Digital Collections

500 Festival

The 500 Festival archival collection is held by the organization in Indianapolis. This digitized collection was created to share the 500 Festival events and traditions with the community.

The online collection includes photos and documents from past and present 500 Festival events and programs.

Allison Transmission

Founded in 1915 by James A. Allison, Allison Transmission is headquartered in Indianapolis with additional manufacturing facilities in Hungary and India. The Allison Transmission archival collection is held by the company at its global headquarters in Indianapolis. This digitized collection was created to share Allison heritage with the community in celebration of the company’s centennial in 2015.

Athenaeum Damenverein & Women's Auxiliary Records, 1876-2007 (Digital)

In 1893 members of the Indianapolis German-American community living on the south side of Indianapolis broke away from the Indianapolis Socialer Turnverein to form the Indianapolis South Side Turners. This organization stressed physical fitness and the preservation of German culture and was a social and cultural center for German-Americans in the southern part of the city. In 1900 the South Side Turners built their hall, equipped with a gymnasium and meeting rooms, at 306 Prospect Street. The group sold the building in 1977 and today is based in German Park on South Meridian Street.

Athenaeum Turners Records, 1880-2002 (Digital)

The Athenaeum Turners is a German-American organization founded in 1851 as the Indianapolis Turngemeinde. Its original emphasis was on promoting physical fitness and intellectual development, advancing the political interests of German-Americans, and preserving German culture. The Athenaeum, the Turners' home since its opening in 1893, served as a gathering place for the Indianapolis German-American community, and members of the Athenaeum Turners were prominent leaders in the political, business, educational, and cultural life of the city.

Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site

The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site is an independently-funded nonprofit museum dedicated to preserving and sharing Harrison’s presidential legacy and largely hidden collection of more than 10,000 historical items. The collection is composed of original Harrison family artifacts and accessioned artifacts of national significance. 

Brock's Birds of Indiana

This work describes Indiana avifauna. Each species account contains historical information, comments on occurrence, migration statistics, macimum counts, and nesting data. Population trends are presented for most breeding species. Maps, graphs and tables support the presentations and more than 100 color photographs are included.

Civil War: Governor Morton Telegraph Books and Slips

During the American Civil War (1861-1865), Indiana Governor Oliver P.Morton's staff recorded thousands of the governor's incoming andoutgoing telegrams in small, bound books. The governor and his staffcommunicated by telegraph with the highest and most prominentgovernment and military leaders in the North, including PresidentAbraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Researchers willfind many uses of these messages. Historians studying politics andmilitary planning at the highest levels of federal and state governmentduring the Civil War will find many important communications. Personsstudying the organization and actions of Indiana volunteer regimentsand batteries will gain useful insights. Biographers, local historians,and genealogists will all learn much from consulting these records.

Climate Data: Indianapolis, IN 1940-present

In collaboration with the Indianapolis Public Library, University Library digitized a collection of Local Climate Data dating from 1940 to present. The data is recorded from the Indianapolis International Airport (NOAA) and is now available via the web. Also available are several weather related newspaper articles ranging from 1936-1971. Additionally, you can view a dynamic weather calendar to view precipitation and temperature dating back to the late 1800s.

Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives

The Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives was created to collect, conserve, preserve, and promote the use of records that document the architecture, engineering, and arts associated with the built environment of Columbus, Indiana and Bartholomew County. The archives' collection includes materials on both Historical and Modernist projects, including many of the 60 plus designs by world famous architects of the last half century that are located in Bartholomew County.

Conner Prairie Historic Clothing Collection

Clothing is often a little studied area of American history, but what people wore, how it was made and who made it can offer important insights into a nation's social history. Though clothes do not the man make, they can tell you much about the men, women and children who wore them, and about the society in which they lived. Conner Prairie, an Interactive History Park located in Fishers, Indiana, holds a valuable and substantial collection of historic clothing and accessories. Heretofore, the fragile condition of many of the garments has limited their access to the public. Now, thanks to the partnership of IU Indianapolis University Library and Conner Prairie, these objects may be seen and studied the world over.

Conner Prairie Museum Textile Collection

Conner Prairie preserves these textile legacies of the past for present and future generations of families to enjoy. The collection was founded in the 1940s by Ruth and Eli Lilly.

Conner Prairie Rural History Project

The Conner Prairie Rural History Project (2001-2003) was an effort to capture the fast disappearing rural landscape and heritage of Hamilton County, Indiana.  Funded by the Legacy Fund of Hamilton County, the project conducted over 125 oral histories with farmers, business leaders, and local citizens who shared their memories of the county’s rural past.  In addition, diaries, letters and photos documenting that heritage were collected and digitized for posterity.

