Hoosier History Live

Chili parlors owned by Mexican Americans were popular in Indianapolis as early as 1907 and during the 1920s and '30s, a "hot tamale craze" occurred from Elkhart to Evansville. Nelson is joined by Nicole Martinez-LeGrand of the Indiana Historical Society to follow up on previous explorations of the early Mexican heritage in the state, including new details about a "Lost Barrio" of the 1950s and '60s. 

Originally aired 03/29/2025.  Guest David Steele shares his knowledge on two trailblazing women he has spent time researching and shares the impact they  have had on Hoosier history. One of them was an Indianapolis school principal and the other a jazz pianist in Richmond. Their lives were entwined with a range of aspects of Indiana history, from our Native American heritage to our jazz recording heyday.

Originally aired 03/22/2025. Nelson is joined by Susan Neville, Will Higgins, and Pat Chastain to honor acclaimed novelist, journalist and screenwriter Dan Wakefield. Dan passed away in March 2024.  The 55th anniversary of his national bestseller "Going All the Way", which is set in his hometown of Indianapolis, was in March 2025.  The group discuss his compelling life and impact, which involved coverage of the civil rights movement, challenges with alcoholism, and friendships with other legendary Americans. 

Originally aired 03/08/2025. What happened 200 years ago when the Indiana General Assembly met for the first time in Indianapolis? Where did the legislature stay in 1825, how did they entertain themselves, and what kinds of issues were they coping with? Nelson explores all of that with guest Libby Cierzniak, a retired lawyer and lobbyist, whose career has been intertwined with the Indiana Statehouse. Libby writes about Indianapolis city history on her blog called Indypolitan. 

Originally aired 03/01/2025. Originally aired 03/01/2025.  Ever hear of the former Monroe City High School, where the mascot was the Blue Jeans? How about the Bunker Hill High School, where the mascot was the Minutemen?  For this Hoosier History Live show, Nelson is joined by Reta Williams, a retired principal from Clinton County who found the lyrics and other details about the fight songs of more than 620 bygone high schools across Indiana that were at risk of being lost.

Originally aired 02/15/2025. Nelson's guest on this Black History Month show is Aleta Hodge, author of the biography, "The Robust Life & Times of Noble Sissle." Indianapolis native, Noble Sissle was the lyricist and co-producer of the first hit Broadway musical by and about Black people titled "Shuffle Along" (1921). He was a tenor, orchestra conductor and member of the Army regiment known as the "Harlem Hellfighters" during World War I. 

Originally aired 02/01/2025. Host Nelson Price is joined by local historian Ed Fujawa, author of "Vanished Indianapolis" and creator of the the blog, Class 900: Indianapolis History. The pair interview each other between phone calls from listeners. 

Although the Great Tri-State tornado in 1925 is considered the deadliest continual tornado in U.S. history, it's been nearly forgotten. This show, which originally aired on 01/25/2025, describes the devastation. Justin Harter, author of "The Great Tri-State Tornado" shares his knowledge of the event and its outcomes. 

Originally aired 01/18/2025. Several of the most lavish structures in city history were constructed in Indianapolis between the 1870s through 1900. Architectural historian James Glass returns to talk with Nelson about this era of the city. 

Content awareness for listeners: This show does contain discussion about violence relating to guns and murder and may not be suitable for listeners that are sensitive to this subject matter.    Originally aired on 01/11/2025.  On February 1st, 1960, 44-year-old principal Leonard Redden opened fire with a shotgun at a school in Hartford City, Indiana.  This story and others are discussed by Nelson and his guest, Janis Thornton, author of "No Place Like Murder 2". 

Originally aired 01/04/2025. Historians Beth Van Allen and Leon Bates discuss the ways that Indianapolis Public Schools handled the education of Black children and teenagers from the beginning of Indiana's statehood in 1816, through the founding of Indianapolis in the 1820s, and up through much of the 20th Century. 

Originally aired 12/21/2024. Forensic investigative genealogy is a fascinating emerging field of work.  Nelson's guest, Bradley Marchant, was hired by the Indiana State Police as their first genetic genealogist. Bradley shares how genealogy and DNA have been used to solve cold cases, including high-profile Indiana cases. He discusses misconceptions about law enforcement and forensic genealogy. 

