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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: March 27-April 2
From The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, March 30, 1920: An enthusiastic gathering last night at Tomlinson Hall of legionaries and citizens of Indianapolis formally welcomed the American Legion and its national headquarters to Indiana and Indianapolis. Mayor Charles Jewett, in extending the city’s welcome, said, “I believe that Indianapolis was selected … Read More
100 Years Ago: March 20-26
From The Indianapolis News, Monday, March 23, 1920: “Save- Money-on-Meat” week began today with plate boiling beef being offered at 10 to 15 cents a pound ( $1.29-$1.94 in 2020) while porterhouse sold from 30 to 55 cents a pound ($3.88-$7.11 in 2020) . Stanley Wyckoff, Indiana fair price commissioner, … Read More
100 Years Ago: March 13-19
From The Indianapolis Star, Wednesday, March 17, 1920: A music memory contest will be held in Shortridge High School’s Caleb Mills Hall tomorrow evening. Ten pupils from each of the Indianapolis public high schools will compete for three individual cash prizes given by the Indiana Musicians Club, Indianapolis Matinee Musicale, … Read More
100 Years Ago: March 6-12
From The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, March 7, 1920: Yesterday, members of the Indianapolis Teachers’ Federation asked superintendent Ellis U. Graff for relief from the present low salaries with the distribution of a $300 (2018: $3,812) bonus to every city public school teacher at the end of the current school year. … Read More
“. . . Put Up a Parking Lot”
Fifty years ago singer-song writer Joni Mitchell composed “Big Yellow Taxi.” The folk-rock song, while written in reaction to modern intrusions into the natural environment, later had Bob Dylan singing a “big yellow bulldozer took away the house and land,” lyrics that echoed all that was bad with urban renewal; … Read More