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{{Short description|State historical society in Indiana, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}{{Infobox organization
[[Image:Indiana Historical Society Crop.jpg|thumb|300px|IHS's building in Indianapolis]]The '''Indiana Historical Society''' is one of the United States' oldest and largest [[historical society|historical societies]] and describes itself as "[[Indiana]]'s Storyteller". Housed within the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, it is located at 450 West Ohio St. in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], in The Canal and White River State Park Cultural District with neighbors such as the Indiana State Museum and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. The Indiana Historical Society is the oldest state historical society west of the [[Allegheny Mountains]].<ref>Beck, Bill. '''Indiana historical society: oldest state historical society west of Allegheny Mountains celebrates 175 years.''' ''Indiana Business Magazine'' December 1, 2005</ref>
| name = Indiana Historical Society
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| image = Indiana History Center Indianapolis, Indiana.jpg
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| caption = Indiana Historical Society, housed in the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center.
| logo = Indiana_Historical_Society_Logo.jpg
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| abbreviation = IHS
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| formation = {{start date and age|1830|12|11}}
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| extinction = <!-- use {{end date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
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| tax_id = <!-- or | vat_id = (for European organizations) -->
| registration_id = <!-- for non-profit org -->
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| purpose = Collect, preserve and share the history of Indiana
| headquarters = Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center
| location = 450 West Ohio St.<br>[[Indianapolis, Indiana]]
| coords = {{coord|39|46|13.5|N|86|09|58|W|scale:2000|display=inline,title}}
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| membership = 7,500 households
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| leader_title = President and CEO
| leader_name = Jody Blankenship
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| board_of_directors = 31 members
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| publication = ''Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History''<br>''The Hoosier Genealogist: Connections''
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| affiliations = Smithsonian, American Alliance of Museums, American Association for State and Local History
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The '''Indiana Historical Society''' ('''IHS''') is one of the United States' oldest and largest [[historical society|historical societies]]. It describes itself as "Indiana's Storyteller".


It is housed in the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center at 450 West Ohio Street in [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], in The Canal and White River State Park Cultural District, neighboring the [[Indiana State Museum]] and the [[Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art|Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art]]. In 2019, the center hosted 112,732 visitors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ibj.com/lists/most-popular-indianapolis-area-attractions|title=Most Popular Indianapolis-Area Attractions|publisher=Indianapolis Business Journal|access-date=November 15, 2020}}</ref> The Indiana Historical Society is the oldest state historical society west of the [[Allegheny Mountains]].<ref>Beck, Bill."Indiana historical society: oldest state historical society west of Allegheny Mountains celebrates 175 years." ''Indiana Business Magazine'' December 1, 2005</ref>
Since 1830, the Society has been Indiana's Storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting, and disseminating [[History of Indiana|the state's history]]. A private, nonprofit membership organization, the IHS maintains the nation's premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest. IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; and provides youth, adult and family programming, including Indiana's participation in the National History Day Competition series. It also appoints and trains 92 county historians. The Indiana Historical Society opened a new {{convert|165000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} headquarters in downtown Indianapolis in July 1999, built on the site of the prior Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Indianapolis.<ref>'''Church lifts golden dome''' ''Indianapolis Star'', December 28, 2007</ref>

A private, nonprofit membership organization founded in 1830, the IHS maintains a research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the [[Old Northwest]]. The IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; and provides youth, adult, and family programming, including Indiana's participation in the National History Day Competition series. Finally, it is responsible for appointing and training the state's 92 county historians. The Indiana Historical Society opened a new {{convert|165000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} headquarters in downtown Indianapolis in July 1999, built on the site of the prior Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Indianapolis.<ref>"Church lifts golden dome" ''Indianapolis Star'', December 28, 2007</ref>