Originally aired on 12/14/2024. Distinguished architectural historian James Glass, and author of the new book "Architecture in Indianapolis, 1820-1900",  shares his knowledge about historic churches, private homes and other structures in the circle city. Some of the buildings constructed in the 1800s are still standing, while others have been demolished. He also reviews architectural styles popular during the early and mid -1800s, including Federal, Greek Revival, and Gothic. 

Originally aired 12/7/2024. In 2024, a life-sized sculpture of John Mellencamp was dedicated on the Indiana University's campus in Bloomington. It is not the only outdoor artwork on campus created by Indiana sculptor Michael Livingston McAuley, who was Nelson's guest for this show. He also created a bronze sculpture of legendary composer Hoagy Carmichael playing a Steinway piano. To create a bronze sculpture Michael begins by creating the image in clay. For John Mellencamp's sculpture, he used a photo taken by Mellencamp's former wife Elaine  at the rock star's request.

Originally aired 11/23/2024. Although Marsh Davis has been president and CEO of Indiana Landmarks since 2006, his involvement goes much further back with what has become the largest statewide preservation organization in the country. Marsh retired in the spring of 2025. He was Nelson's guest on this archived show from 2024. The two explore successes and a few disappointments in the crusade to save historic sites across the state.

Originally aired 11/16/2024. Have you ever been on the hunt for an item for your home like a vintage door knob, light fixtures, bathtub, window or floor register? Nelson's guest is Tim Harmon, former owner of Tim & Company's Another Fine Mess.  The now closed architectural salvage shop on the near east side of Indy sold  many salvaged items from numerous architectural eras ranging from as early as 1840 to as recent as 1960. This show had some issues exporting the audio and it cuts out a little early unfortunately. But hey! it's live radio and errors happen. If there is a topic you're interested it, be sure to tune in live if you can on WICR 88.7fm. 

Originally aired 11/9/2024. Historian and Riley biographer, Elizabeth Van Allen, is Nelson's guest and shares a range of misconceptions regarding the Hoosier poet. At the peak of his success in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Riley  (1849-1916)   was the most popular poet in America. Although his poetry celebrated rural life,  the well known poet lived as an urbane sophisticate during his fame. ​ 

Originally aired on 10/26/2024. Content awareness for listeners: This show does contain discussion about violence and may not be suitable for listeners that are senstive to this subject matter.  For many decades the murder of Carol Jenkins, a young Black woman from Rushville, Indiana, remained unsolved and a cold case.  In September 1968 Carol was murdered in Martinsville, Indiana, a known sundown town.  In 2001, a series of revelations began to unfold involving former investigative reporter, Sandra Chapman, who is Nelson's guest for this show. She was left a chilling voice message that helped solve the case. Sandra discusses the case and her role in helping discover what actually happened on that evening in September 1968. Sandra produced a documentary, "The Girl in the Yellow Scarf", about the infamous case and its aftermath.  It is now on a broadcast run on PBS stations. 

Originally aired 10/19/2024. The downtown Indy building known as City Hall has been in the news recently. At the time this show aired, there were plans to renovate and include it as part of a hotel, art gallery and apartment project. But what is the history of the historic building, which has been sitting vacant after several various uses, including as the home of the Indiana State Museum from 1967-2002? Nelson and his guest Connie Zeigler, author of "Unusual Urban History of Indianapolis" explore Old City Hall's history, along with other urban sites in Indy, including Riley Towers apartments and a mortuary owned by the first African American funeral director in a state. 

Originally aired 10/05/2024. Indianapolis-based film historian and preservationist Eric Grayson, has been restoring a rare movie serial, "King of the Kongo", that starred Boris Karloff a few years before he became internationally famous as the Frankenstein monster in 1931. Boris Karloff's daughter, Sara Karloff, joins by phone from California for part of the show. Eric also shares insights about two silent movies starring Lon Chaney that were written by a controversial screenwriter from Noblesville, Indiana.

Originally aired 9/28/2024. Even though we're a history show, Nelson and his guest, Carol Rogers discuss the future. Carol is director of the Indiana Business Research Center at the IU Kelley School of Business. In September 2024, the center released population projections for the next 40 years, including growth rates for specific counties. Nelson and Carol also explore population rates throughout decades past, including the 1930s and 1980s. 

