Processed by
Laurie Randall, Dorothy A. Nicholson
May 2007
Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269
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VOLUME OF |
1 folder of photographs, 2 posters |
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COLLECTION |
6 September 1978–24 October 1978 |
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PROVENANCE: |
Unknown; Thomas F. Olson, Indianapolis 1978; Alice Greene McKinney, Indianapolis 2002 |
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RESTRICTIONS: |
None |
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COPYRIGHT: |
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REPRODUCTION |
Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. |
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ALTERNATE |
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RELATED |
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ACCESSION |
0000.0470, 1978.1230, 2002.0142 |
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NOTES: |
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The Circle Celebration marked the reopening of Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis on 21 0ctober 1978. Beurt SerVass, City Council President and Frank McKinney, Jr., board Chairman of American Fletcher National Bank, both promoted a new look for the Circle in 1973. Then Mayor Richard Lugar formed a 26 member “Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, Downtown Development Task Force.” The project was delayed until 1977 with a final push from Mayor Hudnut and the addition of other organizations becoming involved, from the Governor’s office to the Lilly Endowment, to the Merchants Association. Financing came from these and many other private businesses. In all, 25 organizations were involved.
The remodeling, laying new bricks, adding trees, flowers and lights, cost $1.8 million of state, local and private money. Concrete was removed from the streets and replaced with a total of 667,656 bricks. An original “500” brick from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway brought by widow of the owner Anton Hulman, Mary Hulman, was set in this new brick circle.
Thomas F. Olson, who donated the collection, was a member and spokesman for the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. The Lacey Leadership Series of the Chamber, the Downtown Merchants Association, and the Commission on Downtown sponsored and organized the opening festivities, which attracted about 35,000 people.
Sources:
Materials in the collection
The collection documents festivities surrounding the re-opening of the Monument Circle in 1978. The collection includes a program from the day of the Circle Celebration, 43 black and white photographs of dignitaries, and citizens attending the ceremony [none are identified], reprints of articles about the remodeling and the event from The Indianapolis News and The Indianapolis Star dating from 6 September 1978–24 October 1978, and two posters printed for the event.
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Program for Circle Celebration, October 21, 1978 |
Photographs: |
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17 pages of black and white photographs of dignitaries and citizens attending the ceremony. All photographs are glued to white notebook paper. None are identified. |
Photographs: |
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Reprints of relevant articles from The Indianapolis News and The Indianapolis Star dating from September 6, 1978 to October 24, 1978. |
Photographs: |
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“The New Circle 1978” poster commemorating the event of
21 October 1978, one copy signed by Mayor Hudnut |
Oversize Graphics: |
For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:
1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/
2. Click on the "Basic Search" icon.
3. Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.
4. Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, P0252).
5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.