I’m happy to announce that my new book, Hidden History of Indiana, will be released on November 3. To celebrate, there will be a launch party on Wednesday, November 11 from 5 to 6:30 pm at Hoagies & Hops in Butler-Tarkington. Food provided! Hope to see you there!

New blog post is up and rolling this afternoon exploring the history of the flood control measures (i.e. those big levees which contain the White River) put in place in downtown Indianapolis in the wake of the 1913 flood. www.class900indy.com/post/a-strai...

A 'Straight-Jacket' for the White River: Flood Control Efforts in Downtown Indianapolis

This post explores the history of the flood protections constructed in downtown Indianapolis in the aftermath of the flood of 1913.

class900indy.com

There is talk of two expansion teams coming to Major League Baseball…so it seems like an appropriate time to share this post from a few years ago about the city’s attempt to get an expansion team, the Arrows, in the 1980s. www.class900indy.com/post/aiming-...

Aiming High: A Brief History of the Indianapolis Arrows Baseball Team

Exploring the history of the Indianapolis Arrows, and the city's attempt to bring a major league baseball team to Central Indiana.

class900indy.com

Some labor history, on this Labor Day. Indianapolis, like many cities in the country, saw a surge in unions and labor organizations in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The city directory for 1880 (left) listed only a few, while in 1904 (right) the list covered almost two pages.

I’m working with the Monument Knows project and recently authored a ‘field note’ (similar to a blog post) about the efforts to build the Monument in downtown indianapolis after the Civil War. Check it out below: (1/2) www.askthemonument.org/field-notes/...

Monument in the Making: The 20 Year Effort to Establish Monument Circle in Downtown Indianapolis by Edward Fujawa — the monument knows

Field Note No. 3 traces the decades-long effort to create the Soldiers & Sailors Monument and establish Monument Circle as the civic center of Indianapolis. Researcher Edward Fujawa reconstructs the p...

askthemonument.org

Indianapolis has a long industrial history, filled with automobiles, furniture, pharmaceuticals, and….boxes. Corrugated cardboard boxes. The history of this industry starts with a doorway on Morris. www.class900indy.com/post/a-quiet...

"A Quiet Kind of Company": The Inland Container Corporation of Indianapolis

Exploring the history of the Inland Container Corporation of Indianapolis, one of the city's major manufacturers during the 20th century.

class900indy.com

My newest column for the Indy Star’s Retro Indy feature is online today (hard copy Sunday) and covers some historic droughts in Indianapolis. Somewhat timely since we’ve been dealing with very high temperatures of late, although not yet drought conditions. www.indystar.com/story/news/h...

Retro Indy: Worst droughts that hit Indianapolis area in past century

High temperatures and lack of rain have often led to droughts that kill crops in the Indianapolis area.

indystar.com

Digging into the history of a random piece of rusting metal I ran across in the White River. www.class900indy.com/post/ruins-i...

Ruins in the River: A White River Mystery

Exploring the history behind a mysterious metal object located in the White River at Riverside Park in Indianapolis.

class900indy.com

A new Yesterday’s Indianapolis episode is up where we explore a bit of history of Pogue’s Run, and a tragic event which occurred along it banks in 1882. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/y...

Tragedy on Pogue's Run

Podcast Episode · Yesterday's Indianapolis · July 1 · 19m

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Updates on the operations of the Army of the Potomac published on July 2, 1863 in the Indianapolis Journal. Many notes about the rebel invasion of the north, but the highlighted section is noteworthy, as it reports on what would be the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Might be the least interesting waterway in Marion County, but even Williams Creek deserves its day in the local history sun. www.class900indy.com/post/the-wat...

The Waters of Marion County: The History of Williams Creek

Exploring the history of the Williams Creek waterway in Indianapolis.

class900indy.com

A news brief appearing in the Indianapolis Daily Journal on July 8, 1865, describes the order given by Gen. Gordon Granger, upon taking command in Texas, which asserted that slavery was abolished in that place. His order was issued June 19, 1865.

Saw some discussion on local social media and podcasts about the city’s “No Mean City” slogan. This blog post from a few years ago explores the history of that phrase, and its first association with Indianapolis by attorney Calvin Fletcher. www.class900indy.com/post/no-mean...

'No Mean City' and Calvin Fletcher

Exploring the Calvin Fletcher connection with the No Mean City phrase and the history of Indianapolis.

class900indy.com

A new blog post about an item found at an antique mall with a connection to the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood of Indianapolis, and with Indianapolis Public Schools. www.class900indy.com/post/found-m...

Found Memories: A Story of an IPS School 43 Teacher

A lucky find at an antique store on the south side of Indianapolis reveals the life, and impact, of an Indianapolis Public School teacher at School 43.

class900indy.com

New post on class900Indy about the history of the Federal League Ballpark on the southwest side of downtown Indianapolis. www.class900indy.com/post/indy-s-...

Indy's Major League Baseball Stadium: The History of the Federal League Park

Exploring the history of the Federal League Ballpark in downtown Indianapolis.

class900indy.com

With the greatest spectacle in racing just a few days away, let’s look back at some of the early designs for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. www.class900indy.com/post/the-mak...

