Indiana Historical Society

Ayres Appreciation Day May 20 at Indiana History Center

May 9, 2016 by Naptown Buzz

Decades after closing its doors, L.S. Ayres and Company still holds a special place in the hearts of Hoosiers. Now, the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is making it possible for old friends to reconnect and celebrate their shared history.

On Friday, May 20, IHS is holding an Ayres Appreciation Day at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., IHS is offering free admission to anyone who worked for the department stores or the Ayr-Way discount stores.

Event highlights include a “Conversation Corner,” where former Ayres employees can catch up over a cup of coffee, and access to the IHS exhibition You Are There: That Ayres Look. The exhibition features costumed actors portraying characters from the company’s past. Another popular aspect of You Are There: That Ayres Look is the Ayres cherub, on display for the first time outside of the holiday season. The cherub, on loan from Downtown Indy, will stay at the History Center until the exhibition closes on Aug. 6, 2016.

Just one floor down from the exhibition, guests can purchase a traditional chicken velvet soup for lunch in the History Center’s Stardust Terrace Café. The special menu item is a nod to the L.S. Ayres Tea Room, which closed in Indianapolis in 1990.

Finally, former Ayres employees will receive a storewide discount at the History Center’s Basile History Market. The store sells several Ayres-related items such as a diamond box, a coin purse and the IHS Press book L.S. Ayres & Company: The Store at the Crossroads of America by Kenneth L. Turchi.

For more information about Ayres Appreciation Day and other IHS events, call (317) 232-1882 or visit IHS online at www.indianahistory.org. You Are There: That Ayres Look is presented by Ayres Foundation Inc. and Nancy Ayres, with support from Nicholas H. Noyes, Jr., Memorial Foundation, Inc. and Lisa Carrington Bohn; Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation and Mr. and Mrs. Peter Nicholas; and Griffith Family Foundation, Inc.

SOURCE: Indiana Historical Society

IHS 2016 Concerts on the Canal Schedule

May 5, 2016 by Naptown Buzz

A popular event is returning to Thursday nights this summer—and it is only getting better. From May 26 through July 28, the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is bringing back its Concerts on the Canal series and introducing Free Admission Thursdays, which includes extended hours on concert dates. The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, home of IHS and the Indiana Experience, is located at 450 W. Ohio St., downtown along the canal.

The musical entertainment will begin at 6 p.m. on concert Thursdays and will feature a variety of styles, from jazz, blues and swing to rock, R&B and pop favorites. This year’s lineup includes popular area performers such as The Cool City Band, Flying Toasters, Indy Nile, Brenda Williams and The Bishops.

Free seating is available on the grassy knoll, which is across the canal from the History Center. Guests can also purchase seating on the History Center’s Kruse Family Stardust Terrace in tables of eight ($50/$40 IHS members) or tables of four ($40/$30 IHS members), and single-seats at the community table ($10/$8 for IHS members). No pets or smoking are allowed on the Terrace.

When it comes to refreshments, visitors are welcome to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages. All alcohol must be purchased on-site, and a cash bar will be offered. Guests can also purchase food from Hoaglin To Go, available through the History Center’s Stardust Terrace Café and at an outdoor grill.

The History Center will offer free admission and extended hours on concert dates, staying open until 8 p.m. Concertgoers are encouraged to take full advantage of access to the Indiana Experience, as well as a weekly selection of IHS’s traveling exhibits. The exhibits explore topics such as Indiana disasters, the state’s rich automotive past, the lives of Hoosiers during Prohibition and more.

In addition, IHS is making it possible for guests to enjoy a free day of fun and music leading up to the city’s Fourth of July fireworks. On Monday, July 4, the History Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission. Then from 5 to 9:30 p.m., IHS will offer a special patriotic edition of its Concerts on the Canal series.

The 2016 Concerts on the Canal series is presented by Total Restoration General Contractors, Inc., in partnership with the IUPUI Department of Music and Arts Technology. Free Admission Thursdays are made possible by Franciscan St. Francis Health.

For more information on IHS’s events, programs and resources, call (317) 232-1882 or visit IHS online at www.indianahistory.org.

