Primary Source - October News from the Indiana Historical Bureau

IHB Primary Source Banner

Lafayette School Corporation’s Oakland High School does history with IHB

On September 2, Bureau staff visited Oakland High School in Lafayette to present interactive lessons to the inaugural class. The lessons were meant to reinforce the importance of primary sources in research and introduce students to a range of Indiana History topics. The presentations were geared to a 9th-12th grade audience and asked students to explore documentary evidence relating to slavery in Indiana, Lafayette artist George Winter and the Potawatomi removal, and the impact of bias on the historical narrative as seen in two historical markers that are currently under review by the Bureau. 
The staff enjoyed their visit and many Oakland students were inspired by these forays into public history. Thank you to Kathy Atwell, Executive Director of the Tippecanoe County Historical Association for permission to use George Winter sketches and to Sue Carr, Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, for bringing an original George Winter on Sept. 2. The presentations and activities are now available on the IHB website for educators to use in the classroom. Visit our new For Educators page to download the lesson plans, primary source documents, and discussion guides!

IHB reminds you to make Little Orphant Annie by the "Hoosier Poet," James Whitcomb Riley a part of your Fall to-do list.

New Indiana Historical Marker revises date of first classes at IU Bloomington

In 2007, when the city of Bloomington applied to the Indiana Historical Bureau for a state historical marker to commemorate Seminary Square, it provoked an extensive search for primary sources to provide a definitive answer to the question of when classes first began at what is now Indiana University.
Earlier historians had suggested a variety of dates in the spring of 1824 or 1825.In 1987, the Indiana University Board of Trustees ended the debate by approving a resolution that made May 1, 1824 “the anniversary date of the beginning of classes at the State Seminary.”
Friday, August 26, 2011, Jeremy Hackerd, former manager of the Indiana Historical Bureau’s State Historical Marker Program, participated in the dedication of the State Seminary historical marker at Seminary Square Park. Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan, IU Executive Vice-President and Provost Karen Hanson, and Steve and Connie Ferguson also spoke at the ceremony.
It was fitting for Hackerd, currently Project Manager at IU’s Eppley Institute, to be there, since it was his research at the IHB that convincingly substantiated April 4, 1825 as the correct date when classes began. Indiana Historical Bureau staff continue to conduct extensive historical research to ensure that the texts of IHB state format markers installed throughout the state will be supported with reliable sources, according to the goals and guidelines for the program.
Read more about the event from the IU Archives and Indiana Daily Student.  
Below: Jeremy Hackerd speaks at the ceremony.  Seated are Connie Ferguson, Stephen Ferguson, Mayor Mark Kruzan, and IU Assistant Vice President Kirk White

Seminary Square Dedication

Marianne Hughes, marker volunteer, reported recently that a 1966 historical marker, “Site of Hardin’s Defeat” was lying along the road. After a review of the text, it was decided the marker should not be replaced.  The review, detailing inaccuracies that led to the decision, may be read here. Thank you to INDOT, Fort Wayne Division, for removing the marker, and to Marianne for her vigilance.
Heartland Serial Killers

Shop @ IHB

Looking for a creepy read for Halloween? IHB Staff recommend Heartland Serial Killers and Haunted Tales from the Region. See more New Books
Looking for a good deal? In addition to the 100+ titles in our 40% off sale, all genealogy titles will be 20% off in October. Everything's 20% off during the Genealogy and Local History Fair.
=============

What’s Happening


Thu., Oct. 6, 1pm – Marion Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Marker Dedication (Marion, IN)

Sat., Oct. 8, 2pm – Stephen Benack Marker Dedication (Tippecanoe, IN)

Sat., Oct. 22, 9am – IHB Book Shop will be open for Indiana State Library’s Genealogy and Local History Fair.
=============
A huge thank you to all of the volunteers who assisted in our Marker Inventory of the North Region! Results are being compiled. Keep up with the state of markers in the field by joining our Marker SOS mailing list or learning about our Marker Maintenance Goals.
=============

Educators’ Corner

November is Native American Heritage Month! Get ready with resources for teaching about Indiana’s Native American Heritage:
 
American Indian- and Prehistory-focused issues of The Indiana Historian

Markers regarding American Indians

Links to American Indians in Indiana
=============

Ask IHB

Q: "Is there a marker on the Indiana shore of the Ohio River referencing Lafayette? Perhaps that he "passed this way on his visit in 1825" to Louisville?" - J.W., Switzerland County

A: IHB has no state format marker relating to Lafayette's visit. Jeffersonville was the planned stop, so we recommend contacting the Jeffersonville Township Public Library to see if they know of any local markers. There is a pamphlet entitled "The visit of Lafayette Indiana May 11, 1825," by Lewis C. Baird, which is available from several public libraries in Indiana. See also this Indiana Magazine of History article on Lafayette in Indiana. You can also find Lafayette's journal of his trip to America on Google Books.
 Do you have an Indiana History question for IHB? Email us!