Posted in: Friday Favorites Friday Fave: After 1890 State Fair, See This!

Visitors from all over the state come to see and show at the Indiana State Fair. Check out the non-fair recommendations from the 1890 State Fair Visitor’s Guide–the last year before moving to its current location....

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Posted in: Then & Now Then & Now: Indiana State Fair & Expo

Indiana State Fair and Exposition, 1873. Spanning Exposition Avenue (now 19th Street) between Hudson and Ogden (alleys immediately west and east of Alabama Street) Image: Indiana State Archives. The location, scale and wares have changed,...

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Posted in: Sunday Ads Sunday Ads: State Fair: September 17-22, 1888

A few ads and other info from the State Fair program from the 1888 State Fair. Hotel English–before it consumed the entire northwest quadrant of the circle. General Fair information: 10 cents round trip on a...

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Posted in: Friday Favorites Friday Fave: State Fair Souvenirs

Image: collection Tiffany Benedict Browne Some people must have a tangible memento of places visited, others prefer photos, and still others are content to make memories. While memories may wash away like footprints in the...

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Posted in: Historic Miscellania State Fair, 1874

Think about what it was like to attend the Indiana State Fair and Exposition before electricity was invented. Enjoy a couple of highlights, excerpted from an 1874 Indianapolis newspaper. “The center figure in W.L. Woods...

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Posted in: At Your Leisure At Your Leisure: The Year of the Coliseum

The exterior of the coliseum shortly after construction. (Image: eBay) If you’ve been living under a mound of red velvet funnel cake, you may not know it is the “Year of the Coliseum” at the...

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Posted in: Penny Post Penny Post: The Murat Temple from the State Fairgrounds

Postmarked: Indianapolis, IND. SEP 6, 1951 4:30 PM Message: Hi Folks: – Having a fine time running around the fair grounds. Still have lots to see if it doesn’t rain again. Jack has been busy...

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Posted in: Indianapolis Collected Indianapolis Collected: 162 years of State Fair memories

In honor of the Indiana State Fair, today’s post is a revised and expanded version of a 2011 article I wrote featuring some of the prizes, trinkets and advertising that represent the State Fair’s 162-year-history....

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Posted in: Indianapolis Collected Indianapolis Collected: 160 years of State Fair memories

The late billionaire Malcolm Forbes was a prolific collector of many rare and valuable objects, but perhaps his most unusual collection was his cache of nearly 200 trophies that had been awarded to winners of...

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Posted in: Historic Miscellania Sunday Ads: Indiana State Fair:1883 Revisited

Republishing some favorite ads from last year: This main Exposition Building was featured on the State Fair program covers for many years, and also appeared in newspaper ads of the time and on medallion souvenirs....

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Posted in: Historic Miscellania Indiana State Fair: September 30- October 5, 1878

A few advertising highlights from the 1878 State Fair program… The etching featured on the cover is an aerial view from what is today, Delaware just about half a block south of 19th Street. Nineteenth...

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Posted in: Historic Miscellania 19TH INDIANA STATE FAIR- OCTOBER 2-7, 1871

Enjoy these fabulous images–The Indiana Historical Society has a collection of them, should you wish to hold any in your hot little hands! More years to come through the next few days. Stay tuned. Arkansas,...

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