Lately, I have processed two collections in particular that featured couples who enjoyed long marriages. I always find it fascinating to see photos of people in different stages of their lives. In this case, it was interesting to see these couples when they were young and enamored with each other, and then when they were […] The post Growing Old With You appeared first on Indiana Historical Society.| Indiana Historical Society
It’s so easy in Indiana, and specifically in Indianapolis, to focus on the Indy 500 or other events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when seeking out materials illustrating National Motorsports Month. However, except for the lovely illustration of that race shown above, I managed to track down a variety of other motorsports and events to […]| Indiana Historical Society
In August, we observe many obscure days. Some of my favorites have to do with pets, especially dogs, but as I have tackled at least one of those previously, I decided to look at a couple of the other days included for the month. This led me to National VEEP Day, celebrating the line of […]| Indiana Historical Society
July marks the celebration of Independence Day, when people come together to honor the nation’s history. Across the country, families and friends gather for festive barbecues, parades, and dazzling fireworks displays that light up the summer night skies. It’s also a time to enjoy classic American traditions, including delicious food, cold refreshing treats like lemonade, […]| Indiana Historical Society
Spanning three generations, the Harrisons played active roles in the political and economic development of Latin America during a century of transformation. The 19th century was a time when European imperial powers were waning, and newly independent Latin American nations were emerging. It was also a period when the idea of Pan-Americanism began to take […]| Indiana Historical Society
Some of my earliest memories include watching my grandmother sew and sleeping with the quilts that she and my great-grandmother made for me. I thought of this while searching for an article topic for the Spring/Summer 2024 issue of Connections. I wanted to choose something that was not only personal to me but also to […]| Indiana Historical Society
At eleven o’clock on a Wednesday morning in 1930 government dignitaries and civic leaders gathered to lay the cornerstone for a structure that represented, according to an editorial writer for the Michigan City News, “a new industrial era” for the city—a $9 million generating plant for the Northern Indiana Public Service Company. The writer envisioned […]| Indiana Historical Society
Part two of this blog series examines the aftereffects of Urban Renewal Project No. 1 from 1964-1969. The previous blog in this series examines the planning and start of this project from 1957-1963. A new mayoral administration in 1964 noted that Urban Renewal Project No.1 had built no residential buildings. Instead, it parcelled away the […]| Indiana Historical Society
I LOVE peanut butter, I like peanuts. I grew up a typical 80s/90s kid consuming peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and marshmallow fluff (fluffernutter) sandwiches regularly. I always took enjoying peanuts for granted until my nephew was born with a severe peanut allergy which also became an allergy for my sister. While I […]| Indiana Historical Society
I am in the process of digitizing and cataloging a collection of nearly 100 historic Junior League of Indianapolis (JLI) member portraits, which my coworker Matt Holdzkom wrote about in his blog Haunting and Elegant last year. As Matt noted, the photographs are a “rare visual record of these women” at the center of the […]| Indiana Historical Society
Trying to search for a surname like Johns proved to be interesting. I had to work to determine the best terms and ways to remove terms to get the best search possible. In this instance, I ran a search for: Johns -Johnson -Johnston. This weeded out the more common surnames Johnson and Johnston and made […]| Indiana Historical Society
“I bashed his head in with a hammer … I pleaded guilty hoping to get life. I got what I deserve…” – Clarence Thomas. This chilling confession echoes through history, drawing us into a harrowing tale that unfolded in a small Indiana town. On July 3, 1936, the quiet steamy summer morning was shattered at […]| Indiana Historical Society
This month we celebrate our appreciation for photographers. Whether amateur or professional, photographers are important to the historical record. At the Indiana Historical Society, we have millions of photographs representing many photographers. It was a struggle to decide which photographer’s collections to highlight. Here are the ones that I decided to share: Cephas M. Huddleston […]| Indiana Historical Society
Welcome back to our monthly installment of “Are We Related?.” This time we’re exploring the Cheek family. My colleague Tamara provided some links to this surname, specifically noting her grandfather, Gail Austin Cheek. While seeking out Cheeks in the IHS collection, I came across a couple of options, but one really stood out. In our […]| Indiana Historical Society
September is probably best known for a celebration like Labor Day. Continuing our National Days blog series, I’ve highlighted two other day celebrations in the month as illustrated by materials from the IHS digital collection. In 2022, the American Hotel and Lodging Association along with National Day Calendar began celebrating September 1st as National Hotel […]| Indiana Historical Society
In the Fall/Winter 2023 issue of Connections magazine, available through the IHS Member Login tab, Purdue University Extension specialist Frederick Whitford writes of the beginning of the Purdue Extension Agent program and the agents’ work through the Great Depression and World War II. The article is based on a book Whitford authored about the same […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Women’s Department Club was started in Indianapolis in 1912 by Mrs. Luella McWhirter. While still presently active, this club and its members focus their efforts on community service, arts, and education related causes and projects. This club was and still is presently known to host a public lecture series. On October 10, 1945, the […]| Indiana Historical Society
July’s best-known celebration day is likely Independence Day, which commemorates the founding of the United States of America. But even before the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776, the Post Office of the United States (a precursor to the U.S. Postal Service) was established in 1775 with Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General. […]| Indiana Historical Society
Though previously unaware of the Headwear Information Bureau (HIB) prior to finding out that April is National Straw Hat Month, I am glad to know of this organization’s existence now. Founded in 1989, HIB promotes hat making (or millinery) through contests and public relation promotions. National Straw Hat Month is just one of many celebrations […]| Indiana Historical Society