1792 – Samuel Merrill was born in Vermont. He moved to Vevay, Ind., where he became an attorney and businessman who played a big role in state history. As State Treasurer, he oversaw the transfer of the capital from Corydon to Indianapolis.
1920 – Anna D. Monroe became the first woman to cast a vote in Indiana after the passage of the 19th Amendment. On that day, she was joined by over 500,000 women at polls across the state.
1938 – Rear Admiral Hayne Ellis and other U. S. Navy officials joined Indiana Lieutenant Governor Henry Schricker at the dedication of the new Naval Armory at 30th and White River Parkway in Indianapolis. The distinctive building is now home to Riverside High School
1938 – The “War of the Worlds” radio drama convinced many listeners that Martians were invading planet Earth. In Indianapolis, a woman interrupted services at St. Paul Methodist Church to announce the end of the world. She said she had heard it on the radio.
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.
1976 – Jane Pauley became co-host of the NBC Today Show. A graduate of Warren Central High School and Indiana University, she had been a member of the news team at WISH-TV in Indianapolis.