Indiana Historical Society facts for kids
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Indiana Historical Society, housed in the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center.
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| Abbreviation | IHS |
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| Formation | December 11, 1830 |
| Purpose | Collect, preserve and share the history of Indiana |
| Headquarters | Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center |
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Membership
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7,500 households |
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President and CEO
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Jody Blankenship |
| 31 members | |
| Publication | Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History The Hoosier Genealogist: Connections |
| Affiliations | Smithsonian, American Alliance of Museums, American Association for State and Local History |
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Staff
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96 |
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is one of the oldest and largest groups in the United States that focuses on history. It calls itself "Indiana's Storyteller" because it shares the state's past.
The IHS is located in the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. This building is in Indianapolis, Indiana, right by the Indiana State Museum and the Eiteljorg Museum. In 2019, over 112,000 people visited the center. The Indiana Historical Society is the oldest state historical society west of the Allegheny Mountains.
The IHS is a private, nonprofit group that started in 1830. It has a huge library and archives filled with information about Indiana's history. The IHS also helps local museums and history groups. It publishes books and magazines, and offers workshops for teachers. They also have programs for kids, teens, and families. This includes helping Indiana take part in the National History Day Competition. The IHS also trains the 92 county historians in the state. In 1999, the Indiana Historical Society opened its current large headquarters in downtown Indianapolis.
Contents
Discovering Indiana's Past
The Indiana Historical Society began on December 11, 1830. This was exactly 14 years after Indiana became a state. A group of leaders in Indianapolis wanted to collect items that showed Indiana's history. Their goal was to gather "all materials calculated to shed light on the natural, civil, and political history of Indiana". They also wanted to promote useful knowledge and friendly connections among citizens. The main office of the Indiana Historical Society has always been in Indianapolis.
In 1831, the Indiana General Assembly officially approved the IHS. However, after some key supporters passed away, the group struggled. Between 1830 and 1886, they only held 12 annual meetings. Their collections were kept in old buildings like the Indiana State Bank and the old Indiana State Capitol. Back then, a historian described the IHS as "a small private club for publishing local history".
Rebuilding the Society
In 1886, the IHS was reorganized by Jacob Piatt Dunn. With his team, Dunn started the tradition of annual meetings that still happen today. Dunn inspired many people from different jobs to help gather resources for the society. He focused on editors, historians, lawyers, librarians, and writers.
Dunn tried to let women join the society in 1888, but it didn't happen then. It wasn't until 1906 that the first woman, editor Eliza Browning, was allowed to join. Thanks to Dunn, the Indiana Historical Society also had an office in the state capitol building from 1888 to 1914.
The Indiana Historical Society worked closely with other state history groups. These included the Indiana Historical Bureau, the Indiana State Museum, and the Indiana State Library. For over 50 years, from 1924 to 1976, the IHS leaders also directed the Historical Bureau. This connection meant that IHS members received the Indiana History Bulletin. They also received the Indiana Magazine of History from Indiana University.
In 1922, a generous gift from Delavan Smith helped the IHS greatly. He left a large sum of money and many books. This allowed the IHS to start its William Henry Smith Memorial Library. In the 1940s, Howard Henry Peckham led the IHS. He set many professional standards for how public history should be managed.
Sharing Indiana's Stories
Starting in the 1950s, the Indiana Historical Society began publishing many books about Indiana's history. One of their most important works was a multi-volume set in 1966. This celebrated Indiana's 150th anniversary as a state. Other famous works included the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Old Northwest in 1950.
In 2009, the IHS celebrated 20 years of its popular history magazine, Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History. They also publish The Hoosier Genealogist: Connections, which is about family history. Another magazine for members is called IN Perspective.
By 1970, the Indiana Historical Society had 5,000 members. One very important member was Eli Lilly. He was a longtime trustee whose donations helped fund new building additions in 1976. Lilly's gift allowed the IHS to have its own identity. Its offices and library took up a whole floor in the new addition. Around this time, the IHS and Indiana Historical Bureau leadership became separate. By 1993, membership had grown to 10,000 people.
For many years, the IHS headquarters was in the Indiana State Library and Historical Building. But in 1999, it moved to its current home. The building is very large, about 165,000 square feet. It includes:
- The Frank and Katrina Basile Theater, with 300 seats.
- The William Henry Smith Memorial Library.
- A special vault to keep the IHS's collections safe.
- The Stardust Terrace Cafe.
- Facilities for preserving and digitizing old items.
- Classrooms for learning.
- The Basile History Market.
- The Cole Porter Room.
- Eli Lilly Hall.
- Various spaces for exhibits.
The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center
In December 2007, the IHS started a special fundraising effort. They renamed their building the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. This was to honor the Glicks' generous gift to the campaign. The History Center was updated in 2009 and reopened in spring 2010 with new programs.
The "Indiana Experience" is a popular part of the center. It includes "You Are There!", an exhibit that brings history to life. They use actors in costumes to show visitors what it was like in the past. You can interact with these "living history" characters and learn about different times. Past exhibits have explored:
- The history of companies like Eli Lilly and Ball jar company.
- Daily life in Indiana during the Civil War and World War II.
- The civil rights movement in Indiana.
The Indiana Experience also has The Cole Porter Room. This area celebrates the life of the famous Indiana composer Cole Porter. It displays his personal items, including the Tony Award he won for Kiss Me, Kate. A singer also performs many of Cole Porter's songs there.
How the IHS Works
A board of 31 trustees guides the Indiana Historical Society. About 96 staff members work there. The IHS has different departments that focus on various tasks. These include:
- Managing the organization.
- Taking care of the collections.
- Preserving old items.
- Raising money.
- Publishing books and magazines.
- Marketing and outreach.
- Education and community programs.
The main goal is to collect, preserve, understand, and share Indiana's history.
Jody Blankenship is the current President and CEO of the Indiana Historical Society. He was chosen by the board in January 2019. The IHS has about 4,500 member households across the United States.
Amazing Collections
The IHS has one of the largest collections of historical materials about Indiana. You can access many items online through their website. You can also visit the William Henry Smith Memorial Library.
The collection includes:
- 1.7 million photographs.
- 45,000 books and pamphlets.
- 14,000 pieces of sheet music.
- Over 5,400 collections of old papers and documents.
- 3,300 historical objects.
- 1,700 maps.
- 800 broadsides (large printed sheets).
- 129 paintings.
More than 70,000 digital images are available on the IHS website.
One special item is a 130-year-old Bible. It was used in 2008 to swear in Mayor Greg Ballard of Indianapolis. Another very important item is an original glass negative of an Abraham Lincoln photograph. Alexander Gardner took this picture just weeks before the Gettysburg Address. This image was used to create the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.
The IHS collection is especially strong in certain areas related to Indiana. These include:
- Architecture and farming.
- The American Civil War.
- Businesses and communities.
- Education and different ethnic groups.
- Families and government.
- Journalism and medicine.
- Military history and famous Hoosiers.
- The Old Northwest Territory.
- Politics and religion.
- Social services and transportation.
- Women's history.
Preserving History
The Indiana Historical Society has a special lab to care for its paper collections. This lab provides various treatments to keep items stable for a long time. They use special techniques to clean and repair old documents.
Staff in the conservation lab also work to prevent damage. This includes making sure items are stored correctly. They create custom protective covers for materials. They also monitor the storage environment to keep it safe. The lab has a plan to manage pests and a plan for recovering items after a disaster.
See also
- List of U.S. state historical societies and museums
- List of attractions and events in Indianapolis
