Featured Stories
Kokomo Opalescent Glass
Beautiful glass has an almost inexplicable magical quality whether it’s a bowl, a sculpture, or a window. The way glass seems to capture the sun holds our attention. Making it though is a dangerous, energy-intensive process. Commercial glass…
Racing in the Velodrome
The open air cycling track, or velodrome, before you is named for Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor. In 1899, Taylor, a renowned cyclist and world record holder from Indianapolis, became the second African American world champion athlete. Celebrated…
Bloomington Residence of Collett and Vertis Johnson
Hoagy Carmichael's songs and musical style were heavily influenced by the Black musicians he heard in the jazz clubs of Indianapolis and at the socials he frequented at the homes of Black friends in Bloomington. One was the 1920s home of Collett…
Take a Tour
Indiana Government
13 Locations ~ Curated by Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and ArchaeologySpirit, Place, and Industry: Madison County at the Turn of the Century
7 Locations ~ Curated by Anderson Public LibraryOrigins of Statehood: Indiana in the Early 1800's
21 Locations ~ Curated by Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and ArchaeologyFreedom Bound: Eliza Harris's Escape North
10 Locations ~ Curated by The Levi and Catharine Coffin Historic SiteRandom Stories
Canal Fever: Indianapolis Central Canal
You now stand on White River Trail at the southern point of the canal. In 1836 the canal was meant to be a pathway that would feed goods into and out of Indianapolis, much like today’s major railroads or interstates. Today the canal is a popular…
Gary Bathing Beach Aquatorium
Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Gary Bathing Beach Aquatorium is an architectural blend of the Neoclassical and Prairie styles. This two-story, cast concrete and reinforced steel building was designed by Chicago architect George Maher in…
Natural Gas Well Drilled in Kokomo
The use of natural gas as fuel goes back to the 1820s, but its real value didn’t become apparent until the 1880s. The discovery of a gas reserve in Pennsylvania revolutionized the steel and glass manufacturing industries there in the 1870s and…
Studebaker Clubhouse
In 1926, Studebaker Corporation purchased several farmsteads to construct a proving ground. They built a clubhouse, 8 miles of roadway, and engineering building, and garages on the property. Studebaker also started a major reforestation project with…
Porter Pool Bathhouse
The Porter Pool Bathhouse is one of several examples of Art Deco architecture in Shelbyville. Designed by D.A. Bohlen in 1930, the bathhouse was paired with a public pool that was managed by the American Legion from 1930-1955. At that point the…
Washington Park Zoo
Washington Park started in 1891 as a greenspace along Lake Michigan. The Park was a recreation destination and popular place for company picnics out of Chicago. In 1913 the South Shore Amusement Company operated a dance floor, skating rink, bath…
Discover Indiana
A project by Discover IndianaDiscover Indiana has been made possible by a Public Projects grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Its development has been previously funded by the Public History Program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, the Indiana Historical Society, Indiana Humanities, and Indiana Landmarks. Discover Indiana gratefully acknowledges their support of for this project.
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