Indiana

Each summer, a small miracle occurs in southern Indiana, when the little town of Madison becomes the hydroplane racing capital of the world as 100,000-plus people flock in for the Madison Regatta.

The townsfolk, not merely content to host, also own the Miss Madison, one of the most successful hydroplanes on the circuit. In recent years, Miss Madison has emerged as the top hydroplane in the world, winning both the driver and hydroplane points standing multiple times. Roar down the Ohio with Fred Farley and Ron Harsin and revisit the long history of racing in this town and the sixty-plus years of the Madison Regatta.

Crawfordsville, founded in the early 1820s, has a diverse history for a small town located in rural, west-central Indiana. The town was the site of an important land office, which attracted many settlers, as well as speculators, to the area. Crawfordsville became known for its intellectual and progressive atmosphere and earned the nickname of the "Athens of Indiana," especially for the numerous residents with literary accomplishments. Wabash College was established in Crawfordsville in 1832, and the institution's teachers and students have contributed greatly to the development of the town's culture and prestige. In addition to its authors and poets, Crawfordsville has had its share of musicians, artists, soldiers, and statesmen who have played a role far beyond the borders of Montgomery County, of which Crawfordsville is the seat. Images of America: Crawfordsville is a photographic tour of the people and places that have marked this town from its early days. Some 200 historical images capture the town's development, along with its interesting, and often unique, accomplishments.

Noblesville's transformation from small town to one of Indiana's largest cities is a fascinating story. From the earliest settlers struggling for survival on Horseshoe Prairie in 1819 through the heady times of the 1880s Gas Boom era to today, the city thrived with uncommon personalities and landmark events. Discover the stories of former slave Reverend Barney Stone, daredevil Earl "Lucky" Teter and renowned fashion designer Norman Norell. Delve into the account of the Great Flood of 1913 and the origin of the nation's first independent telephone company. Join authors Paula Dunn and Nancy A. Massey on a journey through Noblesville's unique history.

Das Deutsche Haus, now known as the Athenaeum, is one of the great architectural and historic treasures of Indianapolis. Now recognized as a national landmark, it is emblematic not just of the culture of this great Midwestern city but also of the role of German immigrants, particularly die Freidenker (the freethinkers), who sought to build a community centered on secular ideas and family. It is a cathedral to healthy minds and bodies, boldness and ingenuity, and cultural inclusiveness and the arts. This building's 19th-century founders would approve of the Athenaeum today--a multicultural center, throbbing with life, that unites a diverse community with its past and beckons a bright future. The structure looks the same as it did a century and a quarter ago and serves much the same purpose.

Join historian Julie Young on this nostalgic look at the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) of Central Indiana, from football jamborees at CYO Stadium to fun times at camps Rancho Framasa and Christina. Share in the recollections of senior members who matured and found their voices and often their future spouses through their CYO experiences. Pull the award-winning apple pie from the oven and give the kickball a good boot in this spirited celebration of the CYO, a thriving organization that's ministered the spiritual, social, cultural, and athletic needs of countless young people throughout Central Indiana.

Situated along the southern shores of Lake Michigan, between Mount Baldy and the Indiana-Michigan border, is a unique Midwestern landscape.

Established at the foot of Hoosier Slide, a natural landmark, Michigan City had attracted a diverse group of pioneers, industrialists, and fun-lovers by the late 1800s. Hoosier Slide is now gone. While the rugged dunes in the east have been replaced by resort communities, the beauty that first captivated settlers is as evident now as it was in the early part of the 20th century.

In 1908, the Aurora Business Mens Association decided to bring a celebration to its sleepy river town. Little did these men realize that the Aurora Farmers Fair would bring their community together for the next 100 years. During the 1909 fall festival, Second and Main Streets were blocked off and lined with farm exhibits and storefronts were decorated. There were over 700 entries and 12,000 people attended. Every year merchants and manufacturers parade, and contestants are selected from area schools to compete for a place in the royal court that presides over the festivities. Class reunions and family homecomings are held around the event, and schoolchildren are released early to participate in a bicycle and pet parade. In 1959, the Aurora Business Mens Association ceded management and sponsorship of the fair to the Aurora Lions Club, and in 1969, the Lions Club purchased a beautiful old building from the Aurora Casket Company to house exhibits. Sadly, in 1998, arson destroyed the fair building, and years' worth of fair history was lost. This book has been created, in part, in an effort to regain a portion of the collection that was lost.

Four months after the Indiana General Assembly established Clinton County, longtime resident John Pence donated 60 acres of centrally located farmland where the county seat would be built. Thanks to Pence's generosity, the city of Frankfort, named in honor of his ancestral German home, was born on May 9, 1830. Dense forests, poor roads, and harsh winters were among the many challenges facing Frankfort's earliest inhabitants. Yet, that tiny, close-knit community grew and blossomed into the beautiful "Gem City," abundant in commerce, schools, churches, and culture. The spirit of those early settlers still prevails. It is revealed in their sons and daughters, who include heroes, entrepreneurs, educators, political leaders, artists, entertainers, athletes, and more. The images in this book highlight much of the history of a proud Hoosier city and those who call it home.

