Articles: A. H. M. Graves Company, Inc. Graves Realtors began in 1924 when A. H. Merriam Graves teamed with fraternity brother William L. Bridges to form the… Read More »A. H. M. Graves Company, Inc. Agriculture and Agribusiness Indianapolis has a long history of producing crops and livestock and continues to be one of Indiana’s largest agricultural contributors. … Read More »Agriculture and Agribusiness Air Quality There is little evidence that air pollution was ever considered a significant problem in Indianapolis from the late 1800s through… Read More »Air Quality American Red Ball Transit Company In 1914 Ward B. Hiner began selling automobile insurance in Indianapolis, soon adding insurance for motor transport shipments. Within a… Read More »American Red Ball Transit Company Anacomp In 1968 Indianapolis native teamed with fellow Purdue professors Albert R. Sadaka and J. Melvin Ebbert to found the computer… Read More »Anacomp Arts For Learning Nonprofit community-based arts education program affiliated with Young Audiences/Arts for Learning, Inc., a national arts education organization. Indianapolis-based Arts for… Read More »Arts For Learning Associated Employers of Indianapolis In 1904 local businessmen established the Employers Association of Indianapolis to combat labor strikes in the city. Membership grew steadily… Read More »Associated Employers of Indianapolis Barbasol In 1919 Frank Shields, an Indianapolis chemical engineer, began manufacturing a brushless shaving cream, naming it Barbasol after red-bearded medieval… Read More »Barbasol Board of Trade In 1853, 36 of the city’s leading businessmen formed the Indianapolis Board of Trade to promote the benefits of Indianapolis.… Read More »Board of Trade Bridgeport Brass Olin Brass began as Bridgeport Brass, which was founded in 1865 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The company remained in that state… Read More »Bridgeport Brass Charles Mayer and Company Charles Mayer left his native Germany at age 19 to start his own business after he had learned retailing as… Read More »Charles Mayer and Company City Securities Corporation City Securities is an Indianapolis-based investment banking firm specializing in tax-free municipal bonds for public works projects. City Securities traces… Read More »City Securities Corporation Conseco, Inc. In 1979, Stephen Hilbert and David Deeds started the Security National of Indiana Corporation to acquire and manage existing life… Read More »Conseco, Inc. Corteva Agriscience Corteva Agriscience is a successor company to DowElanco, an agribusiness that was formed in 1989 as a joint venture between… Read More »Corteva Agriscience Countrymark Cooperative In the early 1920s, the Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB), originally known as the Indiana Federation of Farmers’ Associations, joined with… Read More »Countrymark Cooperative Duke Realty In 1972, , John Rosebrough, and John Wynne formed the construction and development firm P. R. Duke & Associates. Shortly… Read More »Duke Realty Roy C. Echols (Apr. 22, 1903-Dec. 25, 1993). Echols was born in Hubbard City, Texas. At age 14, he hitchhiked to find work… Read More »Roy C. Echols Geisendorff Mill In 1847, Maryland-born brothers Christian E. and George W. Geisendorff opened a woolen mill in the abandoned building. Five years… Read More »Geisendorff Mill George F. Cram Company The George F. Cram Company was a globe and map manufacturer. In 1862, George F. Cram enlisted in the Union… Read More »George F. Cram Company Great Depression During the 10 months preceding the stock market crash in October 1929, the Indiana Business Review concluded that there was… Read More »Great Depression H. P. Wasson and Company In 1870, the Bee Hive Dry Goods Company opened at 2 West Washington Street. The store underwent several changes in… Read More »H. P. Wasson and Company Haag Drug Company In 1876, German-born brothers Louis and Julius Haag opened a moderately successful drugstore at 802 Massachusetts Avenue. To increase sales,… Read More »Haag Drug Company Howard W. Sams and Company Indianapolis salesman Howard W. Sams worked at Goodyear, General Battery, and . At Mallory, he handled sales literature, got involved… Read More »Howard W. Sams and Company Indiana Convention Center Opened in 1972 at a cost of $26 million, the Indiana Convention Center was constructed to increase the city’s capacity… Read More »Indiana Convention Center Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance In 1934, Hoosiers dissatisfied with the insurance available through State Farm Mutual of Illinois chartered the Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance.… Read More »Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Indianapolis Home Show The Indianapolis Home Show is the oldest as well as one of the largest home shows in the country. The… Read More »Indianapolis Home Show Indianapolis Life Insurance Company Six businessmen–Frank Manly, Albert Goslee, and brothers Charles, Edward, George, and Joseph Raub–organized Indianapolis Life on July 4, 1905. Six… Read More »Indianapolis Life Insurance Company Indianapolis Medical Society The Indianapolis Medical Society (IMS) was founded in 1848 as the city’s first local medical organization. With an initial membership… Read More »Indianapolis Medical Society Indianapolis Steam Mill Company In 1828 several leading citizens of early Indianapolis, including , , Noah Noble, William Sanders, and incorporated the Indianapolis Steam… Read More »Indianapolis Steam Mill Company Inland Container Corporation In March 1925, founded the Inland Box Corporation in Indianapolis, operating out of the old factory until the company’s new… Read More »Inland Container Corporation Jehovah’s Witnesses In the early 1870s founder Charles Taze Russell organized the International Bible Student’s Association (IBSA), an offshoot of the 19th-century… Read More »Jehovah’s Witnesses Laughner’s Cafeterias In 1888, Jonathon Wesley Laughner opened a candy store, the Boston Confectionery, at 4 Indiana Avenue. About 1900 the confectionery… Read More »Laughner’s Cafeterias Lilly Industries Lilly Industries was the outgrowth of a varnish company started by Henry B. Mears in 1865. Two years later, J.… Read More »Lilly Industries Link-Belt Company In 1874, William Dana Ewart, an Iowa agricultural tool dealer, patented his idea of a detachable square-link chain for harvest… Read More »Link-Belt Company Mayflower Transit Company In 1927, trucker Conrad M. Gentry, formerly of , and International Harvester truck salesman Don F. Kenworthy started the Mayflower… Read More »Mayflower Transit Company MCL Cafeterias In 1950, Indianapolis cousins Charles McGaughey and George Laughner founded MCL. They were cousins to the founder of MCL’s competitor… Read More »MCL Cafeterias Merchants National Bank Businessmen David Macy, Volney T. Malott, Alexander Metzger, and brothers Henry and Augustus Schnull founded Merchants National Bank on January… Read More »Merchants National Bank MIBOR Realtor® Association In January 1912, 43 real estate brokers organized as the Indiana Real Estate Board to pool resources and provide guidelines… Read More »MIBOR Realtor® Association Navistar International Transportation Corporation Chicago-based International Harvester grew out of Cyrus Hall McCormick’s 1831 invention of the mechanical reaper. In 1904, the farm machinery… Read More »Navistar International Transportation Corporation Ronald D. Palamara (Jan. 13, 1939-Jan. 23, 1985). An Indianapolis native, Palamara graduated from Cathedral High School before earning his bachelor’s degree in… Read More »Ronald D. Palamara Peoples Bank In 1891, Tennessee native Felix Tony McWhirter opened an office at 122 East Market Street, providing banking operations for clients… Read More »Peoples Bank Plymouth Congregational Church Plymouth Church, organized in 1857 as the first Congregational church in Indianapolis, was one of the five original churches on… Read More »Plymouth Congregational Church William Henderson Remy (Dec. 18, 1892-Sept. 2, 1968). Born in Columbus, Indiana, Remy attended public schools in Indianapolis, graduating from in 1910. Admitted… Read More »William Henderson Remy Resort Condominiums International Indianapolis-based Resort Condominiums International (RCI), a leisure services company, was founded in Indianapolis in 1974 by Jon and , working… Read More »Resort Condominiums International Roche Diagnostics GmbH The history of Roche Diagnostics GmbH in Indianapolis began in the garage of Willard (Bill) Eason, who left his position… Read More »Roche Diagnostics GmbH Rock Island Refining Corporation In 1940, Oklahoma and Kansas businessmen L. E. Kincannon, L. E. Winkler, and L. B. Simmons built Indianapolis’ only oil… Read More »Rock Island Refining Corporation Slogans and Nicknames Geographic location, publicity and advertising campaigns, and even rival cities, among other sources, have provided numerous slogans and nicknames for… Read More »Slogans and Nicknames St. Elmo Steak House In October 1902, nautical buff Joe Stahr opened St. Elmo Steak House on South Illinois Street, naming his restaurant for… Read More »St. Elmo Steak House St. John Catholic Church Rev. Vincent Bacquelin, an itinerant priest who split his time between Indianapolis and two other central Indiana parishes, founded the… Read More »St. John Catholic Church Steak ‘n Shake A. H. “Gus” Belt of Morrisonville, Illinois founded Steak ‘n Shake in Normal, Illinois in February 1934. Before that, Belt… Read More »Steak ‘n Shake Stewart and Bowen Stewart and Bowen had its beginnings in 1833 when two Cincinnati men opened a bookstore in Indianapolis (Hubbard and Edmands).