May 26
Concert: The Cool City Band, featuring Shannon Forsell, Jimmy Guilford and Laney Wilson
(Swingin’ music from the lounge era)
Traveling Exhibition: One Shot: The WWII Photography of John A. Bushemi

June 2
Concert: Flying Toasters (High energy dance favorites)
Traveling Exhibition: Hoosiers and Their Hooch: Perspectives on Prohibition

June 9
Concert: Actors Theatre of Indiana (Cole Porter Birthday Celebration)
Traveling Exhibition: A Visual Journey: From AIDS to Marriage Equality by Mark A. Lee

June 16
Concert: Indy Nile (Eclectic mix of classic rock, funk and blues)
Traveling Exhibition: The Great War: From Ration Lines to the Front Lines

June 23
Concert: The Funk Quarter (New Orleans Rhythm and Blues)
Traveling Exhibition: Steamboats a Comin’ The Legacy of the New Orleans

June 30
Concert: Everett Greene (Love songs and jazz standards)
Traveling Exhibition: Auto Indiana

July 4
Concert: Indianapolis Municipal Band (5 to 6 p.m.) (Patriotic tunes and marches)
The Tad Robinson Band (7:30 to 9:30 p.m.) (Americana, soul and roots)
Traveling Exhibition: Faces in the Crowd: Indiana and the Political Process

July 7
Concert: Greta Speaks (Rock and pop classics)
Traveling Exhibition: Who is a Hoosier?

July 14
Concert: Brenda Williams (Classic R&B hits from the ’60s and ’70s)
Traveling Exhibition: The Golden Age: Indiana Literature (1880-1920)

July 21
Concert: IUPUI: David Mannell featuring Laura Hammer-Erhart, Becky Barton and Heather Hinton
(Bicentennial tribute and nostalgic favorites)
Traveling Exhibition: Auto Indiana

July 28
Concert: The Bishops (Party songs you love to dance to)
Traveling Exhibition: Indiana Disasters

SOURCE: Indiana Historical Society

IHS Releases Historic Indy 500 Images Online

April 25, 2016 by Naptown Buzz

BRETZMAN COLLECTION, INDIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Cropped)

The countdown is on to the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, and the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is marking the occasion with four historic panoramic images, now available to the public online at images.indianahistory.org (search “Indianapolis 500”).

The panoramic images date back to the inaugural running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on May 30, 1911. Taken by Charles F. Bretzman, the race’s first official photographer, two of the surviving panoramic images feature the action on the track, including the starting lineup of 40 cars and drivers. Another of Bretzman’s black and white images captured the flavor of the day, focusing on some of the 80,000 spectators who were onhand to witness history.

“He ranked with the best of the best, and just got lost in the shuffle somehow, so it’s wonderful that this body of work is there for people to appreciate,” said Bretzman’s granddaughter Margaret Dexter. “I’m just thrilled that they’re being unearthed and being given their due as mother would say, ‘to really realize what a wonderful eye he had.'”

Bretzman went on to serve as race photographer for several more years, capturing balloon and automobile races through 1913. The Indianapolis-based photographer also made a name for himself in portrait photography, and his images of Carl G. Fisher, IMS co-founder, Paul V. McNutt, former Indiana governor, and Charles W. Fairbanks, former U.S. vice president under Theodore Roosevelt, are among those included in IHS’s digital image collections.

Researchers who want to view a selection of Bretzman’s work in person can do so at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis. The History Center’s William Henry Smith Memorial Library is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Researchers specifically interested in panoramic images will find IHS’s digital offerings have doubled since this time last year. In 2015, IHS received a grant that allowed the organization to scan 686 panoramic photos from its archives, and there are now more than 1,000 available online. Completed in April 2016, the project was supported by the the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), administered by the Indiana State Library. Project results will also be included in Indiana Memory and the Digital Public Library of America.

For more information about IHS’s panoramic digital offerings, or to learn how to donate items, call (317) 232-1882 or visit IHS at www.indianahistory.org.

SOURCE: Indiana Historical Society

Indiana Bicentennial Train moves to State Fairgrounds

July 3, 2015 by Naptown Buzz

The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) and the Indiana State Fair Commission (ISFC) are pleased to announce that the Indiana Bicentennial Train, and IHS program funded generously by The Indiana Railroad Company and Norfolk Southern Corporation, will move to the Indiana State Fairgrounds to commemorate the upcoming state Bicentennial (2016). As part of a five-year agreement to bring its on-board exhibit and additional activities to fairgoers, the Bicentennial Train will debut at its new location during the 2015 Indiana State Fair Year of the Farmer presented by DOW Agrosciences, which runs Aug. 7-23.

The Indiana Bicentennial Train is in the process of being moved to the Indiana State Fairgrounds, where 200 feet of track has been laid by ISFC at its new home. It will reside on the northeast side of the fairgrounds, in the Family Fun Park.

