Southern Wayne Neighborhood Organization

Indiana History Fun Facts

DO You Know?

I'll bet you didn't know...

Tomato juice was first served at a French Lick Hotel in 1925. The first
tomato juice factory was also in French Lick, IN.

The world's largest orchid species collection is found at
Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

The first regulated speed limit on Indiana roads was initiated in 1921.
20 - 25 mph!!

An average of 400 funnel clouds are sighted each year in Indiana.

The city of Gary, Indiana, was built on fill brought from the bottom of
Lake Michigan through suction pipes.

There are only two Adams fireplaces in the United States. One is in the
White House and the other in the Diner Home in Indiana.

Josie Orr, wife of former Indiana Governor Robert Orr, flew bombers and
cargo planes during World War II.

The Indianapolis Methodist Hospital is the largest Hospital in the
Midwest.

One of the first complete bathrooms in Indianapolis was in the home of
Hoosier poet, James Whitcomb Riley.

The career of Dorothy Lamour (famous for the Crosby-Hope Road Movies)
was launched in Indianapolis.

Aviatrix Amelia Earhart was once a Professor at Purdue University.

Crown Hill Cemetery (Indianapolis) is the largest cemetery in the U.S.

The library in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana houses one of the
largest genealogy libraries in America.

Wabash, Indiana was the first electrified city in the U.S. Pendleton;
Indiana was the site of the first hanging of a white man for killing
Indians.

The Courthouse roof in Greensburg, Indiana has a tree growing from it.
The world's first transistor radio was made in Indianapolis.

Clark Gable and wife Carole Lombard (a Hoosier) honeymooned at Lake
Barbee near Warsaw, Indiana.

The American Beauty Rose was developed at Richmond, Indiana.
Elkhart, Indiana is the band instrument capitol of the World.

Frank Sinatra first sang with the Tommy Dorsey band at the Lyric Theater
in Indianapolis.

Purdue Alumnus, Earl Butz, served as the Secretary of Agriculture.

U.S. 231 is the longest highway in Indiana (231miles).

Johnny Appleseed is buried at Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The singing McGuire Sisters spent their childhood summers at the Church
of God Campground in Anderson, Indiana.

The main station of the Underground Railroad was in Fountain County,
Indiana.

There are 154 acres of sculpture gardens and trails at the Indianapolis
Museum of Art.

La Porte County is the only county in America having 2 functioning
Courthouses. I think we can add Vanderburgh County in with that too.

Nancy Hanks Lincoln is buried in Posey County, Indiana.

Crawfordsville, Indiana (Montgomery County) is the only site in the
World where crinoids are found. (What is a crinoid, you ask? A form of
deep-water marine life that looks something like a starfish.)

The Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Allen County, contains the world's
largest & nbsp; Life Insurance Company).

Pendleton, Indiana was the site of the 'Fall Creek Massacre.' A museum
housing 3500 artifacts of pioneer heritage now exists on that site.

St. Meinrad Archabbey is located in Spencer County and is one of only 2
archabbeys in the U.S. and seven in the world. (Abbey Press is an
operation of the archabbey.)

A Buzz Bomb (German - WWII), believed to be the only one on public
display in the nation, can be found on the Putnam County Courthouse lawn
in Greencastle.

Roberta Turpin Willett was born in Indiana.

Red Skelton was born in Indiana.

May West was from Bedford, Indiana. (As was Claud Akins)

Forrest Tucker was from Pendleton, Indiana.

You can't ship wine to Indiana. (So how does it get here???????)

Bob Greise is from Evansville, Indiana. (Purdue boy)

Toni Tenille (of The Captain and Tenille) is from Indiana.

Oprah Winfrey built her residence in Indiana.

Florence Henderson is from Indiana.

John Mellancamp is a Hoosier and resides in Bloomington.

The much sought-after Hoosier Cabinets are an Indiana product.

90% of the world's popcorn is grown in Indiana.

The Jackson Five are from Indiana as well as 'SuperFan' Russ McLeod.

The birthplace of the automobile, the pneumatic rubber tire, the
aluminum casting process, stainless steel and the first push-button car
radio was in Kokomo, Indiana.