Decatur County. It’s not just a rural community with a tree growing from the courthouse tower. It is a community deeply rooted in rural, small-town, traditional values. It is a place where people still go to church on Sunday and work together on Monday. It is a friendly, little community where passers-by can still see young children riding their bicycles downtown to the ice cream parlor and grandparents cradling newborn grandchildren on the porch swing. It is home to those who live here today and those who will come tomorrow. It’s our hometown, and it is the people of Greensburg and Decatur County who make it home. It is where promise and prosperity come together in Southeastern Indiana.

The Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce is more than a business organization. It is an extraordinary group of hard-working men and women who are also friends, neighbors, fellow parishioners, co-workers and business partners. However, it is not just the individual qualities of these people that make the Chamber of Commerce a success. It is the collective character of this assembly that is the lifeblood of the Chamber. The strong work ethic, diverse experience base, and commitment to excellence all undoubtedly contribute to the remarkable economic prosperity of Greensburg and Decatur County. It is a fine example of leaders working with leaders for the common good of the community.

It is this steadfast commitment to service above self that transforms promise into prosperity for all who seek it. Seek yourself and you will find a community which will embrace you. And, at the heart of the community, you will find the Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce - your Chamber of Commerce.

C. Danielle Ray

Executive Director

Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce

1999 Officers & Board of Directors

Officers

• President Marty Swan, Hi-Temp
• 1st Vice President Edna Domingo, Medical Multi-Specialty Clinic
• 2nd Vice President Dale Freese, Woodmizer
• Treasurer Brent Hoptry, Union Bank & Trust

Board of Directors:

• Utilities & Service- Norman Reed, Cathy Wenning, Don Whipple
• Industrial- Lennie Eckhart, Dale Freese, Larry Meyer, Marty Swan
• Professional- William Robbins, Doug Westerfield
• Real Estate & Insurance- Susie Ricke, Donna Tewmey
• Retail & Wholesale- Randy Domingo, Kay Jeffers
• Financial- David Fry, Paul Pank, Jim Sturges, Daryl Tressler
• Agri-Business- Dan Wilson
• At Large- Edna Domingo, Kim Porter

Ex-Officio Directors:

• Jim Emsweller, Greensburg Daily News
• Sandy Biddinger, WTRE-AM 1330 Radio
• Frank Manus, Mayor-City of Greensburg
• Faith Combs, The Independent Westport Area Business Association

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Novelists write about the nostalgia of Midwest hometowns with flowing words and touching memories. The 26,000 citizens living in Decatur County understand this sentiment firsthand – but they wouldn’t accept yesteryear’s glow with today’s conveniences.

So across Decatur County’s byways and towns you’ll find residents who wave hello not necessarily because they know you, but because it’s the polite thing to do. Stop to chat and they’ll likely ask your opinion on the latest New York Broadway play. Because from the county’s Chamber of Commerce leaders to Greensburg’s youngest toddlers, this area of the country embraces change and "outside" influences, blending in perfectly with the American way of life.

Greensburg and Decatur County offer all the pleasantries of small-town living in Southeastern Indiana as well as reasonable access to larger cities: Indianapolis is just 45 miles west, Cincinnati 55 miles east and Louisville, Kentucky 85 miles south. Several U.S. highways service the area, including I-74 with several convenient exchanges. An airport in Greensburg provides nearby air service. Railroads and motor freight carriers also service the county commercially.

The area also falls within local calling range of most Indianapolis and Cincinnati based cellular telephone companies.

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Several landmarks celebrate Decatur County’s rich heritage. The Covered Bridge in Westport is a popular tourist attraction and object art for local artists. The Glacier Landmark is a visible reminder of the glacier age in Indiana and how it helped shape the landscape. The Veterans Memorial Walk encircles the sidewalk around the Courthouse Square in Greensburg and pays tribute to local veterans dating back from the Revolutionary War.

Perhaps the most famous attraction that has drawn tourists worldwide is still the county’s biggest monument to perseverance. As early as 1870, a sprig of greenery began growing from the courthouse roof in the heart of downtown Greensburg. That sprout became a large-tooth aspen, joined by a four more "freaks of nature" growing among the shingles 110 feet above the earth. In fear of destroying the roof, officials pruned back the grove to two trees.

One eventually grew to 15 feet – visitors can see it today at the Decatur County Historical Society Museum. But its death didn’t discourage more germination – another tree soon popped up on the southwest corner of the roof. No one has ever explained satisfactorily how or why this trend continues. Today, both are a visible from various spots in town, striking silhouettes against the setting sun.

The Historical Society Museum in Greensburg carries other interesting historical artifacts of the county as well. The Society also has developed walking tours of historical homes around the Courthouse Square. One special walking tour highlights – what else? unique trees in the area!

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