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Class 900: Indianapolis
A BLOG ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CIRCLE CITY


7 days ago13 min read
Murder on the Canal: Calvin Fletcher and the Trial of Thomas Finch
Exploring the trial of Thomas Finch, an Irish immigrant charged with murder while working on the Central Canal in Indianapolis.
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Feb 285 min read
The History of Sand Street in Indianapolis
Exploring the history of Sand Street in Indianapolis, and its unique stone pavers.
107 views
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Feb 176 min read
Exploring the Remains of the Central Canal on the South Side of Indianapolis
Once again exploring the remains of a section of the historic Central Canal south of Indianapolis.
945 views
2 comments


Jan 305 min read
On a Wing and a Cigarette: The Destruction of Tomlinson Hall
Exploring the history of the cause of the Tomlinson Hall fire in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Jan 2112 min read
Eagle Creek Reservoir and the Remains of a House on a Hill
Exploring the history of the site of a vanished estate on the shores of Eagle Creek Reservoir.
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Jan 66 min read
200 Years of Indianapolis as the Seat of Government for Indiana
Exploring 200 years the General Assembly meeting in Indianapolis.
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Dec 30, 20247 min read
Victim of Fire: The First Lutheran (English) Church Building
Exploring the history of the First Lutheran Church building in downtown Indianapolis which was recently destroyed by fire.
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Dec 13, 20246 min read
Snowy Tradition: The History of the Butler University Sledding Hill
Exploring the history of the Butler University sledding hill in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood.
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Nov 27, 20249 min read
Tracking the Remains of a Big Four Railroad in Indianapolis
Exploring the route of the Big Four Railroad's Chicago Division on its line north of downtown Indianapolis.
258 views
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Nov 17, 20242 min read
School 86 Preservation Update and Upcoming Listening Session
Update about the efforts to preserve School 86 in Butler-Tarkington.
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Nov 11, 20247 min read
Eye in the Sky: The Last Indianapolis Fire Tower
Exploring the history of fire towers in Indianapolis, including the last one constructed atop the Barnes & Thornburg building in 1912.
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Oct 30, 20245 min read
Finding the Remains of the Brookside Park Shelter House
Exploring the site of the Brookside Park shelter house in Indianapolis.
135 views
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Oct 18, 20245 min read
The Great Comet of 1858 and its Visit to Indianapolis
Examining the Great Comet of 1858 and its visit to the skies over Indianapolis.
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Sep 30, 202413 min read
The Historic Hills of Marion County and Indianapolis
Exploring the history of three hills in Indianapolis and Marion County.
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Sep 16, 20245 min read
The Motorboat Della May and a Dream to Sail Away from Indianapolis
Exploring a tale of an unfulfilled dream, and a boat constructed in a garage in the middle of Indianapolis.
123 views
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Sep 4, 20246 min read
The Meridian Street Tower at the top of Meridian Heights
Confirming the existence of a stone tower which was to be the center piece of the Meridian Heights residential development.
423 views
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Aug 23, 202413 min read
Promoting The Paddle: The History of the Indianapolis Canoe Club
Exploring the history of the Indianapolis Canoe Club and its two clubhouses at Riverside Park in Indianapolis.
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Jul 30, 20245 min read
The History of the Wandering Normandy Barn
Exploring the history of the Normandy Barn located at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.
329 views
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Jul 22, 20248 min read
The History Behind Stone Fence Pillars on North Illinois Street
Exploring the history of stone fence pillars along Illinois Street in Indianapolis.
245 views
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Jul 3, 202414 min read
Queen of the White River: The Steamboat Helen Gould at Riverside Park
Exploring the history of the steamboat Helen Gould at Riverside Park in Indianapolis.
224 views
2 comments


Jun 20, 20247 min read
Huffman Cemetery: Tracking Down a Graveyard in the Heart of Broad Ripple
Exploring the history of the Huffman Cemetery in the Broad Ripple neighborhood of Indianapolis.
359 views
7 comments

Jun 10, 202410 min read
The History of the Old Broad Ripple Park Swimming Pool and the 1924 Olympic Trials
Exploring the history of the old Broad Ripple Park pool, which hosted the swimming trials for the 1924 Olympics in Paris.
1,087 views
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Jun 4, 20246 min read
Nine Days and 522 Miles: A Bike Tour from Indianapolis and Back Again
Follow along with three Indianapolis teenagers as they embark upon a 522-mile bicycle tour through southern Indiana in 1911.
267 views
2 comments


May 21, 202413 min read
Aiming High: A Brief History of the Indianapolis Arrows Baseball Team
Exploring the history of the Indianapolis Arrows, and the city's attempt to bring a major league baseball team to Central Indiana.
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1 comment

