Selected Images of Indiana

Order Book of the U.S. District Court for the District of Indiana

This is the initial Order Book of the court, comprising the record of the first cases and proceedings from its inception to 1833. The book reveals the history of the organization of the federal district court for Indiana, listing names of judges, attorneys, court clerks, justices of the peace, plaintiffs, defendants and those who served as jurors. Cases regarding land transactions and bankruptcies are recorded, along with a few naturalizations, criminal cases, and contempt and divorce proceedings. Access to the book is provided through this digital copy only.

Indiana Through the Seasons

These seasonal images of Indiana are taken from a variety of collections. The digitization of this collection is a work in progress.

Christmas Greetings

John C. Horsley is credited with designing the first Christmas card in England in 1843. Other English-speaking countries adopted the idea, and the custom grew, particularly in the United States. This digital collection contains samples of Christmas greetings, including postcards, which were popular in the early 20th century, from our library collections. The format of the cards varies, some cards contain messages inside or on the back, others have the design and greeting on the front.

Robert F. Kennedy's Visit to Indianapolis, May 4, 1968

Sen. Robert F. Kennedy declared his candidacy for president on March 16, 1968. In April and early May, he made many campaign stops in Indiana. On May 4, he visited several Indianapolis neighborhoods, including one at 21st and Harding streets depicted in these photos taken by Katherine “Katie” Palmer. This visit was exactly midway between the dates of two tragic events: On April 4, Kennedy spoke to an Indianapolis crowd that had just learned of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Kennedy was killed a month later on June 5.

Assorted Images from IHS Collections

This digital collection consists of items requested by staff and patrons. The items have appeared in books, exhibits, marketing material, decorated restaurants, enhanced retirement parties and enlivened family reunions. The collection will continue to grow as the IHS Collections help more and more people discover stories in Indiana history

Treasures from the Indiana Historical Society

For more than 175 years, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana’s storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting, and sharing the state’s history. During its anniversary year in 2005, IHS displayed Treasures from the Collections featuring a glimpse at some of the “jewels” that make the collection unique.

Nineteen’s 19: Documents from Indiana History

The Indiana Historical Society, Indiana State Archives, Indiana Historical Bureau and the Indiana State Library have partnered to create three collections of historical documents representing Hoosier life, culture, politics, and economics. Volume I covers the territorial period to 1850 and includes excerpts from a travel account, early maps, personal letters and government documents. Volume II spans Indiana history from 1851 to 1920.

Ballard Garman Family Letters

Aaron Ballard moved from Virginia to Henry County with his wife Nancy in the 1830s. They had six children. Their daughter, Kate, married George Garman in 1864. Letters to Aaron Ballard are primarily from relatives left behind in Franklin Co., Va. Kate Ballard's letters are mostly from Union soldiers to whom she had written words of encouragement during the war. George Garman's letters include business correspondence and letters from his brothers.

Indiana Sheet Music Collection

The works of Hoosier composers, publishers, lyricists and artists are displayed in this collection along with songs about the state. It includes songs from the Civil War, WWI and WWII, songs based on literary works of Indiana authors such as James Whitcomb Riley, music by the Von Tilzers, and Paul Dresser, and songs with lyrics by Sarah T. Bolton, Robert Dale Owen, and other Hoosiers.

Click on the PDF link in the record to view the entire score. The music is provided for educational purposes only. It should not be used for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. It is the responsibility of the patron to obtain permission. IHS cannot sell scans of post 1922 music.

This collection is a work in progress as part of the IN Harmony National Leadership Grant provided by the Institute of Museum and Libraries Services.

Essays of the Indianapolis Literary Club

The Indianapolis Literary Club was organized on Jan. 10, 1877, at the home of John D. Howland, who became the club's first president. The stated purpose of the club is the pursuit of "social, literary and aesthetic culture." Informally, the club has acted as a meeting place for a number of the city's leaders from various professions. Membership lists indicate the club has continued this function throughout its history and into the present. A typical meeting consists of the president introducing the speaker, a club member, who presents an original paper on the topic of his choice, followed by a discussion. The club has archived their organizational records and many essays at IHS.

This digital collection begins with essays read circa 1889 through 1940, of which IHS has copies. The club also granted permission to include two formerly published, summarized records of the club entitled Summarized Record, 1877-1976, Francis H. Insley, and The Indianapolis Literary Club: Summarized Record, 1976-2003, compiled by Raymond E. Gnat and edited by Lawrence S. Connor. Additional essays will be periodically added for the years after 1940 and also whenever older essays become available to IHS.

Digitizing the essays is a joint endeavor of IHS and IUPUI University Library.

For further information on the Literary Club, visit www.literaryclub.org.

Fighting Tuberculosis in Indiana

In the first decade of the 20th century, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in all age groups in the United States. It was estimated that the TB bacillus infected 80 to 90 percent of the population. Doctors and lay people formed the National Tuberculosis Association in 1904 to fight the disease, and the Indiana Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis was organized in the same year. By 1930, the TB death rate had dropped to 65.9 persons out of every 100,000 people in the state. In 1936, the Depression triggered a rise in deaths statewide. Tuberculosis associations nationwide emphasized the need for public health support, and once again lowered TB statistics. The first breakthroughs in drug therapy came as considerable money, much of it from TB associations, was spent for research after World War II. With little hope of a vaccine on the horizon, prevention remained a major activity for the association, as well as examining legal ways to force recalcitrant patients to "take the cure." The disease is still with us today.

John Guedelhoefer Wagon Company

The John Guedelhoefer Wagon Company was founded in 1873. Guedelhoefer, born in Germany in 1832 and trained in carriage making, came to Indianapolis in 1869. The company specialized in delivery wagons, especially for ice, bakery and dairy products, and later in truck bodies. It closed in 1970.