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UPDATED:
AUG 21, 2018
ORIGINAL:
NOV 9, 2009

Indiana
HISTORY.COM EDITORS
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CONTENTS

1. Interesting Facts
Indiana sits, as its motto claims, at “the crossroads of America.” It borders
Lake Michigan and the state of Michigan to the north, Ohio to the east,
Kentucky to the south, and Illinois to the west, making it an integral part of the
American Midwest. Except for Hawaii, Indiana is the smallest state west of the
Appalachian Mountains. After the American Revolution the lands of Indiana
were open to U.S. settlers. The influx of white immigrants brought increased
war with the Native American tribes. The conflicts continued until the 1811
Battle of Tippecanoe, which was won by General, and future president,
William Henry Harrison. With a name that is generally thought to mean “land
of the Indians,” Indiana was admitted on Dec. 11, 1816, as the 19th state of
the union. Its capital has been at Indianapolis since 1825.

Date of Statehood: December 11, 1816

Did you know? The first train robbery in the United States occurred in Indiana
on October 6, 1866. A gang known as the Reno Brothers stopped an Ohio
and Mississippi train in Jackson County and made off with $13,000.
Capital: Indianapolis

Population: 6,483,802 (2010)

Size: 36,417 square miles

Nickname(s): Hoosier State

Motto: The crossroads of America

Tree: Tulip
 Flower: Peony

Bird: Cardinal

Interesting Facts
 Many families throughout the state of Indiana provided shelter for
runaway slaves both before and during the Civil War. In particular, the farming
community of Newport (now Fountain City) became known as the “Grand
Central Station of the Underground Railroad” due to Levi and Catherine
Coffin’s role in helping more than 2,000 runaway slaves make their way north
to freedom.
 Bedford, Indiana, is known as the “Limestone Capital of the World.”
Admired for its light color and ease of cutting, Indiana limestone was used in
the construction of the Empire State Building in New York City, the Pentagon
and National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., as well as several state capitols.
 The Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted the first Indianapolis 500 mile
race on its 2.5-mile track on May 30, 1911, two years after it opened.
Equipped to seat an audience of more than 250,000, the Speedway is the
world’s largest spectator sporting arena.
 Although authorities claimed the county jail in Crown Point was “escape
proof,” notorious bank robber John Dillinger successfully broke free from his
cell on March 3, 1934, by threatening guards with a fake pistol carved from
wood. Using the sheriff’s car to make his getaway, Dillinger crossed the
Indiana-Illinois border, setting off a federal manhunt that led to his death by
FBI agents on July 22nd.
 In August of 1987, more than 4,000 athletes from 38 nations met in
Indianapolis for the Pan American Games after both Chile and Ecuador
reneged as host due to financial reasons.
 Santa Claus, Indiana, receives hundreds of thousands of letters
addressed to the Christmas legend every year—each of which is responded
to individually.
PHOTO GALLERIES
Indiana

9
GALLERY
9 IMAGES

Citation Information
Article Title
Indiana

Author
History.com Editors

Website Name
HISTORY
 URL
https://www.history.com/topics/us-states/indiana

Access Date
May 21, 2020

Publisher
A&E Television Networks

Last Updated
August 21, 2018

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009

BY
 HISTORY.COM EDITORS
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