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But Speedway is more than a town that surrounds the most famous automobile racing track in the world. The city is proud of its quality schools, and residents have prospered from the businesses in the area. Civic pride runs strong through this community where generations of families have remained in the same neighborhoods, and sometimes in the same house.

A visual history of South Bend, Indiana by author, photographer and local resident Day Marnon Danielson. Perfect for fans of South Bend and Indiana history.

The land now called St. Joseph County was familiar ground to Native Americans long before recorded history. Many Indians, including the local Potawatomie and Miami, trod the well-worn path that offered a two-mile portage between the St. Joseph River (and Lake Michigan) to the Kankakee River and eventually the Mississippi River. Pierre F. Navarre built a log cabin beside the St. Joseph River in 1820, and began a settlement that would eventually become South Bend and Mishawaka in St. Joseph County.

The over 200 vintage images in this book, drawn from St. Joseph County and Mishawaka as well as South Bend, look back at the commerce, industry, and businesses like Studebaker, Ball Band, Singer, and Bendix, which grew on the rich resources of the area. Education was a high priority for early settlers, and they established one-room schoolhouses and Notre Dame University. The photographs show public places, buildings, and servants, some long gone, others that are still with us today. And of course, there are pictures of the people, the homes they built, and the activities they enjoyed in their northern Indiana home.

The city of Bloomington and Indiana University were linked from the start, grew together and still share joys and sorrows 180 years after their founding.

The many vintage photographs in this pictorial history bring to life both historical ambiance and transformation in town and gown from the late 1800s to the present. When Monroe County was organized in southern Indiana in 1818, hilly, thickly-wooded Bloomington became the county seat. The first courthouse was a log cabin, and 30 families made up the town. Six years later, when Bloomington's population had increased to 500, Indiana's first public institution of higher learning opened with 10 students and a single professor. It would grow to become Indiana University, and start building its present campus in 1884. Bloomington prospered during these decades through the presence of IU, as many as 40 industries, and its growing production of limestone. The town's Beaux Arts courthouse building (1907) and IU's wooded central campus form Bloomington's signature twin landmarks. Around them lie many distinctive neighborhoods, a now-extensive campus with Big Ten sports arenas, and a picturesque countryside that draws bicyclists from across the nation.

Part of Belt's city anthology series, a reconsideration of one of America's most misunderstood cities.

Is Indianapolis just another midwestern city to fly over on the way to bigger and better destinations? Or is it, as locals know, a place where different peoples and ideals converge to create a rich cultural center? The Indianapolis Anthology showcases Naptown's vibrancy and diversity with pieces from journalists, poets, historians, established community voices, and first-time writers. The Circle City is more than the home of the Indianapolis 500, John Dillinger, Kenneth Babyface Edmonds, Kurt Vonnegut, Prozac, and Wonder Bread. In these pages, you'll find:

- lawn chairs in the beds of pick-ups

- Punk rock in Naptown

- suffragists and entrepreneurs

- cement pietàs

- dog bakeries and yoga studios

- red brick bungalows and war memorials

- steakburgers and Mexican seafood; pho and sauerbraten.

In other words, you'll find images from a city that is truly a cross section of today's America. Edited by Norman Buzz Minnick and with contributions from Etheridge Knight, Terrance Hayes, Michael Martone, and Karen Kovacik.

An insiders' look that will make you see a great midwestern city in a brand-new light.

Cruise down Indiana's ""road that built the nation"" and delve into its history and beauty told through hundreds of images.

The Indiana National Road Association works to preserve, protect, and promote the Historic National Road. This byway is designated an All-American Road through the National Scenic Byways program and traverses six states from Baltimore, Maryland, to East St. Louis, Illinois. The road began as a primary route west for pioneers, and today the byway allows travelers to explore the American past--it is truly ""the road that built the nation."" This volume continues the story that began on the eastern leg of Indiana's Historic National Road, inviting readers to complete their photographic journey westward from Indianapolis to Terre Haute. These images document the people and stories that are part of the National Road's heritage, and it is hoped this book will encourage advocacy for the protection of important heritage resources.

From its humble beginnings as a place to swim and row a boat, Ideal Beach eventually became Indiana Beach, a small amusement park where families could have good old-fashioned fun.

Founded by Earl Spackman in 1926, its popularity was bolstered by the addition of a dance hall that drew the top bands of the nation during the Depression and war years of the 1940s. When Earl passed away, his son Tom continued his legacy, setting Indiana Beach on a course that would make it one of the most popular vacation resorts and amusement parks in the entire Midwest, delighting nearly one million visitors every year.

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.

