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Author Biography
Steven R. Barnett is Executive Director at the Irvington Historical Society.
Steve Barnett was raised in Irvington. Steve attended School #57, Howe High School (’63), and received a degree from Purdue University (’70). He served in the Indiana National Guard. After a brief hiatus from Irvington, Steve returned to his home town in 1977 with his wife Sue so their three children could grow up in a family friendly environment.
Steve had the good fortune of working with U. S. Representative Andy Jacobs, Jr. and U. S. Representative Julia Carson in the Indianapolis Congressional District Office helping constituents.
After his retirement, Steve became the executive director of the Irvington Historical Society and curator of the Bona Thompson Memorial Center until 2025. Steve was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel by Gov. Wallace G. Wilkinson for service to veterans, and he was appointed a Sagamore of the Wabash by Gov. Joseph Kernan for service to Indiana. In 2016, Steve was named Marion County Historian.
Steven R. Barnett’s Story Archive
Hey, Where ‘Ya From?
When visitors enter the Indiana State Museum they will see immediately to the left the reconstructed facsimile of the three-story red brick façade of the Oscar C. McCulloch School No. 5. Decorated with ornate terra cotta columns in blue and white, two similarly colored terra cotta medallions flank the doorway … Read More
100 Years Ago: June 27-July 3
From The Indianapolis News, Thursday, July 2, 1925: The creation of a federal department of education with a secretary in the President’s cabinet was enthusiastically endorsed today by delegates to the National Education Association convention meeting at Caleb Mills Hall, Shortridge High School. The proposal provides no federal financial subsidies … Read More
100 Years Ago: June 20-27
From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, June 24, 1925: Indianapolis architects Pierre & Wright have been selected to design five homes for the great $200,000 (2024: $3,653,142) home building project sponsored by The Indianapolis News. The purpose of this undertaking is to acquaint the public with harmonious and satisfactory modern and … Read More
100 Years Ago: June 13-19
From The Indianapolis Times, Tuesday, June 16, 1925: A copy of the dying declaration of Madge Oberholtzer, for whose murder former Indiana Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon D. C. Stephenson and his co-defendants Earl Klinck and Earl Gentry are charged, was given to the defense at today’s bail hearing for … Read More
100 Years Ago: May 30-June 12
From The Indianapolis Star, Friday, June 5, 1925: The building committee of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Indianapolis, has accepted the design for the most monumental Scottish Rite cathedral in the world. The plan by Indianapolis architect George F. Schreiber is of an immense, three-story Gothic structure … Read More