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Featuring more than 200 vintage postcards, Angola and Steuben County captures fleeting images that reflect the interesting and significant scenes of Steuben County's towns and day-to-day activities at the turn of the century. From thriving squares and bustling industries, to pleasant residential and lake areas, these postcards embrace the past and offer a glimpse into the lives and activities of a different era.

The Lincoln family moved from Kentucky, crossing the Ohio River and settling in an area known as Little Pigeon Creek in December 1816. Now known as Lincoln City, the town is just one of several stops on a back roads tour that takes wanderers through many historic sites, representing important moments in the life of a great man. Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, is buried here, and the cabin where his cousin lived and Lincoln spent the night still stands. Those who want to retrace Lincoln's life in southern Indiana can do so easily by following the narrow roads that traverse the 20-mile area where he lived and traveled during those 14 years when he called Indiana home. The people of the region still claim Lincoln as one of their own.

Haunted Hoaxes of the Hoosier State

In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, newspapers were a major source of ghost stories. Paranormal experiences, no matter how mundane, were newsworthy and entertaining—even when they turned out not to be ghosts after all. A coffin holding a “talking corpse” on a train turned out to be a box of bullfrogs. An overturned automobile carrying white paint resulted in a paint-covered “ghost” wandering the streets, and a spiritualist tackled a phantom haunting a cemetery only to find that it was a fraternity pledge all along.

Revealing that the truth can sometimes be as amusing as the legend, author Ashley M. Watson gathers newspaper clippings about Indiana ghost stories that were not ghosts at all.

The river was the lifeblood of the Potawatomi Indians who fished its waters and canoed home to camps along the shores. They were followed by pioneer hunters and trappers lured by plentiful wildlife. Early settlers harnessed the river's energy to run saw- and gristmills. Later the Tippecanoe attracted weekend and summer visitors from the city looking for some quiet fishing and peaceful reflection. Pulaski County was established in 1839. Dotted with quaint towns, family farms, and locally owned businesses and light industry, the county has been shaped by a heritage of hard work, simple pleasures, neighborliness, and a determined self-sufficiency that comes of relative isolation. It is a rich and increasingly rare bucolic prospect--nourished by a vigilant river.

The point at which Trail Creek collides with Lake Michigan has always been a source of pride for the city's residents. However, it was not until 1959 that an agency was created to protect and maintain the city's interests at the lakefront. Michigan City Marinas chronicles the agency's efforts to realize the potential of one of Lake Michigan's most magnificent ports. The people, events, and other government agencies that helped shape the future of the marinas are explored along with the Michigan City Port Authority's tenacious oversight of the resources and facilities that are still in use today.

Postcard photographers traveled the length and breadth of the nation snapping photographs of busy street scenes, documenting local landmarks, and assembling crowds of local children only too happy to pose for a picture. These images, printed as postcards and sold in general stores across the country, survive as telling reminders of an important era in America's history. This fascinating new history of Muncie, Indiana, showcases more than two hundred of the best vintage postcards available.

Take a journey through the history of Pendleton, Indiana with local author David Humphrey.

Named after Thomas Pendleton, one of the town's early settlers, Pendleton, Indiana, was established in 1820. With a ford on Fall Creek, the falls provided waterpower for mills and influenced migration to areas north of Pendleton.

The emergence of natural gas in Madison County led to the establishment of several glass factories, a tile plant, and other manufacturing sites, including the Motsinger Device Manufacturing Company and Fall Creek Cannery. Early entrepreneurs of Pendleton included Thomas McCartney, who built the first mill at the falls; Palmer Patrick, a colorful merchant; and Homer Motsinger, owner of Motsinger Device Manufacturing Company.

After the mills along Fall Creek were removed, the area became known as Pendleton Park, a tourist attraction that brought visitors from surrounding states. Falls Park, as it is known today, remains one of the most picturesque sites in Madison County, Indiana and is a mainstay for the Pendleton community.

With the 200th anniversary of Pendleton on the horizon, the town continues to progress in a positive fashion, while keeping the historical aspect of the community alive.