==History==
==History==
The Indiana Historical Society was started on December 11, 1830, which was the fourteenth anniversary of the statehood of Indiana (December 11, 1816). A group of Indianapolis-area leaders sought to obtain objects relating to Indiana's history. Its purpose was to hold a "collection of all materials calculated to shed light on the natural, civil, and political history of Indiana, the promotion of useful knowledge and the friendly and profitable intercourse of such citizens of the state as are disposed to promote the aforesaid objects". The headquarters of the Indiana Historical Society has remained in Indianapolis.<ref>Bodenhamer, David. ''The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis'' p.739, 740</ref>
[[File:Indiana Central Canal IHS.JPG|thumb|[[Indiana Central Canal]] by the IHS]]
The Indiana Historical Society was started on December 11, 1830, which was the fourteenth anniversary of the statehood of Indiana (December 11, 1816). A collection of Indianapolis-area movers and shakers chose to start the society, and sought to obtain many objects relating to Indiana's history. It was to hold a "collection of all materials calculated to shed light on the natural, civil, and political history of Indiana, the promotion of useful knowledge and the friendly and profitable intercourse of such citizens of the state as are disposed to promote the aforesaid objects". To this day, the headquarters of the Indiana Historical Society has stayed within Indianapolis.<ref>Bodenhamer, David. ''The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis'' p.739, 740</ref>


In 1831 the Society was granted a charter by the [[Indiana General Assembly]], a charter for which the Society still exists. In the few years afterwards, two of the Society's prevalent backers died, and between its founding in 1830 and 1886, only twelve annual meetings were held to promote it. Its collections were located in the old [[Indiana State Bank]] and old [[Indiana State Capitol]]. The Society of those days was described by a historian to be "a small private club for publishing local history."<ref name="Bodenhamer 739">Bodenhamer 739</ref><ref name="Beck">Beck</ref>
In 1831, the [[Indiana General Assembly]] granted the IHS a charter. In the years following, two of the IHS's prevalent backers died, and between its founding in 1830 and 1886, only twelve annual meetings were held to promote the organization. Its collections were located in the old [[Indiana State Bank]] and old [[Indiana State Capitol]]. The IHS of those days was described by a historian as "a small private club for publishing local history".<ref name="Bodenhamer 739">Bodenhamer 739</ref><ref name="Beck">Beck</ref>


In 1886 the Society was reorganized under the direction of [[Jacob Piatt Dunn]]. With trusted associates, Jacob Dunn started the policy of annual meetings of the Society that continues to this day. Dunn was able to enthuse [[Hoosier]]s of several occupations to gather resources for the Society, focusing on editors, professional historians, lawyers, librarians and writers. However, Jacob Dunn's attempt to allow women to join the Society failed in 1888; it would not be until 1906 that a woman, editor Eliza Browning, would be admitted. Thanks to Dunn, the Indiana Historical Society had an office at the [[Indiana Statehouse|state capitol building]] from 1888 to 1914.<ref name="Bodenhamer 739"/><ref name="Beck"/>
In 1886, the IHS was reorganized under the direction of [[Jacob Piatt Dunn]]. With trusted associates, Dunn started the policy of annual meetings of the society that continue to this day. Dunn was able to enthuse [[Hoosier]]s of various occupations to gather resources for the society, focusing on editors, professional historians, lawyers, librarians, and writers. However, Dunn's attempt to allow women to join the society failed in 1888; it would not be until 1906 that a woman, editor Eliza Browning, would be admitted. Also thanks to Dunn, the Indiana Historical Society had an office at the [[Indiana Statehouse|state capitol building]] from 1888 to 1914.<ref name="Bodenhamer 739"/><ref name="Beck"/>


The Indiana Historical Society would continue to affect and be affected by the happenings of the [[Indiana Historical Bureau]] (originally the Indiana Historical Commission), the [[Indiana State Museum]], and the [[Indiana State Library]]. The Society's executive secretaries would also act as directors of the Historical Bureau for over fifty years, from 1924 to 1976. This connection allowed the ''[[Indiana History Bulletin]]'', controlled by the Historical Bureau, to be distributed to the members of the Society. (Members of the time also received a publication of [[Indiana University]] entitled ''[[Indiana Magazine of History]]''). The will of philanthropist [[Delavan Smith]] in 1922 caused the Society to start its William Henry Smith Memorial Library, as he not only willed to the Society a vast sum of money, but a sizable collection of books as well.<ref name="Bodenhamer 739"/>
The Indiana Historical Society continued to affect and be affected by the activities of the [[Indiana Historical Bureau]] (originally the Indiana Historical Commission), the [[Indiana State Museum]], and the [[Indiana State Library]]. The IHS's executive secretaries also acted as directors of the Historical Bureau for over fifty years, from 1924 to 1976. This connection allowed the ''[[Indiana History Bulletin]]'', controlled by the Historical Bureau, to be distributed to the members of the society. Members of the time also received a publication of [[Indiana University]] entitled ''[[Indiana Magazine of History]]''.


