INDIANA LANDMARKS @ THE LIBRARY

Discover how the Indiana Landmarks Society protects and celebrates the historic buildings in the Hoosier State on Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wells County Public Library. Catherine R. Wright, of the Indiana Landmarks Society, will discuss their projects and shows photographs of the organization's efforts, including the restoration of the beautiful
Central Avenue United Methodist Church in Indianapolis which is expected to open this spring as the society’s new headquarters and cultural performance center (pictured above). The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at 260-824-1612 or visit online at www.wellscolibrary.org

Indiana Historical Society Launches Traveling Exhibition on Steamboat Travel

Indianapolis-In anticipation of the 2011 bicentennial of the first steamboat to successfully voyage down the Ohio River, the Indiana Historical Society will launch its newest traveling exhibition-Steamboat a Comin': The Legacy of the New Orleans. Sponsored by the Rivers Institute at Hanover College, Steamboat a Comin' will highlight this travel method's impact on western expansion and development.

The first steamboat to successfully navigate America's western inland rivers, the New Orleans, altered American life forever by hastening the opening of the American west and by transforming the landscape, economy and culture. This exhibition, which will be displayed at local historical societies, museums, libraries and other venues across the state, will introduce visitors to the adventurers who first dared to take a steamboat on the Ohio River, the technology they used and the ramifications-both positive and negative-of their actions.

Visitors will leave with an understanding and appreciation of the adventurous spirit that colored much early river travel, the technological achievements, the vast impact on landscape and economy, and the rich culture we have today as a result.

Upcoming Venues for Steamboat a Comin' include the Switzerland County Historical Society in Vevay (Oct. 18 to Nov. 15, 2010), Dearborn County Historical Society in Lawrenceburg (Nov. 15 to Dec. 13, 2010), Ohio County Historical Society in Rising Sun (May 2 to June 1, 2011), Jefferson County Historical Society in Madison (June 1 to July 12, 2011), Howard Steamboat Museum in Jeffersonville (July 12 to Aug. 31, 2011), Knox County Public Library in Vincennes (Sept. 9 to Oct. 18, 2011) and Evansville Public Library (Oct. 25 to Nov. 30, 2011). The IHS will host the exhibition Oct. 21 and 22, 2011 when it hosts the Rivers Institute's symposium and Family Day.

About IHS Traveling Exhibitions
Historical societies, museums, libraries, schools and other nonprofit organizations in Indiana can book this and other traveling exhibits through IHS's Local History Services Department. Exhibits may be borrowed for approximately four to five weeks at a time. To book an exhibit, please contact Jeannette Rooney at localhistoryservices@indianahistory.org or (317) 233-8913. For more information about the traveling exhibit program, visit www.indianahistory.org.

About the Indiana Historical Society
Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana's Storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting and sharing the state's history. A private, nonprofit membership organization, IHS maintains the nation's premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest and presents a unique set of visitor exhibitions called the Indiana Experience. IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; and provides youth, adult and family programming. The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, home of the IHS and the Indiana Experience, is located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis.

IHS Kicks off Indiana Town Hall Series on Environmental Issues

Indianapolis-The Indiana Historical Society will kick off its three-part Indiana Town Hall Series, covering the subject of environmental concerns, on Thursday, Oct. 21. This month's free program, State & Regional Environment Issues & Opportunities, will take place in the Frank and Katrina Basile Theater at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center. The History Center, home of the IHS and the Indiana Experience, is located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis.

The Indiana Town Hall Series is an ongoing series of public forum discussions with expert panelists exploring contemporary, yet enduring, topics from a variety of perspectives. While the program itself begins at 7 p.m., participants are encouraged to arrive as early as 6 p.m. to meet with representatives from local environmentally-focused groups, enjoy light refreshments and pose their own questions that will be used in the dialogue between panelists.

State & Regional Environment Issues & Opportunities will begin with environmental historian Phil Scarpino laying the foundation for the series by exploring how a historical perspective on the environment can create a better understanding of today's realities. Guest panelists will help participants understand issues currently facing Indiana, including: Jesse Kharbanda (Hoosier Environmental Council), Gabriel Filippelli (Center for Environmental Health and the Richard G. Lugar Center for Renewable Energy), Tom Swinford (Department of Natural Resources) and Joe Tutterrow (The Nature Conservancy).

The Indiana Town Hall Series will include two more evenings in 2010: the Nov. 18 program will focus on Urban Environmental Issues & Opportunities, while a discussion of Rural Environmental Issues & Opportunities will take place on Dec. 16. The 2010 Indiana Town Hall Series is presented in part by Schmidt Associates Inc. with support from the IUPUI School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and has been made possible through a matching grant from the Indiana Humanities Council in cooperation with the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For more information on the Indiana Town Hall Series and other IHS programs, call (317) 232-1882 or visit www.indianahistory.org.

AC Genealogy Center offers programs

For several years, The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library has offered a variety of events to mark October as the month to share information concerning new sources and techniques.

Preservation Week, October 10-16, will include classes on writing your family history, scanning photographs and scrapbooking.

Technology Week, October 17-23, will include lectures on FamilySearch, online immigration sources, building a family website and an all day workshop on Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Dead Week, October 24-31, will discuss death records, and obituaries, and historic Lindenwood Cemetery and ARCH’s Angie Quinn on Haunted Sites in Fort Wayne, ending with the traditional Midnight Madness Extended Research Hours and

For more information, visit http://thing1.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/FHM2010c.pdf or call 260-421-1225.