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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. 29-Oct. 5
From The Indianapolis Star, Friday, October 5, 1923: Only 75 automobiles out of 1,700 cars tested by traffic police officers this week were found to have defective brakes according to Traffic Captain Michael Glenn. Motorists in a majority of the cases where automobile brakes have been found defective, have reported … Read More
Find a Marker
Indianapolis is a city of monuments. From the Soldier and Sailors Monument in the center of the city to wayside markers commemorating some person or event, Indianapolis remembers. Many of the markers scattered about Indianapolis were erected by the Indiana Historical Bureau. To date, more than one hundred of these … Read More
100 Years Ago: Sept. 15-21
From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, September 19, 1923: The largest freshmen class ever to register at Butler College swamped the registrar’s office today. By 8 a.m. a long line of young men and women had formed at the door of the administration building, and as the morning progressed the line … Read More
100 Years Ago: Sept. 8-14
From The Indianapolis Times, Tuesday, September 11, 1923: Police officers from the traffic accident prevention bureau will organize accident prevention councils in the 69 public schools and 21 parochial schools to make Indianapolis safe for school children. Each council will be composed of one or two students from the fourth … Read More
100 Years Ago: Sept. 1-7
From The Indianapolis Times, Friday, September 7, 1923: The Ku Klux Klan unofficially declared today “Klan Day” at the Indiana State Fair. Milton Elrod, editor of the Fiery Cross, announced all Klansmen will gather inside the racetrack at 6 p.m. for the singing of “America” and the recitation of the … Read More