Originally aired 09/21/2024. Tom Fontaine, of Indianapolis, whose vast collections include music, movie, and sports memorabilia, shares tips and advice about collecting autographs and much more. A full time collector for several decades, Tom buys and sells memorabilia including stage costumes, lyrics, musical instruments and autographs of famous people. He also has written several books, including one about his extensive collections. 

Originally aired on 09/14/2024. Nelson is joined by Purdue University historian John Norberg to explore an array of compelling stories, including a horrific collision involving train cars carrying Purdue football players, fans, faculty and alumni for a big game against IU in 1903. Passengers included a football player among those taken to the morgue who recovered and eventually became the governor of Indiana. John and Nelson also discuss the story of two African-American sisters who were denied admission to dorms in the 1940s, and more.

Originally aired 8/31/2024. Nelson is joined by Julia Whitehead, founder and CEO of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library to discuss the author's impact on his peers and those who came after him. 

Originally aired on 8/24/2024. Nelson's guest, architectural historian Ben Ross of RATIO Architects, shares insights about the early architects of Indiana. 

Originally aired on 08/17/2026. Nelson is joined by Ray Boomhower, an author and editor with the Indiana Historical Society, to answer your questions. 

Originally aired 8/10/2024 Guest Elaine May Conly won an essay contest to meet the Beatles during their legendary concerts at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in 1964 as 15-year-old Howe High School student. Father and son duo, David and Evan Humphrey, co-authors of the new book "We Love You, Beatles: Why the Fab Four Still Matter to Their Hoosier Fans" join the conversation too.

He visited Indiana 10 times, trips that included riveting and colorful episodes that made national news.

Guest Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp talks with Host Nelson Price about invasive pests impacting plants and trees in Indiana.

Rock and roll icon Chuck Berry was the headliner at a concert at Bush Stadium in 1972, the first of a long-forgotten series of music festivals at the former baseball stadium in Indianapolis. A poster for that 1972 concert is now part of the collection of the Indiana Music History Project. So are rare vinyl LP's and 45's featuring Indiana musicians. And so are four Indiana University yearbooks from each year that Hoagy Carmichael was a student in the 1920s, although the music history project generally focuses on the "vinyl era"; that's usually defined as stretching from 1950 to 1990. The 1972 poster, vinyl LP's and yearbooks are among more than 5,000 pieces of memorabilia, ranging from a record player, photos and cassettes to flyers for concerts, that have been donated during the last year to the music history project, an initiative of the Indiana Entertainment Foundation. So Rick Wilkerson, the executive director of both the entertainment foundation and the music history project, will return to share updates since he was Nelson's guest last July about the vinyl era of Indiana music. Rick, who formerly owned vinyl record stores in Indianapolis, attended the Chuck Berry concert in 1972, although the poster was donated by musician and photographer Neil Sharrow.

As Hoosier History Live salutes the recent 80th anniversary of D-Day, a milestone during World War II, we will explore the Indiana connections to the largest amphibious invasion ever undertaken. Our guest, World War II historian Ron May, an author and chaplain, interviewed Hoosiers involved in various ways with D-Day, which was June 6, 1944. He also has researched the lives of those who did not make it home. In addition, Ron has visited American cemeteries in Normandy, France, and Luxembourg. So we also will discuss Hoosiers who are buried at the graveyards, including a pacifist from Indianapolis who served in a medical detachment and voluntarily walked into a minefield to come to the aid of two wounded comrades. William McGee, who was 21 years old when he was killed in March 1945, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the military's highest decoration. Ron May, who is based in Carmel, has been a frequent Hoosier History Live guest when we have explored World War II history, most recently on a show in 2023 in connection with his book titled "World War II: Indiana Landmarks".

New information continues to emerge about a woman whose deathbed testimony in 1925 helped end the stranglehold of the notorious Ku Klux Klan in Indiana. And there are multiple, new efforts underway to spotlight the legacy of Madge Oberholtzer, the victim of a lurid crime by KKK leader, D.C. Stephenson, her neighbor in the Irvington neighborhood of Indianapolis. So Hoosier History Live will follow up a show from 2021 with Charlotte Ottinger, the author of a trail-blazing biography titled Madge: The Life and Times of Madge Oberholtzer published by the Irvington Historical Society. A registered nurse who also lives in Irvington, Charlotte will return as Nelson's guest to share more insights about Madge, who was brutally raped by Stephenson, the Grand Dragon of the KKK, during a train trip to Chicago with him and one of his associates. After being brought back to her family's home, Madge courageously recounted details of Stephenson's physical and sexual assault. Her statements resulted in his eventual conviction of second-degree murder in a sensational trial that helped end the clout of Stephenson, who had intimidated Indiana political and civic leaders.