The Making of a Landmark: The Early Designs of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

May is the month for racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But the classic oval was originally meant to be much grander.

class900indy.com

New podcast up on Yesterday’s Indianapolis, this one exploring the history of Roselyn Bakeries, one of the nostalgic heavyweights of the Indianapolis area. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/y...

Indianapolis Icon: History of Roselyn Bakeries

Podcast Episode · Yesterday's Indianapolis · May 13 · 25m

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Since we’re heading into Indy 500 season, a bit of race adjacent history is in order. This blog post looks at the history of the Allison Machine Shop, owned by James Allison, co-founder of the Motor Speedway. www.class900indy.com/post/in-the-...

In The Shadow of the Motor Speedway: The Allison Machine Shop in Speedway, Indiana

Exploring the history behind the founding location of the Allison Transmission Company in downtown Speedway, Indiana.

class900indy.com

New blog post exploring landscape architect Jens Jensen and the history of the EcoLab at @MarianUniv. www.class900indy.com/post/jens-je...

Jens Jensen, James Allison, and the History of the EcoLab at Marian University

Exploring the history of the EcoLab at Marian University in Indianapolis. The EcoLab was once part of the estate of James Allison, and was designed by famed landscape architect Jens Jensen.

class900indy.com

Pogue’s Run was a burr in the saddle of early Indianapolis. Cutting through the southeastern part of the mile square, the creek frequently flooded, and was a dumping point for sewage and trash. To solve these issues, the city enclosed and hid the creek. www.class900indy.com/post/and-the...

And Then It Was Gone: The Vanishing of Pogue's Run

Exploring the history and eventual elimination of Pogue's Run through downtown Indianapolis.

class900indy.com

Tune in tomorrow at noon on 88.7 FM where I will be joining Hoosier History Live to talk about the Indianapolis streetcar strikes and the strike at the Real Silk factories on Mass Ave.

Publishing a new blog post on Final Four weekend is probably not the best idea, but if you tire of basketball related content, here is some history of the old shelter house at Riverside Park. www.class900indy.com/post/a-most-...

A Most 'Pretentious Shelter': The History of the Riverside Park Shelter House

Exploring the history of the now defunct Riverside Park shelter house in Indianapolis.

class900indy.com

New Yesterday's Indianapolis podcast episode is out, exploring the history of the Ron-D-Vu drive in on the near northside of Indianapolis near Butler University. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

Meet Me at the Vu: The History of the Ron-D-Vu Drive-In

Podcast Episode · Yesterday's Indianapolis · March 30 · 18m

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On this date in 1837, an indictment for murder was issued against Thomas Finch, an Irish canal worker who killed a canal contractor during a fight on March 17. This blog post tells the story of Finch, and his ensuing trial. www.class900indy.com/post/murder-...

Murder on the Canal: Calvin Fletcher and the Trial of Thomas Finch

Exploring the trial of Thomas Finch, an Irish immigrant charged with murder while working on the Central Canal in Indianapolis.

class900indy.com

On this day in 1837, along the Central Canal near present-day Butler University, a fight between rival Irish worker groups resulted in the killing of one Michael Sheridan by Thomas Finch. The story of the incident, and Finch’s trial, is explored here: www.class900indy.com/post/murder-...

Murder on the Canal: Calvin Fletcher and the Trial of Thomas Finch

Exploring the trial of Thomas Finch, an Irish immigrant charged with murder while working on the Central Canal in Indianapolis.

class900indy.com

Some streetcar tracks poking through the pavement on Fosters Place, formerly McClean Place, on the near north-side. Nearby is the building which was once known as the McLean Place streetcar barn, where the streetcars were stored and underwent maintenance. (1/2)

My most recent contribution to the Indy Star Retro Indy feature explores the history of the 30th street bridge, constructed during the city’s ‘stone age’ of bridge building. (1/2) www.indystar.com/story/news/h...

Retro Indy: 30th St. bridge lasted 100 years. Now there's a new one

The 30th Street bridge was one of several ornate bridges that spanned Indianapolis' waterways that were built in early 20th century.

indystar.com

Everything but the kitchen sink is being thrown at the Chicago Bears to entice the team to build a stadium in Indiana. But remember when there was an effort to get a Major League Baseball team? www.class900indy.com/post/aiming-...

Aiming High: A Brief History of the Indianapolis Arrows Baseball Team

Exploring the history of the Indianapolis Arrows, and the city's attempt to bring a major league baseball team to Central Indiana.

class900indy.com

Sorry folks, looks like the Marion County Poor Farm talk at the Central Library is postponed for today. I’ll update on the reschedule date asap.

Kicking off season 2 of Yesterday’s Indianapolis with a look at the Fall Creek aqueduct for the Central Canal. Because my mission is to impose my canal knowledge upon everyone. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/y...

The Fall Creek Aqueduct in Indianapolis

Podcast Episode · Yesterday's Indianapolis · February 20 · 29m

podcasts.apple.com