The Bicentennial Train’s three air-conditioned box cars are used as galleries to display The Next Indiana—a look at the state’s past, present and future through the lenses of four themes (transportation, land use, talent and community). Several hundred visuals from the IHS’s rich archival collections show historical and contemporary images that will inspire visitors to ponder the state’s future—which depends on an understanding of how our past has shaped the present, and is connected to the choices we are making today.

During peak hours, fairgoers can see noted historical interpreter Kevin Stonerock playing a character especially created for the train. Guests can also enjoy a family-friendly activity tent, where they can add to giant mind maps that allow them to reflect on their own Indiana memories and see how their Hoosier neighbors envision Indiana’s future.

“We are thrilled for this chance to share the Indiana Bicentennial Train with such a large audience from around the state, while also offering an extra attraction for our fantastic Indiana State Fair,” said John A. Herbst, IHS President and CEO. “It is our hope that sharing stories from Indiana’s last 200 years will not only celebrate the Bicentennial, but will also inform decisions that will determine what kind of place Indiana will be in 25, 50 and even 100 years from now.”

Since 2013, the Bicentennial Train has visited eight communities around the state – Kokomo, New Haven, Valparaiso, and Delphi in 2013, followed by Columbus, Jasper, Terre Haute and Bargersville in 2014. By positioning it at the Indiana State Fair in 2015 and 2016, the train will continue to reach a statewide audience of Hoosiers.

“The Indiana State Fair has been a part of Hoosier lives since 1852 and like the Bicentennial Train we have been a vessel to showcase our industry’s evolution,” said Cindy Hoye, Executive Director of the Indiana State Fair. “We are happy to have such a historically rich partnership with the Historical Society and know this addition to the Fairgrounds will only enhance our visitor’s experience.”

The Indiana Bicentennial Train is presented by the Indiana Historical Society, in partnership with the Indiana State Fair Commission, Indiana Humanities and the Indiana Bicentennial Commission. It is funded generously by the Indiana Rail Road Company and Norfolk Southern Corporation, with support from Kroger.

Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana’s Storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting and sharing the state’s history. A private, nonprofit membership organization, IHS maintains the nation’s premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest and presents a unique set of visitor exhibitions called the Indiana Experience. IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; and provides youth, adult and family programming. The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, home of the IHS and the Indiana Experience, is located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis.

SOURCE: Indiana Historical Society

Indiana Students Fare Well at National History Day Contest

June 25, 2015 by Naptown Buzz

The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) was proud to send 58 Hoosier students to compete in the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day Contest, which took place last week at University of Maryland. Indiana was well represented, with several students placing well and earning special awards for their presentations.

The Indiana delegation also made the most of their experience in Washington D.C., including a meeting with Senator Joe Donnelly, whose children are past participants in the National History Day program. Students also broke into smaller groups to meet with their Congressional representatives, including Susan Brooks, Luke Messer and Todd Rokita.

National History Day in Indiana is a year-long program dedicated to enhancing history education in elementary and secondary schools. Students in grades four through 12 explore a historical subject and then use their research to create imaginative exhibits, original performances, media documentaries, Web sites and papers. The 2015 theme is “Leadership and Legacy in History.”

National History Day in Indiana has been organized by the Indiana Historical Society for more than a decade and has played an active part in Indiana’s schools across for more than 25 years, with more than 5,000 Indiana students taking part annually.

Finalists, Special Award winners and special experience participants from Indiana included:

Silver Medalist (second place), Junior Group Documentary—Julia Oostema and Cate Peerbolte, Highland Christian School (Highland); “Marie Curie: Impacting Science through Radioactivity”
Fifth place, Senior Group Exhibit, and Indiana Outstanding Entry, Senior Division—Elizabeth Schafer and Megan Bullock, Central Catholic Jr./Sr. High School; “Alice Hamilton: The First Lady of Industrial Medicine”
14th place,Senior Individual Exhibit—Bailey Ward, Carmel High School (Carmel); “The Philosopher in Purple: The Leadership and Legacy of Marcus Aurelius”
Indiana Outstanding Entry, Junior Division—Mikhalla Glick & Faith Quintana, John Young Middle School (Mishawaka); “Lewis Hine: “Leading a Change in Child Labor Laws” (Junior Group Website)
Salute to Courage Award Winner (Special Award)—Alyssa O’Neill, O’Neill Homeschool (Borden); Senior Individual Performance, “George Rogers Clark: Hero of the Northwest Territory”
Special Experience—Sitha Vallabhaneni and Caitlin Harshberger of Carmel High School (Carmel) displayed their Senior Group Exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on Wednesday.
Special Experience—Elisabeth Huls of Brown County High School (Nashville), who competed in the Senior Paper category, took part in National Endowment for the Humanities’ Breakfast on the Hill event.

