This week in Indiana’s history …
1779 – George Rogers Clark captured Fort Sackville at Vincennes, marking the end of British influence on the United States western frontier. The George Rogers Clark Memorial in Vincennes stands at the site of the old fort.
1862 – The first group of Confederate soldiers arrived at Camp Morton Prison in Indianapolis. The camp was in the area bordered by 19th and 22nd streets and Talbot Street and Central Avenue. The site of the old state fairgrounds, the prison held up to 4,000 soldiers during the Civil War.
1867 – The Indiana Student newspaper began publication at Indiana University. Among the topics in the first issue was the proposal for a walkway between the gate and the college to help students avoid the deep mud. In 1889, the newspaper was renamed Indiana Daily Student.
1925 – An explosion at the City Coal Mine in Sullivan, Ind., killed 51 miners. Governor Ed Jackson sent National Guard units to help in the disaster. As a result of this tragedy, the legislature established stricter safety regulations for Indiana mines.
1940 – Fire swept through the winter headquarters of the Cole Brothers Circus in Rochester, Ind. Over 100 animals were killed, including elephants, lions, tigers, and leopards. Elephants, camels, and other animals roamed the area until they were captured the next day.
1954 – Doctors began the first mass inoculation of children with the Salk polio vaccine, produced by Eli Lilly Laboratories in Indianapolis. The clinical trials were the largest ever conducted, with four million children participating.