Finding the Stories That Make a City: Indianapolis, Hidden Gems and History with Ashley Petry

Send us Fan MailIndianapolis has secrets hiding in plain sight, and some of them involve thousands of hungry squirrels. Host Angela Tuell sits down with Indianapolis writer, editor and author Ashley Petry to unpack how she turns local history, culture, and curiosity into stories that make people see the Circle City with fresh eyes.Ashley shares how a lifelong love of writing and a deep background in travel writing led her back home, where she realized Indianapolis needed smarter, more vivid guides. We talk about the “hedgehog concept” and why choosing a niche can be the difference between scattered freelance work and a focused body of work. Along the way, Ashley explains how she finds the gems: reading the dusty history books until something weird and wonderful jumps off the page, then pairing that research with present-day listening, from neighborhood buzz to trusted PR relationships.We also dig into her books, including 100 Things to Do in Indianapolis Before You Die, Secret Indianapolis and her new release, Remarkable Women of Indianapolis. Ashley tells us why the absence of a women’s history book pushed her to write one, and highlights the kind of overlooked impact story that stuck with her, like educator Eliza Blaker’s network of free kindergartens. For PR pros and communications folks, Ashley gives direct, practical advice on what makes a pitch stand out, what mistakes to avoid with media databases, and why a two-way relationship matters more than volume.If you love Indianapolis travel, Midwest culture, local history or better PR pitching, you’ll leave with story ideas, weekend recommendations and a new reason to pay attention to what’s happening locally. Subscribe, share this with a friend and leave a review so more listeners can find us.Meet Ashley at her upcoming Indianapolis book signing at the Propylaeum on July 9 (registration required): https://secure.qgiv.com/for/propylaeumhistoricfoundation/event/2026pagesatheprop/Ashley website: http://www.ashleypetry.com/ Twitter/X: @ashleypetryInstagram: @ashleypetryTikTok: @ashley.petryRemarkable Women of Indianapolis 100 Things to Do in Indianapolis Before You Die Secret IndianapolisIndianapolis: An Illustrated TimelineCheck out Ashley's alphabet card collection