Founded in 1842 by David Foster, a frontier trader, Kokomo has since become the home to many of the nation's most influential inventions. From the birthplace of the automobile to the introduction of stainless steel and the development of canned tomato juice, Kokomo has been a leader in ingenuity, earning its nickname, the "City of Firsts." In this collection of reminiscent images, Kokomo, Indiana illustrates the charming history of an area which has developed from a small community to what is now one of the largest cities in Indiana. The book is an exploration of the city's streets and a stroll through the history of its growing neighborhoods, tracing the fascinating past of a bygone age.

Once known as the "Main Street of America," the Lincoln Highway route was established across northern Indiana in 1913, linking larger cities--Fort Wayne, Elkhart, Goshen, South Bend, LaPorte, and Valparaiso--to smaller communities. Most Lincoln Highway towns renamed their main streets Lincolnway in recognition of the nation's first coast-to-coast auto road. When the Lincoln Highway Association shortened the route in 1926, the route linked Fort Wayne to Columbia City, Warsaw, and Plymouth, giving the state two Lincoln Highway routes. From Fort Wayne to the famous Ideal Section, between Dyer and Schererville, Indiana's Lincolnway towns remain proudly connected to Lincoln Highway history. Through vintage photographs, postcards, advertisements, and other historical records, this armchair tour of the highway visits sites favored by early tourists, documents the people and places that made the highway a vital corridor, and celebrates Hoosier Carl Fisher's leadership in the formation of the Lincoln Highway Association, as well as the people who work to preserve its legacy today.

Part of Belt's City Anthology Series. A strong series of personal essays, historical exploration, nature writing, and photography. ... Love's anthology gathers [Gary's] resilience without shying away from the city's hard realities.―Chicago Review of Books

Once the second-largest city in Indiana, and home to the world's largest steel mill, Gary has suffered greatly in the postindustrial global economy. Population numbers now approach pre-Great Depression lows. Large swathes of its land are urban prairie, and a recent survey found a quarter of its built environment is in a dilapidated or dangerous condition. But Gary is also a national center of Black culture and political power. It is home to the Indiana Dunes National Park and globally rare ecosystems. Union, community organizing, and environmental justice struggles there have profoundly shaped social and political life in the United States.

Edited by Samuel A. Love, The Gary Anthology's contributors include essayists, poets, and journalists, but also graffiti writers, ministers, activists, organizers, and steel workers. Their insights into the city complicate our simplified narratives about violence and urban decay, offering readers the chance to hear from those who are reshaping the city from the bottom up.

A nuanced look of a city that is full of everyday joys and tragedies and a vibrant rebuke to stale notions that Gary is dead.

The city's harbor and the arrival of the railroad brought new industry, from the manufacture of rail cars to glassmaking and flour mills. Michigan City even pitted itself against Chicago in a race to become the major port on Lake Michigan. The early twentieth century saw a rise in tourism as lakefront attractions sprang up. Excursionists arrived by boat and train for bathing, shooting galleries, a merry-go-round and roller coaster, and the Oasis Ballroom. As a result of the city's dune preservation efforts in the 1960s and 1970s, the city continues as a haven for water sports and a resort for Chicagoans and others in the Midwest.

Images of America: Gary's Glen Park looks back at the southern neighborhood of Steel City from its birth to the early 1970s.

America's Big Steel gave birth to Gary in 1906, when the United States Steel Corporation established a plant in Indiana along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The new city on the lake attracted thousands of job seekers from the coalfields and factories in the East to far-off lands in southern and eastern Europe. As they settled in Gary, immigrant groups established communities, built churches and schools, and instilled in their children the values of hard work, strong faith, and cultural traditions. Each chapter in Gary's Glen Park looks at a specific part of this southern neighborhood's history, such as the neighborhood, local businesses, memorable events, and people. Other chapters focus on the foundations of any community: the churches and schools.

A vibrant community of artists, watermen, entrepreneurs, educators, and spiritual leaders left a legacy well worth preserving.

Nestled in northeastern Indiana's Kosciusko County, Syracuse and its two lakes, Lake Wawasee and Syracuse Lake, became a popular area both for industry and tourism following the completion of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1874. What had been a quiet fisherman's paradise developed quickly, as hotels, restaurants, and merchants sprang up to meet the growing demand of residents and visitors. Pharmaceutical manufacturer Col. Eli Lilly helped establish the first sailing club on Lake Wawasee, and Chicago-based mobsters in Al Capone's crime syndicate ran gambling operations. Upscale hotels attracted the wealthy and influential, while ambitious locals made Syracuse a competitive industrial presence in the state, nurtured innovative boat builders, and supported a strong foundation of schools and churches.

Jerry Davich explores the remnants of Gary's glory days, from Union Station to City Methodist Church.