SOURCE: Indiana Historical Society

IHS to exhibit “Hoosiers Win the Pennant”

August 13, 2014 by Naptown Buzz

Guests of the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) can get caught up in the fever of the Major League Baseball playoffs with Hoosiers Win the Pennant: Indiana Roots of American Baseball. The exhibition will be on display Sept. 9 through Nov. 15, 2014, in the Rose McKee Lanham Gallery at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. The History Center, home of the IHS, is located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis.

Showcasing true baseball treasures from the private collection of Scott Tarter, a partner with Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, this exhibition explores Indiana’s incredible, but little-known, baseball history and the state’s contributions to America’s national pastime. Indiana is not only the site of the first-ever major league baseball game, but has also boasted five major league baseball teams throughout history, including the 1914 Federal League pennant-winning Hoosiers.

Items include an 1829 English book containing one of the earliest known descriptions of the English game that helped create American baseball and an 1832 pamphlet containing one of the earliest-known printed references to baseball. Also on display are a limited edition reproduction of the first recorded baseball card dating back to 1869, and original 19th-century and early 20th-century baseball cards, photographs, and illustrations.

Guests can also enjoy a look at material connected to the 1871 Fort Wayne Kekiongas, 1878 Indianapolis Blues, the Indianapolis Hoosiers who played in the National League between 1887 and 1889, and the 1914 Indianapolis Hoosiers in their pennant-winning year. Materials illustrating the origins and history of today’s Indianapolis Indians also celebrate the roots of the game.

This exhibition is included with each guest’s Indiana Experience admission.

Indiana Historical Society’s 2014 Concerts on the Canal Schedule

May 27, 2014 by Amanda Groce

May 29 – The Woomblies (Popular Motown, soul and rock)

June 5 – The Flying Toasters (High-energy dance favorites)

June 12 – Hopkins and Miller (Jazz of the 1920s and 1930s)

June 19 – Seth Jenkins and the Tides featuring Michael Beck and Dane Dye (Eclectic music from the 1950s to today)

June 26 – Cynthia Layne (R&B and jazz)

July 3 – Carmel Brass (Patriotic tunes)

July 4 – Indianapolis Municipal Band (Patriotic tunes and marches, 5 to 6:15 p.m.) and King James and the Verses (Classic rock and blues, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.)

July 10 – The Cool City Band featuring Shannon Forsell and Laney Wilson (Music of the Lounge Era)

July 17 – Deb Mullins (Cabaret with a mix of standards, bluesy jazz and pop)

July 24 – David Mannell with Laura Hammer-Erhart and Becky Barton with special guest John Alvarado (Classic music of Spain and Latin America, standards of musical theater)

July 31 – Jessie Brown (Country, rock and soul)

IHS Announces 2014 Concerts on the Canal, Museum Nights on the Canal and Summer Sunday Hours

May 27, 2014 by Amanda Groce

Indianapolis—There are plenty of ways to enjoy downtown Indianapolis in the summer, and the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is offering several—its time-honored favorite Concerts on the Canal, popular Museum Nights on the Canal programming and Sunday hours in June and July. The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, home of the IHS and the Indiana Experience, is located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis, along the picturesque, historic Central Canal.

On Thursday evenings this summer, the IHS will host some of the area’s best performers. The concert lineup includes a diverse selection of musical styles, from jazz, blues and classic rock to big band, swing and the Great American Songbook. Local and regional favorites like The Woomblies, The Flying Toasters, Cynthia Layne, The Cool City Band (featuring Shannon Forsell and Laney Wilson) and Jessie Brown are just a few of the acts on this season’s schedule.

Concerts take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays from May 29 to July 31, in addition to IHS’s annual Independence Day Bash on Friday, July 4, which will start at 5 p.m. with the Indianapolis Municipal Band and feature King James and the Verses.

Guests are welcome to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages to Concerts on the Canal, but food service is also provided in the History Center’s Stardust Terrace Café and at an outdoor grill, both operated by Hoaglin To Go. All alcohol must be purchased on-site, and a cash bar will be offered. No pets and no smoking are allowed on the Plaza. Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the History Center’s parking lot.

