Most of the posts on this blog are about nature and nature-oriented places. This post is a bit different in that it is focused on more of a human nature-oriented place. Just a few miles from the Dodson Family Camp in Loogootee, Indiana is a remarkably interesting and entertaining place. Every Friday night hundreds and sometimes even thousands of people descend on a large gravel parking lot that surrounds a couple of large metal pole buildings. The first thing that a person notices upon arrival is the fact that there are a huge number of horses and buggies tied up around one side and the back of the parking lot. Yep…we have arrived at Dinky’s Auction Center.
During our annual visit back home again in Indiana, we usually try and make it to Dinky’s at least one time. We very seldom buy anything, but it is a real hoot to see what they are auctioning off on any given Friday night.
The wind blows hard over the corn and soybean fields of southern Indiana where straight dusty roads lead to Dinky’s Auction Center. The Montgomery institution sells everything from steel-wheeled farm machinery to LED lights for buggies. Each spring Dinky’s puts on a massive three-day event selling draft horses, carriages, and antiques.
Amish travel from all over the country to attend and bid against each other. Six auctioneers warble their way through rows of antique plows, hand crank washing machines, saddlery, and maybe even a few lobster traps.
It all started nearly 25 years ago when John Lengacher had a vision. Lengacher, the owner of Daviess County Metal Sales, noticed that his employees would disappear on certain afternoons. The story goes that Lengacher found out they were going to an auction barn in Mitchell, Indiana. They sold everything, calves, goats, antiques, etc. There was no auction house in the Montgomery area, and he thought it would be nice if we had an auction in Daviess County too.
What I have been told is that the “place” all started with a fellow by the name of Jake ‘Dinky’ Stoll, a Mennonite man with two daughters (his nickname came from a creek that ran through his property). The girls got married and “Dinky” died. His 40 acres were dead center in the middle of the Amish community, but not for sale. Lengacher made arrangements to meet with the girls. They showed interest in the auction idea and it was not long before the daughters sold Lengacher the acreage. When we put the word Dinky’s on the building, and it was instantly a household name and they did not even have to put an ad in the paper. A few years ago, Lengacher sold the auction business to Raber Auctions.
And from a simple idea, a global enterprise has grown. It is not unusual to have people from over 30 states and from the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia attend the Friday night auctions. Economically it has been quite a boon for the local community. Some area hotel rooms book up six months in advance, particularly for the horse auctions.
Dinky’s takes consignments Thursday and Friday, with hundreds of owners selling their horses, antiques, and tractors, hoping some of the thousands of people that show up to the auction house on any given Friday night will bid on their items.
Starting at 6 p.m., on Friday the auction goes until everything is sold, which might be midnight. In an era of Amazon and online shopping, the auction center in the middle of Daviess County makes its name off what it has continued to do for decades: entertain the community and beyond with merchandise, animals, and old-fashioned socialization.
This year has been a strange year indeed. We decided to drive over to Dinky’s one Friday night this year and walk around the parking lots. We took a quick peek into one of the metal buildings where the auction was already taking place. However, we did not see anyone in the building who was wearing a face mask. We have been taking the Corona Virus very seriously, so we decided to not go into the building this year and just enjoy the horses for a change. And now I do not even know if the Friday night auctions are even taking place or not.
Under non-pandemic conditions and for those looking for something to do on a Friday night, in the middle of Daviess County, Indiana, Dinky’s might be a good place to start.
I think the video below which was created in 2016 is interesting.