Maybe you have heard some of these comments about houses built in the 1800s and early 1900s: "They never had closets." "Anything that sticks out of the house – like a wing -- was a subsequent addition." "Their only light was from candles or kerosene lamps." These are widespread misconceptions that our distinguished guest, Indianapolis-based architectural historian Benjamin L. Ross of RATIO Architects, plans to dispel when he joins Nelson in-studio. For more than 15 years, Ben Ross has been involved in analyzing, interpreting and planning for the future of historic sites in Indiana and across the country, including well-known historic houses. Some myths about historic houses are so pervasive that they even are repeated to visitors by well-intentioned docents at the sites, Ben says. They include: "The back part of the house is shorter and simpler, so it must be older." "Almost everyone was a homeowner." "Many people lived in one place their entire lives." In some cases, Ben says, the myths distort social history and the way people lived in the 1800s and early 1900s.

A fan favorite even though he shunned publicity, hard-charging Bill Vukovich was the two-time defending champion at the Indianapolis 500 and on his way to a third consecutive victory in 1955 when he was killed during a horrific crash. One of his closest friends was a nationally acclaimed sportswriter, charismatic Angelo Angelopolous of the Indianapolis News, who chronicled Vukovich's rise from a hard-scrabble childhood (and a family tragedy) to his triumphs at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Angelopolous had completed an eagerly anticipated biography of his friend before the sportswriter died at age 43, probably as a result of radiation exposure he endured as a pilot in World War II by flying over atomic bomb sites in Japan. The manuscript of the biography of Vukovich went unpublished for nearly 65 years and remained in the closet of Angelopolous' nephew. But Vukovich never has been forgotten among Indy 500 history enthusiasts. A photo of the publicity-adverse driver covering his face in his Gasoline Alley garage after escaping crowds following his triumph in 1954 remains the bestseller in the Speedway's photoshop.

All across the state, sites are named in his honor. The city of Lafayette, for example. In Indianapolis, there's Lafayette Road. In the city of Princeton in southwestern Indiana, there's a Lafayette Park. And the Marquis de Lafayette, hailed as a hero of both the American Revolution and the French Revolution, is the only individual to have two counties in Indiana with names associated with him: Fayette County and LaGrange County. LaGrange was the name of an estate in France owned by Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834). Now, admirers across the country, including Hoosiers, are preparing to spotlight the 200th anniversary of Gen. Lafayette's grand farewell tour of 1824-25, during which the distinguished "guest of the nation" returned to America after his triumphs in the Revolutionary War. He traveled 6,000 miles and visited all 24 states that comprised the country then, including Indiana. Lafayette's interactions with the Hoosier state were brief but eventful.

Sure, the White House has been the setting for hundreds of joyous and celebratory events. But the historic home of U.S. presidents and their families also has been a setting for deaths, including that of the only First Lady from Indianapolis. Not only did Caroline Scott Harrison, the beloved wife of President Benjamin Harrison, die in the White House, so did his grandfather. William Henry Harrison, the shortest-serving president in history, had only held office for 31 days when he died in 1841 at age 68. He had been elected to the presidency as a resident of Ohio; beginning at age 27, though, he had served as the first governor of the Indiana Territory and lived in Vincennes. During our show, we will explore these deaths as well as others with connections to the presidency of Benjamin Harrison, a Republican who was elected in 1888 after having served as a U.S. Senator from Indiana; the deaths include tragedies involving two of his Cabinet members. Also, just one month after Caroline Scott Harrison succumbed to tuberculosis in 1892, her father, John Scott, a retired college professor and Presbyterian minister, died in the White House, where he had been living with the First Family. Nelson will be joined in studio by Jennifer Capps, the veteran curator at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis, where a current exhibit, Death in the White House explores these losses in the mansion of the country's chief executive. The exhibit includes displays about Victorian-era mourning customs, so Jennifer will share insights about them during our show.

