Rush County is known for its “Lion Pride,” celebrating Rushville Consolidated High School, the county’s only high school, and its mascot. In 2012, alumnus Brian Sheehan launched the “Lion Pride” campaign to boost community pride. Now, many businesses and homes across Rush County display lion paintings and sculptures.

From Rush County to Hollywood

Actor Gerard Montgomery Blue, known as Monte Blue, was born in Indianapolis in 1887. After his father died in a railroad accident, he was raised at Rush County’s Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home. He graduated from Purdue University and worked as a fireman, coal miner, and lumberjack before breaking into Hollywood in 1915 as a stuntman and extra, despite having no theatrical experience. Blue’s breakthrough role in “Orphans of the Storm” led to his starring roles alongside actresses Clara Bow and Gloria Swanson. He was one of the few silent film stars to transition successfully to sound and acted until he retired in 1954. He received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1960.  

Restored history in Rushville

Once the heart of Rushville’s African American community, the Booker T. Washington School is one of 29 locations in Rush County listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rebuilt in 1905 after burning down, the school served African American elementary-aged children. Its upstairs was a hub for political and social gatherings, hosting organizations like the NAACP. Although the school closed in 1932, the building was restored in 1992 for approximately $165,000. Today, it is available for local nonprofits to host meetings and can also be reserved by the public for events.

Murals with a Mission

imagine:nation is Rush County’s nonprofit arts and culture council. Its mission is to promote the arts through hosting live performances, celebrating local architecture and installing public art in community spaces. A key initiative is a tour featuring 10 murals throughout the county. One mural at Rushville Pharmacy honors Wendell Willkie as the only native Hoosier to be a major-party presidential nominee. Another mural titled “Rushville’s Greatest Love Story” at Rushville’s Farmers Market, painted by Pamela Bliss and Riley Sheehan, invites visitors to stand in two blank spaces between a “+” and “=” to complete the equation of love.

Nicole Thomas is a freelance writer from Indianapolis.

County facts

Founded: 1822

Named For: Benjamin Rush, a Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence

Population: 16,752

County seat: Rushville

Indiana county number: 70