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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
100 Years Ago: Sept. 13-19
From The Indianapolis News, Thursday, September 18, 1924: Downtown Indianapolis was crowded last night around nine o’clock as thousands of citizens gathered to watch weird happenings in the sky with a night-flying exhibition by army air service planes. Three tiny stars, changing positions in the heavens as if playing tag, … Read More
100 Years Ago: Sept. 6-12
From The Indianapolis News, Friday, September 12, 1924: National Defense Test Day was successfully celebrated across the country and in Indianapolis today. With flags fluttering and bands playing, 6,000 marchers, including members of the regular army and national guard, the army and navy reserves, veterans of the Rainbow Division, high … Read More
100 Years Ago: Aug. 30-Sept. 5
From The Indianapolis Times, Monday, September 1, 1924: 10,000 labor union members gathered at the State Fairground today for a celebration of Labor Day. For the first time the annual parade was done away with in favor of an outdoor affair to coincide with the opening of the State Fair. … Read More
Solidarity Forever!
Hoosier philosopher Abe Martin, through the pen of Kin Hubbard, asked, “What is a laborin’ man?” and answered, “A laborin’ man is a feller or woman that works in a stone quarry, or a bank, or a foundry, or a grocery, or livery stable, or a millinery store, or one … Read More
100 Years Ago: Aug. 23-29
From The Indianapolis Star, Friday, August 29, 1924: Officials of Indianapolis amateur baseball organizations have been invited to attend a demonstration of a baseball pitching machine that will be given tonight. Benjamin L. Blair, of Indianapolis, who invented the machine, has trained batters on the New York Yankees and New … Read More