Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: First Car to Win Indy 500, Marmon Wasp

From a 1913 advert for Marmon & Nordyke, the “Six-cylinder ‘Wasp,'” and winner of the first 500 Mile International Sweepstakes Race “against a field of 40 cars.” The local branch was listed at New York...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: Treat and Warren

With all of Indianapolis aflutter in anticipation of the Indy 500, it gets me thinking about its earliest days and the early days of automobiles. With that in mind, check out a 1913 advert for...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Ads: Parquet, not a creamy spread

The warmer weather inevitably makes me grateful for wood floors–just seems to make the house feel lighter and cooler. The above advert is from 1906 and below from 1898–I have to wonder if my parquet...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Prayers: Fall Creek Parkway and 32nd Street

If, like me, you frequent Fall Creek Parkway, you surely noticed a change at Fall Creek Parkway and 32nd in the last few weeks. First, a bunch of really tall, old, beautiful trees were taken...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: Architects in 1914 Indianapolis

Last night’s fundraiser for Indiana Landmarks included (among many fabulous features) the announcement of this year’s 10 Most Endangered List.  Thinking of all the beautiful structures in need of saving and preservation or those that...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Ad That’s Not an Ad: Broad Ripple, 1896

Though it’s not an advert, it did appear randomly in an 1896 Indianapolis publication. Since Broad Ripple is amidst the 175th anniversary celebration, thought it’d be a great time to share it....

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Posted in: Bicycles, Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: Bicycling Schools of Indianapolis

From March 1896, check out these adverts from local bicycle companies and stores and the companion “Riding Academy” or “Riding School.” The definition of such a thing has made big changes since then. Indianapolis had...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Advert: Indiana Workforce, 1965

Normally at HI, the goal is to keep subject matter at least 50 years old. (Hey, if it’s good enough benchmark  for the National Register of Historic Places, it’s good enough for us). However, considering...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: Taggart Bread

Since many are undoubtedly still recovering from reveling in the Irish holiday, it seemed appropriate to highlight an early Indianapolis Irish business. You’ve likely already read a brief intro on Taggart’s Bakery in a past...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: Frank H. Smith Printing

Hadn’t heard of this one before, but a cursory search shows this company was active in the 1880’s and 1890’s at least. Was he put out of business by Bobbs-Merrill? Did he move on elsewhere?...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Advert: Manicures in the 1890s

Today’s advert brought to you by Single. Women. Entrepreneurs. by Erin Albert  Check us out, Indianapolis, blazing a fashionable trail in the 1890’s! In the 1890, 1891 and 1892 Indianapolis city directories, it appears Indianapolis...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Ads: 16th & Meridian Long Before the Golden Arches

Always love chancing upon old adverts that show one of our long-gone buildings, as is the case with this residence-turned-funeral-home, formerly at 1639 North Meridian, (in 1913, home to the John F. Wild family). In...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Ads: 150 Years Ago of Boots, Groceries and Promotional Posters

Of course, it’s we know we needed food and foot coverage 150 years ago, but you don’t necessarily think of event fliers. Then again, those “Wanted: Dead or Alive” posters of the Wild, Wild West...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Ad: Stadium Adjacent Saloon 1892

We wouldn’t want to make any hasty generalizations, but it’s fairly safe to say there will be copious imbibing today–in Indianapolis and everywhere. Where moreso than Lucas Oil Stadium for SuperBowl XLVI? Perusing a handy...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Ads: They would have had a booming Super Bowl business

Though G. J. Eberhardt may no longer be in business, we know there are a number of tent rental companies that are cleaning up with the influx of sports lovers, partiers and the like in...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: Merrill & Co. The Cornerstone of Indy’s Once Booming Book Industry

Bear this in mind, as you wander outside Lucas Oil Stadium–there is a street that runs directly into the stadium, the southern border of the post office–Merrill Street–named for Samuel Merrill, the originator of the...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Ads: Imperial Roofing Tiles in Meridian Kessler

This was a nifty find–and advert for Imperial Roofing Tiles, offices in Chicago and New York, featuring the home of E. E. Crane of Indianapolis, George & McLucas, Architects. So much the niftier that the...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: Caligraph Typewriter

Hard to believe what a desired commodity this was in 1896 when this advert appeared, considering the only time you’ll find a typewriter these days is on display in a museum or 2nd hand shop....

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: Pettis Dry Goods, E. Washington

Pettis Dry Goods–as you can see here:  “Established 1853,” and at the time of this advert, the Christmas holiday of 1896, the business was at 25-33 E. Washington Street. What must shopping have been like...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Adverts: That Santa Should be Scrooge…

Based on this advert… hmm. Thoughts?  ...

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