Yesterday, around 80 organizations across the United States are sharing stories about the passage of the 19th amendment that gave women the right to vote. I polled some of our Collections staff members about interesting items that talk about women’s right to vote. We have what you might expect – great images of like the […]
Before we dive into a new topic, I’m sure you can’t wait to grade yourself on the following Indiana history questions from last month’s blog post: 1. What towns were the territorial capitals of Indiana? Vincennes (1st); Corydon (2nd) 2. Who was elected Indiana’s first state governor? Jonathan Jennings (In case there’s any confusion, William […]
Did you save a lock of your child’s hair from their first haircut? Have you found mementos such as this when looking through family materials passed down through generations? These are pretty common occurrences, but if you are searching through materials from the 19th century, you may find even more elaborate pieces made from human hair. […]
As we gear up for the 103rd Indianapolis 500 race this weekend, what kind of traditions do you have with your family? A longstanding reference patron brought me a 1914 drinking cup passed down in his family. His family has gone to the race each year since it began in 1911! These metal cups were […]
Mayday. Mayday. You never want to hear that international distress signal. But when you do, you want to have a plan already in place and have experience putting the plan into action. This morning, our Archives and Library staff took part in the MAYDAY initiative begun by the Society of American Archivists and Heritage Preservation […]
May 7, 2019 marks a centennial some people may not observe. Indianapolis hosted Welcome Home Day for returning WWI soldiers on this date in 1919. The day-long celebration included a huge parade, boxed lunches served by the Salvation Army and Eastern Star and many tearful reunions with family members. They had every reason to celebrate, […]
History Matters is a blog series where we’ll be talking about the things you’re not supposed to discuss at the dinner table – things that may make some people uncomfortable. These pieces of our history are there if you look but might not be top of mind or in a textbook. We often think of history on a larger scale, […]
Most of the time I try to stay focused on my assigned topics for digitization projects, but I know when to follow an unexpected and interesting story when it presents itself. Recently, I was researching the Brant and Helen McKay Steele Collection for a project on women’s history and came across a folder of photographs […]
Lawyer Calvin Fletcher arrived in Indianapolis almost penniless in 1821. The new city offered boundless opportunities for those who got in on the ground floor, and Fletcher’s resume grew steadily. In addition to his legal work, he fashioned himself into a banker, farmer, husband, father, landowner, philanthropist, politician, abolitionist, public education advocate, and all-around fancy […]
As a former teacher, I always get excited when school materials come my way. I recently cataloged several Indiana history and government workbooks from the 1930s. Like most, I was required to take courses on both topics during my career as a student. I like to think my knowledge is above average – after all, […]