A poster child for our nation's urban experimentation a century ago, Gary was forged with hype and hope, dreams and sweat, political agendas and tons of steel. The hardscrabble city attracted all kinds, from shady scoundrels and famous architects to hardworking immigrants and brilliant entrepreneurs. Boasting 180,000 residents at its peak, the booming melting pot eventually faded away under the afflictions of urban decay, racial unrest and political upheaval.  Revisit the Sheraton Hotel's demise, Emerson High School's hard lessons, Vee-Jay Records' last release and a devastated downtown filled only with façades and fond memories.

From being known as The Heathen Town Four Miles Away to becoming a booming factory town, discover Anderson, Indiana through the centuries.

The city of Anderson is named after Chief William Anderson, whose Indian name was Kikthawenund, meaning making a noise or causing to crack. Early settlers referred to the area as Anderson Town, while the Moravian missionaries called it The Heathen Town Four Miles Away. It later became Anderstown before the Indiana State Legislature shortened the name to Anderson in 1844. In the spring of 1887, natural gas was discovered in the city. Several industries came to the area, leading to a population explosion. Anderson soon became a factory town, with General Motors building plants throughout the city. The success of the automobile factories attracted entrepreneurs and made Anderson the economic center of Madison County. From the 1940s through the 1970s, downtown Anderson had its share of family-owned businesses as well as national chain stores like J.C. Penney, Sears & Roebuck, and Montgomery Ward. Today, it remains filled with a rich heritage and continues to grow in a new economic market.

An early aviator, Chicagoan Octave Chanute, glided his aircraft over the dunes almost 10 years before the Wright brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk, and botanist Henry Chandler Cowles studied plant succession in Miller Woods, now part of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Like its citizens, Miller Beach's architecture is diverse, with historic park buildings designed by George W. Maher: the Marquette Park Pavilion and the Gary Bathing Beach Bathhouse, recently renovated as a museum that honors Chanute and the Tuskegee Airmen. Miller Beach contains other historic structures: Miller Town Hall dates to 1911, the old railroad depot houses a restaurant, the 1910 Miller School is home to a community arts group, and Ayers Realtors remains in its 1926 building. Miller Beach is now a part of Gary, Indiana, and the draw of the beach remains a timeless part of its past, present, and future.

Early settler William Smith chose a ridge with a commanding view, and Corydon was founded at the thriving population center of the Indiana Territory.

Located at the confluence of Big and Little Indian Creeks, Smith was comfortably settled around 1800. Territorial governor William Henry Harrison was a frequent guest, giving his name to the county that was later established. Corydon eclipsed Clarksville to become the territorial capital when the Illinois Territory was cut away in 1813, leaving the previous capital at Vincennes on the extreme western boundary of the Indiana Territory. Indiana became the 19th state on December 11, 1816. In 1827, William Holmes McGuffey (of McGuffey's Readers fame) recommended William Porter for headmaster of the Corydon Seminary. Porter went on to become a judge and bought the Gov. William Hendricks residence. Porter's daughter Helen married Patrick Griffin and raised her family in the house where she had been born. Maurice Griffin raised his family on the square, where his son Frederick Porter Griffin resided until arranging for the Hendricks house to become part of the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site. The Porter-Griffin family photographs, now housed in the Frederick Porter Griffin Center, made this book possible.

Terre Haute's storied past from 1811 to the present.

From the days of French explorers and the establishment of Fort Harrison in 1811 to the rise of the ""Pittsburgh of the West"" and beyond, Terre Haute's history is a study in paradox. Home to prominent schools, railroads, and distilleries as well as social reformers, national figures, and corrupt politicians, the city that grew up along the Wabash suffered devastating setbacks but also soared to spectacular achievements.

Beginning as a humble Army fortification in the 1790s, Fort Wayne became the second largest city in the state, as well as the cultural and economic center of northeastern Indiana.

Founded at the confluence of three rivers--the St. Mary's, St. Joseph, and the hence formed Maumee--Fort Wayne stands astride a rich and storied history that begins with the 1792 order issued by George Washington for Major General ""Mad"" Anthony Wayne to secure and construct a permanent fortification at the headwaters of the Maumee. Wayne arrived on September 17, 1794, and the fortification was dedicated as Fort Wayne that October. When the military garrison abandoned the fort in 1815, the town became an important frontier outpost by 1829 with only a population of 300 people. Bolstered by travelers on riverboats and later railroads, Fort Wayne was hit hard by the Great Depression, but bounced back in the post-World War II economic boom. In the 200-plus years of the city's history, it has become an icon of Midwest gumption, weathering many highs and lows, becoming a hub for both sports and cultural arts while a thriving city of over 250,000 people has emerged.Postcard History Series: Fort Waynecelebrates the growth and success of this city during the first half of 20th century.