Conner Prairie Traditional Crafts: Preservation and Reproduction

The preservation and continuation of traditional crafts and their skills are important to American culture. The Conner Prairie craft collection is usually limited to museum guests, scholars, and other specialized researchers. By digitizing the collection and making it widely accessible o the internet these historic artifacts and the important story they tell will be available to a mass audience, including teachers and students. This collection consists of Conner Prairie traditional crafts featuring pottery, armsmaking, and blacksmithing.

Flanner House (Indianapolis, Ind.) Records, 1936-1992 (Digital)

The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) and Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) collaborated to establish this digital project pertaining to Flanner House. The approximately 5,000 digitized objects consist of photographic, manuscript, artifact, and printed images from the IHS and IUPUI Flanner House collections and several items related to Flanner House from various collections at the two repositories.

Hamilton County History

Originally entitled Hamilton County in 1900: Through a Young Person's Lens, this collection includes the photographs of Earl Brooks (1883-1968), who acquired a camera as a young man and took pictures between approximately 1897 and 1904 of friends, teachers, the countryside and events in central Indiana, California, Kentucky and Ohio.  Photographs of the Hamilton County Township Schools taken between 1892 and 1909 are also included. At the turn of the century, County School Superintendent Ellis A. Hutchens announced his wish to have a photograph taken of every Hamilton County school and here are 68 of those photographs.

Also included is the Inter-State Directory Company's directory of Noblesville and Hamilton County Gazetteer for the years 1907-1908, a countywide residential and business directory. These projects were made possible by a joint project between the Hamilton County Historical Society and the Hamilton East Public Library.

Historic Indiana Plat Books

The Plat Books of Indiana Counties are historic guides to the communities of Indiana, showing townships, roads and section numbers. These geographic resources were originally created by Sidwell Studio and W. W. Hixson & Co. between approximately 1925 and 1941. Only approximate dates are available as the publisher neglected to date the books. The original books are owned by and scanned in collaboration with the Indiana State Library through a grant from the Library Fund of Indianapolis Foundation, an affiliate of the Central Indiana Community Foundation.

Indiana Code

The Indiana Code contains the codified statutes of Indiana. This project aims to digitize all extant volumes of the Indiana Code for open access use

Indiana Farm Security Administration Photographs

The U.S. Farm Security Administration took 678 photographs with captions in Indiana from 1935 to 1943. These photos cover the Ohio River flood (1937), resettlement communities of Decatur Homesteads and Wabash and Deshee Farms (1938), and U. S. Army Chaplain School at Fort Ben Harrison (1943). Most of the photos are primarily concerned with rural and traditional agricultural life. There are very few industrial shots and no photos of major industries. The only major city in Indiana photographed was Indianapolis, including photos around Monument Circle, the Greyhound Bus Station, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory

Every year since 1978 Indiana Landmarks has surveyed from two to four counties, looking for architecturally and historically significant structures and districts. Field surveyors drive every road in the county, identifying, documenting, and photographing historic sites and structures. IU Indianapolis University Library has partnered with the Indiana Landmarks to make out-of-print reports available to the public via the web.

Indiana Landmarks Historic Architecture Collection

A Library Services Technology Grant allowed IU Indianapolis to begin digitization of Indiana Landmarks' slide collection, now making it available to the public. The collection contains images from the early 1960s through present day and captures historic architecture throughout the state. Educators will find the collection useful in documenting architectural styles and Indiana history. Old house enthusiasts will find ideas for paint colors, restoration techniques, and inspiration.

Indiana Landmarks Wilbur D. Peat

Wilbur Peat served as director of the John Herron Art Museum in Indianapolis from 1929-1965. During that time he authored Indiana Houses of the Nineteenth Century, a seminal work on residential architectural styles. Indiana Landmarks holds much of Peat’s architectural collection. Among the items is a set of articles by Agnes McCulloch Hanna who wrote a column on Indiana architecture for the Indianapolis Star and Indianapolis News. Contained within the collection are copies of Hanna’s articles from 1928-1952.

Indiana Medical History Museum - Wishard Scrapbook

University Library collaborated with the Indiana Medical History Museum to make this scrapbook, which Dr. William Niles Wishard was heavily involved in the creation of, available in digital format. This treasure, like many of the artifacts on display at the Indiana Medical History Museum, is a window into the history of medicine in Indiana and an introduction to some of the past prominent figures in the Indianapolis Medical Society.

Indiana Muster, Pay and Receipt Rolls, War of 1812

This collection consists of Muster, pay and receipt rolls of Indiana territory volunteers or militia of the period of the War of 1812. They are in the form of four oversized bound volumes of photostats made by Leet Brothers Co. in 1926 from information in the U.S. Adjutant General's Office. The four physical volumes digitized here reside in the collection of the Genealogy Division, Indiana State Library. An index was created by Genealogy Division staff and bound into Volume 1.

