1861     Volunteers began arriving in Indianapolis to serve in the Civil War.  It had been only three days since Indiana Governor Oliver P. Morton had told President Abraham Lincoln that the state would raise 10,000 men.  A camp was established on the 36-acre state fairgrounds, then located in the area of 19th Street and Central Avenue.  Named Camp Morton in honor of the Governor, the facility served as a training camp for less than a year before it was converted to prison grounds for captured Confederate soldiers.

1884     Edwin C. Hill was born in Aurora, Indiana.  He graduated from Indiana University and did postgraduate work in journalism at Butler University.  Moving to New York City, he worked for major newspapers and went into the new medium of radio.  One of the first broadcast news commentators, he gained an audience of five million.  His most popular programs included “Your News Parade” and “The Human Side of the News.”

1920     A large crowd filled the Murat Theater to see the performance of ballerina and choreographer Ruth Page, who had grown up in Indianapolis and attended Tudor Hall.  She became famous for her innovative dance creations on American themes.  The Ruth Page Center for the Arts in Chicago continues her mission.

100 Years Ago 1922      Laptop computers were unknown a century ago.  It was the age of the typewriter, and the public was offered what could be called a “laptop model.”  It was the Corona #3 folding typewriter.  Weighing only six pounds, the compact Corona folded over and fit easily into its carrying case.  It became popular with traveling salesmen, students, and soldiers.  This 1922 model was offered at $2 down and $4 a month, for a total of $50 – over $800 in today’s dollars.  (See “Did You Know” in the right column)

1978     A Piper Chieftain airplane crashed in a muddy field near Arlington in Rush County.  All nine people aboard were killed, including seven officials of the United States Auto Club.  The plane had encountered a thunderstorm with hail and 100-mile-an-hour winds.  (Pictured:  Headline from the Indianapolis News on April 24, 1978)

1998     In the draft for the National Football League, Peyton Manning was selected by the Indianapolis Colts. The University of Tennessee quarterback proved to be a valuable choice for the team.  In his 14 seasons with the Colts, he was voted Most Valuable Player four times.  He led the team to eight division titles, three AFC championship games, two Super Bowl appearances, and the championship title in Super Bowl XLI in 2007.

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Indiana Statehouse Tour Office

Indiana Department of Administration

Visitors are welcome at the Indiana Statehouse Monday through Saturday.  For more information, please contact the tour office.

(317) 233-5293
touroffice@idoa.in.gov

Indiana Quick Quiz

     Match the classic film stars below to their Indiana hometowns:

1.  Red Skelton    2.  James Dean  3.  Florence Henderson   4.  Forrest Tucker

A.  Dale      B.  Fairmount    C.  Vincennes    D.  Plainfield

Answers Below

Hoosier Quote of the Week

     We are not called upon to do all the good possible, but only that which we can do.

    Saint Mother Theodore Guerin came to the United States from France and established St. Mary of the Woods College near Terre Haute.

     Ernie Pyle, from Dana, Indiana, was probably the best-known news correspondent during World War II.  He won the Pulitzer Prize for journalism and was published in 400 daily newspapers.  Known as the “G.I. Joe reporter,” he was on the front lines with common soldiers.  He was killed by enemy fire near Okinawa 77 years ago (April 18, 1945.)  In 2007, the  PBS program “History Detectives” looked into a viewer’s question about what kind of typewriter Pyle used.   They determined that it was the Corona #3, the lightweight folding typewriter which would have been so handy to carry onto the battlefield.

Take an “armchair tour” of the Indiana Statehouse.

Answers:  1. C   2. B   3. A   4. D