The Panama Canal was underway and the nation was growing, opening opportunities for those who would dare to dream and turn their hard work into reality. For Thomas J. Armstrong, it was a new position as head keeper of the Michigan City Light Station. This new title offers a glimpse into Michigan City maritime history, from the storm of 1913 that left the lighthouse practically buried in ice, to the capsizing of the Eastland on its way to Michigan City, one of the worst marine disasters in the history of the Great Lakes. The light would guide mariners until its relocation to the Michigan City Lighthouse Museum in 1980, where it is on display today.Michigan City Lighthouse is a collection of over 200 vintage photographs and postcards dated from 1909 through 1920, taken by lighthouse keepers Fred Dykeman, Thomas Martin, and Thomas Armstrong.

The pictures and correspondence in this work come from personal scrapbooks compiled by alumnae while they were students and years after they graduated. They reveal the growth of tradition and memories in the lives of Saint Mary's students over the decades. During the mid- 1930s many women left letters tucked between the stones of the Avenue's front gate each night for the gentleman across the road at Notre Dame. During their senior year in 2004, three best friends turned off the first-floor lights in Le Mans Hall and said goodnight to Sister Madeleva and Mother Angela on their way up to second floor library. These priceless memories capture moments in time that were enjoyed by only a few, but now can be treasured by all.

Throughout the centuries this area has undergone many periods of dramatic change, creating the rich history that is explored in this volume. Author Maxine Kruse has created a fascinating and comprehensive visual record that explores the history of Lawrence County through a vivid combination of over 200 vintage images and captions. Each area within the county offers its own fascinating history. Mitchell was the birthplace of Virgil "Gus" Grissom and famous train robber Sam Bass. Williams is noted for its covered bridge, the longest bridge span still in use. Oolitic was settled by Italian stone mill workers, bringing a taste of Italy to Indiana.

In the 1830s, the earliest settlers traveled routes on foot and via horseback, road cart, ox-drawn wagons, and buckboards, following winding paths in an effort to avoid the swamps.Although hardships and inconveniences were endured, one gentleman described their advantages upon arrival: "The soil of Madison and Penn Township is of inexhaustible fertility and the population is to great extent of vigorous Pennsylvania stock." As early settlers arrived, they cut trees for lumber for their homes and to clear ground for farming. This land became some of the best farmland in the region. As the Wabash Railroad, Lake Shore Railroad, and the Grand Trunk were erected in the towns of Wyatt and Osceola, businesses sprang up, along with schools, churches, grocery stores, sawmills, gristmills, blacksmith shops, post offices, and physicians' offices. The railroads were used to ship lumber and crops, and lumbering continued as waves of settlers built new homes and barns at a rapid pace. As dairy farming spread, creameries were established where farmers could separate their milk and cream--the farmers fed their cattle the skimmed milk, while the cream was made into butter and sold in the local general stores. This area is still some of the best farming ground in St. Joseph County. Through over 180 historical photographs, Penn and Madison Townships captures the rural way of life that has existed in this region for over 160 years. Family, farming, and tradition, the strengths of these small rural centers, are seen in the enclosed history and are still visible in the communities today.

Scientists who lived, worked, or were educated in the Hoosier State have made fundamental contributions to astronomy, biology, chemistry, and physics. Astronomer Vesto Slipher discovered that almost all the galaxies were moving away from our own Milky Way Galaxy. Biologist Alfred Kinsey was a pioneer in the field of human sexuality. Chemist Harold Urey discovered deuterium and worked on the Manhattan Project. And physicist Edward Purcell discovered nuclear magnetic resonance, the basis for MRI, one of the most significant medical advances in a century. Scientists with Indiana connections have also been awarded a dozen Nobel prizes.

Hoosier science teacher Duane S. Nickell offers a glimpse into the lives of seventeen scientific heroes from Indiana.

Photo postcards, originally a quick and inexpensive form of communication, became key documents of South Bend's growth, recording events, businesses, landmarks, and people. Through nearly 200 vintage postcards, this book details South Bend's story from the turn of the 20th century to the aftermath of World War II. These images give a glimpse of lost glamour, representing the city as past generations witnessed it.

