IndyEncyclopedia

06/17/2026

Indy girls have been learning outdoor skills through Girl Scouts since 1917 when the first local troop was established in Irvington. Nine more troops were formed in Indianapolis by 1919. Cookies were sold for the first time in 1926.

Learn More: https://indyencyclopedia.org/girl-scouts-of-central-indiana/
Image: Girl Scouts maintaining their tent at Camp Dellwood on the westside of Indianapolis in 1947; Image Credit: Indiana Historical Society

06/15/2026

📣 New entry spotlight: Anna Agnew was a writer who achieved recognition for her account of spending seven years as a patient at Indianapolis’s Central State Hospital, undergoing treatment for severe symptoms from what is now known as bipolar disorder. Agnew’s autobiography, From Under the Cloud, provides a unique and detailed account of the details and experiences of daily life for patients living in the asylum.

Learn More: https://indyencyclopedia.org/anna-agnew/
Image: Anna Agnew, ca. 1886; Image Credit: From Under the Cloud; Or, Personal Reminiscences of Insanity

06/12/2026

In preparation for this weekend's Indy Pride celebrations, learn all about the history behind Indy Pride! Beginning in the early 1980s, years before the creation of the actual organization, Indiana gay and le***an organizations like Justice, Inc. and the Greater Indianapolis Gay Business Association (GIGBA) laid the seeds for Indy Pride. These two organizations eased public acceptance of the LGBTQ community by hosting annual public events during the summer.

Learn More: https://indyencyclopedia.org/indy-pride/
Image: Cadillac Barbie Pride Parade on Mass Ave., 2019; Image Credit: Jenna Watson/IndyStar via Imagn Content Services, LLC

06/10/2026

📣 New entry spotlight: Founded in 1969, Special Olympics Indiana (SOIN) emerged shortly after the creation of the global Special Olympics movement. With its launch, Indiana became one of the first states to establish a statewide program of this type.

Learn More: https://indyencyclopedia.org/special-olympics-indiana/
Image: Powerlifter in the Special Olympics Indiana Summer Games, 2023; Image Credit: Special Olympics Indiana

06/08/2026

The Allisonville area's history goes way back. The suburb was named for John Allison, who brought his family from Kentucky to clear and farm the area in 1819. And the brick home of another early settler, John West (ca. 1830s), can still be found at its original location along Allisonville Road. Learn more here: https://indyencyclopedia.org/allisonville/

Image: Built in 1836, the West house in Allisonville is one of the oldest-known surviving houses in Marion County, Indiana; Image Credit: Library of Congress

06/05/2026

The When Store was a wholesale clothing store that operated in Indy from 1875-1931. Check out our entry to learn about the store's history and the fun story behind its unique name: https://indyencyclopedia.org/the-when-store/

Image: When Clothing Store, 1906; Image Credit: Bass Photo Co Collection, Indiana Historical Society

06/03/2026

Born on this day in 1894 was Louis Yolando Mazzini, an Indy resident and Peruvian immigrant. We have Mazzini to thank for developing fast and accurate syphillis tests, which were employed by the Armed Forces during World War II.

Learn More: https://indyencyclopedia.org/louis-yolando-mazzini/
Image: Louis Mazzini, n.d.; Image Credit: Indiana University Indianapolis

06/01/2026

📣 New entry spotlight: Seymour Friedberg was the first director of the Indiana University School of Medicine’s Medical Educational Resources Program. He transformed medical education in Indiana by building a groundbreaking statewide television network that connected the Indiana University Medical Center with 17 teaching hospitals throughout the state.

Learn More: https://indyencyclopedia.org/seymour-friedberg/
Image: Seymour Friedberg, ca. 1960s; Image Credit: Indiana University Indianapolis

05/29/2026

Did you know Indianapolis has a vast and expanding network of over 100 miles of paved, multi-use greenways and trails designed for walking, biking, and running?

Join us on June 7th, 2 pm at The Central Library to learn all about the history of Indianapolis's key interconnected trails, the Monon Trail, the Cultural Trail, and the B&O Trail.

Register here:

Join us for an in-person lecture to learn about the history of Indianapolis's key interconnected trails, the Monon Trail, the Cultural Trail, and the B&O Trail. . Event starts at June 7, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

05/27/2026

📣New entry spotlight: The Percussive Arts Society (PAS), headquartered in Indianapolis, is an international organization for percussionists and percussion educators, which maintains a significant presence in the local arts community. Established in 1961, the group moved to Indianapolis in 2007. The organization hosts its annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) each November in Indianapolis, bringing percussionists and drummers throughout the world to the city.

Learn More: https://indyencyclopedia.org/percussive-arts-society/
Image: Bill Molenhof playing percussion instrument during the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), 1978; Image Credit: Percussive Arts Society