Weekly View » 100 Years Ago

100 Years Ago: Sept. 4-10

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 05:08:06 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, September 5, 1926: Six Sisters of Providence are busily engaged daily in last-minute preparations for the opening of Ladywood, the newest school for girls in Indianapolis. Located seven miles northeast of the city on Millersville Rd, Ladywood is on the former Stoughton Fletcher estate, hidden in trees and surrounded by hills and streams, the site was recently purchased by the Sisters. The mammoth building is receiving the final touches that will make the school a home for thirty young women who are the first enrollees. Carpenters, electricians, other craftsmen, and decorators are rushing to complete their work for the school’s opening on September 28. The former third floor ballroom has been converted into a chapel, and the many bedrooms are now furnished with single beds and furniture that will bring delight to the feminine heart.

100 Years Ago: Aug. 28-Sept. 3

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 05:08:37 +0000

From The Indianapolis News, Friday, September 3, 1926: The giant, 195-foot-long TC-5 airship soared gracefully over the eastern part of Indianapolis Thursday evening on her way from Scott Field, Illinois to Dayton, Ohio. The airship’s great size and the roar of her powerful motors led many residents to believe it was so close it almost touched treetops as it passed over homes. From the ground, the beautiful ship presented a thrilling sight with searchlights playing on the gas bag and lights gleaming from the cabin portholes. Its great size was emphasized by an accompanying army airplane flying in circles around the large air boat like a sparrow darting after some giant bird. It was the first time many in the city had seen a blimp in flight, its majestic size and deafening thunder of the motors creating a near panic.

100 Years Ago: Aug. 21-27

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 05:08:40 +0000

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, August 23, 1926: Six bicycle teams, two youthful cyclists each, will compete in the third annual Irvington race. The fifteen-mile contest will take place on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Irvington Speedway, 5750 Hibben Ave. The track, banked on a forty-five-degree curve, was built by neighborhood cyclists under the direction of Don and Carl Vollrath, sixteen-year-old race promoters. The track measures one-twentieth of a mile; 375 laps will be required to complete the race. One of the “dangerous” curves has been made slippery with oil. Qualification trials will be held prior to the race. Carl Vollrath holds the new track one mile record, 3:15, an average speed of 18.4 miles per hour. The winning team will be presented with a silver trophy cup, and other entrants will receive merchandise prizes given by Irvington merchants.

100 Years Ago: Aug. 14-20

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 05:08:16 +0000

From The Indianapolis Times, Thursday, August 19, 1926: The police have started a campaign against “jay walking” in an effort to decrease the fast-growing death toll among pedestrian who fail to observe traffic regulations Inspector Lester Jones, of the traffic division, announced today. Four men and one woman were arrested today for violating a long dormant city ordinance prohibiting people from walking across the street diagonally at a street intersection. The arrests were made at Senate Av and Court St where nearly 1,000 workers leave the C. B. Cones & Sons Overall Factory and the Best Grand Laundry daily at 5 p.m. to cross to the Statehouse grounds. It was at this corner a woman was struck by a truck and killed on Monday. The maximum penalty for jay walking a $300 (2025: $5,572) fine and 180 days in jail.

100 Years Ago: July 31-Aug. 6

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 05:08:10 +0000

From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, August 4, 1926: People don’t realize what they’re drinking or else they don’t care,” Sheriff Omer Hawkins remarked as he reported on an investigation of filth found in white mule whisky and mash seized in recent raids; the results are nauseating. One prize pint taken from north side bootleggers was decorated with a well-preserved cockroach inside. Other bottles contained mule clouded with unidentified mosslike scum. Seized mash barrels used for fermentation prior to distillation are prolific sources of filth. Dead rats and mice are quite common along with large green buzz flies. These intruders when filtered leave no noticeable taste with the rest of the batch and are sold to the customer. The fellow who says he knows where his hootch comes from and it is safe is a good man to stay away from.

