Indiana

Located on the White River just north of Indianapolis, Noblesville grew from rural beginnings, changing as businesses and industry moved into the area, which was encouraged by the discovery of natural gas. This book documents the history, community life, and growth of Noblesville using stories and photographs collected from local residents, historians, church archives, the Hamilton County Historical Society, and the Hamilton East Public Library. These photographs bring the daily life of this Midwest community vividly into view.

A major river port, Madison thrived during the steamboat era as well as when railroads came to dominate the landscape. The city's glorious past is still on display. Many magnificent edifices dating back to eras from the beginning of the 1800s to the early 20th century provide wonderful examples of Federal, Greek Revival, and Italianate architecture. The National Register of Historic Places lists over 133 Madison blocks, making it Indiana's largest historic district. To stroll along the main streets of Madison, to follow the river as it meanders past the town, or to visit the restored railroad station, now home to the Jefferson County Historical Society, is to follow the paths of history. Very few cities in America can boast such centuries-old splendor.

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.

Using first-hand personal accounts and public documents, German Settlers of South Bend illustrates the lives of these pioneer immigrants and their growing city. The material has been collected from a large number of sources on both sides of the Atlantic, including more than 200 German letters from the 1840s to the 1870s that provide glimpses into the day-to-day lives of these early settlers and their families back in Germany. Descendants of immigrants from all over the United States and Germany have come forward with genealogies, stories, and pictures, providing a far-reaching portrait of the times.

Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2018.

Begun in 1918 as the Eastern Division of the Indiana State Normal School, Ball State remained a branch campus of Indiana State until 1929 when it became Ball State Teachers College, Indiana's fourth public institution of higher education. In 1965 the teachers college became Ball State University. Throughout its history, Ball State's distinguishing characteristic has been the positive interactions between students, faculty, and members of the community. This book will show how these interactions have worked out at Ball State in the classroom, on the athletic field, and in social organizations such as student government, fraternities, sororities, and clubs throughout the region. The book will also show how the members of the Ball family have played a major role in the growth and development of the university.

Countless manufacturing centers in northern Indiana strengthened the economic fabric of Hoosier land. The railroads that criss-crossed northern Indiana were instrumental in populating the small towns and larger cities by employing thousands over the course of many years. Through photographs of depots, freight houses, and other railroad structures, long demolished yet an integral part of community development, Railroad Depots of Northern Indiana reviews the history of the cities and towns that used the rail to transport raw materials and finished manufactured products across the state to markets such as Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. This book also tells the story of a short line railroad and the commodities it has transported for the past century, as well as the longest-existing interurban, still operating just south of Lake Michigan, the resilient South Shore Line.

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.

From time to time, however, the river lashes out at those who inhabit its shores. The frigid waters of winter and early spring sometimes swallow the city, leaving mud, disease, and devastation in their wake. The more than two hundred images featured in Jeffersonville, Indiana tell the city's tale from the earliest days of settlement, through the boom days of the late 19th century, and on to the tragedy of the Great Flood in 1937. Those who observed the bawdy days of Jeffersonville's marriage parlors, gambling halls, and saloons called the city "Little Chicago." Those who marveled at the diversity of its religious establishments called it the "City of Churches." Citizens of Jeffersonville enjoyed its nightlife on Saturday and filled its pews on Sunday, but have never failed to work hard throughout the week.

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.

Today, through the efforts of the Fort Wayne community and the Headwaters Flood Control and Park project, the area has been transformed into one of the most forward thinking city park projects in the country, providing a home for many area festivals and a beautiful addition to the downtown landscape of Fort Wayne.

The land was sold to the U.S. in 1832, and in 1836, Porter County was formed when the area was separated from LaPorte County. The new county was named in honor of Comdr. David Porter, who played a significant role in the War of 1812 at the Battle of Valparaiso, Chile. The county seat was named Portersville. In 1837, Portersville was proudly renamed Valparaiso, which literally means "vale of paradise," to further honor Commodore Porter. In Valparaiso, Indiana: Looking Back, Moving Forward author Lanette Mullins chronicles the history and development of the city, with its small-town charm, in over 200 vintage images. The book features photographs of the historic homes that grace the city streets, the famous individuals who walked them, the influential history of Valparaiso University, and the cultural institutions throughout the city.

This strategic location brought development and prosperity to Zionsville as people traveling through Indiana stopped to discover the distinctive flair of this small but industrious community. Local historian Joan Praed Lyons depicts the spirit of a town in which a rousing game of donkey softball raised money for a new park and neighbors formed bucket brigades when fires broke out. In this delightful collection of vignettes, Lyons brings new life to Zionsville's history through her engaging and meticulously researched prose.

