1816 – The first Indiana General Assembly convened in Corydon. There were 10 senators and 29 representatives at the session. Indiana was admitted to the Union the next month on Dec. 11. Corydon remained the state capital until the government was moved to the new city of Indianapolis in 1825.
1848 – Virginia Claypool Meredith was born in Fayette County. She became known as “Queen of American Agriculture” and gained fame as a writer, speaker, and university professor. She encouraged women to pursue education and professional careers. For many years, she managed a farm near Cambridge City. In 1921, she became the first female trustee at Purdue University.
1921 – Indianapolis welcomed General Ferdinand Foch, Marshal of France and Commander in Chief of Allied Forces in the closing days of World War I. His private train was met with a ceremony that included the Purdue University Band and the Culver Black Horse Troop. He spoke at Cadle Tabernacle and the Claypool Hotel, where he said, “We have had our war and it is our duty to maintain peace.”
1940 – Robert Lee Brokenburr became the first African American to be elected to the Indiana Senate. An attorney in Indianapolis, he served five terms, authoring legislation which prohibited discrimination in education, employment, and accommodations. He also helped create the Indiana Civil Rights Commission.
1948 – Renovations were completed in the House and Senate chambers at the Indiana Statehouse. The $750,000 project included additional rooms and offices, oak-paneled walls, plush new carpet, and new desks with red leather chairs. New seating was also installed in the public galleries.
1963 – On Halloween night, a propane tank exploded during a performance of “Holiday on Ice” at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum. The blast killed 74 people and injured more than 400. The gas had been sparked by an electric popcorn machine. The explosion propelled spectators, chairs, and chunks of concrete 40 feet into the air.