… Read More »Stewart and Bowen Stewart-Carey Stewart-Carey, a glass wholesaler and retailer, began as a combination glass and drug store in Greensburg, Indiana, in 1840. Founder… Read More »Stewart-Carey Stewart-Warner In 1937, Chicago-based Stewart-Warner Corporation, which manufactured automobile and aeronautic heaters, purchased the old Nordyke-Marmon plant at 1514 Drover Street… Read More »Stewart-Warner Stout’s Shoe Store In 1886, Harry Stout and William Bristor opened a small off-the-shelf shoe store at 318 Massachusetts Avenue that specialized in… Read More »Stout’s Shoe Store Union Federal Savings Bank Union Federal Savings Bank traces its origins to 1887 when it began as the Indianola Building and Loan Association. The… Read More »Union Federal Savings Bank Visit Indy Visit Indy is a nonprofit organization that serves as the official sales and marketing arm for the city of Indianapolis… Read More »Visit Indy Walker Dorothy “Tommie” Walker could never have imagined what she was starting when she began going door-to-door conducting surveys in 1939.… Read More »Walker Wheaton World Wide Moving Ohio native Earnest S. Wheaton founded Wheaton Van Lines in 1945. He had entered the moving business in 1916 with… Read More »Wheaton World Wide Moving William H. Block Company In 1896, Herman Wilhelm Bloch, who later anglicized his name to , opened a small department store at 9 East… Read More »William H. Block Company Edward Henry Ziegner (Aug. 8, 1920 -June 22, 1993). An Indianapolis native, Edward Henry Ziegner graduated from in 1938 and attended Wabash College… Read More »Edward Henry Ziegner
A. H. M. Graves Company, Inc. Graves Realtors began in 1924 when A. H. Merriam Graves teamed with fraternity brother William L. Bridges to form the… Read More »A. H. M. Graves Company, Inc.
Agriculture and Agribusiness Indianapolis has a long history of producing crops and livestock and continues to be one of Indiana’s largest agricultural contributors. … Read More »Agriculture and Agribusiness
Air Quality There is little evidence that air pollution was ever considered a significant problem in Indianapolis from the late 1800s through… Read More »Air Quality
American Red Ball Transit Company In 1914 Ward B. Hiner began selling automobile insurance in Indianapolis, soon adding insurance for motor transport shipments. Within a… Read More »American Red Ball Transit Company
Anacomp In 1968 Indianapolis native teamed with fellow Purdue professors Albert R. Sadaka and J. Melvin Ebbert to found the computer… Read More »Anacomp
Arts For Learning Nonprofit community-based arts education program affiliated with Young Audiences/Arts for Learning, Inc., a national arts education organization. Indianapolis-based Arts for… Read More »Arts For Learning
Associated Employers of Indianapolis In 1904 local businessmen established the Employers Association of Indianapolis to combat labor strikes in the city. Membership grew steadily… Read More »Associated Employers of Indianapolis
Barbasol In 1919 Frank Shields, an Indianapolis chemical engineer, began manufacturing a brushless shaving cream, naming it Barbasol after red-bearded medieval… Read More »Barbasol
Board of Trade In 1853, 36 of the city’s leading businessmen formed the Indianapolis Board of Trade to promote the benefits of Indianapolis.… Read More »Board of Trade
Bridgeport Brass Olin Brass began as Bridgeport Brass, which was founded in 1865 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The company remained in that state… Read More »Bridgeport Brass
Charles Mayer and Company Charles Mayer left his native Germany at age 19 to start his own business after he had learned retailing as… Read More »Charles Mayer and Company
City Securities Corporation City Securities is an Indianapolis-based investment banking firm specializing in tax-free municipal bonds for public works projects. City Securities traces… Read More »City Securities Corporation
Conseco, Inc. In 1979, Stephen Hilbert and David Deeds started the Security National of Indiana Corporation to acquire and manage existing life… Read More »Conseco, Inc.