With the formation of the state of Indiana and the establishment of Porter County, the area grew rapidly. The natural beauty of Porter County and its scenic freshwater lakes attracted developers who erected several summer resorts around the lake area. Access to these resorts was enhanced by the construction of the interurban electric railroad, which offered visitors easy access to the area's offerings.

Illustrated with over two hundred picture postcards and rare photographs, Vincennes offers a unique view of life in this historic community on the banks of the Wabash River. This unprecedented collection creates a retrospective of Vincennes's history from the early 1900s through the 1960s. Vincennes serves as a kind of time machine for its readers, enabling them to experience the sights and structures of yesteryear. The book's lively commentary combines the images with colorful anecdotes, making this book both entertaining and educational. From photographs documenting its landscape--picturesque views of downtown and shots of Fort Knox and the Clark Memorial--to evocative portraits of townspeople at work and play--at Beesley Grocery or the Pantheon Theatre--this fascinating collection will give older readers a chance to walk Vincennes's streets again, and younger readers a chance to appreciate their rich heritage.

In the early 19th century, as settlers continued moving west towards Indiana, Perry Township and the town of Southport began to form in southern Marion County.

Named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a War of 1812 hero, Perry Township was laid out in 1822 by county commissioners before becoming an independent township in 1824. One of the first to settle in the area, Jacob Smock farmed land near the pioneer town, which later came to be known as Southport. The town was formally established in 1832 - around the same time two notable pioneer settlers, Samuel and Mary Bryan, made the area their home. In 1853, Southport became the first community in the township to be incorporated, and a century later, Southport was one of the only communities in Marion County to remain its own city apart from Indianapolis.

Using an impressive collection of these images, author W.C. Madden takes the reader on an historic journey through Indianapolis from 1890 to 1950, providing a visual history of the development of the city. Indianapolis experienced great growth during the first half of the 20th century, which gave rise to innovative art and architectural structures, many that serve as the subject of postcards featured here. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the Indiana World War Memorial, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Union Station, and Claypool Hotel, to name a few, are all highlighted.

Auburn: The Classic City reveals these stories and much more about this big-impact city with the small-town feel. Once called "Little Detroit," Auburn featured prominently in the automobile era, producing 24 different makes of cars before 1937, a heritage now preserved in its world-class museums. This lush transportation history also earned the town the name "Home of the Classics." Featured here are highlights from this time as well as such tales as the raid on the police department by John Dillinger's gang. Readers journey alongside the persistent people who transformed this community into the DeKalb County seat where the tree-lined streets, historic residences, and beautiful city parks belie the city's illustrious tradition of industry and innovation. In Auburn: The Classic City, more than 100 never-before-published photographs accompany the artful narrative.

The city on a bend of the St. Joseph River soon became an important commercial center for settlers moving west. Eventually, the University of Notre Dame and Studebaker would call the growing community home.

Indianapolis Beer Stories is a time capsule of tales from the city's early taverns, to a pre-Prohibition golden era, to today's modern craft beer scene.

Meet the ghosts of Indy's brewing past. Discover the very beginning of beer in Indiana's new capital and the pioneers who carved a path for a future industry. Uncover the legacy of a bygone brewing giant. Learn how one spontaneous decision to cross the treacherous Rocky Mountains led to a booming craft beer scene in Indiana.

Indiana native Amy Beers, a Certified Cicerone® and owner/operator of Drinking with Beers, leads a heady tour of yesterday and today in Circle City brewing.

More than three hundred breweries have churned out the good stuff for thirsty Hoosiers, and this city-by-city guide gives readers a sample of every spot, allowing time to savor the flavor while sharing the hidden aspects, like the brave and hearty brewers who assisted the Underground Railroad and survived Prohibition. The unmistakable Hoosier personality and spirit shine in the classic labels and advertisements, many of which are displayed here in vibrant color. Join Indiana beer enthusiasts Bob Ostrander and Derrick Morris of hoosierbeerstory.com on a pub crawl through this state's proud beer history.

The food scene in Hamilton County, Indiana sprang from humble roots and evolved into a dynamic culinary community.

