WEBVTT

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>>> GRANT COUNTY IS INEXTRICABLY

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LINKED TO THE UNDERGROUND

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RAILROAD. DUE IN LARGE PART, TO

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THE HEAVY QUAKER POPULATION. IN

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THIS WEEK'S ENDANGERED INDIANA,

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I VISIT MARION'S FIRST FRIENDS

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CHURCH. A HISTORIC LANDMARK IN

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DANGER OF DEMOLITION.

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>> HE MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST

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HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT

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ARCHITECTS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD

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OF.

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>> THERE IS SAMUEL PLATO THE

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MAN, WHO IS REPRESENTATIVE OF A

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GUY THAT REALLY WAS AHEAD OF HIS

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TIME.

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REALLY WAS A PIONEER, NOT ONLY

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IN ARCHITECTURE, BUT IN RACE

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RELATIONS.

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AND IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN

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BUSINESS, HE WAS A HIGHLY

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SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN.

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I WOULD SAY HE'S THE CLOSE

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MARION COUNTY CAN COME TO C.J.

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WALKER.

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>> Reporter: FOR NEARLY TWO

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DECADES, SAMUEL PLATO,

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ARCHITECT, LIVED AND WORKED IN

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MARION, INDIANA, DESIGNING

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HOUSES, SCHOOLS, STORES, AND

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THIS CHURCH.

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>> IT IS A PRIMARY WORK OF

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SAMUEL PLATO STILL IN EXISTENCE

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AS FAR AS LARGE BUILDING

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CONSTRUCTION.

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>> Reporter: SO OBVIOUSLY THIS

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BUILDING IS WELL PAST ITS PRIME,

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BUT THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORIC

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SIGNIFICANCE HERE.

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AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST

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TELLTALE SIGNS IS THE PLYWOOD

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COVERING THIS PART OF THE

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BUILDING.

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>> BLEW IT OUT AND IT'S ALL OVER

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THE FLOOR AND SMASHED TO PIECES.

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>> Reporter: SO YOU'VE BEEN

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INSIDE.

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>> OH, YEAH.

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>> Reporter: AND I'VE SEEN

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PHOTOS, BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO

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INSIDE.

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SO IF YOU COULD KIND OF EXPLAIN

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TO VIEWERS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

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WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THAT DOOR.

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>> UNSAFE BUILDING.

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PROBABLY CLOSE TO EITHER FALLING

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IN OR BEING DEMOLISHED.

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SO IT'S ON THE NEAR END OF ITS

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EXISTENCE.

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>> Reporter: WITHOUT ACTION TO

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HALT DETERIORATION, MARION COULD

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LOSE YET ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT

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LANDMARK DESIGNED BY ONE OF THE

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EARLY 20th CENTURY'S MOST

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PROMINENT AFRICAN-AMERICAN

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ARCHITECTS.

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>> HE WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR

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THE ESTABLISHMENT OF UNIONS AND

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RACIAL SOLIDARITY AMONG THE

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PEOPLE HERE IN GRANT COUNTY.

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>> Reporter: AND JUST AS WHEN IT

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WAS BUILT OVER 100 YEARS AGO BY

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PLATO HIMSELF, FIRST FRIENDS

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CHURCH COULD ONCE AGAIN SERVE AS

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A BEACON TO HELP BUILD A

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FOUNDATION IN MARION'S DOWNTOWN.

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>> REVITALIZATION OF THE SPACE

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CAN HELP BRING LIFE BACK INTO

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THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE SPACE

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GIVES A COMMUNITY PART OF ITS

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IDENTITY.

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PEOPLE CONGREGATE AROUND SPACES,

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AND TURNING THIS INTO A SPACE

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AGAIN FOR PEOPLE TO COMMUNICATE

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AROUND WOULD GIVE A SENSE OF