Corteva Agriscience Corteva Agriscience is a successor company to DowElanco, an agribusiness that was formed in 1989 as a joint venture between… Read More »Corteva Agriscience
Countrymark Cooperative In the early 1920s, the Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB), originally known as the Indiana Federation of Farmers’ Associations, joined with… Read More »Countrymark Cooperative
Duke Realty In 1972, , John Rosebrough, and John Wynne formed the construction and development firm P. R. Duke & Associates. Shortly… Read More »Duke Realty
Roy C. Echols (Apr. 22, 1903-Dec. 25, 1993). Echols was born in Hubbard City, Texas. At age 14, he hitchhiked to find work… Read More »Roy C. Echols
Geisendorff Mill In 1847, Maryland-born brothers Christian E. and George W. Geisendorff opened a woolen mill in the abandoned building. Five years… Read More »Geisendorff Mill
George F. Cram Company The George F. Cram Company was a globe and map manufacturer. In 1862, George F. Cram enlisted in the Union… Read More »George F. Cram Company
Great Depression During the 10 months preceding the stock market crash in October 1929, the Indiana Business Review concluded that there was… Read More »Great Depression
H. P. Wasson and Company In 1870, the Bee Hive Dry Goods Company opened at 2 West Washington Street. The store underwent several changes in… Read More »H. P. Wasson and Company
Haag Drug Company In 1876, German-born brothers Louis and Julius Haag opened a moderately successful drugstore at 802 Massachusetts Avenue. To increase sales,… Read More »Haag Drug Company
Howard W. Sams and Company Indianapolis salesman Howard W. Sams worked at Goodyear, General Battery, and . At Mallory, he handled sales literature, got involved… Read More »Howard W. Sams and Company
Indiana Convention Center Opened in 1972 at a cost of $26 million, the Indiana Convention Center was constructed to increase the city’s capacity… Read More »Indiana Convention Center
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance In 1934, Hoosiers dissatisfied with the insurance available through State Farm Mutual of Illinois chartered the Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance.… Read More »Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance
Indianapolis Home Show The Indianapolis Home Show is the oldest as well as one of the largest home shows in the country. The… Read More »Indianapolis Home Show
Indianapolis Life Insurance Company Six businessmen–Frank Manly, Albert Goslee, and brothers Charles, Edward, George, and Joseph Raub–organized Indianapolis Life on July 4, 1905. Six… Read More »Indianapolis Life Insurance Company
Indianapolis Medical Society The Indianapolis Medical Society (IMS) was founded in 1848 as the city’s first local medical organization. With an initial membership… Read More »Indianapolis Medical Society
Indianapolis Steam Mill Company In 1828 several leading citizens of early Indianapolis, including , , Noah Noble, William Sanders, and incorporated the Indianapolis Steam… Read More »Indianapolis Steam Mill Company
Inland Container Corporation In March 1925, founded the Inland Box Corporation in Indianapolis, operating out of the old factory until the company’s new… Read More »Inland Container Corporation
Jehovah’s Witnesses In the early 1870s founder Charles Taze Russell organized the International Bible Student’s Association (IBSA), an offshoot of the 19th-century… Read More »Jehovah’s Witnesses
Laughner’s Cafeterias In 1888, Jonathon Wesley Laughner opened a candy store, the Boston Confectionery, at 4 Indiana Avenue. About 1900 the confectionery… Read More »Laughner’s Cafeterias
Lilly Industries Lilly Industries was the outgrowth of a varnish company started by Henry B. Mears in 1865. Two years later, J.… Read More »Lilly Industries
Link-Belt Company In 1874, William Dana Ewart, an Iowa agricultural tool dealer, patented his idea of a detachable square-link chain for harvest… Read More »Link-Belt Company
Mayflower Transit Company In 1927, trucker Conrad M. Gentry, formerly of , and International Harvester truck salesman Don F. Kenworthy started the Mayflower… Read More »Mayflower Transit Company
MCL Cafeterias In 1950, Indianapolis cousins Charles McGaughey and George Laughner founded MCL. They were cousins to the founder of MCL’s competitor… Read More »MCL Cafeterias