Early restaurateurs made modest livings at mom-and-pop joints like Aunt Bea's Chicken in Noblesville and Brown's Drugstore in Carmel. Teen romances bloomed at the Blue Ribbon Dairy Drive-In and Burger Chef. Then Chef Dieter Puska's elegant eatery the Glass Chimney took dining to a whole new level. Local chefs carry on his legacy with new farm-to-table restaurants featuring ingredients from a multitude of growers and farmers' markets. The craft beer scene is booming, too, with exceptional breweries like Four Day Ray, Mashcraft, Books and Brews and Barley Island. Take a trip down memory lane and embark on a modern-day culinary adventure with local food writer Karen Kennedy as she presents the hardworking restaurant owners and culinary superstars who built and continue to grow Hamilton County's vibrant food culture.

Offering a unique historical account using only postcard images, this new book showcases the people, buildings, neighborhoods, schools and events that shaped the region.

For most of the 20th century, the ""Crossroads of America"" was literally at the intersection of U.S. 41 and the National Road, right at the corner of Seventh Street and Wabash Avenue in downtown Terre Haute, Indiana. Although the crossroads has shifted, Vigo County is still a major transportation center perched on the high side of the Wabash River, made famous by songwriter Paul Dresser.

Captured here in over 200 vintage images is the history of Terre Haute and Vigo County, chronicling the area's earliest days all the way through to World War One., including notables Eugene V. Debs, Chauncey Rose, Collett Park, and the 1913 Tornado and Flood.

This book focuses on a more recent time, the years between 1930 and 1960--the period of the Great Depression, the New Deal, World War II, and the post-war years. Fascinating views of stores, clubs, theaters, churches, factories, groceries, and gas stations, many of which are gone or greatly changed, are captured in Vincennes: 1930-1960. Some events in Vincennes remain the same, such as the Fourth of July fireworks display at the Clark Memorial and the high-school homecoming parade, and these images are displayed within these pages as well.

Captured here in more than 220 commercially produced and personal real-photo postcards is a chronicle of the past 100 years in Martinsville (the county seat), Mooresville, Morgantown, Waverly, and other communities that have been imprinted on the local landscape. This visual record showcases the people, neighborhoods, schools, businesses, recreation sites, and events that shaped Morgan County--including the famous mineral water sanitariums, landmark buildings and bridges, favorite fishing holes and resorts, and disasters such as the 1913 flood of the White River.

Because of its location near the Historic Forks of the Wabash, Huntington served as an important transportation hub in the Old Northwest.

Because of its location near the Historic Forks of the Wabash, Huntington served as an important transportation hub in the Old Northwest, and as the years went by, the Wabash & Erie Canal introduced a wide variety of craftsmen and their families to the area until railroads eventually made canal travel obsolete. After the canal boom and bust, railroads and farming dominated Huntington's economy, but textiles, light manufacturing, and limestone quarries populated the landscape—limestone from Indiana was even used to build the Washington Monument in Washington, DC. Additionally, the town is also home to Huntington University, a perennial selection as one of the Midwest's best private colleges.

In May 1835, he planned a new town and named it Ligonier. He built his home a few miles north of town and lived there for 52 years. The next big players were two German Jewish peddlers, Solomon Mier and Frederick William Straus, who traveled to the United States and settled in Indiana. After training with their uncle, they moved to Ligonier around 1854 because they were told the railroad would be coming to Ligonier and that it might be a good place to start up a business. The suggestion led to some wonderful times for Ligonier. Straus developed one of his businesses into the largest farm brokerage firm in the United States, and Mier developed one of his businesses into one of the largest farmland dealers in the Midwest. Images of America: Ligonier explores one of the most unusual small towns in the United States.

In this exciting new volume, collector and author Alan F. Smith shares his postcards and photos of Ripley County, Indiana. These images allow the reader to respect the trials, tribulations, and triumphs experienced by those who lived in Ripley County through the years. The towns and villages featured in this volume, like those in all rural areas, had their favorite saloons, general stores, hotels, churches, homes, and interesting historic landmarks. Fortunately for us, these carefully preserved postcards and photographs provide us with a glimpse into this fascinating past.

