This week in Indiana’s history …
1861 – John Wilkes Booth opened a six-day engagement on Christmas Day at the Metropolitan Theater in Indianapolis. Called the “celebrated tragedian,” he was playing six roles in a Shakespeare festival that included Macbeth, Hamlet and Richard III. The Metropolitan, opened in 1858, was considered to be the city’s first professional theater. It was located on the northeast corner of Washington Street and Tennessee Street (now Capitol Avenue).
1865 – The Indiana General Assembly created the Indiana Normal School. The mission was the education of elementary and high school teachers. Five years later, the school opened with 23 students and a faculty of three. In 1929, the name was changed to Indiana State Teachers College. In 1961, it became Indiana State College, and, in 1965, Indiana State University.
1882 – John W. Teel and Frederick Badet launched the South Bend Toyworks Company. They began making croquet balls and mallets and later expanded to include coaster wagons, hobby horses, dolls and doll carriages. The company, employing over 400 people in South Bend, was acquired by Playskool in 1960. It was later absorbed by Hasbro. The South Bend factory closed in 1985.
1928 – Dedication ceremonies were held for the new Butler Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. For many years, it was the largest basketball arena in the United States. The facility was renamed in 1966 to honor long-time Butler coach Paul D. “Tony” Hinkle. Over the years, the building has hosted a wide variety of sports and civic events. It also served as a barracks for Army and Navy members during World War II. It is well-remembered by movie fans as the location for the dramatic final scene in Hoosiers.
1933 – The William H. Block Department Store in Indianapolis extended holiday shopping hours until 9 p.m. Patrons were invited to come downtown to have dinner. The 5th Floor dining room offered turkey with chestnut dressing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and salad for the price of 30 cents. For the same cost, diners could replace the turkey with a grilled T-bone steak with mushroom sauce.
2007 – A horse-drawn caisson carried the body of Indiana Congresswoman Julia Carson from her home to the Statehouse. Hundreds of mourners passed by her flag-draped coffin in the rotunda. The first woman and the first African American to represent Indianapolis in Congress, she had served 10 years on Capitol Hill. Her funeral at Eastern Star Church was attended by many civic leaders, including Senator Richard Lugar, former Senator Birch Bayh, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, Former Congressman Andy Jacobs, Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, and Civil Rights Leader Jesse Jackson.