Nearly 160 years ago this month, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Washington D.C. Witnesses to the tragic event on April 14, 1865 may have included several Hoosiers who claimed to be at Ford's Theatre. In the decades following the shooting, residents of Indiana towns and cities including Dayton in Tippecanoe County, Ladoga in Montgomery County, Jonesboro in Grant County and Aurora on the Ohio River – as well as Indianapolis – were interviewed by newspapers about what they witnessed. Or claimed to have seen. During our show, we will explore these reports, including some involving Hoosiers who even said they helped carry the fatally injured president's body to a house across the street, where he was pronounced dead the following morning, April 15. We also will explore the reaction in the Hoosier state to the shocking news that the Great Emancipator, who lived in southern Indiana from ages 7 to 21, had been slain just after the Civil War ended.

She vanished more than 75 years ago over the South Pacific while attempting to fly around the world in a Lockheed Electra 10E twin-engine airplane sponsored by Purdue University. That's just one of the connections between famous aviator Amelia Earhart and the Hoosier state. She was particularly associated with Purdue, which has the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of artifacts associated with the famous aviator, whose disappearance in 1937 remains a mystery. To explore the sky-high stack of Earhart links to Indiana, Purdue staff writer and historian John Norberg, an aviation expert, joins Nelson for an encore broadcast of one of the most popular shows in our Hoosier History Live archives with the original show from 2012. During the final two years before Amelia Earhart vanished, she was a sort of visiting celebrity-in-residence on the West Lafayette campus, where she was a career counselor for women students, and where she lectured and conducted conferences. She also was an adviser to the university's department of aeronautics.

Have you ever gazed up at the Art Deco-style Circle Tower Building in downtown Indianapolis? With its tiered exterior design of the upper floors, the 14-story building has been a landmark on Monument Circle for more than 90 years. Also on Monument Circle, the Columbia Club has been a presence even longer. The building that houses the prestigious private club was completed in 1925 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. But two former Army airfields in Indianapolis are long gone. Stout Field, where famed aviator Charles Lindbergh made a stop on a national tour in 1927, was in the Mars Hill neighborhood of southwestern Marion County. Schoen Field, which opened in 1922 and became the site of several tragic crashes, was located near the former Fort Benjamin Harrison on the northeast side. Hoosier History Live will explore these current and bygone landmarks as well as several others, including the barracks at Fort Harrison and the Traction Terminal that was the hub of the state's extensive Interurban system of electric rail cars during the early 1900s. https://hoosierhistorylive.org/mail/2024-04-13.html

Surveys in recent years often have found more than 25 percent of Hoosier respondents did not know the name of the governor, according to a Ball State University professor quoted in a recent Indianapolis Star article. Does that sound alarming? Well, efforts are underway to increase civic understanding both by the general public and by students at Indiana schools. In a joint project, the Indiana Bar Foundation and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce are publishing an updated book, Here is Your Indiana Government, to enhance understanding; it can be downloaded for free by the general public at https://www.inbarfoundation.org/indianagovernmentbook/ and is being made available to Indiana schools (and their libraries) ranging from elementary schools to high schools. During our show, Nelson's guests will share about ways that people can get involved in public affairs; projects to enhance civic understanding, and Bar Foundation-supported programs such as We the People and Mock Trial. We also will share various intriguing "Indiana facts" featured in the updated civics book. They include some that are obscure or quirky such as: In what Indiana city is it illegal to throw a snowball in city limits? Tune in for the answer. Who is the only elected county official with the authority to arrest a sheriff? Hint: It's probably not the office holder you would have assumed. And tomato juice was invented at what famous site in Indiana?

Calling all Hoosiers (or Hoosiers at heart who live in other states): Do you have any questions about Indiana's heritage that you'd like to ask historians? This show will be an ideal opportunity, with an open phone line throughout as Nelson is joined by Glory-June Greiff, a well-known public historian with broad and deep expertise about the Hoosier state. In between phone calls from listeners – the WICR-FM studio number to call is 317-788-3314 – Nelson and Glory-June will interview each other, particularly about topics related to Women's History Month. She will share insights about women sculptors from Indiana during the early 1900s, including those whose works are featured in one of Glory-June's books, Remembrance, Faith & Fancy: Outdoor Public Sculpture in Indiana. Two of the sculptors whom Glory-June will discuss are: Janet Scudder (1869-1940), who was born in Terre Haute and became one of the most prominent women sculptors in the country. The Swope Art Museum in her hometown displays some of her works. And Myra Reynolds Richards (1882-1934), an Indianapolis native whose outdoor sculptures and statues can be seen across the state, from Delphi to the Fountain Square neighborhood in her hometown. She also created the statue in Greenfield of James Whitcomb Riley that stands in front of the Hancock County Courthouse.

