Article Archives: Building Blocks

Building Blocks is a monthly feature by historian Steve Barnett about historic properties on the east side of Indianapolis.

The Portfolio

January 25, 2024 | by Steven R. Barnett

The Portfolio is one of the oldest, continuously active, social clubs in Indianapolis. It was organized in 1890 at the suggestion of Mary Steele, wife of artist T. C. Steele, with the object of bringing together the various art interests of Indianapolis and to “promote a spirit of art interest … Read More

Christmas on Julian Avenue

December 21, 2023 | by Steven R. Barnett

My mom and dad were married only months before Pearl Harbor. They were living happily in an apartment on Webster Ave. and my dad was working as a coremaker at the International Harvester plant on Brookville Rd. when their lives and the lives of millions were suddenly changed by the … Read More

The Color of Art

November 23, 2023 | by Steven R. Barnett

Indianapolis has a rich history of visual arts. The city’s cultural heritage has been enriched from the early days of settlement when German immigrant Samuel Rooker painted the city’s first signs and artist Jacob Cox painted portraits of leading citizens and the surrounding landscape. Later, the Hoosier Group artists — … Read More

Irvington October Tales

October 26, 2023 | by Steven R. Barnett

Many consider Irvington to be the most haunted place in central Indiana. Certainly, during the month of October the Classic Suburb may live up to that reputation with its over-the-top celebration of Halloween. Homes are decorated, spooky stories are told, hundreds go on the ghost walk tours, and thousands attend … Read More

Find a Marker

September 21, 2023 | by Steven R. Barnett

Indianapolis is a city of monuments. From the Soldier and Sailors Monument in the center of the city to wayside markers commemorating some person or event, Indianapolis remembers. Many of the markers scattered about Indianapolis were erected by the Indiana Historical Bureau. To date, more than one hundred of these … Read More