Hoosier History Live

As many basketball fans know, the sport was not invented in Indiana. It was created during the winter of 1891-92 by  Dr. James Naismith , a physician and physical education coordinator at a YMCA in Springfield, Mass. But basketball took off like wildfire in the Hoosier state and became a core part of its cultural identity. For many generations of hoops lovers, the first competitive (non-exhibition...

(March 7, 2020) As Hoosier History Live salutes Women's History Month , we will spotlight Indiana suffragists - including a former first lady of the state - whom we have not previously explored. We took a deep dive into the women's rights crusade during our  Jan. 18 show , and now we delve into strides Hoosier women made in the political arena after achieving the right to vote in 1920. But there a...

Hoosiers who have celebrated more than 90 birthdays have lived through a lot of state history. Not only have they been eyewitnesses to the great milestones of the 20th century, many have remained hale and hearty far beyond the average American lifespan. Those who continue to enjoy an active life into their tenth decade undoubtedly have insights and advice to share with the rest of us. To tap these...

(February 15, 2020) Some folks assume  Kurt Vonnegut  seldom visited  Indianapolis  after he achieved fame. Others claim the literary lion disliked his hometown - intensely and continuously - until his  death in April of 2007 . Still others make assumptions about his religious and spiritual beliefs. Then there are those who think of him as a curmudgeon. And those who assume that most of Vonnegut's...

(February 8, 2020) With what was often described as a "cloud of white hair" and a distinctive beard,  Rev. Boniface Hardin  would have drawn attention even if he had not emerged during the 1960s as one of the most prominent civil rights activists in  Indianapolis . As Hoosier History Live salutes  Black History Month , we explore the impact of Father Hardin (1933-2012), the founder of  Martin Univ...

(February 1, 2020) For many generations of  South Bend  residents,  Studebaker Brothers  - which later became the  Studebaker Corp . - was the largest employer in town. It all began in 1852 when the two oldest of five Studebaker brothers -  Henry  and  Clement  - opened a blacksmith shop, pursuing a trade they had been taught by their father. By the 1880s, Studebaker was the largest maker of vehic...

(January 25, 2020) Where do you start in describing a staggering collection of hundreds of rare items of  Indianapolis  memorabilia and ephemera? A private collection owned by antiques dealer  Charles Alexander  includes miniature models of iconic structures like the  Soldiers and Sailors Monument ; he owns two replicas created as the landmark was being constructed during the 1880s and '90s. The h...

(January 18, 2020) The upcoming 100th anniversary of women's voting rights is certainly a reason to celebrate, but the history made in 1920 was the result of a long, arduous struggle, with setbacks, conflicts and crusaders who would not give up. All of that was true both nationally and in Indiana, so Hoosier History Live is exploring an array of aspects of the  women's suffrage movement  that led...

(January 11, 2020) Even specialists in African-African history could be forgiven for drawing a blank at the mention of the name of  Indianapolis  native  James Baskett . In spite of being the  first black male actor to win an Oscar  - for a role in which he sang a song that also won an Academy Award - Baskett's place in the annals of African-American history seems to be largely forgotten. That's b...

(January 4, 2020) With our first show of the new year, Hoosier History Live looks both backward and forward. That's because our focus is not only on how the  city of Indianapolis  celebrated its 100th birthday in 1920, but also on how the Hoosier capital plans to salute its bicentennial jubilee, which kicks off in June. We also explore what happened in 1971, when Indy threw a year-long sesquicente...

(December 28, 2019) Remember when it was common for dining establishments to offer customers distinctive placemats and other souvenirs as thanks for their patronage? Those kinds of keepsakes are mostly bygone now, but  Terry Kirts , the dining critic for  Indianapolis Monthly magazine , has a stash of placemats from Hoosier restaurants. Terry describes the souvenirs as Nelson's studio guest for th...

(December 14, 2019) As showplace mansions built primarily during the 1920s with a mix of architectural styles, the stately homes along  North Meridian Street  in  Indianapolis  captivate motorists on one of the Hoosier capital's busiest streets. Not only is Meridian the city's east-west divider, the street is the route for U.S. 31 on the Northside. The mansions in the  North Meridian Historic Dist...