During the 1940s [[Howard Henry Peckham]] was the director of the Society and while there had established many professional standards in the field of Historical society work.<ref name=quatro4>[[#quatro|The Clements Library Associates, 1995, p.4]]</ref>
The bequest of philanthropist [[Delavan Smith]] in 1922 of a large sum of money and a sizable collection of books allowed the IHS to start its William Henry Smith Memorial Library.<ref name="Bodenhamer 739" /> During the 1940s, [[Howard Henry Peckham]] was the director of the IHS and established many professional standards in the field of public history.<ref name=quatro4>[[#quatro|The Clements Library Associates, 1995, p.4]]</ref>


Beginning in the 1950s, the Indiana Historical Society started publishing works related to the history of Indiana. The most important of these works was the 1966 multi-volume set concerning the history of Indiana, in celebration of the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of Indiana's statehood. Other notable works included the [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning ''The Old Northwest'' in 1950.<ref name="Bodenhamer 740">Bodenhamer 740</ref> In 2009, the IHS is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its award-winning quarterly, popular history magazine, ''Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History''. It also publishes the family history magazine ''The Hoosier Genealogist: Connections'' twice a year.
Beginning in the 1950s, the Indiana Historical Society started publishing works related to the history of Indiana. The most important of these works was the 1966 multi-volume set on the history of Indiana, in celebration of the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of Indiana's statehood. Other notable works included the [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning ''The Old Northwest'' in 1950.<ref name="Bodenhamer 740">Bodenhamer 740</ref> In 2009, the IHS celebrated the 20th anniversary of its award-winning popular history magazine, ''Traces of Indiana'' and ''Midwestern History''. It also publishes the family history magazine, ''The Hoosier Genealogist: Connections,'' and a membership magazine, ''IN Perspective''.


By 1970 the membership of the Indiana Historical Society reached 5,000 members. The most noted of these was [[Eli Lilly (industrialist)|Eli Lilly]], a longtime trustee, whose donations allowed for the obtainment of additional building additions in 1976. Lilly's bequest allowed the IHS to achieve its own identity with its offices and library occupying a floor in the addition. Also at this time, the IHS/Indiana Historical Bureau leadership was separated with the creation of the title of Executive Secretary being retained for the IHS leadership. Lilly's bequest helps the general financial welfare of the society to this day. By 1993 the membership rose to 10,000, with forty percent of the Society's members living in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.<ref name="Bodenhamer 740"/>
By 1970, the membership of the Indiana Historical Society had reached 5,000 members. The most noted of these was [[Eli Lilly (industrialist, born 1885)|Eli Lilly]], a longtime trustee, whose donations funded additional building additions in 1976. Lilly's bequest allowed the IHS to achieve its own identity with its offices and library occupying a floor in the addition. Also at this time, the IHS and Indiana Historical Bureau leadership was separated with the creation of the title of Executive Secretary being retained for the IHS leadership. By 1993, the membership had risen to 10,000, with forty percent of the society's members living in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.<ref name="Bodenhamer 740"/>


For years, the headquarters was in the [[Indiana State Library and Historical Building]], but in 1999 it moved to its current headquarters. The {{convert|165000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} building includes the 300-seat Frank and Katrina Basile Theater, the William Henry Smith Memorial Library, a vault to house the IHS's priceless collections, the Stardust Terrace Cafe, conservation and preservation imaging facilities, classrooms, the Basile History Market, the Cole Porter Room, Eli Lilly Hall and various exhibition spaces.
For years, the headquarters was in the [[Indiana State Library and Historical Building]], but in 1999 it moved to its current headquarters. The {{convert|165000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} building includes the 300-seat Frank and Katrina Basile Theater, the William Henry Smith Memorial Library, a vault to house the IHS's collections, the Stardust Terrace Cafe, conservation and preservation imaging facilities, classrooms, the Basile History Market, the Cole Porter Room, Eli Lilly Hall, and various exhibition spaces.


===Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center===
===Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center===
In December 2007, the IHS launched its Campaign for the Indiana Experience and renamed the building the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center in honor of the Glicks' gift to the campaign. The History Center will undergo renovations in 2009 and reopen with new program offerings in the spring of 2010.
[[File:Indiana Central Canal IHS.JPG|thumb|[[Indiana Central Canal]] by the Indiana History Center]]
In December 2007, the IHS launched its Campaign for the Indiana Experience and renamed the building the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center in honor of the Glicks' gift to the campaign. The History Center underwent renovations in 2009 and reopened with new program offerings in the spring of 2010.

