Business & Economics

Downtown Gary: Millrats, Politics, and US Steel provides a glimpse of the Gary of yesteryear when downtown was the social, cultural, and political center of the community.

Before the era of gigantic shopping malls, big-box stores, and online shopping, the commercial centers of major American cities were located in areas often referred to as downtown. From the 1920s through the 1960s, people from throughout the Calumet Region flocked to the Steel City's popular stores, theaters, and restaurants by car, bus, and the South Shore Railroad. For many, Gordon's, Lytton's, Sears, and Goldblatt's bring back memories of window-shopping, making layaway plans, visiting Santa, and being asked May I help you? by courteous employees. Downtown Gary: Millrats, Politics, and US Steel provides a look at the stores, politics, churches, schools, and of course, United States Steel Corporation and the millrats of forgotten Gary.

In 1912, the Hammond Times boasted of available 10-, 20-, and 40-acre tracts located on the Ridge Road. That newspaper piece helped sell these tracts as part of a developing area that had an agriculture base but was also part of a region on the verge of joining the Industrial Revolution. The announcement's predictions rang true and, in a sense, told of the development of a town called Highland, Indiana. In the beginning, the town had its agricultural roots with it farms, open spaces, and prairies. As the steel mills along Lake Michigan grew into a major manufacturing hub and American society modernized, Highland evolved. The once developing turn-of-the-20th-century small town became a more urban and populated center. This book will show how Highland became one of the largest and most vibrant towns in Indiana.

Noblesville's transformation from small town to one of Indiana's largest cities is a fascinating story. From the earliest settlers struggling for survival on Horseshoe Prairie in 1819 through the heady times of the 1880s Gas Boom era to today, the city thrived with uncommon personalities and landmark events.  Discover the stories of former slave Reverend Barney Stone, daredevil Earl Lucky Teter and renowned fashion designer Norman Norell. Delve into the account of the Great Flood of 1913 and the origin of the nation's first independent telephone company. Join authors Paula Dunn and Nancy A. Massey on a journey through Noblesville's unique history.

Wolf and Dessauer documents the rich and interesting history of this chain of department stores.

Remember how it used to be at W&D? From its humble beginnings as a dry goods store in 1896, Wolf and Dessauer grew to provide customers with revolutionary services and previously unheard of amenities: personal shoppers, in-store models, escalators, an open-air French café and the magical Christmas WanDerland--home to Santa and his precious elf, Wee Willie WanD. Join Jim and Kathie Barron on this glorious return to one of the most progressive department stores in history. Relax in the tearoom with one of Edith Goodyear's California Dream Bars, don elegant couture from around the world and luxuriate in this remembrance of a beloved Fort Wayne icon.

Local author Jane Simon Ammeson leads a tasty tour of historic Region restaurants.

A wonderful diversity of flavors has defined Northwest Indiana as a dining destination from its early days to the present. Now almost a century old, Teibel's pan-fried fish carries on the tradition of "perch palaces'? like the now lost Phil Smidt's. Pierogis have been a staple at the Cavalier for decades. So great was the demand for frog legs at Vogel's that they used to raise their own. The same dish has remained on the menu at the Town Club since opening in 1947. Serving Northwest Indiana-style, crisped-edge hamburgers, Miner-Dunn and Schoops both survived the onslaught of fast food chains and continue on today.

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.

Crack open a bottle of Champagne Velvet and dive into the first complete history of brewing in Indiana, where the beer history is as old as the state itself.

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.

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.

The three things needed for the defense of a nation and its people are honest, resolute leaders; brave military service members; and a dedicated industry that can provide the proper tools needed to keep citizens safe from harm. Ever since the very beginning of the United States' existence, businesses have devoted countless amounts of time and effort to design, engineer, and produce the weapons and systems that the men and women of the armed forces need for protecting the country. A substantial part of America's "Arsenal of Democracy" has been centered in and around South Bend, Indiana. The Studebaker Company produced thousands of wagons for the Union army during the Civil War, plus trucks, aircraft engines, and more for later conflicts. Today, its descendant AM General Corporation produces tactical wheeled vehicles, including the renowned Humvee in all its many variations, for the United States and its allies. Honeywell Corporation has a long and colorful history in South Bend as well, while many smaller companies answered the call to produce military equipment for the armies of freedom.