Indiana History Train at the State Fair Previews Upcoming Chuck Taylor Exhibit at the Indiana Historical Society

All aboard! When you visit the Indiana State Fair from July 29 through August 21, hop on board the Indiana Historical Society’s (IHS) Indiana History Train to check out an exhibit celebrating the heart of basketball in the United States.

The Indiana History Train is three freight train cars on approximately 200 feet of standalone track — located north of the Family Fun Park and east of Pioneer Village on the northeast side of the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

This year, the Indiana History Train will preview a new exhibit opening at the Indiana Historical Society in March 2023 — highlighting Charles Hollis Taylor, better known as “Chuck” Taylor, and his contribution to the game of basketball. The exhibit will explore the game Chuck Taylor helped spread, the man he was and the shoe he made famous — the Converse All Star.

“In a variety of ways, Indiana remains the heart of basketball in the U.S., and there are many Hoosiers who are famous for changing or contributing to the game,” said Indiana Historical Society Director of Exhibitions Curation Daniel Gonzales. “Virtually everyone knows Chuck Taylor as synonymous with basketball, but our exhibit will show more about Chuck Taylor the man and how his fame extended far beyond the bounds of basketball.”

“We are excited to preview our upcoming exhibit at the Indiana History Train this year,” said Indiana Historical Society Director of External Engagement and Special Initiatives Marianne Sheline. “What fairgoers will see in the History Train will be more focused on Indiana basketball moments with lots of historical images, while the in-house exhibit will have more of a deep dive into Chuck Taylor himself and the history of his legacy. But the History Train is a great way to get a closer look at what’s coming next year, so we hope people will stop by and visit us when they come to the fair.”

The Indiana History Train is included with admission to the fair. IHS individual members are eligible to receive a free fair ticket, and IHS household members are eligible to receive up to four free tickets. For more information on tickets available to IHS members, contact Sarah Sankovich at ssankovich@indianahistory.org. The fair will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Indiana History Train is presented by IHS, in partnership with the Indiana State Fair Commission (ISFC). Visit www.indianahistory.org/train for more information on the Indiana History Train.

“Chuck Taylor All Star” opens March 2023 at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center and will run through August 2024. The exhibit will also be available online, giving visitors the chance to view the videos, images and select digital interactive features from the exhibit on a computer or mobile device.

The online exhibits are available here: https://indianahistory.org/online-exhibits/. IHS online exhibits are supported by the Indy Arts and Culture Restart & Resilience Fund: An Arts Council of Indianapolis program made possible by Lilly Endowment Inc.

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