Released June 8, 2016
‘On This Day in History’ ideas from ‘Indiana in 200 Objects exhibit at Indiana State Museum
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 9, 2016
Contact: Bruce Williams, 317.234.8146, [email protected]
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana State Museum is honoring Indiana as part of its statewide bicentennial celebration with Indiana in 200 Objects, an exhibition on view now through January 29, 2017. The exhibit features 200 superb artifacts, including rare and priceless objects and documents.
To assist the media with ideas for bicentennial coverage, below is a list of exhibit objects with connections to the months June, July and August. To request photos of objects to run with story placements, please email [email protected].
• Chuck Taylor was born June 24, 1901 and died June 23, 1969 (On view: Pair of Chuck sneakers – may be connected to the current NBA Finals, because the shoe was designed to be a basketball shoe and was the primary shoe worn until the 1970s).
• On July 2, 1862, the Indianapolis Daily Journal newspaper printed one of the first announcements of a public demonstration of Dr. Richard Gatling’s machine gun (On view: Gatling Gun).
• Morgan’s Raiders crossed the Ohio and attacked Corydon July 9, 1863 and later fled the state on July 13. The Civil War wooden shoes were worn by Francis Hiequit of the Indiana Home Guard during Morgan‘s Raid (On view: wooden shoes).
• Noble Sissle was born July 10, 1889. (On view: I’m Just Wild about Harry sheet music).
• The 2016 major league baseball all-star game is July 12 (On view: Tommy John’s uniform; Kenesaw Mountain Landis plaque; AAGPBL uniform and Take Me Out to the Ball Game sheet music).
• The Northwest Ordinance was adopted on July 13, 1787 (On view: document).
• John Dillinger was born July 22, 1903 and shot and killed by FBI agents July 22, 1934 (On view: FBI Wanted Poster).
• James Whitcomb Riley died July 22, 1916 (On view: Riley’s The Raggedy Man book)
• Amelia Earhart was born July 24, 1897 and disappeared July 2, 1937 (On view: Earhart’s flight jacket).
• USS Indianapolis sank on July 30, 1945. The survivors were rescued on August 3 (On view: life jacket).
• Ernie Pyle was born August 3, 1900 (On view: Pyle’s typewriter).
• Paul Hadley, designer of the Indiana flag, was born August 6, 1880 (On view: Hadley’s Maquette of the Flag).
• The Garfield comic strip, created by Jim Davis, was first published on August 14, 1980 (On view: comic strip).
• Gene Stratton-Porter was born August 17, 1863 (On view: Hand-colored book plate made by her).
• Confederate artillery shell hit Gun #5 of Eli Lilly’s battery killing a corporal and 4 horses on August 23, 1863 (On view: artillery shell)
• Alfred Kinsey was born on June 23, 1894 and died on August 25, 1956 (On view: interview code sheet from the sexuality study).
• Noblesville Meteorite hit Hamilton County on August 31, 1991 (On view: meteorite).
# # #
The Indiana State Museum is located in White River State Park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. It is Indiana’s museum for science, art and culture, offering a place where you can celebrate, investigate, remember, learn and take pride in Indiana’s story in the context of the broader world. Even the building is a showcase of the best Indiana has to offer in architecture, materials and sculpture. Easy and convenient parking is available in the attached underground garage.
