Hoosier History Live

Thomas R. Marshall was vice president in 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson suffered debilitating strokes that created a crisis. Before that, Marshall had been a popular governor of Indiana who is remembered for his wit, including the line: "What the country needs is a really good 5-cent cigar." Nelson's guest is Ray Boomhower of the Indiana Historical Society. 

Originally aired 04/12/2025. The full menu for this show doesn't just include food traditionally associated with Indiana such as tenderloins, sugar cream pie, persimmons and catfish. Nelson and guest Bradley Hohulin, the dining reporter for the Indianapolis Star, also delve into whether restaurant and menu preferences here differ from other regions.  

Chili parlors owned by Mexican Americans were popular in Indianapolis as early as 1907 and during the 1920s and '30s, a "hot tamale craze" occurred from Elkhart to Evansville. Nelson is joined by Nicole Martinez-LeGrand of the Indiana Historical Society to follow up on previous explorations of the early Mexican heritage in the state, including new details about a "Lost Barrio" of the 1950s and '60...

Originally aired 03/29/2025.  Guest David Steele shares his knowledge on two trailblazing women he has spent time researching and shares the impact they  have had on Hoosier history. One of them was an Indianapolis school principal and the other a jazz pianist in Richmond. Their lives were entwined with a range of aspects of Indiana history, from our Native American heritage to our jazz recording...

Originally aired 03/22/2025. Nelson is joined by Susan Neville, Will Higgins, and Pat Chastain to honor acclaimed novelist, journalist and screenwriter Dan Wakefield. Dan passed away in March 2024.  The 55th anniversary of his national bestseller " Going All the Way ", which is set in his hometown of Indianapolis, was in March 2025.  The group discuss his compelling life and impact, which involved...

Originally aired 03/08/2025. What happened 200 years ago when the Indiana General Assembly met for the first time in Indianapolis? Where did the legislature stay in 1825, how did they entertain themselves, and what kinds of issues were they coping with? Nelson explores all of that with guest Libby Cierzniak, a retired lawyer and lobbyist, whose career has been intertwined with the Indiana Statehou...

Originally aired 03/01/2025. Originally aired 03/01/2025.  Ever hear of the former Monroe City High School, where the mascot was the Blue Jeans? How about the Bunker Hill High School, where the mascot was the Minutemen?  For this Hoosier History Live show, Nelson is joined by Reta Williams, a retired principal from Clinton County who found the lyrics and other details about the fight songs of more...

Originally aired 02/15/2025. Nelson's guest on this Black History Month show is Aleta Hodge , author of the biography, "The Robust Life & Times of Noble Sissle." Indianapolis native, Noble Sissle was the lyricist and co-producer of the first hit Broadway musical by and about Black people titled "Shuffle Along" (1921). He was a tenor, orchestra conductor and member of the Army regiment known as the...

Originally aired 02/01/2025. Host Nelson Price is joined by local historian Ed Fujawa, author of "Vanished Indianapolis" and creator of the the blog, Class 900: Indianapolis History . The pair interview each other between phone calls from listeners. 

Although the Great Tri-State tornado in 1925 is considered the deadliest continual tornado in U.S. history, it's been nearly forgotten. This show, which originally aired on 01/25/2025, describes the devastation. Justin Harter , author of "The Great Tri-State Tornado" shares his knowledge of the event and its outcomes. 

Originally aired 01/18/2025. Several of the most lavish structures in city history were constructed in Indianapolis between the 1870s through 1900. Architectural historian James Glass returns to talk with Nelson about this era of the city. 

Content awareness for listeners:  This show does contain discussion about violence relating to guns and murder and may not be suitable for listeners that are sensitive to this subject matter.    Originally aired on 01/11/2025.  On February 1st, 1960, 44-year-old principal Leonard Redden opened fire with a shotgun at a school in Hartford City, Indiana.  This story and others are discussed by Nelson...