From our contemporary vantage point, we should take the time to look back to how people in American communities lived at the beginning of the 20th century.

The focus of this work is Evansville—in the early 1900s, the only emerging metropolis between Louisville and St. Louis, and then the radial center of a hinterland stretching in all directions for at least 100 miles. Evansville illustrates how the city landscape changed because of the early industrial era, how people made a living and related to each other, and how they spent their leisure time. About one-fifth of the images in this collection focus on the residents of the Evansville region: the Tri-State of southwestern Indiana, western Kentucky, and southern Illinois, which has been Evansville’s service area since the 1850s.

Groundbreaking research published by Robert S. Lynd and his wife Helen Merrell Lynd in 1929 transformed Muncie, Indiana into a barometer of social attitudes, customs, beliefs and behavior in the American heartland.

Recognized as the most widely studied mid-sized community in America, Muncie has attracted researchers and historians for nearly a century. A town which prospered in the 1920s, and survived the economic hardships of the Great Depression, Muncie has grown to become a prospering business community with a strong link to its rich past. Muncie: The Middletown of America explores the evolution of Muncie in a series of over two hundred black and white images. Spectacular photographs unveil Muncie's past, from the Ball Brothers, whose glass-making company gave the city its reputation in the 1880s, to exciting high school basketball and volleyball contests in the 1980s and 1990s. Striking imagery enables the reader to connect to the past and visualize how Muncie developed to where it stands today.

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.

Established at the foot of Hoosier Slide, a natural landmark, Michigan City had attracted a diverse group of pioneers, industrialists, and fun-lovers by the late 1800s. Hoosier Slide is now gone. While the rugged dunes in the east have been replaced by resort communities, the beauty that first captivated settlers is as evident now as it was in the early part of the 20th century.

An accessible, intimate look at the oft-neglected history of Arab Americans in Greater Indianapolis who have made a remarkable impact on the region since the late 1800s.From establishing local businesses to working in the fields of health care and education, Arab Americans have made indelible contributions to the cultural vitality, economic growth, and social fabric of central Indiana. Arab Indianapolis features the stories of Arab Americans--some famous, some not--who have shaped the Capital City's past and will continue to define its future. It details a history hidden in plain sight, one sometimes buried beneath Indianapolis's most iconic landmarks such as Lucas Oil Stadium, Monument Circle, the Indiana War Memorials, the Governor's Residence, and Riverside Park. Highlights include: Helen Corey, the first Arab American to hold statewide elected office and the author of one of the most famous books on Syrian cuisine

• Jeff George, a Syrian American from the region who went on to play quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts
• The Syrian Christian community and the building of St. George Orthodox Church
• Indianapolis's connection to St. Jude Children's Hospital
• Governor Mitch Daniels, Indiana governor and grandson to Syrian immigrants

Through short essays, over eighty beautiful photographs, interviews, and even a few recipes, this collection embraces the full humanity of Arab Americans in the Midwest. It will give you a deeper sense of the myriad lives of Arab-descended Hoosiers who call Indianapolis home. Arab Indianapolis is an indispensable resource for anyone looking to know the full story of how Arab Americans continue to shape one of the Midwest's most iconic cities.

When a young man from the Netherlands by the name of Jacob Munster opened Munster's General Store, complete with a small U.S. Postal Station in the back, more residents populated the area, and the "Town of Munster" was founded in 1907. Munster, Indiana is a photographic tour of the places, people, and events that have shaped the Town of Munster from the 1850s onward. Nearly 250 historically significant images capture the town's growth from a simple farming community to the bustling town it is today.

Indiana's history and early settlement began along the Ohio River and includes prehistoric Native American sites, 400-million-year-old Devonian fossil beds, the site where Lewis and Clark first met on the Corps of Discovery voyage, and Indiana's first state capitol. Communities along the Ohio River Scenic Byway include Lawrenceburg, Aurora, Rising Sun, Vevay, Madison, Jeffersonville, Clarksville, New Albany, Corydon, Leavenworth, Cannelton, Tell City, Troy, Rockport, Newburgh, Evansville, and Mount Vernon. The byway celebrates the scenic, recreational, and historic in its architecture, winding roads, and overlooks.

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.

Explore the notorious and unusual side of Muncie's history.

Muncie is the classic small American city. But for much of the past two centuries, the city fell victim to murder, corruption and the bizarre. Mayor Rollin Bunch went to prison for mail fraud, while his police commissioner faced a murder rap. Viola Babe Swartz ran a brothel out of a truck stop that was raided by police at least a dozen times but ran for sheriff in the 1974 primary election. June Holland, of the locally famous Holland triplets, killed her neighbor for refusing to sell her house.