Merchants National Bank Businessmen David Macy, Volney T. Malott, Alexander Metzger, and brothers Henry and Augustus Schnull founded Merchants National Bank on January… Read More »Merchants National Bank
MIBOR Realtor® Association In January 1912, 43 real estate brokers organized as the Indiana Real Estate Board to pool resources and provide guidelines… Read More »MIBOR Realtor® Association
Navistar International Transportation Corporation Chicago-based International Harvester grew out of Cyrus Hall McCormick’s 1831 invention of the mechanical reaper. In 1904, the farm machinery… Read More »Navistar International Transportation Corporation
Ronald D. Palamara (Jan. 13, 1939-Jan. 23, 1985). An Indianapolis native, Palamara graduated from Cathedral High School before earning his bachelor’s degree in… Read More »Ronald D. Palamara
Peoples Bank In 1891, Tennessee native Felix Tony McWhirter opened an office at 122 East Market Street, providing banking operations for clients… Read More »Peoples Bank
Plymouth Congregational Church Plymouth Church, organized in 1857 as the first Congregational church in Indianapolis, was one of the five original churches on… Read More »Plymouth Congregational Church
William Henderson Remy (Dec. 18, 1892-Sept. 2, 1968). Born in Columbus, Indiana, Remy attended public schools in Indianapolis, graduating from in 1910. Admitted… Read More »William Henderson Remy
Resort Condominiums International Indianapolis-based Resort Condominiums International (RCI), a leisure services company, was founded in Indianapolis in 1974 by Jon and , working… Read More »Resort Condominiums International
Roche Diagnostics GmbH The history of Roche Diagnostics GmbH in Indianapolis began in the garage of Willard (Bill) Eason, who left his position… Read More »Roche Diagnostics GmbH
Rock Island Refining Corporation In 1940, Oklahoma and Kansas businessmen L. E. Kincannon, L. E. Winkler, and L. B. Simmons built Indianapolis’ only oil… Read More »Rock Island Refining Corporation
Slogans and Nicknames Geographic location, publicity and advertising campaigns, and even rival cities, among other sources, have provided numerous slogans and nicknames for… Read More »Slogans and Nicknames
St. Elmo Steak House In October 1902, nautical buff Joe Stahr opened St. Elmo Steak House on South Illinois Street, naming his restaurant for… Read More »St. Elmo Steak House
St. John Catholic Church Rev. Vincent Bacquelin, an itinerant priest who split his time between Indianapolis and two other central Indiana parishes, founded the… Read More »St. John Catholic Church
Steak ‘n Shake A. H. “Gus” Belt of Morrisonville, Illinois founded Steak ‘n Shake in Normal, Illinois in February 1934. Before that, Belt… Read More »Steak ‘n Shake
Stewart and Bowen Stewart and Bowen had its beginnings in 1833 when two Cincinnati men opened a bookstore in Indianapolis (Hubbard and Edmands).… Read More »Stewart and Bowen
Stewart-Carey Stewart-Carey, a glass wholesaler and retailer, began as a combination glass and drug store in Greensburg, Indiana, in 1840. Founder… Read More »Stewart-Carey
Stewart-Warner In 1937, Chicago-based Stewart-Warner Corporation, which manufactured automobile and aeronautic heaters, purchased the old Nordyke-Marmon plant at 1514 Drover Street… Read More »Stewart-Warner
Stout’s Shoe Store In 1886, Harry Stout and William Bristor opened a small off-the-shelf shoe store at 318 Massachusetts Avenue that specialized in… Read More »Stout’s Shoe Store
Union Federal Savings Bank Union Federal Savings Bank traces its origins to 1887 when it began as the Indianola Building and Loan Association. The… Read More »Union Federal Savings Bank
Visit Indy Visit Indy is a nonprofit organization that serves as the official sales and marketing arm for the city of Indianapolis… Read More »Visit Indy
Walker Dorothy “Tommie” Walker could never have imagined what she was starting when she began going door-to-door conducting surveys in 1939.… Read More »Walker
Wheaton World Wide Moving Ohio native Earnest S. Wheaton founded Wheaton Van Lines in 1945. He had entered the moving business in 1916 with… Read More »Wheaton World Wide Moving
William H. Block Company In 1896, Herman Wilhelm Bloch, who later anglicized his name to , opened a small department store at 9 East… Read More »William H. Block Company
Edward Henry Ziegner (Aug. 8, 1920 -June 22, 1993). An Indianapolis native, Edward Henry Ziegner graduated from in 1938 and attended Wabash College… Read More »Edward Henry Ziegner