Indiana Album

Indianapolis, 1943 - Sisters Reta and Marilyn Scott pose for a traveling goat-cart photographer in front of the house at 714-716 Dorman Street. The home is one of five doubles designed by architects Vonnegut and Bohn for the Ruskaup family.

It is also the headquarters for the Indiana Album and will be one of 14 sites on the Cottage Home Neighborhood Home & Garden Tour this Saturday, June 20, 11am-5pm. Come say hello and check out this historic near-eastside neighborhood.
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FREE TOUR TICKETS! The first two lenders who commit to bring us Indiana photos to scan while you tour will receive a free ticket. Comment below or email [email protected]. Visit www.indianaalbum.com to learn what we digitize.

Richmond, circa 1880 - The Green Street Flour Mill, also known as the Richmond Roller Mill, was built in the mid-1860s by Nordyke, Marmon & Co. as a 5-story flour mill operated by H. C. Wright. It was located at the corner of N. 2nd and N. C Streets adjacent to the East Fork of the Whitewater River. In 1876 H. G. Carpenter bought the mill and it became known as the Green Street Mill. Grinding occured on the fourth floor, which was level with the street on the east side. In the spring of 1883, the building was updated and two stories were probably added then. Therefore, this undated stereoview likely dates to 1883 or earlier. Today, this is the site of the Wayne County Veterans Memorial Park.
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Do you own stereoviews of Indiana? Please consider letting us scan your collection for our online archive. These 3-D views, similar in concept to View-Master reels from our childhood, were popular from the 1860s through early 1900s. Many photographers made local views, which were among the earliest photos of our state's built and natural environment.

Check out the 400+ stereographs that others have shared so far: http://indianaalbum.pastperfectonline.com/Search?search_criteria=Stereographs&onlyimages=false

Kudos to the volunteers and lenders who made yesterday's Scan-a-Thon at the Anderson Public Library such a success!

​Thanks to seven generous lenders, we scanned 108 items, capturing vital pieces of Indiana history for future generations. Look for posts with these images as we get them processed and cataloged.

We couldn't do this work without dedicated volunteers and staff who give their time and expertise to make these events run so smoothly.

​This event was funded by a Heritage Support Grant provided by the Indiana Historical Society and made possible by Lilly Endowment Inc. Contact us if you would like to host an event in your community. [email protected] or 317-771-4129

Anderson, Indiana - The Zwickel Meat Market building stood on the SE corner of Main and 10th Streets from the 1880s through 1957. Posing in front of the brick structure with impressive bay windows are employees along with owner and German native Adam Ferdinand Zwickel (1851-1922), his wife Clara Kaufman (1855-1890), and sons Harry and Edwin. Based on the age of the youngest boy, this photo was taken in about 1888. Sanborn maps show the the 2nd floor was occupied by a club room.

During the 1950s the building housed Reynolds' & Dean's Restaurant and the Melody Bar. Sadly, a fire gutted the structure in February 1957, displacing the 1000 Club, upstairs renters, and the adjacent Anderson Bowling Center and Holthouse Furniture Store. It appears that the structures were razed soon after, but we'd like to hear from people who can confirm this.

It was replaced with a block building mid-century, which was occupied by Local Finance Corporation in the 1960s and 1970s, and more recently a bail bonds office. Please share your memories of these buildings and businesses. (The Indiana Album: David Willkie Collection)
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SCAN-A-THON, Sat., May 16, 10-4, Anderson Public Library
Share your photos, postcards, and documents of interesting Indiana places, events, and people! We will carefully copy and return your precious originals, and add them to our digital archive at https://indianaalbum.pastperfectonline.com/RandomImages .

To avoid a wait, please RSVP if you plan to bring items:
[email protected] / 317-771-4129
https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950386?image

Have you seen the website doesthedogdie.com? It's a crowdsourced trigger-warning page that alerts people if dogs die (or other upsetting events) in movies. Well maybe we need something similar for our photo catalog. So (spoiler alert): the story does not end well for the dog in this photo.