May 8, 202411 min read
Disaster at Broad Ripple: The Sinking of the Steamboat Sunshine
Exploring the unfortunate history of a steamboat named Sunshine in Broad Ripple.
587 views
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Apr 22, 20248 min read
"Probably the Handsomest Bridge Across Fall Creek": The History of the Capitol Avenue Bridge
Exploring the 100+ year history of the Capitol Avenue bridge over Fall Creek in Indianapolis.
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Apr 11, 20246 min read
The Delaware Jog: History of the Intersection of 16th and Delaware in Indianapolis
Examining the history of one of the strangest, and most notorious, intersections in Indianapolis.
1,673 views
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Mar 23, 20245 min read
1865 Solar Eclipse Excitement in Indianapolis
Exploring the reactions and reports of the 1865 solar eclipse in Indianapolis and surrounding communities.
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Mar 13, 20246 min read
An Indianapolis Pastor, His Church, and the Klan: The Resignation of Earl N. Griggs of Butler-Tarkington
Exploring the 1923 resignation of pastor Earl Griggs in Butler-Tarkington whose church was coming under the sway of the Ku Klux Klan.
329 views
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Feb 29, 20246 min read
Tracking the Remains of the Indianapolis Northern Interurban Line
Tracking the remains of the Indianapolis Northern interurban line in Indianapolis, Broad Ripple and points to the north.
850 views
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Feb 21, 202411 min read
The Indianapolis Civil Rights Trial which Challenged the Street Railway Company
Exploring an early Civil Rights trial which took place in Indianapolis shortly after the conclusion of the Civil War.
126 views
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Feb 14, 20248 min read
South Indianapolis: A Tale of Two Suburbs
Exploring the history of two towns which both bore the name South Indianapolis.
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Jan 25, 20243 min read
Stairways to Nowhere in Indianapolis
A short post looking at the history behind a few random staircases to nowhere located around Indianapolis.
678 views
2 comments

Jan 10, 20246 min read
Redirecting Nature: Moving the White River
Exploring the history of a project which changed the course of the White River in Indianapolis.
623 views
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Dec 29, 20234 min read
November Explosion: The Destruction of the Sigma Chi House at Butler University
Exploring an explosion which destroyed a fraternity house at Butler University in Indianapolis in 1955.
532 views
1 comment


Dec 20, 202310 min read
The History of the Former DeHaan Estate Property in Indianapolis
Exploring the history of the former Christel DeHaan Estate on the northside of Indianapolis.
15,468 views
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Dec 7, 20238 min read
Pioneer Railways of the Circle City: The Indianapolis & Bellefontaine Railroad Depot on Mass Avenue
Exploring the history of the original Bellefontaine Railroad depot on Massachusetts Avenue.
286 views
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Nov 29, 20236 min read
The Modern Indianapolis Zoo Part III: Remains of the Old Zoo
In a final post about the history of the old Indianapolis Zoo, we explore the remnants of the zoo at Washington Park.
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Nov 15, 20236 min read
Clyde Milton Johnson and the Shootout on Monument Circle
On a spring afternoon in 1949 a fugitive bank robber engaged in a running gun battle with federal agents on Monument Circle in Indianapolis.
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Nov 4, 202316 min read
50th Anniversary: IFD and the Grant Fire - “The Finest Moment this Department Ever Had."
Note: This post was originally published on February 12, 2022. November 5, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of the Grant Fire and this...
732 views
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Oct 30, 20236 min read
Constructing Another Landmark: The Coca-Cola Bottling Plant
Exploring the history of the Coca Cola Bottling Plant on Massachusetts Avenue, constructed by the William P. Jungclaus Co.
651 views
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Oct 20, 202311 min read
A History of Wild Times at the Bellevue Roadhouse and Resort on Michigan Road
Exploring the history of wild times at the Bellevue Resort and Roadhouse on Michigan Road on the northside of Indianapolis.
397 views
1 comment


Oct 2, 202318 min read
The Modern Indianapolis Zoo Part II: Finding its Stride and Growing Pains
Part II in a series exploring the Indianapolis Zoo as it expanded operations at Washington Park, up to its move to White River State Park.
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Sep 27, 20235 min read
A Call for the Preservation and Reuse of IPS School 86 in Butler-Tarkington
Not a traditional Indianapolis history post, but a case for the preservation and reuse of IPS School 86 in Butler-Tarkington.
1,199 views
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Sep 13, 20235 min read
Exploring the Remains of a Bridge in Millersville
Exploring the remains of an old iron bridge in the Millersville neighborhood of Indianapolis.
251 views
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Sep 11, 20231 min read
Vanished Indianapolis: Book Launch Event Tuesday, September 12
If you follow me on social media, you likely have seen me promoting my first book, Vanished Indianapolis, published this past week by...
137 views
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Sep 7, 20238 min read
The Corruption of Dr. Coe Part I: The Doctor and the Canals
In Part 1 of a series on the actions of Dr. Coe in regard to the financing of the Indiana canal system in the 1830s.
229 views
3 comments

Aug 22, 20236 min read
Meet Me at the Vu: The History of the Ron-D-Vu drive-in restaurant in Butler-Tarkington
Exploring the history of a popular drive-in restaurant which was once located in Butler-Tarkington at 52nd and Westfield Blvd.
316 views
2 comments


Aug 12, 202312 min read
The Modern Indianapolis Zoo - Part I: From Proposal to Reality
Exploring the history of the founding of the first modern Indianapolis Zoo at Washington Park.
546 views
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Jul 31, 202310 min read
Sweetest Street in Indianapolis: Chocolate Avenue and the Dilling Candy Company
Exploring the history of Chocolate Avenue and the Dilling Candy Company in Indianapolis.
469 views
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