Although the heyday of the Indiana Avenue jazz music scene in Indianapolis has been explored frequently – including on Hoosier History Live shows – one aspect is seldom discussed. What happened to the lives of the musicians during the 1970s, '80s and '90s? Where did they perform after the Indiana Avenue nightclubs closed? Those are the questions we will explore when Nelson is joined by a well-known Indianapolis musician and producer who worked with, was influenced by and befriended many of the jazz notables who, earlier in their lives, had performed on "The Avenue". The heyday of the Indiana Avenue jazz scene generally is defined as stretching from the 1940s through the mid-1960s. Bill Myers, 58, who is best known as a bass player (although he has played several other musical instruments), began meeting former Indiana Avenue headliners as a 12-year-old. He eventually went on to play an array of gigs with everyone from the legendary Slide Hampton (1932-2021) to saxophonist Jimmy Coe (1921-2004). Bill Myers thinks he has the distinction of being the only male to ever play bass with the popular Hampton Sisters after one of them, Virtue Hampton, their bass player, suffered a stroke.

From a massive former factory on the eastside of Indianapolis that's been repurposed into two charter schools to a 1950s-style diner in Plainfield and a former Masonic Temple in Greenfield, sites along U.S. 40 in Indiana will be in Hoosier History Live's spotlight. We also will explore a bygone barbershop that was owned by a formerly enslaved African American entrepreneur as well as two early automobile manufacturing plants , one of which is set to become a music venue. Stretching from Richmond to Terre Haute, U.S. 40 bisects the state and follows the route of the National Road, which was completed across the Indiana wilderness during the 1830s. Its designation as U.S. 40 came in the 1920s. That's also when P.R. Mallory opened a massive factory on the highway (which enters Indianapolis as East Washington Street) that eventually employed thousands of Hoosiers who made electronic components and dry cell batteries. After sitting vacant and decaying for more than 30 years, the plant (the birthplace of the Duracell battery) has been repurposed as the home of Purdue Polytechnic High School and Paramount Englewood Middle School. It's among the historic sites – current, bygone or repurposed – that Nelson and his guests will "cruise by", although they won't leave the radio station. He will be joined by two board members of the Indiana National Road Association: David Steele of Indianapolis, a business and civic leader who has crusaded for six Indiana Historical Bureau markers. Along those lines, the Indiana National Road Association has erected 15 interpretive panels along the U.S. 40 route in Indiana. And Bob Hunt of Greenfield, who is retired from Eli Lilly & Co. With his wife Beverly, Bob renovated a former Masonic Temple that was considered one of the largest lodges in the state when it opened in 1895. The historic building on U.S. 40 now is a banquet and event center in Greenfield owned by Bradley Hall Events.

One series is called "Sharing Hoosier History Through Stories". Another series, about historic landmarks across Indiana, is titled "If These Walls Could Tell". There's also an annual "Liar's Contest" on the opening night of the Indiana State Fair. Storytelling Arts of Indiana is deeply involved in each of those, and, as Hoosier History Live salutes Women's History Month, we will spotlight a woman who has been a key figure in the nonprofit organization since it was created in the late 1980s. Ellen Munds, the executive director of Storytelling Arts, is a former children's librarian who, with two co-founders, launched the organization with a festival at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park in 1988 after a year of planning. Ellen, who is retiring on June 30, will be Nelson's guest as we spotlight her and the organization created for the promotion and preservation of stories. In turning back the pages of Storytelling Arts' own history story, it seems a floatation center in Indianapolis played a key role. According to Ellen, she met future professional storyteller Bob Sander, one of the other co-founders of Storytelling Arts, when he co-owned a local floatation center.