Lapel area, circa 1920 - Pictured on the running board of his milk delivery truck is Lapel resident John Dayton Richardson (1875-1955) along with passenger John L. Givens (1848-1927). As is common, the dog Scott is also named in the caption. Richardson's grandson, who shared this photograph at a scan-a-thon, recalled stories that this dog bit someone, leading to mandatory rabies testing. Unfortunately, during that era this meant euthanizing the dog and sending its head to the State Department of Health. Newspapers are full of sad stories of this happening to family pets, and they are all the more heartbreaking when the tests come back negative.
The Indiana Album: John Richardson Collection
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Dig out your interesting Indiana-related photos and join us for two events this week at the Anderson Public Library:

TONIGHT: "Tips for Dating Your Family Photographs" workshop at the Anderson Public Library, Wed., May 13, 6:00-7:30 pm.
https://facebook.com/events/s/tips-for-dating-your-family-ph/2018000722475790/

"Photograph Scan-a-Thon" - Share Your Photos!
Sat., May 16, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Anderson Public Library
To avoid a wait, please RSVP if you plan to bring items for us to scan and add to our online digital archive. [email protected] / 317-771-4129
https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950386?image

Anderson, 1910s - Members of the Ketrow Brothers Circus pose with tents and wagons. With winter quarters in Anderson, the show ran from approximately 1904 to 1950 under brothers William Robert Peters -- whose wife Maude Ellen Southard Peters was a rope walk -- and Frank Peters.

Working primarily the circuits of northern Indiana and Michigan, the operation reinvented itself repeatedly under many names, including Ketrow's Vaudeville Shows, Ketrow's Okay Show, Ketrow Brothers' Comedy Company, Kay Brothers' Circus, Renfro Valley Folks Tent Show, and Frank Ketrow's Animal Oddities.
(The Indiana Album: Anabeth Radeck Collection)

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Dig out your interesting Indiana-related photos and join us for two events this week at the Anderson Public Library:

"Tips for Dating Your Family Photographs" workshop at the Anderson Public Library this Wed., May 13, 6:00-7:30 pm.
https://facebook.com/events/s/tips-for-dating-your-family-ph/2018000722475790/

"Photograph Scan-a-Thon"
Sat., May 16, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Anderson Public Library
To avoid a wait, please RSVP if you plan to bring items for us to scan and add to our online digital archive. Questions? [email protected] / 317-771-4129
https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950386?image

Anderson, Indiana, circa 1894 - The young woman who posed for this cabinet card portrait is unidentified, but we scanned the photo based on her charming pose with a parasol, her clothing, and the painted studio backdrop.

The cabinet card format, consisting of a photograph pasted onto a 4.25 x 6.5 card mount, was popular from about 1870 until 1900. We can narrow the date of this image to the 1890s based on her dress (especially the full sleeves) and photo process, known as glossy collodion printing-out paper. Photographer Clinton E. Cain only worked in Anderson for a year or so, so we can pinpoint the date to circa 1894.
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Want to learn more about dating and interpreting your older family photos?
Come to the "Tips for Dating Your Family Photographs" workshop at the Anderson Public Library this Wed., May 13, 6:00-7:30 pm.
https://facebook.com/events/s/tips-for-dating-your-family-ph/2018000722475790/

"Photograph Scan-a-Thon"
Sat., May 16, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Anderson Public Library
https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950386?image

Anderson, circa 1942 - These snapshots found in an antique store document Polish families who lived near and frequented the Polish Club, still in business at 3535 Forest Terrace in Anderson. Most are unidentifed, but some of the names include Alex, Rosie, and Hank Sokol; Helen Zag (Zagoraki?); Joe Dolenski, with his wife Nila Phyllis (Platt) Dolenski, and daughter Carolyn (later Wood); Fritz (Dolenski?); and "Fats" Belbot. It also includes "P. B. P." events. If you are familiar with these families or the club, please take a look at the Sokol Family Collection and click "Send Us Feedback" to ID people and places: https://tinyurl.com/3bavakvk