100 Years Ago: July 24-30

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 05:08:47 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Monday, July 26, 1926: The six-story Haugh Hotel will be moved one block east from its present location on Michigan St between Meridian and Pennsylvania Streets to a new site at 127 E. Michigan St. It now stands near where construction is underway on the foundation of the World War Memorial building. Originally, the plan was to demolish the hotel, but it was found to be almost impossible to raze the red brick limestone trimmed concrete reinforced structure. The Kress-Oravetz House Moving Co of Pittsburgh is preparing the building for the move, undermining it with cribbing to elevate it with 550 large jacks. The building will be rolled over a steel track on 500 solid steel rollers. Four horses, working two winches, will be used to move the hotel at ten to fifteen feet an hour.

100 Years Ago: July 17-23

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 05:08:08 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, July 20, 1926: Thirty-six Indianapolis Girl Scouts from various troops participated yesterday in the opening of Camp Dellwood, the new Girl Scout camp. Located eight miles northwest of the city on Big Eagle Creek, the camp was made possible by a gift from Dorothy Dell. The camp, divided into three units — Sherwood Forest, Gypsy Dell, and Fairy Ring — will continue under the direction of Emma Gardner, director of the Indianapolis Girl Scouts, for four periods of seven days each and the program will include archery, map making, nature lore, first-aid, swimming, athletics and games, and various outdoor subjects. A handicraft project of knitting squares which will later form an afghan will be conducted to fulfill the second-class scouting requirement. A graduate nurse, a dietitian, a cook, unit leaders, and counselors comprise the camp staff,

100 Years Ago: July 3-9

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 05:08:36 +0000

From The Indianapolis Times, Monday, July 5, 1926: Although the Fourth of July was observed yesterday with varied festivities, the usual patriotic observances were reserved for today. Business stood still and public buildings were closed while fireworks boomed throughout the city amid sporadic rain showers which tempered the traditional Independence Day gaudiness. The streetcar strike partially crippled attendance at the principal patriotic program at the Circle Theater. Held under the auspices of the Seventh District Federation of Women’s Clubs, more than 5,000 children and veterans of foreign wars enjoyed a program that included viewing the photoplay, Barbara Fitchie. Indiana Spanish War Veterans held a picnic at Brookside Park while Grand Army of the Republic veterans held a reunion at their hall, Ft. Friendly, 512 N. Illinois. Celebrations ended with the night sky over Riverside Park ablaze with a fireworks display.

100 Years Ago: June 26-July 2

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 05:08:25 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Monday, June 28, 1926: The Lincoln Square Co will erect a theater to be known as the Indiana, at 128 to 142 W. Washington St immediately west of the Claypool Hotel, at an approximate cost of $1,252,456 (2025: $23,262,053). The Indiana Theater will be a six-story fireproof building featuring old Spanish style architecture throughout with a front exterior characterized by a gigantic and richly carved terra cotta motif. The entertainment house will contain a beautiful, modern and luxurious motion picture theater, seating nearly 3,500 people at one time, and a magnificent ballroom on the top floor, which, it is believed, will be the largest ballroom of its kind in the Middle West. Lounging and smoking rooms and a children’s playroom will be available on the ballroom and mezzanine floors. The basement will have a bowling alley.

100 Years Ago: June 19-25

Steven R. Barnett — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 05:08:50 +0000

From The Indianapolis Star, Wednesday, June 23, 1926: “The Crossroads of America” as the slogan for Indianapolis was officially adopted yesterday by the publicity committee of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. The slogan conveys a definite idea telling the world that Indianapolis stands at the intersection of the great east-west and north-south national highways and major railway systems which radiate from the center of distribution which demonstrates Indianapolis is not merely watching the world go by but playing an important part in the nation’s activities. An effort will be made immediately to persuade the Hoosier Motor Club to work with the Chamber of Commerce in revamping and standardizing all road signage around Indianapolis to incorporate, as a part of each sign, the new slogan and an arrow pointing toward Indianapolis. The previous slogan, “No mean city,” while flattering, was meaningless.