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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: June 3-9
From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, June 7, 1922: To promote civic pride, the Indianapolis Federation of Community Civic Clubs plans to take the 2,500 eighth-grade school children on a sight-seeing tour of the city next Tuesday afternoon. The plan has been indorsed by Ada Finfrock, Parent-Teachers’ Association president, who said, … Read More
Lest We Forget
It began as a day near the end of May, the 30th to be exact, and over a century later it was designated the last Monday of May, creating a three-day holiday weekend. Memorial Day, or as it was known to earlier generations, Decoration Day, is a day set aside … Read More
100 Years Ago: May 27-June 2
From The Indianapolis News, Monday, May 29, 1922: The first mail into Indianapolis by air arrived at the Indianapolis Aero Club’s flying field, eight miles east of the city along the National Road, at 12:36 p.m. this afternoon. A fleet of eight government air mail planes carrying 260 pounds of … Read More
100 Years Ago: May 20-26
From The Indianapolis Times, Tuesday, May 23, 1922: At a special meeting of the Indianapolis school board today, superintendent Ellis Graff suggested pupils of School No. 4, Blackford and West Michigan Streets, be transferred in a body to the new School No. 5 building, California and West Washington Streets, and … Read More
100 Years Ago: May 13-19
From The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, May 16, 1922: The city council, without discussion, passed an ordinance last night setting the legal height limit for new buildings constructed on Monument Circle at 150 feet with a setback of twelve feet at the 108-foot mark. The Indianapolis plan commission recommended the height … Read More