Seating can be purchased on the Kruse Family Stardust Terrace in tables of eight ($45/$40 IHS members) or four ($35/$30 IHS members), and single-seats at the community table ($10/$9 for IHS members). Free seating is available across the canal on the grassy knoll. The 2014 Concerts on the Canal series is presented by The Indiana Rail Road Company, in partnership with the IUPUI Department of Music and Arts Technology.

For concert dates in June and July, IHS’s Museum Nights on the Canal will offer free Indiana Experience admission, as well as hands-on activities and extra entertainment, from 4 to 8 p.m. Indiana Experience admission will also be free on July 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Museum Nights on the Canal is presented by Citizens Energy Group and The Glick Fund, a CICF Fund.

Guests are also invited to take advantage of Sunday hours in June and July, when the History Center will be open from noon to 5 p.m. and offer additional programming. IHS is also proud to be part of the Blue Star Museum Program and extends free year-round admission to members of the active military and their families.

To reserve a table in advance or more information, call the IHS at (317) 232-1882 or visit www.indianahistory.org.

Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana’s Storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting and sharing the state’s history. A private, nonprofit membership organization, IHS maintains the nation’s premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest and presents a unique set of visitor exhibitions called the Indiana Experience. IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; produces and hosts art exhibitions, museum theater and outside performance groups; and provides youth, adult and family programming.

IHS’s 2013 Indiana Black History Challenge

January 17, 2013 by Brian Groce

Both children and adults can learn about some of Indiana’s most talented black athletes and have the chance to win fabulous prizes with the Indiana Historical Society’s (IHS’s) Indiana Black History Challenge. The 2013 Challenge, presented by the Indiana Pacers and Teachers Credit Union, runs Jan. 21 through Feb. 28.

This year’s challenge encourages the research of outstanding black Hoosier athletes. After using a sports-themed study guide found on the IHS website at www.indianahistory.org/challenge, participants can test their knowledge by taking the online quiz.

The first 5,000 entrants receive two tickets to the Indiana Experience. Players who get all 10 questions right will be entered to win a Family Fun Pack grand prize, including four lower-level tickets to an Indiana Pacers game, an overnight stay at the J.W. Marriott, a $50 gift certificate to The Capital Grille, four tickets to the Indiana State Museum, four tickets to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and an IHS household membership. In addition, 30 lucky players will be randomly selected to receive four tickets to see the Indianapolis Indians play later this summer.

2013 IndyTalks Collaborative Programs Explore “Indy’s Kids”

January 16, 2013 by Naptown Buzz

The grassroots civic-focused initiative known as IndyTalks was founded with the goal of helping community members “converse, connect, and create.” That is, talk about important issues, form personal connections around the issues and work together to create solutions.

This year’s theme, Indy’s Kids, hopes to bring heightened attention to the things our community is doing to support, enrich and empower youth. IndyTalks partners also plan to explore the things we can and should be doing better to improve the lives of young people. “Whether you have children or not, celebrating the accomplishments of young people and acknowledging where we can do more is important act of civic participation that strengthens our community,” says Erin Kelley, IndyTalks program partner and director of education and community engagement for the Indiana Historical Society.

Programming for the first half of the year has been confirmed and IndyTalks will kick off 2013 with a special broadcast of “No Limits” on WFYI 90.1 FM on January 31 at 1PM. Host John Krull will speak with leading education experts, Bob Balfanz of the Everyone Graduates Center and John Bridgeland of Civic Enterprises to explore how Indiana can turn around the high school dropout crisis.

On Saturday, February 16 the Indiana Historical Society invites families to a free admission day at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center for “Love your Heart.” In celebration of American Heart Month, families are encouraged to explore the healthy choices they can make together when deciding what to eat and when to exercise.

As part of the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI’s 24th annual Joseph Taylor Symposium on February 27, a special IndyTalks panel will focus on the problems of bullying and intolerance. Panelists will explore strategies for encouraging respect among young people.

On March 23 the International School of Indianapolis and Big Car will bring young people from around the globe together in conversation to share their stories of life in Indiana. On April 27 Marian University invites families to let nature be their teacher during a special program at the Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab. INDYCOG rounds out the spring at the Platform (City Market) on May 15 in a program designed to explore how Indy can be a city where anyone from 8 to 80 will want to ride a bike.

For more information about IndyTalks, including complete program descriptions for the first half of 2013, visit www.indytalks.info.