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30 Days of Thanksgiving Community

Indiana Historical Society – 30 Days of Thanksgiving

At F.C. Tucker we talk a lot about “paying our civic rent,” so for the month of November, we would like to express our gratitude to the many organizations and individuals who serve their communities tirelessly and make Indiana a better place to live and work. We obviously can’t highlight everyone, but we would like to salute these 30 organizations that are making a difference.

30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 15: Indiana Historical Society

The Indiana Historical Society is responsible for a lot of things, but their overall mission is to preserve the past. In an era when information comes and goes as quickly as ever, the IHS stands as a beacon of conservation. Their organization works tirelessly to maintain the fascinating history of our great state. From the stories told, to the pictures painted, and everything in between.

The IHS serves primarily as a means of connecting Hoosier’s with information about their state. By holding weekly events at their headquarters, the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, they’re able to educate the public on a variety of historical topics. Last month they held the “Gravestone Secrets” scavenger hunt which gave kids the opportunity to explore Indiana’s largest cemetery (Crown Hill) and learn about the famous Hoosier’s buried there. For the adults they offer evening events like “Searching for Lincoln”, a panelist discussion on where Abraham Lincoln really called home. Or how about “Blueprints, Buildings and Brews”, a Sunday afternoon on The Pickled Pedaler where history buffs ride from brewery to brewery learning about the great architecture of Indianapolis. For the holidays, the Historical Society is partnering with The Salvation Army to host their annual “Festival of Trees” event. Starting this month, the center will showcase 80 themed trees decorated for the holidays. This 3-month-long event will also include a Sugarplum Breakfast and a chance for kids to meet characters from The Nutcracker.

The History Center also serves as a sort of museum where you’ll find thousands of archives such as old postcards, posters, sheet music, paintings, maps and more that cover areas of study like the American Civil War, politics, LGBT, transportation, religion, agriculture and many others. They even have over 2.5 million digitized images of Indiana newspapers dating back to before the 1920s!

What the IHS offers to the community is pretty substantial, even unique. The History Center is a diverse resource of all things Indiana. From the vast library of old books and media, to their support for local history organizations, to their genealogy department which may just help you learn about your lost family tree. Perhaps you have an historical letter, trinket or piece of art and you’re not quite sure of its significance. Simply contact their on-site historical consultants to help you with your inquiry. Ever wanted to know what a “Hoosier” actually is? They’ve got you covered. Also in their ongoing mission to help educate locals about Indiana’s history, they offer extensive help to students and teachers alike, even providing a yearly pamphlet for local schools which is rife with resources on Indiana’s history. All this to help bolster the historical education of those in Indiana. Through the society’s vast network of donors, they’re able to help schools educate young students, to immerse history buffs in the details of Indiana’s past and to provide a meaningful destination for locals and visitors alike.

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