The townsfolk, not merely content to host, also own the Miss Madison, one of the most successful hydroplanes on the circuit. In recent years, Miss Madison has emerged as the top hydroplane in the world, winning both the driver and hydroplane points standing multiple times. Roar down the Ohio with Fred Farley and Ron Harsin and revisit the long history of racing in this town and the sixty-plus years of the Madison Regatta.

Part guide, part landmarks history, part military history, The Historic Memorial District of Downtown Indianapolis will enlighten and delight visitors and locals alike.

Old Indianapolis bears little resemblance to the new one, but Indy's unique trail of war memorials has a powerful way of linking the two. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is unmistakably emblematic of the Circle City. The Indiana War Memorial, an inexplicably well-kept secret, is the nation's largest memorial established for veterans of the Great War. And the American Legion's National Headquarters in Indianapolis remains a testament to the grit that put the city on the map .Author Rudy Schouten tracks the origins of Indy's monuments and memorials, not just to tell the story of limestone and granite rising out of the ground, but to help make note of the sacrifices that paved a city's trail of gratitude.

The falls of the Ohio River at Louisville presented a considerable obstacle to this floating traffic, and vessels traveling on this major waterway were forced to portage their cargo around the turbulent waters. In 1812, three enterprising brothers from New York, Abner, Joel, and Nathaniel Scribner, bought land at the western end of the rapids and named their new settlement New Albany in honor of the capital of their native state. Their village became the head of downriver navigation on the Ohio and evolved from a backwoods settlement into Indiana's largest city, a lively river town where steamboats, textiles, sheet music, automobiles, and pastries have all been manufactured. Natural disasters have periodically changed the face of the city, but New Albany has always recovered due to the determination of its citizens. This collection of vintage images portrays the triumphs and tragedies of these residents.

The little town on the hill grew as many settlers found the flat, fertile prairie lands surrounding the town ideal for farming. The construction of the Michigan Road just a few years prior had opened up settlement in New Carlisle and the surrounding Olive Township. The railroad built in 1852 ensured success of the town as it bypassed other rival towns causing them to fade into obscurity. The images in this book give a glimpse into the small-town life of New Carlisle and the surrounding areas such as the communities of Hamilton and Hudson Lake that played such an important part of the community's rich heritage.

Now known as "The Maple City" for its many beautiful and colorful trees, La Porte boasts a rich and varied history. From its beginnings in 1833 when the city's founding fathers donated the land for the public square, through the 1930s and beyond, La Porte has been central to the area's business, agricultural, religious, and architectural development. The diverse and rich history of the La Porte area is captured in this remarkable collection of over 200 vintage photographs. La Porte, Indiana and Its Environs depicts the history of the area from the Pioneer Period through the 1930s. It chronicles the changes and challenges faced as the log cabins of the Pioneer Days became the elaborate homes of the early 20th century, as businesses evolved to meet the changes of industrialization, and as one-room school houses were replaced to meet the needs of the growing community.

Despite the mistaken trivia game answer, Elmo Lincoln, the first Tarzan in 1918, was born in Rochester, Indiana, not New York. And John Chamberlain, famous modern sculptor, was born here too. Clyde Beatty, wild animal trainer extraordinaire, lived here while the Cole Brothers-Clyde Beatty Circus had its winter quarters in Rochester in the 1930s. For a community with such a small population, Rochester has harbored more than its share of famous people.

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.

From military generals on key battlefields of history to floor generals on Indiana's beloved basketball courts, it has made its mark. Consider that New Castle has been home to high-ranking Civil War, World War I, and modern-day military officials. One of the earliest automobile factories was built here, the iconic American Beauty Rose was grown here, and the collectible Hoosier kitchen cabinet was made here. Not one, but two Mr. Basketballs grew up in New Castle and generated sell-out crowds in what has been documented as the world's largest and finest high school gymnasium. Current US president Barack Obama, former US president Bill Clinton, former first lady Barbara Bush, and former US vice presidents Dan Quayle and Charles Fairbanks have all made headline-making visits here.

Early Indianapolis was designed to only be one square mile, but as more settled in the Circle City, progress made its way across the Eastside.

Through their dedication to maintaining the character of neighborhoods like Woodruff Place, Fountain Square and Irvington, Eastsiders have banded together time and again to preserve the memories of landmarks like the Rivoli Theatre and Al Green's. Julie Young, a lifelong resident of the Eastside, celebrates one of the most culturally diverse areas of Indianapolis as she illuminates the strength and determination that would make any resident proud to call the Eastside home.

