Agnes Szabo came of age in South Bend in the early 1920s, when the Volstead Act had driven liquor sales underground and bootlegging routes became as common as postal deliveries. The post-World War I years were marked by economic volatility—wartime industries contracted, inflation soared, and many working-class families, especially immigrants, scrambled for new forms of … Continue reading "The Case of Agnes Szabo: Bootlegger, Entrepreneur, Whistleblower"| The Indiana History Blog
Her name might not be in Who’s Who Among African Americans, or have household recognition like Madam C.J. Walker, but Ida Hagan broke barriers not only for her race, but her gender. From a young ag…| The Indiana History Blog
“West Hammond has been electrified of late by what a woman—a woman of intelligence, of action and indomitable courage—can accomplish.” -Munster Times, 1911 The woman described by the Ti…| The Indiana History Blog
Though you won’t become a millionaire panning for gold in Indiana, today’s recreational gold hunters have a lot of fun sloshing around Hoosier creeks in search of the shiny metal that led many a conquistador to his doom. Around 1900, however, Indiana farmers and geologists explored the possibility that the hills of Brown, Monroe, and Morgan … Continue reading "Indiana’s “Pot of Gold”"| The Indiana History Blog
In the latter days of the summer of 1904, the decision of a local doctor and postmaster caused an uproar in Ferdinand, Indiana and even caught attention across the country. “People in the vicinity …| The Indiana History Blog
Summer is upon us, and one of the staples of American summers is fast food. It’s always a blast to roll down the windows, crank up the tunes, and head on over to your favorite drive-thru. Now, we a…| The Indiana History Blog