October is the month we witness or experience many changes: foliage sheds its summer shine to let through vibrant shades of orange, yellow, and red; our farmers are hard at work, harvesting as quickly as they can to deliver before the rail loaders close for the day; it’s finally starting to get cooler outside! For […]
One of the longest celebrations we have highlighted so far is this one, founded in 1922 as a week-long event, by the National Fire Protection Association. For more than a century, dedication to an ounce or prevention equally more than a pound of cure, has proven important. While fires occur regularly, as evidenced by everything […]
I always find it fascinating to compare the prices of goods over time. I am often drawn to receipts and advertisements in our collection that indicate a price for products. I recently photocopied some receipts from grocers in Richmond, Indiana, around 1908. The variety of goods purchased allowed me to look at our cookbooks and […]
I have gone through many crafting phases in my life, including embroidery, knitting, and sewing. It had been about twenty years since I last made any clothing for myself until last month. Above, you can see a portion of two of the skirts I’ve sewn recently, both created using Simplicity patterns. The thing I love […]
September brings us many varieties of celebration days but I was on the hunt for one that really spoke to me. I found it! September 29 is National Coffee Day. Whether you are a coffee aficionado, a run-of-the-mill enjoyer of, or hate it with a passion, there’s no denying that coffee is a staple for […]
Unboxed is a YouTube video series produced by the Indiana Historical Society that highlights our archival collections and gives voice to Indiana stories. These are short (3-5 minute) videos that are perfect for the classroom or the casual history buff. The series gives an inside look at special collections and how they’re stored in our […]
Latinos have been calling Indiana home for well over a century. While the largest communities have existed in both Lake and Marion Counties, Lake County had long retained high population numbers for about 90 years. As the early population began to grow so did the needs of the community. Those needs presented as an opportunity, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
