TO SUPPORT CLEAN WATER PROJECTS IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC THROUGH WATER FOR GOOD.

WELL, THE FOUNDER I KNEW WAS A MISSIONARY AT MY CHURCH GROWING UP AND HE WAS SORT OF JUST THROWN INTO THIS WATER BUSINESS.

GETTING TO KNOW HIM AND GETTING TO KNOW HIS STORY AND THE ORGANIZATION, I JUST REALLY -- I KNEW I COULD TRUST THE WORK AND HE GREW UP IN THAT COUNTRY AND HE SPOKE THE LANGUAGE, UNDERSTOOD THE CULTURE.

JUST A LOT OF FACRS IN WHY WE CHOOSE THEM AND WHY I THINK THEY ARE A GREAT PARTNER.

♪ THERE'S STILL OVER 600 MILLION PEOPLE WITHOUT ACCESS TO WATER.

AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE OVER 1 MILLION WEEKS BECAUSE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

BEYOND THAT, I JUST THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE AWARE.

AND SO THAT AWARENESS JUST CREATES CONVERSATION.

THEY ARE SPREADING THE WORD THAT HERE'S A HUGE NEED.

THIS IS A VERY MISSION-DRIVEN COMMUNITY.

THEY CARE A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD, NOT JUST WHAT IS GOING ON IN THEIR OWN LIVES AND I THINK THAT JUST RESONATED WITH PEOPLE AND THEY WANTED TO SHARE IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T ASK THEM TO SHARE IT.

WE GAVE THEM THE TOOL, AND THEN THEY DID THE SHARING ON THEIR OWN, AND, YEAH, IT CHANGED THE BUSINESS.

THE ABILITY TO COME BACK THROUGH A HARD TIME OR COME OUT OF KIND OF A DARK STATION, IT'S NOT ABOUT US, RIGHT?

IT'S NOT ABOUT US, THI THIS IS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE, AND SO I THINK I CAN PUT ASIDE MY FIRST WORLD PROBLEM TO THINK ABOUT THE REALITY OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD.

WE HAVE FOUR KIDS, AND WE WANT OUR KIDS TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE ARE DOING.

WE WANT TO GO ON TRIPS WITH THEM EVENTUALLY TO THESE PLACES, WHEN THEY ARE BIGGER AND SHOW THEM THIS IS WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD.

WE CAN'T CHANGE EVERYTHING, BUT WE CAN DISRUPT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT ARE BROKENNESS AND HATE OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.

AND THAT'S WHAT -- YOU KNOW, THAT'S SORT OF AN IMPACT WE CAN HAVE ON THEM, AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN THESE BRACELETS BECAME REALLY POPULAR, AND I THINK THIS IS AWESOME THE STORY BEHIND THEM, AND THE IMPACT THAT THEY ARE HAVING IN COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK VIEWER WES SANDERS FOR BRINGING MUD LOVE TO OUR ATTENTION.

YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT MUDLOVE.COM.

AND AS ALWAYS, WE WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO STAY CONNECTED WITH US.

>> JUST HEAD OVER TO JOURNEYINDIANA.ORG, AND THIS YOU CAN SEE FULL EPISODES AND CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM AND LIKE WES, SUGGEST STORIES FROM YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS.

>> WE ALSO HAVE A MAP FEATURE THAT ALLOWS TO YOU SEE WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AND PLAN YOUR OWN INDIANA ADVENTURES BEFORE.

WE SAY GOOD-BYE, LET'S SPEND A MORE TIME EXPLORING THE TREASURES HERETREASURES AT THE WABASH COUNTY MUSEUM.

♪ ♪ >> PRODUCTION SUPPORT FOR "JOURNEY INDIANA" IS PROVIDED BY: