May 7: Indiana Territory

On this date in History ... May 7, 1800:

A bill is passed to divide the Northwest Territory and the Indiana Territory is created. The capital was Vincennes, the oldest settlement in Indiana territory, and William Henry Harrison, who would become the 9^th President of the United States, was made governor of the Territory less than a week later.  

After Ohio, Michigan and Illinois were formed (in 1803, 1805, and 1809), various areas in Indiana, particularly those near the Michigan line and in Wayne County, by the Ohio line, wrote to the government protested the distance of Vincennes from the rest of the people which made it difficult to conduct business with travel times so far.  In 1813, the capital was moved to Corydon.  After a few years, complaints about the distance again surfaced. It was decided in 1820 to move the capital to a more central location and in 1821, the city of Indianapolis was founded just for this purpose.

July 18: Suicide on "Dallas" Set

On this date in History ... July 18, 1989:

Edward Phillips Jr, of Corydon Indiana, drove his truck onto the set of the TV drama series “Dallas”, set the truck on fire, fired a 12-gauge shotgun five times at the sound stage, and then killed himself.  

Kercheval

Phillips and his wife had purchased Old Capital Popcorn Company in 1983. In 1985, “Dallas” star Ken Kercheval, who grew up in Clinton, Indiana, (north of Terre Haute), liked the popcorn so much that he invested $998,000 in the company, giving him a one-third ownership. Kercheval and Phillips clashed a number of times over marketing strategies. 

In 1988, Phillips was voted out of his management position by his wife and Kercheval. Later that year, Kercheval then bought out the other two-thirds of the company. 

Phillips had been devastated by the loss of control in the company, followed by his wife filing for divorce.  He admitted himself to a hospital for depression. Kercheval said Phillips had acted irrationally and frightened family and associates.

Trivia: Why the name "Old Capital Popcorn Company"?  Corydon, Indiana, was the "old state capital" before the capital was moved to Indianapolis.

July 4: Indianapolis War Memorial

On this date in History .. July 4, 1927:  

General John Pershing lays the cornerstone to the Indiana War Memorial Museum Building in Indianapolis Indiana. 








It was originally built to honor veterans of WWI and is modeled after the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the seven wonders of the world, built in 350 BC. 







There are over 400 military flags in the museum, 300 of which are from the Civil War. 

The Indiana War Memorial Plaza Historic District in downtown Indianapolis covers a 5-block area, has 24 acres of memorials, fountains , sculptures and statues, making Indianapolis “… 2^nd only to Washington DC in acreage and number of monuments dedicated to veterans.” 

The south side of the museum has a 24’  bronze sculpture by Henry Hering, which at the time was the largest sculpted bronze casting ever made in in America. 

Admission is free to this incredible monument & museum.


.

May 29: Danica Patrick - Indy 500

On this date in History ... May 29, 2005:  

Danica Patrick becomes 1^st woman to lead Indy 500.  

May 29 is a significant date for women in the sports world.  In 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to drive in the Indy 500.  28 years later, on May 29, 2005, Danica Patrick became the first woman to take the lead in the Indy 500.  

Patrick had engine trouble and dropped from 4^th to 16^th place but climbed back up and with only 10 laps left, she took the lead. Her team gambled with the idea of avoiding one more pit stop, which forced her to conserve gas, allowing Dan Wheldon to pass her and win the race. 

Patrick came in 4^th and earned her Rookie of the Year. 

 

May 9: Eugenics Paper Published

On this date in History ... May 9, 1882:

A Richmond, Indiana (my hometown) physician, Dr. Joseph Lutzi, has his paper published & presented at the 32^nd Annual Session of the Indianapolis State Medical Society in Indianapolis . The paper, entitled “Heredity and Its Relation to Disease”, argues that insanity, tuberculosis, and syphilis, among other diseases, are predominantly inherited. 

This paper becomes part of the argument for sterilization of “imbeciles and idiots” to prevent further “breeding of undesirables”.  This would eventually lead Indiana to be the first state to pass a eugenics law in 1907 making sterilization of “undesirables” legal.

May 7: Indiana Territory is Formed

On this date in History ... .1800:  

A bill is passed to divide the Northwest Territory and the Indiana Territory is created. The capital was Vincennes, the oldest settlement in Indiana territory, and William Henry Harrison, who would become the 9^th President of the United States, was made governor of the Territory. 

After Ohio, Michigan and Illinois were formed   (in 1803, 1805, and 1809), various areas in Indiana, particularly those near the Michigan line and in Wayne County, by the Ohio line, wrote to the government protested the distance of Vincennes from the rest of the people which made it difficult to conduct business with travel times so far.  

In 1813, the capital was moved to Corydon, then in 1820, was moved to centrally located Indianapolis. 

March 29: The National Road

On this date in History .... 1806:

 

Congress authorizes a survey to begin constructing the Cumberland Road, which began in Cumberland Maryland and stretched west.

 

The Army Corp of Engineers did the survey and also did the construction which started in 1811. It took seven years to complete the road through the Appalachians to Wheeling, W. Virginia. 

 

Stagecoaches and other traffic filled the road and by 1850 the road, which had earned the name “The National Road”, had extended all the way west to Indianapolis. The road today is known as U.S. 40 and stretches to California. 

 

As a footnote to this story, you may recall my October 28^th posting/blog about the Madonna of the Trail statues that were placed along The National Road.

 

.