Indiana Preservationist

Since 1971, Indiana Landmarks'  member magazine Indiana Preservationist has provided information about historic Hoosier places, architectural styles, preservation issues, threats to landmarks and efforts to save and preserve our state’s heritage. Members of Indiana Landmarks receive the bi-monthly magazine as a benefit of membership. The collection contains the full text of articles from 1971 to recent years.

Indiana Red Cross

As one of the nation’s premier humanitarian organizations, the American Red Cross is dedicated to helping people in need throughout the United States and, in association with other Red Cross networks, throughout the world. We depend on the many generous contributions of time, blood, and money from the American public to support our lifesaving services and programs.

Indiana Repertory Theatre

Collection of photos, playbills, and other items published by and taken for the Indiana Repertory Theatre. The collection includes documents published from 1973 to 2006.

Indiana School for the Deaf

Rich in heritage and always striving to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, The Indiana School for the Deaf has developed into one of the leading deaf schools in the nation.  Its success is captured in the publications that have been digitized through funding by the Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund.  204 volumes with 18,000 pages of publications include school newsletters, senior numbers and yearbooks. 

Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center Collection

The Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center annually hosts more than 400 meetings, shows, sports and agricultural events, including its signature event, the Indiana State Fair. Laid out over 250 acres, the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center is home to more than 1,000,000 square feet of event space and offers the most flexible event venues in the state of Indiana

Indiana Territory Court Orders

The digital collection of Indiana Territory Court Orders is a collaborative effort between the University Library, the Indiana State Archives, and the Historical Society for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. This collection contains digital images of three order books: 2 original volumes created between 1800 and 1816 and a late nineteenth-century transcription for the first 114 pages of Order Book 1.

Indianapolis City Directory Collection

City directories contain a wealth of information for genealogists, researchers, and everyday history enthusiasts. These books tell a great deal about our past by including the names and information about residents as well as businesses in Indianapolis through the years. Inside you'll find addresses and occupations of householders, complete business directories, and much more. This collection consists of 14 Indianapolis city directories ranging from 1858-1980.

Indianapolis History

This collection includes a variety of Indianapolis related primary (with limited secondary) resources (photographs and text) dating from late 19th to mid 20th centuries.Example resources include:Indianapolis Power & Light Co. Distribution System Photograph collection, monographs on the history of Indiana such as, The Hoosiers published in 1916, several issue of the Free Soil Banner, and various published and unpublished city of Indianapolis scrapbooks.

Indianapolis Maennerchor Records, 1866-1990 (Digital)

The Indianapolis Maennerchor (men's choir), established in 1854 by German immigrants, is one of the oldest continuously active singing societies in the United States. The Maennerchor was an important organization in the early cultural life of Indianapolis, sponsoring musical events of national importance and bringing prominent singers and musicians to the city.

Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center

The Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center (INRC) is a private nonprofit organization that offers training, technical assistance, and coaching to help grassroots neighborhood-based organizations throughout Marion County address issues that impact the quality of life in their neighborhoods. The resources provided by INRC helps to strengthen, develop, and empower neighborhoods.

Indianapolis News

The Indianapolis News began publication on December 7th 1869. For 130 years it was the oldest Indianapolis newspaper and held the largest circulation in the State of Indiana.  IU Indianapolis University Library received funding from the Library Fund, a fund of the Indianapolis Foundation, to digitize the Indianapolis News from 1869-1922. 

Indianapolis Recorder

What began as a two-page church bulletin by co-founders George Pheldon Stewart and William H. Porter, the Indianapolis Recorder is now one of the top African-American publications in the nation. Established in 1897, the Indianapolis Recorder focused on local people and events in Indianapolis but also reported national events. IU Indianapolis University is pleased to present the Indianapolis Recorder Digital Collection. Providing access to the 1899-2005 run of the Indianapolis Recorder will have an impact on researchers from all walks of life. Whether you are a family historian, an academic researcher or part of the media, this collection will help you search for and access historically important stories of African-Americans individuals, organizations, and events in Indianapolis, Indiana in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Indianapolis South Side Turners Records, 1893-1956 (Digital)

In 1893 members of the Indianapolis German-American community living on the south side of Indianapolis broke away from the Indianapolis Socialer Turnverein to form the Indianapolis South Side Turners. This organization stressed physical fitness and the preservation of German culture and was a social and cultural center for German-Americans in the southern part of the city. In 1900 the South Side Turners built their hall, equipped with a gymnasium and meeting rooms, at 306 Prospect Street. The group sold the building in 1977 and today is based in German Park on South Meridian Street. These photographs are part of the Indianapolis South Side Turners Records held by the IUPUI University Library Ruth Lilly Special Collections and Archives.

