100 Years Ago: June 5-11

From The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, June 6, 1920: Indianapolis centennial celebrations began last night in Tomlinson Hall with hundreds of citizens from all over Hoosierdom assembled in an auditorium bedecked in flags and centennial colors. As the crowd gathered at the first big event of the five-day birthday party, the Indianapolis Military Band played. Community singing gave the guests a chance to fill the hall with the melodies that have endeared themselves to Hoosiers, in praise of the 100-year-old city. Stories of the city’s past were told while some seers painted in brilliant colors dreams of her future. Mayor Jewett pointed out that Indianapolis came into being during the infancy of the United States, and “the history of the city is merely a miniature of the history of our country.” The evening ended with the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”