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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 This Week: Oct.16-22
From The Indianapolis Times, Thursday, October 21, 1920: With the opening this week of the woman’s bank department of the Fletcher American National Bank, Indianapolis joins with Boston as the only cities in the country with such a department. Located in the northeast corner of the Market Street bank building, … Read More
100 Years Ago: Oct. 9-15
From The Indianapolis Star, Thursday, October 14, 1920: Thousands of Marion County citizens will not be able to vote in the coming election unless special arrangements are made, according to county clerk Richard Sipe. With over 169,000 registered voters in the county, the 180 voting machines are sufficient for about … Read More
100 Years Ago: Oct. 2-8
From The Indianapolis Star, Wednesday, October 6, 1920: A total of 168,741 Marion County citizens have registered and are entitled to vote in the November presidential, state and county election according to tabulations completed by the county auditor. Of this number, 93,232 are men and 75,509 are women. The results … Read More
Peanuts and Cracker Jack
For decades an afternoon at the local Indianapolis ballpark watching the “Boys of Summer” wouldn’t have been complete without a cup of beer, a hot dog in a bun, a bag of peanuts, and a box of Cracker Jack. Those lazy, hazy days of memory almost became nothing more than … Read More
100 Years Ago: Sept. 25-Oct. 1
From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, September 29, 1920: Irvington will be the center of football followers as record crowds are expected to fill the stands Friday and Saturday afternoons when the Indianapolis football season opens on Irwin Field at Butler College. The first contest pits the Manual Training High School … Read More