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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 17-23
From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, March 21, 1923: Members of the Big Money League direct elaborate bootlegging operations for bringing smuggled liquor and dope from Florida and Georgia ports up the Dixie Highway to Indianapolis. Secrecy on the part of men higher up is essential and they stay far away … Read More
100 Years Ago: March 10-16
From The Indianapolis News, Tuesday, March 13, 1923: The West Indianapolis Civic League for the Enforcement of Law West of White River met last night and selected officers. Three men, known as captains, will be assigned to every square in West Indianapolis to watch for and report to the central … Read More
100 Years Ago: March 3-9
From The Indianapolis Star, Thursday, March 8, 1923: The city court trial of Jessie McDonald, a Chicago chorus girl, charged with public indecency, ended yesterday and Judge Delbert Wilmeth took his findings under advisement. McDonald was arrested following a performance of The Mischief Makers at the Broadway Theater after Rev. … Read More
Breaking the shackles
In the long ugly history of race relations in the United States, there have been a lot of bad actors and finger pointing. Many of the heroes of our nation’s founding and formative years are found to have feet of clay and their role in slavery is a topic everyone … Read More
100 Years Ago:Feb. 24-March 2
From The Indianapolis Times, Monday, February 26, 1923: “I’m the last member of the Nowland family, and I certainly do regret to see the memory of my ancestor and the other pioneer citizens of Indianapolis desecrated in this way,” Edwin Nowland said in response to an Indiana state senate bill … Read More