1864—Dedication ceremonies were held at the new Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis. Former Judge and Congressman Albert S. White spoke to a crowd of about 400. He said, “Let it be the glory of Crown Hill that the rich and the poor, the proud and the humble alike may enter here.” With over 500 acres, the cemetery is one of the largest in the nation.
1895—Walter Q. Gresham died in Washington, D. C. He was born in Lanesville in Harrison County, Indiana. He served as a federal judge, Secretary of the Treasury under President Chester Arthur, and Secretary of State under President Grover Cleveland.
1910—Orville and Wilbur Wright visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to make plans for the six-day aerial show coming up in June. The brothers brought several of their “flying machines” and one of their pilots, Walter Brookins, set an altitude record at 4,938 feet.
1917—The Indiana State Banner, designed by Paul Hadley of Mooresville, was officially adopted by the General Assembly. Hadley’s design won a competition sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution. It was designated the official State Flag in 1955.
1977—Janet Guthrie became the first woman to drive in the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. An aerospace engineer from the University of Michigan, she was also the first woman to drive in the Daytona 500. She qualified for three Indy 500 races with a best finish of ninth in 1978.
1999—The Medal of Honor Memorial was dedicated on the north bank of the central canal in Indianapolis. Nearly 100 medal winners were in attendance at the ceremony which revealed 27 glass walls displaying the names of all recipients of the United States Military’s highest award for valor.