There's more than corn in Indiana.

Some interesting facts about my homestate.

Tomato juice was first served at a French Lick, Indiana, hotel in 1925.

The first tomato juice factory was also in French Lick, IN.

Larry Bird is from French Lick. (He had been known as "the hick from french Lick.)

The world's largest orchid species collection is found at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
(I matriculated from Ball State. LOVE the word 'matriculated.' It sounds so wicked.)

The first regulated speed limit (20 - 25 mph!) was initiated on Indiana roads in 1921.

The steepest railroad grade in the world is in Madison, Indiana.

An average of 400 funnel clouds are sighted each year in Indiana.

The city of Gary, Indiana, was built on fill brought from the bottom of Lake Michigan through suction pipes.

There are only two Adams fireplaces in the United States. One is in the White House and the other in the Diner Home in Indiana.

Josie Orr, wife of former Indiana Governor Robert Orr, flew bombers and cargo planes during World War II.

The Indianapolis Methodist Hospital is the largest Hospital in the Midwest.

One of the first complete bathrooms in Indianapolis was in the home of Hoosier poet, James Whitcomb Riley.

The career of Dorothy Lamour (famous for the Bing Crosby-Bob Hope Road Movies) was launched in Indianapolis.

Aviatrix Amelia Earhart was once a Professor at Purdue University.

Crown Hill Cemetery ( Indianapolis ) is the third largest non-government cemetery in the U.S.

The library in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, houses one of the largest genealogy libraries in America.

Wabash, Indiana, was the first electrified city in the U.S.

Pendleton, Indiana, was the site of the first hanging of a white man for killing Indians. (We aren't proud of this at all, but it is a historical fact.)

The Courthouse roof in Greensburg , Indiana, has a tree growing from it.

The world's first transistor radio was made in Indianapolis.

Clark Gable and wife Carole Lombard (born in Fort Wayne, IN) honeymooned at Lake Barbee near Warsaw, Indiana.

The American Beauty Rose was developed at Richmond, Indiana.

Elkhart, Indiana, is the band instrument capitol of the World.

Frank Sinatra first sang with the Tommy Dorsey band at the Lyric Theater in Indianapolis.

Purdue Alumnus, Earl Butz, served as the Secretary of Agriculture. (He had been a dean at Purdue when he got the nomination for Sec. of Ag. He was always known as Dean Earl Butz in Indiana. I always thought his first name was Dean until I read about him. LOLOL)

U.S. 231 is the longest highway in Indiana (231miles).

Johnny Appleseed is buried at Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The singing McGuire Sisters spent their childhood summers at the Church of God Campground in Anderson, Indiana.

The Levi Coffin House, the main station of the Underground Railroad, was in Fountain County, Indiana.

There are 154 acres of sculpture gardens and trails at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

La Porte County is the only county in America having 2 functioning courthouses. (I think we can add Vanderburgh and Elkhart Counties in with that also.)

Nancy Hanks Lincoln is buried in Spencer County, Indiana.

Crawfordsville, Indiana ( Montgomery County ) is the only site in the world where crinoids are found. (What is a crinoid, you may ask? A form of deep-water marine life that looks something like a starfish. mDid you know this Jane?)

Pendleton, Indiana, was the site of the 'Fall Creek Massacre'. A museum housing 3500 artifacts of pioneer heritage now exists on that site.

St. Meinrad Archabbey is located in Spencer County and is one of only 2 archabbeys in the U.S. and seven in the world. (Abbey Press is an operation of the archabbey. )

A Buzz Bomb (German - WWII), believed to be the only one on public display in the nation, can be found on the Putnam County Courthouse lawn in Greencastle.

Roberta Turpin Willett was born in Indiana.

James Dean was bornin Marion, Indiana and is buried in Fairmont, Indiana.

Sandi Allen, world's tallest woman, lived in Indiana. She died in 2008.

Red Skelton was born in Vincennes, Indiana.

Actor Claude Akins was from Bedford, Indiana.

The inventor of the television, Philo T. Farnsworth, lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Forrest Tucker, of F-Troop fame, was from Pendleton, Indiana. (When he came home, he would always stop in Logansport to visit his Aunt Jo (Hiatt.)

You can't ship wine to Indiana. (I shipped it to Cindy for Christmas in 2007. So I don't know how valid this law is.)

Bob Greise is from Evansville, Indiana and was quarterback at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.

Toni Tenille (of The Captain and Tenille) is from Indiana.

Oprah Winfrey built her residence in N/W Indiana.

Florence Henderson is from Indiana.

The much sought-after Hoosier Cabinets are an Indiana product. (Mine, that had been my grandma's, looks like the one in the picture, except the left top cabinet is only half the size of the one shown.)

90% of the world's popcorn is grown in Indiana. (Does the name Orville Redenbacker ring any bells?)

The Jackson Five are from Gary, Indiana.

The birthplace of the automobile, the pneumatic rubber tire, the aluminum casting process, stainless steel and the first push-button car radio was in Kokomo, Indiana.


Pretty neat, huh? And you thought I was the only exciting thing to come out of Indiana!
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