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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: Oct. 18-24
From The Indianapolis Star, Friday, October 24, 1919: Hundreds of bicycle riders have registered with the thirty-six dealers for the first bike run in Indianapolis in recent years. The free event will start at University Park on Sunday at 3 p.m. and riders will follow a route to a point … Read More
100 Years Ago This Week: Oct. 11-17
From The Indianapolis News, Thursday, October 16, 1919: Newly-elected junior class officers at Butler College were surprised to learn that their election has been declared invalid by the student control board following charges that the ballot boxes were stuffed in the recent election and another vote has been ordered. Yesterday’s … Read More
100 Years Ago This Week: Oct. 4-10
From The Indianapolis Star, Wednesday, October 8, 1919: Fifteen out of 100 students in Indianapolis high schools do not expect to stay in the city after they graduate and 45 will decide after completing college. Thirteen are undecided. This is one of the significant results of the questionnaire circulated by … Read More
The Bridges of Marion County
Growing up in the 1950s, my family would often go for Sunday drives from our Irvington home. Our Chevy sedan, with my dad at the wheel and my mom riding “shotgun,” me and my two brothers packed in the back seat, would head out for a “drive in the country.” … Read More
100 Years Ago: Sept. 27-Oct. 4
From The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, September 30, 1919: Acting on a special advisory committee’s recommendations, Herbert L. Bass, architects, has been asked to prepare plans for remodeling the City Market to enable foodstuff producers to sell retail. To do this the present restaurant will have to be moved, and city … Read More