The strong European roots of these Dubois County towns are evident in soaring churches and the nearby Monastery of the Immaculate Conception. German traditions passed down by immigrants from the Black Forest and Bavaria have earned Jasper the title of the "Nation's Woodworking Capital," while Scotch and Irish heritage are also woven into the fabric of the region. These divergent influences have created architecturally and historically significant towns proud of their past and ready to embrace their future.

It was incorporated as a town in 1862. The county seat grew more rapidly when the railroads came to town before the Civil War. Then the town grew large enough to become a city in 1909, and a mayor was elected. The area around the city became a tourist destination in the 1920s after dams created the twin lakes--Shafer and Freeman--and Ideal Beach was conceived. It was renamed Indiana Beach in the 1950s and became the largest entertainment park in the state. In 1974, a devastating tornado roared through downtown Monticello, killing eight people and destroying a large part of the city. However, the people of Monticello banded together to reconstruct a stronger community. Today the city of Monticello is a thriving, progressive community growing in population and size. About a million tourists come to the area each summer to relax and have fun.

The partner communities of Whiting and Robertsdale epitomize Americana and the melting-pot concept at its finest. Together, they built beautiful churches, quality schools, and recreational facilities.

Whiting started out as a small, frontier-like town settled by German and Irish immigrants and quickly became a booming industrial city after Standard Oil Company arrived in 1889 to build a refinery. Neighboring Robertsdale became home to thousands of Eastern European immigrants who came to the area in search of jobs and new opportunities. They raised their families to be proud Americans and incorporated traditions from their homelands into daily life. This pictorial history is a tribute to the citizens who created a warm and inviting environment amidst the cold, hard steel of the industries that surrounded them and who left behind a legacy rich in tradition, tenacity, and a tendency to celebrate everything!

Join Thomas as he delves into the mystery and legacy of Indianapolis's bygone days.

In 1816, the U.S. Congress decided to give the newly formed State of Indiana four square miles of land to lay out a capital city. Just where the capital city would be platted, however, was unknown. Four years later, the spot was finally chosen near where Fall Creek meets the White River. From that moment forward, despite a few bumps along the way, Indianapolis began its development into one of the nation's great cities. Over the course of that development, many buildings, companies, legends, and people have come and gone. While they are now only shadows of the past, they help to form the history and heart of Indianapolis.

Kokomo, Indiana: Then and Now takes the reader back to a simpler time in Kokomo history. Using historic images paired with contemporary photos, authors Thomas D. and Barbara Hamilton have created a charming view of the area's history and evolution.

With mills powered by the small Potato Creek dotting the landscape and the introduction of the railroad to these rural parts, the towns of Lakeville, North Liberty, and Walkerton saw their genesis. A humble, yet hardworking way of life was established in those early days, and it still exists to this day. With over 200 vintage images, Southern St. Joseph County captures the day-to-day life of the individuals that helped shape over 170 years of history. With an emphasis on family, farming, and small-town tradition, these pages exemplify what it means to be a Hoosier and what it takes to make a rural community thrive for generations.

In this pictorial history, visit the Horace Mann west side neighborhood of Gary, Indiana, through four generations of the Steel City.

Though Gary was an industrial city founded by U.S. Steel, the Horace Mann neighborhood evolved into one of the most exclusive residential areas in northwest Indiana. Skilled craftsmen from the mills were able to live among doctors and lawyers as well as businessmen and supervisors from U.S. Steel. From the boom years of the 1920s through the 1960s, residents of diverse economic backgrounds sent their children to the same schools, prayed together in the same houses of worship, and shopped in Gary's popular downtown. Gary's West Side: The Horace Mann Neighborhood is a pictorial history spanning four generations of one of the Steel City's premier residential districts. Through archival photographs, family snapshots provided by former residents, and shared memories, the reader is taken on a nostalgic journey from the city's founding in 1906 through to the 21st century.

From the steel mills to the churches to Gary's City Hall, Gary's East Side offers a touching look at this close-knit community. The east side of Gary was a place where people knew their neighbors, where children went to school together, and married high school sweethearts. The area has changed, but a new Gary is emerging. Gary's East Side presents the history of this area in poignant detail and points to the heartening future. Author John Trafny's skillful compilation promises to bring back fond memories of this historic neighborhood.

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.

Every city has its secrets and Columbus, Indiana is no exception. Sit back and enjoy the murder and mayhem!

Dubbed the Athens of the Prairie for its array of stunning modern architecture and abundance of public art, Columbus still endured its share of unsavory citizens, crime-ridden neighborhoods and tales of woe. Many residents avoided the infamous slums of Smoky Row and Death Valley, while others gave in to the allure of Lillian ""Todie"" Tull's famed house of ill repute on North Jackson Street. Two different father-and-son hoodlum partnerships, the McKinneys and the Bells, terrorized the area in the 1800s. And a brutal fistfight between a newspaper editor and the mayor sparked a scandal in 1877.

