Article Archives: 100 Years Ago

100 Years Ago: Feb. 13-19

February 12, 2026 | by Steven R. Barnett

From The Indianapolis Star, Friday, February 19, 1926: At a dinner held last night under the auspices of the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, 500 businessmen and women enthusiastically endorsed ad man Homer McKee’s plan for a Million Population Club, an all-embracing effort of citizens to push the city forward. In … Read More

100 Years Ago: Jan. 30-Feb. 12

February 5, 2026 | by Steven R. Barnett

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, February 1, 1926: Indianapolis will be only half lit tomorrow at midnight. As an experiment to keep the street lighting bill within the budget for the year, assistant city engineer Arthur Haufer announced that all streetlights on one side of each main thoroughfare will be … Read More

100 Years Ago: Jan. 23-29

January 22, 2026 | by Steven R. Barnett

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, January 25, 1926: Indianapolis attorney Charles Orbison was appointed imperial klaliff (vice president) of the Ku Klux Klan national organization by imperial wizard Hiram Evans at a Hotel Lincoln banquet attended by 300 Indiana Klansman yesterday evening. Orbison will receive an annual salary of $12,000 … Read More

100 Years Ago: Jan. 16-22

January 15, 2026 | by Steven R. Barnett

From The Indianapolis News, Friday, January 22, 1926: Shortly before noon today, Grace May Banta Urbahns was administered the oath of office at her home, 404 E. 43rd St, becoming the first woman treasurer of the state of Indiana and the first woman to hold a major office provided by … Read More

100 Years Ago: Jan. 9-15

January 8, 2026 | by Steven R. Barnett

From The Indianapolis Star, Wednesday, January 13, 1926: Recognizing that pigeons in University Square must eat and there isn’t much nourishment in snowflakes, dancer Alma Neilson, this week’s headliner at Keith’s Theater, after visiting the park yesterday morning with four pounds of cracked corn which disappeared with such rapidity that … Read More