Offering a unique visual history of the area through preserved one-cent postcards, this book portrays the socials, events, buildings, homes, and residents of a by-gone era from the towns of DeKalb County, including Corunna, Garrett, Spencerville, St. Joe, Waterloo, and many other small towns and rural areas.

History is made every November in central Indiana when DePauw and Wabash meet to do battle for the Monon Bell.

Relive the classic moments of the oldest college football rivalry of its kind. In this hard-hitting collection, author Tyler James highlights the coaches and players who gained glory capturing the Bell. Deep historical research and personal interviews with players provide an intimate look into the epic games that live on in legend. Along with players and coaches, the fans receive due recognition for their part in this time-honored rivalry. The Bell heists, the songs, the game-day traditions--James recounts fan fervor in vivid, often humorous, detail. Whether readers sport scarlet and white or black and gold, this is a collection no fan should miss.

There have been three county seats and six courthouses. The disagreement-started between settlers from Salisbury and Centerville-was bitterly debated in the Indiana Territory legislature. Although Salisbury was the first county seat, it was moved to Centerville soon after Indiana's ratification as a state, and Salisbury faded into a lost town. For fifty-two years, Centerville maintained power, building two courthouses and a jail, until Richmond asserted its dominance in the state legislature. The struggle for the reins of power in Wayne County was Indiana's longest-running feud, igniting untold amounts of community pride. Join Wayne County historian Carolyn Lafever as she shares this story of conflict and courthouses, from tumultuous beginning to peaceful end.

These are the abhorrent, the grim, the can't-look-away misdeeds and miscreants of this city's past, when bicycle messenger boys peddled through the night to link prostitutes with johns and when the bigoted masses tightened their grip on the city behind mayor and Klansman John Duvall. From the unseemly to the deviant to the disastrous, Hoosier Andrew E. Stoner brings you lives as out of control as the worst wreck at the Indy 500 with a history as regrettable as it is riveting.

Bucolic hamlets or festering cesspools? The fledgling towns of Jay County were touted by early newspapers as both.

As populations thrived, so did crime and disorder. Tempers flared. Romance bloomed and faded. Political and social lines were drawn and crossed. Sensational accounts of robbery, assault, and murder grabbed the headlines. Criminals were hunted by an overworked and undertrained police force. When, and if, they were caught, alleged offenders were tried not only by the judicial system but also by the press and public opinion.

Looking beyond the headlines at the impact of crime on a small community, local author Chris Kennedy Nixon examines criminals and their victims and provides a snapshot in time of social ideals about gender, politics, wealth, and poverty.

The businesses are mostly gone, but these Indiana ads still beckon

Indiana’s vintage brick wall advertisements—also known as ghost signs—still cling to life in small towns like Redkey and Alexandria and big cities like Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. From tobacco ads to early automotive services, these fading layers of paint in Logansport, Gary, Terre Haute, South Bend, and beyond reveal a bygone era of local industry and bold graphic design. Through striking photographs and engaging commentary, author and photographer Joey B. Lax Salinas captures the artistry, history, and resilience of the slowly vanishing landmarks that continue to whisper Indiana’s commercial legacy from weathered walls across the state.

Ghost stories from Indiana’s Haunted Cemeteries have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

Welcome to the spooky cemeteries of Indiana!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that Indiana is home to thousands of cemeteries—many of which are haunted? Like Ewald Cemetery near Bremen, where the sounds of ghostly children echo long into the night. Or Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, where ghostly figures in uniform patrol silently among the graves. But be warned: if you climb the famously haunted staircase at One Hundred Steps Cemetery in Cloverland, a phantom undertaker may show you a terrifying vision that you’ll never forget. 

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Indiana’s Haunted Cemeteries forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

The sun is setting on Northwest Indiana and it's time for families to say "sweet dreams," to their favorite places.

From the shores of Lake Michigan through farmland and cities and towns like Hammond and La Porte and Indiana Dunes and Rensselaer, the Region quietly settles in for a beautiful night.

Noble County boasts small-town charm and attractions all year long.