Originally aired 01/04/2025. Historians Beth Van Allen and Leon Bates discuss the ways that Indianapolis Public Schools handled the education of Black children and teenagers from the beginning of Indiana's statehood in 1816, through the founding of Indianapolis in the 1820s, and up through much of the 20th Century. 

Originally aired 12/21/2024. Forensic investigative genealogy is a fascinating emerging field of work.  Nelson's guest, Bradley Marchant , was hired by the Indiana State Police as their first genetic genealogist. Bradley shares how genealogy and DNA have been used to solve cold cases, including high-profile Indiana cases. He discusses misconceptions about law enforcement and forensic genealogy. 

Originally aired on 12/14/2024. Distinguished architectural historian James Glass , and author of the new book "Architecture in Indianapolis, 1820-1900" ,  shares his knowledge about historic churches, private homes and other structures in the circle city. Some of the buildings constructed in the 1800s are still standing, while others have been demolished. He also reviews architectural styles popu...

Originally aired 12/7/2024. In 2024, a life-sized sculpture of John Mellencamp was dedicated on the Indiana University's campus in Bloomington. It is not the only outdoor artwork on campus created by Indiana sculptor  Michael Livingston McAuley , who was Nelson's guest for this show. He also created a bronze sculpture of legendary composer Hoagy Carmichael playing a Steinway piano. To create a bro...

Originally aired 11/23/2024. Although Marsh Davis has been president and CEO of Indiana Landmarks since 2006, his involvement goes much further back with what has become the largest statewide preservation organization in the country. Marsh retired in the spring of 2025. He was Nelson's guest on this archived show from 2024. The two explore successes and a few disappointments in the crusade to save...

Originally aired 11/16/2024. Have you ever been on the hunt for an item for your home like a vintage door knob, light fixtures, bathtub, window or floor register? Nelson's guest is Tim Harmon, former owner of Tim & Company's Another Fine Mess.  The now closed architectural salvage shop on the near east side of Indy sold  many salvaged items from numerous architectural eras ranging from as early as...

Originally aired 11/9/2024. Historian and Riley biographer, Elizabeth Van Allen, is Nelson's guest and shares a range of misconceptions regarding the Hoosier poet. At the peak of his success in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Riley  (1849-1916)   was the most popular poet in America. Although his poetry celebrated rural life,  the well known poet lived as an urbane sophisticate during his fame. ​ 

Originally aired on 10/26/2024. Content awareness for listeners: This show does contain discussion about violence and may not be suitable for listeners that are senstive to this subject matter.  For many decades the murder of Carol Jenkins, a young Black woman from Rushville, Indiana, remained unsolved and a cold case.  In September 1968 Carol was murdered in Martinsville, Indiana, a known sundown...

Originally aired 10/19/2024. The downtown Indy building known as City Hall has been in the news recently. At the time this show aired, there were plans to renovate and include it as part of a hotel, art gallery and apartment project. But what is the history of the historic building, which has been sitting vacant after several various uses, including as the home of the Indiana State Museum from 196...

Originally aired 10/05/2024. Indianapolis-based film historian and preservationist Eric Grayson , has been restoring a rare movie serial, "King of the Kongo", that starred Boris Karloff a few years before he became internationally famous as the Frankenstein monster in 1931. Boris Karloff's daughter, Sara Karloff, joins by phone from California for part of the show. Eric also shares insights about...

Originally aired 9/28/2024. Even though we're a history show, Nelson and his guest, Carol Rogers discuss the future. Carol is director of the Indiana Business Research Center at the IU Kelley School of Business. In September 2024, the center released population projections for the next 40 years, including growth rates for specific counties. Nelson and Carol also explore population rates throughout...

Originally aired 09/21/2024. Tom Fontaine , of Indianapolis, whose vast collections include music, movie, and sports memorabilia, shares tips and advice about collecting autographs and much more. A full time collector for several decades, Tom buys and sells memorabilia including stage costumes, lyrics, musical instruments and autographs of famous people. He also has written several books, includin...