Explore the untold stories of Terre Haute's history.

The Queen City of the Wabash has a well-known, albeit long-gone, reputation as a "sin city,'? but that hardly tells the whole story. Unknown to all but a few, the city was home to a POW camp for Confederate prisoners and divers once plucked valuable freshwater pearls from the Wabash River. Druggist Jacob Baur discovered a way to liquefy carbon dioxide, earning him the title "King of Soda Fountains.'? Before the advent of Hollywood, motion pictures were made here. And one of the biggest child stars of the 1930s and '40s was a local boy named Billy Lee. He joined another child star from the area, Carl "Alfalfa'? Switzer of Our Gang fame.

Historian and author of Wicked Terre HauteTim Crumrin reveals the overlooked events and people in the city's past.

Once an almost impenetrable landscape of dunes, marshes, and woodlands hugging the southern shore of Lake Michigan, the land comprising what would become East Chicago was a developer's dream for the emerging steel industry. Considered one of the country's ultimate melting pots, four out of five of its citizens hailed from other countries, each bringing their valued cultures and traditions to this thriving metropolis. The industrial jobs, requiring hard work and much grit, provided a way out of poverty, but the area also offered beautiful parks and mansions along the waterfront, as well as great schools, neighborhoods, and civic organizations. East Chicago had a sense of vitality and the essence that the American dream was available for all.

Since its founding in 1821, Columbus, Indiana, has changed greatly-from an early agricultural town to a small modern city with varied business and industry. Today Columbus is most famous for its architectural gems from the past half century, but many historic buildings from early Columbus still exist. As Columbus has changed, its buildings have changed as well.

Gary's East Side is a nostalgic look back at one of the Steel City's oldest neighborhoods. Through a captivating collection of photographs that chronicle the many aspects of life on the east side of Gary, the book presents the rich history of the community from 1906, the year of Gary's founding, to the present.

From the steel mills to the churches to Gary's City Hall, Gary's East Side offers a touching look at this close-knit community. The east side of Gary was a place where people knew their neighbors, where children went to school together, and married high school sweethearts. The area has changed, but a new Gary is emerging. Gary's East Side presents the history of this area in poignant detail and points to the heartening future. Author John Trafny's skillful compilation promises to bring back fond memories of this historic neighborhood.

Growing up in central Indiana in the 1960s, '70s and '80s would not have been complete without our favorite hosts from WTTV-Channel 4. Sammy Terry set the spooky scene for Friday-night fright flicks. Cowboy Bob rode in on horseback with daily delights at the corral. Commander KC brought education to television. Along with Janie Hodge, Peggy Nicholson and regional characters, these local hosts were bona fide television stars before national programs began broadcasting kids' shows around the clock. WTTV's homegrown shows and endearing hosts endure in the hearts of their loyal fans. Join historian Julie Young on a journey behind the curtain of your favorite Channel 4 shows, as she offers a look at a pre-cable era when shows were live, hosts were local celebrities and anything could happen

Jerry Davich explores the remnants of Gary's glory days, from Union Station to City Methodist Church.

A poster child for our nation's urban experimentation a century ago, Gary was forged with hype and hope, dreams and sweat, political agendas and tons of steel. The hardscrabble city attracted all kinds, from shady scoundrels and famous architects to hardworking immigrants and brilliant entrepreneurs. Boasting 180,000 residents at its peak, the booming melting pot eventually faded away under the afflictions of urban decay, racial unrest and political upheaval. Revisit the Sheraton Hotel's demise, Emerson High School's hard lessons, Vee-Jay Records' last release and a devastated downtown filled only with façades and fond memories.

Based on vintage postcards, this new book is a unique and welcome addition to the small number of works devoted to the history of Martinsville.

Captured here in more than 220 postcard images is an important chronicle of the past 100 years in the "City of Mineral Water." This visual record showcases the sanitariums--including the glorious Home Lawn and its sibling, the Martinsville--industries and businesses, buildings and people, courthouse square, and special events that shaped the past and influenced the present. This fascinating retrospective is an indispensable companion to and expansion of Morgan County, the authors' first book in Arcadia's Postcard History Series.

Illinois may be known as the "Land of Lincoln," but Abraham Lincoln spent the formative years from the age of 7 until he turned 21 in southwestern Indiana, living with his family on a farmstead in the rolling hills of this beautiful rural area.

The Lincoln family moved from Kentucky, crossing the Ohio River and settling in an area known as Little Pigeon Creek in December 1816. Now known as Lincoln City, the town is just one of several stops on a back roads tour that takes wanderers through many historic sites, representing important moments in the life of a great man. Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, is buried here, and the cabin where his cousin lived and Lincoln spent the night still stands. Those who want to retrace Lincoln's life in southern Indiana can do so easily by following the narrow roads that traverse the 20-mile area where he lived and traveled during those 14 years when he called Indiana home. The people of the region still claim Lincoln as one of their own.