And ghosts. The county’s only movie theater is patrolled by the well-known manager, who died in 1995. Two of the highest hills in the state are haunted, one after a hanging and another because of a murder immortalized by Indiana’s poet laureate. The sprawling Kneipp Sanitarium received a visit from the Virgin Mary herself and became a battleground of good versus evil. Former residents of the county poor farm still roam the building. Then there’s the “Thing in the Basement.”

Join authors and historians Mark and Emily Hunter as they tour the dark and spooky corners of Noble County.

Sometimes the coolest places are right outside your front door.

Learning about Indianapolis's interesting and unique culture has never been so super fun!

It was impossible for George Rapp to realize the events he would set into motion when he purchased 20,000 acres of land on the Wabash River in 1814 and subsequently sold it to social reformer Robert Owen ten years later. This simple community came to have an immense impact on our country's art and architecture, public education system, women's suffrage movement, Midwestern industrial development, and more. This book contains over 150 historic images produced by two 19th-century New Harmony photographers--Homer Fauntleroy and William Frederick Lichtenberger. These photographs show historic buildings of New Harmony, many of which have been razed over the years. They also demonstrate the importance of the Wabash River and its influence on settlement and commerce. The people of the community are captured at work and at play, and the reader is allowed a look at the downtown business district of the past and the farms surrounding it.

Lanesville became a town on December 11, 1817--exactly one year after Indiana became a state. The town grew as people built businesses with the abundant resources that were available. Meanwhile, Franklin Township was developing into one of the best farming communities in the southern part of the state. Farmers took great pride in their homesteads, and many families still farm the land that gave life to so many generations before them. They worshiped in their churches, they built the schools that educated their children, and they prospered.

Indianapolis Social Clubsprovides nearly 200 rare vintage photographic memories that capture the heart, soul, and history of the clubs.

More than banquet halls, golf courses, and swimming pools, social clubs were a haven for businessmen, politicians, and community leaders, offering respite from public scrutiny.

Defining Indianapolis, the clubs were stoic agents of power and segregation, providing clear historical snapshots of Hoosier pomp and circumstance. The clubs did more than produce Olympic swimmers, world-class golfers, and tennis professionals; they were Indianapolis's multigenerational playgrounds. There were the politics and business dealings at the Columbia Cluband the Indianapolis Athletic Club, the golfing, tennis, and formality of Woodstock, Meridian Hills, and other country clubs, and the family fun in the sun at Riviera, Devon, and Olympia. These organizations offered more than magical summers with family and friends; they were the places to be seen

Colonel Abel Pepper, who oversaw the removal of the Native Americans in the 1830s, was influential in the establishment of the new county. As a citizen of Rising Sun, he and his wife donated land and money to the building of the courthouse. The courthouse, built in 1844, is the oldest courthouse in continuous use in Indiana. This photographic documentation of Ohio County, Indiana, covers the years at the close of the 1800s to the present. Rising Sun, the county's seat, was home to J.W. Whitlock, a name familiar to many raceboat fans. Included are photographs of Whitlock and his famous Hoosier Boy, the Empire House Hotel, the 1937 flood, the electric chair made by Smith Riggs, and the steamboats Cincinnati and Louisville seen daily at the turn of the twentieth century. Also featured is the Laughery Club, located on an island in the Ohio River. Though small, Ohio County could throw a big party as demonstrated by the 1940 and 1950s regattas, and the 1964 sesquicentennial of the founding of Rising Sun.

Plainfield, Indiana was settled by Quakers in the early 1800s. Explore the town's past in images of the old town and its development.

In 1820, abolitionist Quakers from North Carolina settled in Plainfield, Indiana. These early settlers provided the foundation for Plainfield's rich heritage, which has evolved into today's diverse blend of residents. In 1832, Levi Jessup and Elias Hadley platted the town of Plainfield with 64 lots straddling the National Road. The record of the first lot sold is dated May 2, 1833--much has happened since that day. Images of America: Plainfield presents a visual journey into Plainfield's past through nostalgic images of early downtown buildings, the Indiana Boys' School, the railroad, schools, churches, and much more.

