Along with sharing stories through his Backroads Indiana columns, Mike Barrett likes visiting old basketball gymnasiums and finding out a little bit about their history.

Here are a couple of the ones he has found. Look for another selection of gymnasiums in a future edition of The Tribune.

Paris Crossing

This old gym still stands in Paris Crossing in Jennings County and was built in 1953 and last used as a high school gym in 1961, when the school was consolidated with Vernon.

In the first game ever played here, on Dec. 11, 1953, Paris Crossing beat Tampico 54-42.

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That 1953-54 team ended up winning 16 and losing only two games.

Little York

This is one of the most unique former high school gyms in the United States. The wooden structure sits along State Road 39 in Washington County.

It was built in 1936 and was home to the Little York Wildcats until 1947, when they consolidated with Salem.

The gym did not have electricity, so cold winter games were played during the daytime, and it was heated with two coal-burning stoves.

I fear this old gym won’t be around much longer, as it is decaying rapidly and used to store old farm junk. If you can get a look inside, you can still see one of the original goals from 1936 and three rows of wooden bleachers.