The Indiana Experience now includes "You Are There!", an exhibit exploring various photos and documents in the IHS collection through "living history", the use of costumed historical interpreters to take visitors back in time and allow them to interact with history. Past exhibits include the history of organizations such as the [[Eli Lilly and Company|Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company]], [[L. S. Ayres]] department store, and the [[Ball Corporation|Ball jar company]], as well as more personal glimpses into the lives of individuals in Indiana during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], [[World War II]], and the [[civil rights movement]]. The Indiana Experience also features The Cole Porter Room, a space dedicated to the life and legacy of the famous Indiana composer. The exhibit includes personal items belonging to [[Cole Porter]], including the [[Tony Award]] he won for ''[[Kiss Me, Kate]]'', and a singer who performs a variety of Cole Porter songs upon request.


==Operations==
==Operations==
The board of trustees oversees the operation of the Indiana Historical Society (currently 28 members), which includes a staff of approximately 96 individuals. Various divisions within the Society include Administration, Collections, Conservation, Development, IHS Press, Marketing and Public Programs. They continue to oversee actions to promote the history of Indiana. Official legislation of the Indiana General Assembly provided property to the IHS, upon which the IHS funded and constructed the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center.
A 31-member board of trustees oversees the operation of the Indiana Historical Society, which includes a staff of approximately 96 people. There are a number of functional divisions within the IHS, including Administration, Collections, Conservation, Development, Publications, Marketing, and Education & Community Engagement. The organization continues to oversee actions that collect, preserve, interpret, and share the history of Indiana.


The current president and CEO of the Indiana Historical Society is Jody Blankenship. He was appointed by the board of trustees in January 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibj.com/articles/71100-indiana-historical-society-names-ceo-to-replace-retiring-herbst?v=preview|title=Indiana Historical Society names CEO to replace retiring Herbst|website=www.ibj.com|language=en|access-date=2019-01-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianahistory.org/press-release/indiana-historical-society-names-new-president-and-ceo/|title=Indiana Historical Society Names New President and CEO|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-20}}</ref> The official membership of the IHS includes approximately 4,500 households across the United States.
The current CEO and president of the Indiana Historical Society, John A. Herbst, joined the IHS in September 2006.

The official membership of the IHS includes approximately 7,500 households across the United States.


==Collection==
==Collection==
The IHS Collections and the William Henry Smith Memorial Library both preserve and make accessible one of the largest archival repositories of material on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest, including 1.6 million photographs (500 visual collections), 45,000 cataloged printed items (books, pamphlets, etc.), 14,000 pieces of sheet music, 5,000 processed manuscript collections, 3,300 artifacts, 1,100 cataloged maps, 575 broadsides and 60 paintings. More than 37,000 digital images are currently available through the IHS Web site.
The IHS's collections, accessible online through the society's website and at the William Henry Smith Memorial Library, is one of the largest archival repositories of material on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest. The collection is composed of 1.7 million photographs (615 visual collections), 45,000 cataloged printed items (books, pamphlets, etc.), 14,000 pieces of sheet music, 5,450 processed manuscript collections, 3,300 artifacts, 1,700 cataloged maps, 800 broadsides, and 129 paintings. More than 70,000 digital images representing 61 collections are currently available through the IHS website.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianahistory.org/explore/our-collections/ |title=Our Collections |publisher=Indiana Historical Society |access-date=October 20, 2018}}</ref>


Also among the items held by the Society is a 130-year-old Bible used in 2008 to swear in Mayor [[Gregory A. Ballard|Greg Ballard]] of Indianapolis.<ref>O'Shaughnessy, Brendan. "Ballard says crime will be top priority", ''Indianapolis Star'', January 2, 2008</ref> One of the most significant items in the IHS collections is the original glass-plate negative of an [[Abraham Lincoln]] photograph taken by [[Alexander Gardner (photographer)|Alexander Gardner]] just weeks before the [[Gettysburg address]] (this image was used as the model for the creation of the Abraham Lincoln National Memorial in Washington D.C.).
Among the items held by the society is a 130-year-old Bible used in 2008 to swear in Mayor [[Gregory A. Ballard|Greg Ballard]] of Indianapolis.<ref>O'Shaughnessy, Brendan. "Ballard says crime will be top priority", ''Indianapolis Star'', January 2, 2008</ref> One of the most significant items in the IHS's collection is the original glass-plate negative of an [[Abraham Lincoln]] photograph taken by [[Alexander Gardner (photographer)|Alexander Gardner]] just weeks before the [[Gettysburg Address]]; this image was used as the model for the creation of the [[Lincoln Memorial]] in Washington D.C.