Located 50 miles from downtown Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan, Portage Township has emerged as a growing residential, commercial, and industrial center. Portage became a town in 1959 and attained city status in 1967, but the region's history begins with the indigenous Wey Indians of the 1700s and the Potowotamie, whose land was sold in 1834. Pioneers then settled the land alongside immigrants. For many generations Portage has offered a new beginning to those who sought work, political asylum, or simply a better life.

The story begins in 1794, when evidence points to the first black inhabitant of Fort Wayne. The first known, free black in the area was identified in 1809. During the early part of the 1800s, Indiana state funds partially financed a movement to send Indiana blacks to Liberia. Few left, and those who remained worked diligently to make Fort Wayne their own. The fruits of their labor can be partially seen in the development of the first black church, Turner Chapel A.M.E., which was started in 1849 and has been a pillar of the community since its completion. A migration of African Americans from the south, due to industrialization, greatly increased the population from 1913 through 1927, and new churches, organizations, and opportunities were developed. Today, the black community in Fort Wayne is rightfully proud of its extensive past.

What had once been an ancient shoreline of Lake Michigan, mired with swamp and sand dunes, is today the town of Dyer, Indiana.

Dyer’s history consists of the old Sauk Trailturned-highway, strong-willed and hardworking visionaries such as Aaron Hart who drained the swamps and created farmlands, entrepreneurs who developed the early businesses and established Dyer as a town in 1910, and events such as the arrival of the locomotive and automobile that altered the lives of its citizens and shaped Dyer into the populated and bustling town it is today. From a sleepy farming community to a distant suburb of Chicago, the town of Dyer has a history both rich in its own right and very much tied to American history.

In Images of America: Dyer, one will see how a small American town unique to its geological location is impressed onto the land and how influences by events unfolding beyond its borders can help create, and sometimes jeopardize, its identity. Through the photographic collection of the Dyer Historical Society, Dyer's history unfolds in a beautiful latticework of visuals and text combined.

The honesty of the voices within this illuminating oral history will draw you into the Grant County of yesteryear, and leave you feeling as if you were really there.

There's a story that goes like this . . . So begins Delores Betts, one of the dozens of people whose memories and recollections of African-American life in Grant County over the past century and a half are preserved within what may well be the most intriguing and inspiring history you will ever read. We invite you to join Barbara Stevenson and the dozens of others in this delightful journey back in time. It is an experience that we promise you will never forget.

Native Americans were first attracted to the area because of the abundance of springs along the classic little stream called Brook Bezor. From 1870 to 1921, Spiceland was known for its Friends (Quaker) Academy. The Spiceland Sanitarium also attracted visitors from all over the country. In pre-Civil War days, the township was a prominent station on the Underground Railroad. Spiceland Academy (later Spiceland High School) turned out a number of outstanding graduates, including playwrights, lyricists, inventors, entrepreneurs, authors, and college presidents. Spiceland's Draper Inc. is the largest factory of its kind in the United States and the largest industry in Henry County.

It had repercussions throughout the nation as the first major war of AM radio versus FM radio. It was Forty-fives versus album cuts and the "good guys" versus the "bad boys"--and Naptown would never be the same. Two brilliant and fierce broadcasting competitors went head to head: Richard Fairbanks, who for almost two decades owned WIBC-AM 1070, the 50,000-watt radio behemoth, versus Don Burden, the young upstart broadcasting impresario who swaggered into town and launched the glitzy, promotion-oriented though relatively low-powered WIFE-AM 1310. How was the war fought? What were the strategies? Who were the personalities both in the limelight and behind the scenes? And who, in the end, would win Naptown's rock radio wars?

It extends from the Indiana Dunes that line the shore and continues south, to the rolling hills of the Valparaiso Moraine. The township is home to four incorporated towns, the Burns Harbor Plant of Bethlehem Steel, and two large expanses of public land--the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and the Indiana Dunes State Park. Westchester Township tells the story of the people who settled the township and those who contributed to its growth and transformation into a vigorous and diverse community. The photographs date from the early 1850s through the early 1960s, focusing primarily on the period from the 1880s to the 1940s. The majority of the images were drawn from the files of the Chesterton Tribune, which has served Westchester Township and the surrounding area since 1884. Additional pictures were kindly loaned by a variety of local citizens and institutions.