We'd like to learn more about the Polish Club. The Anderson Herald reported in April 1913 that "A building is being erected just east of the Arcade File works by the Nicholson File Co. for use as a club house and meeting place for the Polish settlement." In 1934 the Polish Club at 36th & Forest Terrace was described as the most picturesque club in Anderson. It was open to the public and offered dancing, beer, and tasty sandwiches, with orchestras performing live music Wednesday through Sunday. The Sokol family was actively involved and participated in club sports including baseball, and basketball games in St. Mary's High School gymnasium.
(The Indiana Album - Sokol Family Collection)

Want to learn how to date and identify your family photos? Join us this Wednesday, May 13, 6-7:30 at the Anderson Public Library for "Tips for Dating Your Family Photographs" https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950193

Photograph Scan-a-Thon, Saturday, May 16, 10am-4pm, Anderson Public Library - Share your interesting Indiana photos and documents with Indiana's online digital archive. Learn more or RSVP: https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950386?image

PHOTOGRAPH ID WORKSHOP & SCAN-A-THON
The Indiana Album is partnering with the Anderson Public Library, to present two photograph events this week. Join us at the Anderson Library at 111 E. 12th Street.

"Tips for Dating Your Family Photographs"
Wed., May 13, 2026, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950193
Do you have historic photographs that you would like to learn more about? Learn how to unlock the hidden stories in your family photos! Participants will learn how to date and ID people in older images using clues like backdrops, photo studios, fashion, and even ear shapes. We’ll also explore photo processes and formats and how to apply these dating techniques to your mystery images. Feel free to bring along photos for a quick show-and-tell!

"Photograph Scan-a-Thon"
Sat., May 16, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Anderson
https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950386?image
Dig up your interesting Hoosier photos, postcards, or visuals to share with the Indiana Album's online archive! Bring Indiana-related photographs or documents from any era (even recent!) of homes and farms, businesses and industry, schools, class photos, churches, events, clubs, pioneers, interesting people, transportation, or everyday life. Volunteers will make scans while you wait and return your originals. We will provide digital files to the lenders, library archives, and the Indiana Album.

While scan-a-thon reservations are not required, they are highly recommended to avoid a wait. Contact [email protected] or (317) 771-4129 to reserve a time. View the 26,000+ images scanned so far in Indiana's community digital archive: https://indianaalbum.pastperfectonline.com/RandomImages

These programs are funded by a Heritage Support Grant provided by the Indiana Historical Society and made possible by Lilly Endowment Inc.

Madison County Historical Society, Alexandria Monroe Historical Society Museum, Historic Fall Creek, Pendleton Settlement, Delaware County Historical Society, Hancock County Historical Society, Henry County Historical Society, Inc, Grant County Historical Society, Howard County Historical Society, Indiana Genealogical Society - Please help us spread the word.

For America250, we'll be hosting events throughout the state! Next up are these free programs in partnership with the Anderson Public Library, 111 E. 12th Street:

"Tips for Dating Your Family Photographs"
Wed., May 13, 2026, 6:00-7:30 p.m., Anderson
https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950193
Do you have historic or family photographs that you would like to learn more about? Join APL and The Indiana Album to learn more about how to unlock the hidden stories in your family photographs! Participants will learn how to date historical photographs using visual clues like clothing, poses, and studio backdrops. We’ll also explore the relationship between photographic processes and time periods and how to apply these dating techniques to family photo collections. Feel free to bring along photos for a quick show-and-tell!

"Photograph Scan-a-Thon"
Sat., May 16, 2026, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Anderson
https://andersonlibrary.libcal.com/event/15950386?image
Dig up your interesting Indiana photos, postcards, or visuals to include in the Indiana Album's online archive! Bring Indiana-related photographs or documents from any era of homes and farms, businesses and industry, schools, class photos, churches, events, clubs, Hoosier pioneers, interesting people, transportation, or everyday life to the Anderson Public Library. Volunteers will make scans while you wait and return your originals. We will provide digital files to the lenders, library archives, and the Indiana Album. While reservations are not required, they are highly recommended to avoid a wait. Contact [email protected] or (317) 771-4129 to reserve a time. Please also note about how many photos or documents that you intend to bring.

These programs are funded by a Heritage Support Grant provided by the Indiana Historical Society and made possible by Lilly Endowment Inc.