Subject strengths of the IHS collections (especially as they relate to Indiana and the [[Old Northwest]]) include Architecture, Agriculture, [[American Civil War]], Business, Communities, Education, Ethnically and Racially Identified Groups, Families, Government, Journalism and Communications, Medicine, Military Affairs, Notable Hoosiers, Old Northwest Territory, Organized Labor, Politics, The Professions, Religion, Social Services, Transportation (Including Railroad and [[Interurban]] History) and Women.
Subject strengths of the IHS's collection (especially as they relate to Indiana and the [[Old Northwest]]) include architecture, agriculture, [[American Civil War]], business, communities, education, ethnically and racially identified groups, families, government, journalism and communications, medicine, military affairs, notable Hoosiers, Old Northwest Territory, organized labor, politics, the professions, religion, social services, transportation (including railroad and [[interurban]] history), and women.

== Conservation ==
The Indiana Historical Society hosts a conservation lab for its paper-based collections that provides a variety of specialized treatments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indiana Historical Society |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/venues/museum/indiana-historical-society/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=[[Smithsonian Magazine]]}}</ref> These treatments promote the long-term stability of the collections through [[Conservation and restoration of books, manuscripts, documents, and ephemera|stabilization techniques, cleanings, and repairs]]. Staff of the conservation lab also implement preventive measures to preserve collections; this includes ensuring the correct storage of items and proving customized housings for materials, monitoring the storage environment, implementing an [[integrated pest management]] plan, and maintaining a disaster recovery plan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Conservation Lab |url=https://indianahistory.org/research/conservation/conservation-lab/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=Indiana Historical Society |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of U.S. state historical societies and museums]]
*[[List of attractions and events in Indianapolis]]


==Sources==
==Sources==
*{{cite book |title=In Memory of Howard Henry Peckham |publisher=The Quatro |year=1995 |editors=The Clements Library Associates |url=http://clements.umich.edu/Quarto/Quarto%204_September,%201995.pdf |accessdate=April 7, 2016 |ref=quatro}}
*{{cite book |title=In Memory of Howard Henry Peckham |publisher=The Quatro |year=1995 |url=http://clements.umich.edu/Quarto/Quarto%204_September,%201995.pdf |access-date=April 7, 2016 |ref=quatro |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029052219/http://clements.umich.edu/Quarto/Quarto%204_September,%201995.pdf |archive-date=October 29, 2015 |url-status=dead }}


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category|Indiana Historical Society}}
*[http://www.Indianahistory.org/ Official Site]
*{{Official website|http://www.Indianahistory.org}}


{{coord|39|46|13.5|N|86|09|58|W|scale:2000|display=title}}
{{Museums in Indianapolis}}
{{Museums in Indianapolis}}
{{U.S. state historical societies}}
{{Midwestern U.S. historical societies}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Indiana Historical Society| ]]
[[Category:State historical societies of the United States]]
[[Category:State historical societies of the United States]]
[[Category:History museums in Indiana]]
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[[Category:Museums in Indianapolis]]
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[[Category:Organizations established in 1830]]
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[[Category:Library buildings completed in 1999]]
[[Category:Library buildings completed in 1999]]
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[[Category:Institutions accredited by the American Alliance of Museums]]

Latest revision as of 04:49, 11 April 2024

Indiana Historical Society
AbbreviationIHS
FormationDecember 11, 1830; 193 years ago (1830-12-11)
PurposeCollect, preserve and share the history of Indiana
HeadquartersEugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center
Location
Coordinates39°46′13.5″N 86°09′58″W / 39.770417°N 86.16611°W / 39.770417; -86.16611
Membership
7,500 households
President and CEO
Jody Blankenship
31 members
PublicationTraces of Indiana and Midwestern History
The Hoosier Genealogist: Connections
AffiliationsSmithsonian, American Alliance of Museums, American Association for State and Local History
Staff
96
Websitewww.indianahistory.org Edit this at Wikidata

The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is one of the United States' oldest and largest historical societies. It describes itself as "Indiana's Storyteller".

