- "Mrs. Claude (Mary) Stokesberry's family asked artist Paul Hadley to paint a picture for her birthday present. At that time she was living in Hadley's former home on Lockerbie Street. He called one day making an excuse that he wanted to see how they had remodeled the house. The painting was designed to fit over the fireplace, and is wider than it is high. Since Mrs. Stokesberry has moved to a retirement home her son John has the painting." [Hardin, Becky, The Indiana State Flag: Its Designer (Biography of Paul Hadley with Anthology of his Paintings), p. 17 (1976). Click here to find links to read a digital copy of this fine biography.]
Why is this location likely to have been where Hadley painted the creek scene? It was within easy walking distance--Hadley never drove motor vehicles--and the area was heavily wooded near the creek, then as now. The land east of the creek was farmed in Hadley's day, but it is now residential subdivisions. Admittedly, Hadley could have painted other bends in the East Fork, but many of these were not sufficiently wooded, even in his time. Our candidate is as likely a location as any of the other possibilities. Still, let's consider other options.
Paul Hadley was often inspired by Hoosier landscapes and nature, and he captured them beautifully in watercolor.