Join author, journalist, and historian Paul J. Hoffman as he takes you on a wild ride through the salacious side of Columbus. A must-read for fans of true crime and Indiana history.

Hoosier Hysteriais a passion for the game of basketball in Indiana. Explore the history of the state's long-term obsession with high school round ball.

In 1925 the man credited with inventing basketball, Dr. James Naismith, visited Indiana and famously said, while the game was invented in Massachusetts, basketball really had its origin in Indiana, which remains the center of the sport.

Indeed, Indiana is the first state that comes to mind when one thinks of high school basketball. The game itself is an important part of the history of the state. From reports of the first game in 1894 to the heyday when Hoosier high school gyms were filled beyond capacity, Hoosierismand basketball have had a long and eventful relationship. Towns and cities, large and small alike, all across the state, have for generations united around their high school basketball teams.

Hoosier High School Basketballchronicles the long and colorful history of the players, coaches, schools, and fans that have tied the game's history to Indiana. In a collection of over 200 vintage images, author Bob Adams details the achievements and contributions made by many of the sport's great players and coaches.

The area was largely forgotten until Mayor Martin Krueger decided that his town would have a park and bathing beach. In a few short years, the deserted area was transformed into a family amusement center on Lake Michigan's southern shores. These beginnings helped shape the Michigan City community. However, the lakeside park and bathing beach of today barely resemble the famous amusement area of the early 1900s. Somewhere along this town's history, its greatest asset of that early time--its amusement park--transformed into a natural beauty that is still treasured by families today, though nostalgia remains for the park of the past. Michigan City's Washington Parks traces those lost amusement years with images and the complete amazing tale, from the building of the large wooden roller coaster with a lake view to the communal turn toward a nature park.

The river itself carried the first travelers upstream to the short portage to the Mississippi watershed and the West. In the early 1800s, the Wabash and Erie Canal was started to provide a more reliable and even passage. Many came to work on it and settled, hacking out farmsteads from the dense, swampy forest. A canal lock nearby made a natural stopping and shipping point. In 1856, the Wabash Railroad superceded the canal with rapid all-weather transport and commerce flourished. The old canal towpath became a road, intersecting in the middle of the community with the Lincoln Highway, bringing in the automobile era. The local commuter age was born in the early 1900s with the interurban railroad from Lima, Ohio, to Fort Wayne, Indiana, providing hourly, fast service for jobs and shopping. This small, tree-lined city still shows clear marks of the ages and stages of transportation history that have given it life and form. Now greenway trails trace the old Indian paths along the river.

Venture into fascinating connection between Niles, Illinois and circus history with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.

In April 1884, Ben Wallace, the owner of the local livery, opened the season of his new circus in Peru and billed it as Wallace and Company's Great World's Menagerie and International Circus. It was an instant success and soon grew to be one of the largest and most renowned circuses in American history.

Over the next 50 years, many circuses found a home in Peru. Under the direction of the American Circus Corporation, an industry was created in Peru that employed as many as 4,500 people. Circuses like the Hagenbeck-Wallace, John Robinson, andSells-Floto/Buffalo Bill's Wild West Showdeparted Peru by rail each spring, along with some of the best acts from around the world, including Terrell ""the Lion King"" Jacobs; the world's favorite clown, Emmett Kelly; and animal trainer Clyde Beatty, who played himself in 12 Hollywood movies. In 1929, Ringling Brotherspurchased the American Circus Corporation. As the country sank into the Depression, fewer circuses left Peru each season. In 1941, Ringling Brothersclosed its winter quarters in Peru, ending an era.

Miami County historian Kreig A. Adkins has been a filmmaker for more than 20 years. With a passion for historical documentaries, Adkins wrote and directed the filmOn the Banks of the Wabash: The History of Peru, Indiana. Adkins and his children perform in the Peru Amateur Circus.

Including images from St. Joseph, Marshall, and Elkhart Counties, Bremen and North Central Indiana is a testament to the spirit of America's early German settlers. Like most villages and towns in early 19th century America, Bremen consisted of the wares of everyday life: businesses, schools, religion, and families. Pictured here in over 200 vintage images are those earliest institutions, including the town's largest employer at the turn of the century, Wright's Wood Bending Factory, the area's first school building of 1835, views of unpaved downtown Bremen and its bustling inhabitants, and the origins of the annual "Fireman's Festival," which is still celebrated today.

The year was 1844, and scores of pioneers from the eastern and southern areas of the United States were migrating to the nearly impenetrable virgin forests of Indiana's newly established Tipton County, named for two-term Indiana senator and revered warrior Gen. John Tipton.