Inland Steel Company Image Collection

Inland Steel Company, founded in 1893 in Chicago, arrived first in northwest Indiana, establishing its Indiana Harbor Works in 1901 in East Chicago, Indiana. A very large and important source of historical information about the local steel industry is the Inland Steel Company Photograph Collection housed in the Calumet Regional Archives at Indiana University Northwest. Inland Steel created a visual materials collection comprising over one million images, including prints, negatives, slides and transparencies. Select images from this huge collection are presented here for use by students, scholars, and the general public.

IU Indianapolis Image Collection

This collection of digital images visually represents IUPUI's and IU Indianapolis' history and development as a teaching facility, an academic institution, a continually transforming campus, and a group of ever growing students, faculty, and staff.

IUPUI Community: Documenting Life During the Pandemic

This digital collection aims to document the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic has made to the daily lives of people affiliated with IUPUI (students, staff, faculty). With this collection, we are capturing the challenges faced by the IUPUI community during this time.

James Whitcomb Riley Collection

This digital collection celebrates the works of James Whitcomb Riley and is a valuable resource for students, teachers, and researchers in Indiana, throughout the country, and beyond. Livin' the life of Riley provides access to manuscripts, personal letters, photographs, early edition books, and artifacts that represent the Hoosier Poet. This is a collaborative effort between the Hancock Public Library, the Riley Old Home Society, the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, and IU Indianapolis University Library and was made possible by an LSTA grant.

Jessie Groves Collection, 1915-1977 (Digital)

In 1915 Jessie Groves arrived in Indianapolis at the age of 21 to take a position as the Night Supervisor at Long Hospital on the campus of the fledgling Indiana University School of Medicine. She spent the rest of her nursing career at the IU Medical Center, retiring in the 1950s as the Operating Room Supervisor for both Long and Riley Hospitals. The collection consists mainly of candid photographs taken by Jessie over the course of her four decades at the Medical Center and an oral history completed when she was 83 years old looking back on her career.

Neil Matthew Photographs, 1940-1983 (Digital)

This collection is a photographic documentary of scenes and places from the perspective of Neil E. Matthew, a professor of the Herron School of Art at IUPUI. He was a painter first while an undergraduate at Arizona State University. He then studied photography under Henry Holmes Smith at Indiana University. His photography, as described by its creator, is "the painter as photographic tourist." It is straight representational photography of the landscape and buildings seen during his travels.

Pioneer Painters of Indiana

The collection contains research materials for Peat’s book Pioneer Painters of Indiana, including notes and index cards on Indiana artists and collectors, article clippings, bibliographies, exhibition catalogs, photographs of artworks, and correspondence with art collectors, curators and artists’ families.

Ransom Place

This collection consists of various pieces of material culture collected from anthropology professor Paul Mullins and his archaeology field school participants. The items have been recovered from various locations in and around the IU Indianapolis campus, and depict an active and vibrant African-American community that once inhabited the area.

Road to Indiana Statehood

The Indiana Supreme Court and the Indiana Historical Bureau are collaborating on a major project to gather in one place copies of original documents and research materials relating to Indiana's constitutional history. The IU Indianapolis University Library has digitized and organized the material to make it user-friendly and fully searchable, and serves as the host for this Web-based material.

Service through Sponge Cake

The digital collection of cookbooks is a collaborative effort between the University Library and the Indianapolis Public Library and will focus on Indiana cookbooks dating from the turn-of-the-century, with a special emphasis on fundraising cookbooks published by churches, synagogues and other community organizations. The University Library has created the community cookbook collection using unique materials from the Indianapolis Public Library's collection of historic Indiana cookbooks.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Digital Archives

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Digital Archives contributes to the Museum’s Mission statement “to create extraordinary learning experiences” by providing care and access to a diverse range of digital historical records. These assets include but are not limited to: history of The Children’s Museum Guild, annual reports, exhibit development documents, newsletters and bulletins, historical reference books, photographs of exhibits, staff and events.

Wildflowers of Indiana

Also a part of the Database Project funded by the Library Fund of the Indianapolis Foundation was to create Web resources of interest to the residents of Marion County that were not available from commercial providers. NOTICE: Access to this Web site is limited to locations in Marion County, Indianapolis, Indiana, and to persons who are registered users of the Indianapolis Public Library. Such locations may include, without limitation, the following: all schools, public libraries, college and university campuses located within Marion County, Indiana.

Womankind

Running from 1977 to 1983, WOMANKIND was a local feminist newspaper, conceived by, and published for women. Many of the writers have IU Indianapolis roots including founding, regular author and IU Indianapolis English professor, Rebecca Pitts. The newspaper includes editorials, research, poetry, stories, ads, and reviews of local exhibitions.