How often does Indiana rank as the No. 1 state in a national list? Well, here's a record for the books: More Carnegie Libraries were built in Indiana than any other state. Between 1901 and about 1918, 164 public libraries built in large part by funding from philanthropist and industrialist Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) were constructed in Indiana. More than 100 of them are still used as public libraries across the state. Others have been repurposed as everything from restaurants to museums, art galleries, local government offices and civic centers, with many retaining the "Carnegie" name in some way. To explore a range of aspects about "the Carnegies" – which include two branches still in use in the Indianapolis Public Library system – Nelson will be joined by studio guest Dr. William McNiece, president of the Marion County Historical Society, who has done a deep dive into the topic. The first Carnegie Library built in Indiana was in Goshen and the last town to receive funding was Lowell, Ind. OF Indiana's 92 counties, only 9 did not receive any Carnegie funding for a public library, according to Dr. McNiece.

Way back in 1876, when firefighting equipment was transported by horse-drawn wagons, the first Black firefighters were hired by the Indianapolis Fire Department. The four African Americans included a firefighter who, in 1911, died in the line of duty. Details about the story of the trail-blazing firefighters will be described on this show as Hoosier History Live salutes Black History Month. Our guest will be Corey Floyd, an IFD battalion chief and president of the Indianapolis Black Firefighters Association, which is in the midst of a major project.  A history museum about Black firefighters is being developed in a non-operational (shuttered) fire station on the north-eastside. The museum in Old Station No. 31, 1201 E. 46th St., is expected to feature historic firefighting equipment, uniforms, helmets, plaques and videos. Battalion Chief Floyd, who grew up near Old Fire Station No. 31, says he hopes the museum will open in two or three months.

On the east end of downtown Indianapolis, there was a community (or "barrio") of Mexican families during the 1940s and '50s. During the 1960s and '70s, camps in the farm fields of Grant County and Howard County were set up for migrant workers, most of them of Mexican or other Latino heritage. So there were urban as well as rural residents of Latino heritage in the Hoosier state during the mid and late 1900s. In our rotating series about ethnic heritage in Indiana that has focused on heritage groups ranging from Germans and Irish to Ukrainians and Koreans, Hoosier History Live will follow up a show in 2018 about the Mexican communities in northwest Indiana during the 1920s. The guests on that show included Nicole Martinez-LeGrand of the Indiana Historical Society, who will return to share insights about the subsequent evolution of Latinos during the mid and late 1900s. Nicole is the co-author of "Hoosier Latinos: A Century of Struggle, Service and Success" (Indiana Historical Society Press); her ancestors came from Mexico to the Indiana Harbor area of Lake County as early as 1918. Steel companies in northwest Indiana recruited Mexican immigrants as workers, with a barrio established in the Indiana Harbor area of East Chicago.

Now that awards season is underway in Hollywood – Oscar nominations were announced Tuesday – our spotlight will be on movie and TV directors with Indiana connections. The filmmakers range from directors of movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood such as the holiday classic "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947) and "To Have and Have Not" (1944) to popular hits like "The Amazing Spiderman" (2012). "Miracle on 34th Street" was directed by George Seaton (1911-1979), who was born in South Bend. Although the movie has become a Christmas classic, it was not initially released during the holiday season and was not promoted with yuletide as a focus. Nelson's guest, Dan O'Brien, a screenwriter and former TV sportscaster based in Greenwood, will explain why. In addition to being a director, George Seaton was a screenwriter and won an Oscar for his screenplay for "Miracle on 34th Street". He also won an Oscar for his screenplay for "The Country Girl" (1954) starring Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby; Seaton directed that movie as well. Other movie directors we will spotlight include Howard Hawks (1896-1977), whose ancestors helped found Goshen, Ind., where he was born. Although Hawks primarily is remembered as a director of Westerns (several starred John Wayne, including "Red River" and "Rio Bravo"), Hawks was known for his versatility. His other hits include "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953) starring Marilyn Monroe as well as "To Have and Have Not" (1944) that teamed Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall for the first time.

Who was Bertha Ross? A park on the north west side of Indianapolis is named in her honor. Namesakes of other city parks include a superstar in baseball's old Negro League, a beloved cook at Flanner House and one of the first Black officers in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Our show on Saturday (Jan. 13) will spotlight "African American namesakes of Indy parks", with Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas sharing insights.