This week in Indiana’s history …
1812 – Little Turtle, leader of the Miami People, died in Fort Wayne near the Eel River. One of the most important Native American leaders of his time, he led the Indian Confederacy against soldiers who were taking over the Northwest Territory in the late 18th Century. After he signed the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, he became an advocate for peace.
1837 – The United States Post Office made a contract with the Great Western Express Company to deliver mail to western cities. Coming by express coach along the National Road, letters could be brought from Washington, D.C., to Indianapolis in 65 hours. Normal delivery took six days. To prepare for the quick transfer of mail, the driver of the coach would blast a bugle as he approached the inn or stopping place.
1911 – The Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners voted to accept a gift of land from Poet James Whitcomb Riley. The property on St. Clair Street between Meridian and Pennsylvania Streets brought into focus long-hoped-for plans for a new city library. The donation, which included three adjacent lots, was valued at $75,000 (nearly $2.5 million in today’s dollars.) The library opened in 1917.
1921 – The Indiana Legislature created the Indiana Motor Vehicle Police Department. It was the first law enforcement agency to have statewide authority to enforce traffic laws. The division was also charged with investigating the growing problem of car thefts. The first force was made up of 16 officers. In 1933, the agency was reorganized as the Indiana State Police.
1961 – Margaret Truman starred in the play The Time of the Cuckoo on stage at the Avondale Summer Theater in Indianapolis. The daughter of President Harry S Truman received kind reviews from local critic Charles Staff, who wrote that “the role of an American spinster and her ill-fated fling fit Miss Truman’s talent admirably.” After the show, Governor Matthew Welsh and his wife Virginia hosted a reception for the actress at the Governor’s Mansion.
2005 – President George W. Bush was the featured speaker at the Indiana Black Expo in Indianapolis. Addressing a crowd of 3,000 at the RCA Dome, the President said, “I see an America where every citizen owns a stake in the future of our country.” He was accompanied on Air Force One by Indiana Congresswoman Julia Carson.