(December 7, 2019) In the late 1930s, a brutal crime made headlines in  Indianapolis  as the " Case of the December Bride ," so-called not because of the month in which the murder was committed - it happened in January - but rather because of the relative ages of the married couple involved. The victim,  Carrie Romig , who was fatally beaten with a claw hammer, was in her 50s. Her body was discove...

(November 30 2019) Long before the "Hoosier Poet" became known across the country as a spellbinding entertainer, he had a colorful life. That was so even before young  James Whitcomb Riley  worked as a musician and sign painter on the  traveling medicine show circuit . Hoosier History Live spotlighted these and other captivating aspects of the  Greenfield  native's life in a show originally broadc...

(November 23 2019) In 1920, he was in prison while running the final of his five campaigns for U.S. president.  Terre Haute  native  Eugene V. Debs , the leader of the  Socialist Party of America , won nearly one million votes during that unusual campaign. Hailed by many as the "champion of the American worker" - and denounced by others as an agitator - Debs (1855-1926) advocated nearly all of his...

(November 16, 2019) Ever hear of a  hellbender ? How about an  orange-fringed orchid ? Both are native to the Hoosier state, but only in isolated places. And both are among the seldom seen plants and animals that we feature on this show dedicated to Indiana's botanical and zoological rarities. Nelson is joined in studio by botanist  Michael Homoya , who retired last year after a distinguished care...

(November 9, 2019) As the nation readies itself for the  2020 U.S. Census , Hoosier History Live takes a close look at how records of the previous national headcounts - there have been 23 of them in all, beginning with the first in 1790 - can be used to unearth factual information and illuminate social history, as well as inform us about other aspects of our heritage. Our exploration highlights va...

(November 2, 2019) Indiana judicial history is not generally known for legal precedents that promote the cause of racial justice.  But we're drawing upon our rich archive of previously aired episodes to bring you a special encore show focusing on two landmark legal cases of racial justice in early 19th century Indiana.  The two historical incidents in our focus: a trial in which an enslaved Indian...

(October 19, 2019 ) In many ways, our  White River history show in July  offered depth and context about the heritage of the waterway. In other ways, though, we barely skimmed the surface, particularly because the White River has been in the news so much during the last three months. The attention has included a periodic series on the front pages of  The Indianapolis Star  that emphasized ongoing...

(October 12, 2019 ) The first African-American police officer to be named a detective in  Indianapolis  was born into slavery in Virginia. After  Benjamin Thornton  became a detective in 1886 in what today is called the  Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department  (IMPD), he earned acclaim across the country for his skills in tracking criminals. In 1918, fourteen policewomen were appointed for th...

(September 28, 2019 ) As is clear from the popularity of the PBS show  Finding Your Roots , and from the high volume of visitors to the website  ancestry.com , many Americans are interested in learning about their family history. And with the advent of personal DNA analysis from services such as  23andMe  and  AncestryDNA , more and more individuals are learning about the admixture of ethnicities...

(September 21, 2019) Here's another "Ask Nelson..." show, which we've featured regularly over the eleven years Hoosier History Live has been on the air. As usual, our host, author and historian  Nelson Price , is joined by a co-host, this time one who is familiar to long-time TV viewers across Central Indiana.  Reid Duffy , a popular personality for nearly 30 years on  WRTV-Channel 6  in  Indianap...

(September 14, 2019) "Sometimes an old lady deserves a few wrinkles,"  Billy VantWoud  says, referring to historic houses.  Billy is an  Indianapolis -based general contractor who has restored older homes in  Woodruff Place ,  Cottage Home ,  Fountain Square ,  St Clair Place  and other Indy neighborhoods dating back to the late nineteenth century. "If you can't tolerate a few imperfections, maybe...

(August 31 2019) "I love that there are still inns where Lincoln stayed," says travel writer  Jane Ammeson , who has been a popular Roadtrip correspondent on Hoosier History Live for several years. Although her radio reports, magazine articles and books cover a range of historic topics, Jane has narrowed her focus in her newest book,   Lincoln Road Trip: The Back-Roads Guide to America's Favorite...

(August 17, 2019) If the decades seem to have zipped by with the speed of a competitive cyclist, brace yourselves: The movie  Breaking Away , filmed in and around  Bloomington , opened in theaters across the country 40 years ago this summer. The film became an unexpected hit in 1979 and won an Academy Award for its screenwriter,  Indiana University  graduate  Steve Tesich , who drew inspiration fr...