Displacing all but a fraction of the Miamis who once dominated the bountiful Indiana Territory, the white settlers cleared the land, built homes, and farmed the rich soil. Soon, the expanding railroads arrived, ushering in a cultural and economic boon with jobs, innovation, and an end to the settlers' isolated lifestyle. Despite the change, Tipton Countians remained loyal to their pioneer values, and future generations included war heroes, outstanding scholars, prominent athletes, and a president of the United States. Today, the spirit of the early pioneers endures throughout Tipton County, home to some 16,000 Americans who, like their ancestors, proudly hail their Hoosier heritage

In this region, houses of the wealthy sprang up alongside homes of workingmen as the city spread beyond the Wabash River banks and the downtown area. Its name comes from James Farrington, a banker and attorney who settled there in 1841. Over the years, Farrington's Grove residents have touched lives far beyond its boundaries. Max Ehrmann's poem "Desiderata" has inspired people worldwide to go placidly amid the noise and haste. The Coca-Cola bottle's shape owes its unique design to Earl Dean. Both racing fans and cooks owe a debt to Anton Hulman Jr., who resurrected the Indianapolis 500 and launched an advertising campaign that made Clabber Girl Baking Powder a household name. Farrington's Grove has been home to poets, political figures, industrialists, suffragettes, educators, artists, and college students.

Take a fascinating journey through the history of Brownsburg, Indiana with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.

In 1835, William Harris sectioned off his land--the area now known as Mainand Green Streetsin Brownsburg--for the purpose of establishing a town.

Harris used beech trees, elm trees, and hickory stumps to define the town's boundaries; he called it Harrisburg. The name Harrisburg was already in use elsewhere in Indiana, so Brownsburg, which paid homage to early settler James B. Brown, was selected as an alternative. Brownsburg's railroad station, located between Indianapolis and Crawfordsville, positioned the farming community for dramatic growth. As new settlers arrived, new businesses, mills, and factories also began to open. Today, Brownsburg continues to grow, and the community is known for its engineering and racing industries and its first-rate schools.

Join author Linda Lichte Cook, a longtime resident of Brownsburg maintains the digital archives of images and historic documents known as the Brownsburg Then and Now/Indiana Memory Project as she showcases her town's rich history.

Before 1834, it was the home of the Pottwatomi Tribe, and later it became Spring Fountain Park on Eagle Lake. In 1895, Sol Dickeys's vision of "a kind of Christian Chautauqua" quickly grew in popularity and scope. The many attractions of Winona drew an average of 250,000 visitors each summer. It became so well known, a person could mail letters from anywhere using only the address of Winona Lake--and it would arrive there. Winona Lake has been the home of Billy Sunday and Homer Rodeheaver and the headquarters of the Free Methodist Church, the Grace Brethren Church, and Grace College and Seminary. Billy Graham had an early beginning in the Rainbow Room at the Westminster Hotel. Will Rogers, Helen Keller, John Philip Sousa, Galli Curci, and Ernestine Schumann-Henk are among those who have made appearances at Winona.

Its location below the falls of the Ohio River boosted shipping and boat-building and promoted the building of some of the city's most notable residences, many of which still stand along Main Street. Through more than 200 vintage postcards, authors David C. Barksdale and Robyn Davis Sekula guide the reader on a tour of New Albany's past. The images highlight the city's early schools and churches and its first library. Others juxtapose flooding disaster and centennial celebration.

Winchester has always been the county seat, and the county's other incorporated towns owe their continued existence to the coming of the railroads between 1852 and 1882. In its earliest years, Randolph County became known for its abolitionism and work for temperance. In the years after the Civil War, the county's power grew economically and politically. The early 20th century witnessed a burgeoning manufacturing sector, and transportation was made easier through widespread use of steam railroads, electric interurban cars, and the automobile.

Named for the Grecian city with its famed oracle, Delphi was envisioned by early residents as a center of culture for the surrounding area.

Delphi is nestled in the picturesque valley formed by the Wabash River and Deer Creek. Three courthouses have graced the central square in Delphi—the seat of justice in Carroll County since platted in 1828 by Gen. Samuel Milroy. When the Wabash and Erie Canal cut through the area in the 1840s, Delphi became a center for industry and commerce. Handsome three-story brick buildings appeared in the 1850s and surrounded the square by the 1880s. Area residents traveled to Delphi for trade, business, and entertainment. Delphi's opera houses drew traveling acts from Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and other cultural centers. Visitors today enjoy the architectural gems downtown and in nearby residential districts plus six parks with miles of groomed hiking and biking trails. The canal era is alive in Delphi at the Wabash and Erie Canal Interpretive Center where a replica boat takes visitors on a restored section of the historic waterway.

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.

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.