It is housed in the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center at 450 West Ohio Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, in The Canal and White River State Park Cultural District, neighboring the Indiana State Museum and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art. In 2019, the center hosted 112,732 visitors.[1] The Indiana Historical Society is the oldest state historical society west of the Allegheny Mountains.[2]

A private, nonprofit membership organization founded in 1830, the IHS maintains a research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest. The IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; and provides youth, adult, and family programming, including Indiana's participation in the National History Day Competition series. Finally, it is responsible for appointing and training the state's 92 county historians. The Indiana Historical Society opened a new 165,000-square-foot (15,300 m2) headquarters in downtown Indianapolis in July 1999, built on the site of the prior Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Indianapolis.[3]

History[edit]

The Indiana Historical Society was started on December 11, 1830, which was the fourteenth anniversary of the statehood of Indiana (December 11, 1816). A group of Indianapolis-area leaders sought to obtain objects relating to Indiana's history. Its purpose was to hold a "collection of all materials calculated to shed light on the natural, civil, and political history of Indiana, the promotion of useful knowledge and the friendly and profitable intercourse of such citizens of the state as are disposed to promote the aforesaid objects". The headquarters of the Indiana Historical Society has remained in Indianapolis.[4]

In 1831, the Indiana General Assembly granted the IHS a charter. In the years following, two of the IHS's prevalent backers died, and between its founding in 1830 and 1886, only twelve annual meetings were held to promote the organization. Its collections were located in the old Indiana State Bank and old Indiana State Capitol. The IHS of those days was described by a historian as "a small private club for publishing local history".[5][6]

In 1886, the IHS was reorganized under the direction of Jacob Piatt Dunn. With trusted associates, Dunn started the policy of annual meetings of the society that continue to this day. Dunn was able to enthuse Hoosiers of various occupations to gather resources for the society, focusing on editors, professional historians, lawyers, librarians, and writers. However, Dunn's attempt to allow women to join the society failed in 1888; it would not be until 1906 that a woman, editor Eliza Browning, would be admitted. Also thanks to Dunn, the Indiana Historical Society had an office at the state capitol building from 1888 to 1914.[5][6]

The Indiana Historical Society continued to affect and be affected by the activities of the Indiana Historical Bureau (originally the Indiana Historical Commission), the Indiana State Museum, and the Indiana State Library. The IHS's executive secretaries also acted as directors of the Historical Bureau for over fifty years, from 1924 to 1976. This connection allowed the Indiana History Bulletin, controlled by the Historical Bureau, to be distributed to the members of the society. Members of the time also received a publication of Indiana University entitled Indiana Magazine of History.

The bequest of philanthropist Delavan Smith in 1922 of a large sum of money and a sizable collection of books allowed the IHS to start its William Henry Smith Memorial Library.[5] During the 1940s, Howard Henry Peckham was the director of the IHS and established many professional standards in the field of public history.[7]

Beginning in the 1950s, the Indiana Historical Society started publishing works related to the history of Indiana. The most important of these works was the 1966 multi-volume set on the history of Indiana, in celebration of the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of Indiana's statehood. Other notable works included the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Old Northwest in 1950.[8] In 2009, the IHS celebrated the 20th anniversary of its award-winning popular history magazine, Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History. It also publishes the family history magazine, The Hoosier Genealogist: Connections, and a membership magazine, IN Perspective.

By 1970, the membership of the Indiana Historical Society had reached 5,000 members. The most noted of these was Eli Lilly, a longtime trustee, whose donations funded additional building additions in 1976. Lilly's bequest allowed the IHS to achieve its own identity with its offices and library occupying a floor in the addition. Also at this time, the IHS and Indiana Historical Bureau leadership was separated with the creation of the title of Executive Secretary being retained for the IHS leadership. By 1993, the membership had risen to 10,000, with forty percent of the society's members living in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.[8]

For years, the headquarters was in the Indiana State Library and Historical Building, but in 1999 it moved to its current headquarters. The 165,000-square-foot (15,300 m2) building includes the 300-seat Frank and Katrina Basile Theater, the William Henry Smith Memorial Library, a vault to house the IHS's collections, the Stardust Terrace Cafe, conservation and preservation imaging facilities, classrooms, the Basile History Market, the Cole Porter Room, Eli Lilly Hall, and various exhibition spaces.

Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center[edit]

Indiana Central Canal by the Indiana History Center

In December 2007, the IHS launched its Campaign for the Indiana Experience and renamed the building the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center in honor of the Glicks' gift to the campaign. The History Center underwent renovations in 2009 and reopened with new program offerings in the spring of 2010.

The Indiana Experience now includes "You Are There!", an exhibit exploring various photos and documents in the IHS collection through "living history", the use of costumed historical interpreters to take visitors back in time and allow them to interact with history. Past exhibits include the history of organizations such as the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company, L. S. Ayres department store, and the Ball jar company, as well as more personal glimpses into the lives of individuals in Indiana during the Civil War, World War II, and the civil rights movement. The Indiana Experience also features The Cole Porter Room, a space dedicated to the life and legacy of the famous Indiana composer. The exhibit includes personal items belonging to Cole Porter, including the Tony Award he won for Kiss Me, Kate, and a singer who performs a variety of Cole Porter songs upon request.

Operations[edit]

A 31-member board of trustees oversees the operation of the Indiana Historical Society, which includes a staff of approximately 96 people. There are a number of functional divisions within the IHS, including Administration, Collections, Conservation, Development, Publications, Marketing, and Education & Community Engagement. The organization continues to oversee actions that collect, preserve, interpret, and share the history of Indiana.

The current president and CEO of the Indiana Historical Society is Jody Blankenship. He was appointed by the board of trustees in January 2019.[9][10] The official membership of the IHS includes approximately 4,500 households across the United States.

Collection[edit]

The IHS's collections, accessible online through the society's website and at the William Henry Smith Memorial Library, is one of the largest archival repositories of material on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest. The collection is composed of 1.7 million photographs (615 visual collections), 45,000 cataloged printed items (books, pamphlets, etc.), 14,000 pieces of sheet music, 5,450 processed manuscript collections, 3,300 artifacts, 1,700 cataloged maps, 800 broadsides, and 129 paintings. More than 70,000 digital images representing 61 collections are currently available through the IHS website.[11]

Among the items held by the society is a 130-year-old Bible used in 2008 to swear in Mayor Greg Ballard of Indianapolis.[12] One of the most significant items in the IHS's collection is the original glass-plate negative of an Abraham Lincoln photograph taken by Alexander Gardner just weeks before the Gettysburg Address; this image was used as the model for the creation of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

Subject strengths of the IHS's collection (especially as they relate to Indiana and the Old Northwest) include architecture, agriculture, American Civil War, business, communities, education, ethnically and racially identified groups, families, government, journalism and communications, medicine, military affairs, notable Hoosiers, Old Northwest Territory, organized labor, politics, the professions, religion, social services, transportation (including railroad and interurban history), and women.

Conservation[edit]

The Indiana Historical Society hosts a conservation lab for its paper-based collections that provides a variety of specialized treatments.[13] These treatments promote the long-term stability of the collections through stabilization techniques, cleanings, and repairs. Staff of the conservation lab also implement preventive measures to preserve collections; this includes ensuring the correct storage of items and proving customized housings for materials, monitoring the storage environment, implementing an integrated pest management plan, and maintaining a disaster recovery plan.[14]

See also[edit]

Sources[edit]

  • In Memory of Howard Henry Peckham (PDF). The Quatro. 1995. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 29, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2016.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Most Popular Indianapolis-Area Attractions". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  2. ^ Beck, Bill."Indiana historical society: oldest state historical society west of Allegheny Mountains celebrates 175 years." Indiana Business Magazine December 1, 2005
  3. ^ "Church lifts golden dome" Indianapolis Star, December 28, 2007
  4. ^ Bodenhamer, David. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis p.739, 740
  5. ^ a b c Bodenhamer 739
  6. ^ a b Beck
  7. ^ The Clements Library Associates, 1995, p.4
  8. ^ a b Bodenhamer 740
  9. ^ "Indiana Historical Society names CEO to replace retiring Herbst". www.ibj.com. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  10. ^ "Indiana Historical Society Names New President and CEO". Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  11. ^ "Our Collections". Indiana Historical Society. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  12. ^ O'Shaughnessy, Brendan. "Ballard says crime will be top priority", Indianapolis Star, January 2, 2008
  13. ^ "Indiana Historical Society". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  14. ^ "Conservation Lab". Indiana Historical Society. Retrieved March 4, 2024.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Indiana Historical Society.
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