TSGS Cruiser Blog

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Tombstone Thursday - Carl F. Boetticher








This is the Boetticher family plot (Oak Hill Cemetery, Evansville, Indiana) with other family members buried here with the exact grave marker as Carl's (most can be seen in the cemetery view of the family plot). The large family monument is very beautiful with the two nearly full size angels at the top. The statue of the dog is a very special feature of the family plot and is the subject of many stories. At least one was published in recent years. All of you local Evansville history buffs should be able to help me add to this blog by making comments on this family and the statue of the dog. More on this family can be found on "Find A Grave" look at the Boetticher Family - This tombstone submitted by John G. West
[Tombstone Thursday is dedicated in memory of
Donald G. West 1952-2000]

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember the dog's name is Beowolfe (not sure of spelling). There was a very good Evansville newspaper story about the dog and some of the descendants bringing it back to guard the family lot at the cemetery. this was in the last 2 years or so.

Anonymous said...

I found the news story earlier today: http://m.courierpress.com/news/2007/oct/26/beowolf-stands-guard-over-family-plot/ What a neat story! Thanks, Mr. Gregory for mentioning the news story. You were very close with the spelling, it is: "Beowolf."

Anonymous said...

John, here is some more on this story: When I was a little boy I had a dog named Midgie, when she would get sick we took her to a vet in the 400 block of West Franklin Street. I remember passing the veterinarian’s office and seeing the white dog through the years. I grew up and didn’t think much about the dog until I started dating a lady, Judy McBride and her Dad, Delbert Young, owned Superior Home Improvement in the same building and the dog was still there. His slogan on all of his ads said “At the Site of the White Dog”. He later built a larger building for the business at 312 W. Franklin Street which included 18 apartments. The dog moved with him to the new building. His wife Stella Young worked and maintained the dog for several years until the business closed. The new owner of the building got rid of the dog. I didn’t know what happened to the dog until a few years ago there was a story in the Evansville Courier about his move to Oak Hill Cemetery. My family and I have visited the dog and was so glad that the Boetticher family and refurbished and maintained him for future generations.

Anonymous said...

When I was a kid, we lived out in the country of Warrick Co., IN and the family going to Evansville was really a big deal. When we would pass that statue of the big dog on the street corner at those apartments, Dad would tell us how on stormy nights that dog would turn into a real dog that tracked down "bad" kids and ate them. We always were good when we drove past that dog!

Anonymous said...

I remember that dog on the corner when I was a kid, too! Only it was not that pretty chrome color it was a real light tan color, then.