Students chanted “Light it! Light it! Light it!” while holding up foam torches. Songs such as “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and “Great Balls of Fire” played on a loudspeaker.

The more than 1,000 people gathered Thursday morning at the Jackson County Courthouse were excited to witness a historic event — the lighting of the bicentennial torch.

After a few speakers, retired veterinarian Jack Gillespie of Brownstown put the torch over a mobile cauldron set up on the courthouse steps.

Once it was lit, he lifted it up and then walked down the steps and onto the sidewalk.

He was one of 26 county residents who carried the torch through Brownstown, Seymour, Vallonia and Medora as part of the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay, the commemorative event as the state celebrates 200 years. This year also marks the bicentennials of Jackson County and Brownstown.

Among those attending Thursday morning’s torch lighting were students from Brownstown Elementary School, Brownstown Central Middle School and Lutheran Central School.

Read the full story in Friday’s Tribune and online at tribtown.com.