1810 – Territorial Governor William Henry Harrison met with Shawnee Chief Tecumseh at Grouseland, Harrison’s home in Vincennes. Tecumseh expressed his disapproval of a recent treaty which gave the United States a large tract of Native American land. Harrison’s home in Vincennes is open for public tours.
1816 – The first Indiana state election was held. Jonathan Jennings was elected the state’s first Governor. In November that year, the first general assembly met in the capital city of Corydon.
1909 – George Craig was born in Brazil, Ind. He earned a law degree at Indiana University, served as a lieutenant colonel in World War II, and became national commander of the American Legion. In 1952, he was elected Governor of Indiana.
1918 – Opha May Jacob Johnson of Kokomo signed up for the Marine Corps Reserve, becoming the first official woman Marine. She was soon promoted to office sergeant and handled critical clerical jobs necessary during World War I.
1966 – Forrest Tucker was on stage at Starlight Musicals in Indianapolis, playing Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man. Tucker, from Plainfield, appeared in the role more than 2,000 times across the country. He was a star of Broadway, movies and television, where many fans will remember him as Sergeant O’Rourke in F Troop.
1994 – The first Brickyard 400 NASCAR race was run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The winner was 23-year-old Jeff Gordon from Pittsboro.