During those years, this region of 26 counties, from which Indiana and much of the Old Northwest had developed a century before, was in transition toward consumerism and mass culture, as symbolized by automobiles, road-building, movies, radio, and popular magazines. Southern Indiana celebrated the state's centennial; political progressivism in the era contributed to, among other things, prohibition and women's suffrage. Americans for the first time sent young men off to war in Europe. The vintage photographs included in this book, culled from 20 private and public collections, are representative of southern Indiana. They show people at work, at play, in worship and school, in clubs and organizations, in travel, and at war. Most have never before been published. Once the most populous section of the state, the area o the south became much less so. Culturally--especially in the woods, hills, and valleys of the un-glaciated center of the district--southern Indiana retained its upper South character. It remained largely rural and agricultural. Most settlements were isolated and small; many communities had been losing popularity and people because of hard times on the farm and the appeal of larger cities.

Terre Haute might seem like a quiet river town, but the ghosts of the city's past ensure that things never grow too quiet!

From the ghost of a green-eyed bulldog to a mausoleum phone, the town's cemeteries are a playground for those who have passed on to the other side. The spirits of children haunt the site of the former Glenn Home, where they once lived. The restless spirit of a girl who passed before her time lingers in a local salon, and the apparition of a faceless nun still wanders the hallowed halls of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. The former Condit residence has a long history of premature deaths, while the Preston House held its own secrets within its now vanished walls. Join tour guide and paranormal investigator Ashley Hood on a tour of Terre Haute's spectral history.

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.

With this glimpse into Beverly Shores' past, readers of all ages will delight in discovering the unique heritage of this town in northwestern Indiana. From developer Frederick Bartlett's introduction of the Mediterranean Revival style of architecture, to Robert Bartlett's most enduring publicity stunt of buying pieces of the 1933-34 Chicago World's Fair and stationing them in the town, this architectural study includes nearly 200 vintage images of the evolution of this suburban dunes resort community.

Although it began as a highly restricted resort community with the largest man-made ski jump in North America, it became a middle-class residential community after 1945. Because of its proximity to Gary and Chicago, Ogden Dunes was also a battleground between the forces that wished to conserve the dunes and those that pushed for industrializing them. Alice Gray, Diana of the Dunes; Dorothy Buell, who led the fight to create a national park; and Dale Messick, the creator of comic strip Brenda Starr: Girl Reporter were important members of the community. Over the years, Ogden Dunes has provided a creative and supportive environment for children and adults, especially those with artistic talents and interests.

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.

Since the end of the American Revolution, Native Americans, pioneer farmers, industrialists and factory workers settled across the county in hamlets, villages and towns of all sizes.

Nearly one hundred distinct settlements existed in what we now call Delaware County. Some of these communities survived the ebb and flow of history to prosper, while others disappeared, becoming lost in the collective memory. Today, many residents would only recognize the city of Muncie and the towns of Albany, Daleville, Eaton, Gaston, Selma and Yorktown. A few might know of villages such as Desoto, New Burlington, Smithfield and Wheeling. Most have probably never heard of Dogtown, Gate's Corner, Granville and Soccum. Drawing on years of research, local historian Chris Flook uncovers the stories of these lost towns.

Join local historian Tim Crumrin as he reveals the blackguards, rogues and swindlers of Terre Haute's rough and rowdy past.

For more than a century, Terre Haute earned its reputation as a sin city. One of the most notorious red-light districts in the Midwest, the West End, housed sixty brothels and nearly one thousand prostitutes at its height in the 1920s. Across this sordid scene strode the stylish and indomitable Edith Brown, the city's most famous madam. When Prohibition made the city bootlegger central, violence erupted as rival gangs vied for turf. Gamblers flooded in from all corners of the country, making Terre Haute's Wire Room second only to Las Vegas. Through it all, corrupt politicians like Mayor Donn Roberts profited handsomely from grift and deception.

From the jail cell that once held John Dillinger to quaint shops with dark beginnings, the restless spirits of Crown Point purportedly result from a century-old hex.

Legend had it that a caravan of gypsies found themselves unfairly exiled from town. Forced to leave their beloved dead behind in unmarked graves, they invoked a venomous curse on the townspeople and vowed that no ancestor would be allowed eternal peace. Paranormal researcher Judith Tometczak exposes evidence of this deceptively quiet town's dark side.

When it became evident that the new road would cut across his Henry County, Indiana, farm, early settler Waitstill Munson Cary hired national road surveyor Jonathan Knight in 1827 to plat the tiny town and then named the community after Knight. Over the years, Knightstown's prosperity in many ways has paralleled the ups and downs of travel and transportation along the Historic National Road, also known as U.S. Highway 40. This collection of vintage images traces Knightstown's journey from a settlement on the west bank of the Big Blue River to a close-knit community bound by family and priding itself on a history of education, architecture, and of course, Hoosier basketball.