By RAY NIEDBALSKI | The Democrat
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The Friends of T.C. Steele organization has been awarded $12,000 to fund an online app based on the life of Hoosier impressionist painter T.C. Steele.

The grant is part of more than $450,000 the Indiana Historical Society recently awarded historical organizations across the state.

“The idea for this project is to connect the seven locations around the state that have a deep connection to Steele’s work and life. These include the following Indiana towns: Gosport, Greencastle, Waveland, Indianapolis, Brookville, Metamora, Nashville and Bloomington,” said P. Garrett Adams, board president of the Friends of T.C. Steele.

The funds will cover the first phase of the project, which will focus on the creation of the Progressive Web Application. The app will include photos, descriptions of areas and their importance, as well as nearby activities.

The app will also include a “passport” which will be stamped at each site, Adams said.

After the app is developed, design work, build-out of content, testing will be completed before its launch in early 2023. Communication and updates will be available by using the “visit” tab and dropping down to “T.C. Steele Historic Trail” at tcsteele.org/trail/.

Longtime board member and previous president, David Steele, came up with the idea to create the app.

After the app is developed, design work, build-out of content, and testing will be completed before its launch in early 2023. Communication and updates will be available by using the “visit” tab and dropping down to “T.C. Steele Historic Trail” at tcsteele.org/trail/.

Future phases of the project are still being planned.

“We anticipate several future rounds of funding as we seek to move towards installing physical trail markers at each of the seven sites,” Adams said, “the details and logistics of which are still in progress.”