History of Indiana in Timeline

Indiana, nicknamed "the Hoosier State", is a Midwestern U.S. state that borders Lake Michigan, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois. It's the 38th-largest and 17th-most populous state, with Indianapolis as its capital and largest city. Indiana was admitted to the Union as the 19th state on December 11, 1816.

1900: Publication of Novels

In 1900, Indiana developed a reputation as the "American heartland" after the publication of several widely read novels, including Meredith Nicholson's "The Hoosiers" and Thompson's "Alice of Old Vincennes".

The Hoosiers

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1900: Democratic Governors Elected

Since 1900, 11 Democrats have been elected governor of Indiana.

1900: Presidential Elections

Since 1900, the state has favored a Democrat for president only five times.

1904: Charles W. Fairbanks Elected Vice President

In 1904, Charles W. Fairbanks was elected Vice President, serving under President Theodore Roosevelt.

1906: United States Steel Corporation created Gary

In 1906, the United States Steel Corporation created a new industrial city on Lake Michigan, naming it Gary after its founding chairman, Elbert Henry Gary.

1909: End of Fairbanks' Vice Presidency

In 1909, Charles W. Fairbanks's term as Vice President under President Theodore Roosevelt concluded.

1909: Indianapolis Motor Speedway construction

In 1909, construction began on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, symbolizing the importance of vehicle and parts manufacture to the state.

1912: Eugene Debs received 6.0% of the national vote

In 1912, Railroader Eugene Debs of Terre Haute, the Socialist candidate received 901,551 votes (6.0% of the national vote) in the presidential election.

1912: Woodrow Wilson Wins Indiana

In 1912, Woodrow Wilson won Indiana with 43% of the vote.

1913: Thomas R. Marshall Becomes Vice President

In 1913, Thomas R. Marshall became Vice President under President Woodrow Wilson.

1913: Dayton Triangles Established

In 1913, the Indianapolis Colts have roots back to 1913 as the Dayton Triangles.

1915: Indiana Klan organized

In 1915, the Indiana Klan was first organized as a branch of the Ku Klux Klan.

1916: Fairbanks' Failed Vice Presidential Run

In 1916, Charles W. Fairbanks made another run for vice president with Charles Evans Hughes, but they lost to Woodrow Wilson and Thomas R. Marshall.

1918: Ball State founded

Ball State University was founded in 1918 as the East Division of Indiana State.

1919: Martial law declared in Gary

In 1919, governor James P. Goodrich declared martial law in Gary due to labor union strike activities.

1921: End of Marshall's Vice Presidency

In 1921, Thomas R. Marshall's term as Vice President concluded.

1924: End of Presidential Election Streak

From 1880 to 1924, a resident of Indiana was included in all but one presidential election.

1925: Klan Membership

By 1925 the Klan had 250,000 members, an estimated 30% of native-born white men. In 1925 over half the elected members of the Indiana General Assembly, the governor of Indiana, and many other high-ranking officials in local and state government were members of the Klan.

1925: Naismith Visits Indiana

In 1925, James Naismith visited an Indiana basketball state finals game.

1927: Stephenson gave the Indianapolis Times lists of people the Klan had paid

In 1927, "Grand Dragon" D.C. Stephenson, denied pardon, gave the Indianapolis Times lists of people the Klan had paid.

1932: Paul V. McNutt elected governor

In 1932, Democratic governor Paul V. McNutt was swept into office and called on Hoosiers to "prove that government may be a great instrument of human progress."

1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt Wins Indiana

In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the state of Indiana with 55% of the vote.

1932: Roosevelt's Victory

In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt's victory was one of only five occasions since 1900 in which the state has favored a Democrat for president.

1932: Purdue Selected as National Champions

In 1932, the Purdue Boilermakers were selected as the national champions in men's basketball before the creation of the tournament.

July 14, 1936: Record high temperature

On July 14, 1936, Indiana's record high temperature of 116 °F (47 °C) was set at Collegeville.

1940: Indiana Supports Wendell Willkie

In 1940, Indiana was one of only 10 states to support Republican Wendell Willkie.

1949: Indiana schools desegregated

In 1949, Indiana schools were desegregated.

1950: U.S. Census Bureau reported Indiana's population

In 1950, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Indiana's population as 95.5% white and 4.4% black.

1950: Start date for tornado record

National Weather Service data from 1950 was used to rank tornado-prone states.

1953: Team Moves to Baltimore

In 1953, the Dayton Triangles became an official team after moving to Baltimore, MD.

1954: Milan High School Champions

In 1954, Milan High School won the Indiana state basketball championship, inspiring the 1986 film Hoosiers.

1954: 181st Fighter Wing stationed at Terre Haute Regional Airport

Since 1954, the 181st Fighter Wing of the Indiana Air National Guard was stationed at Terre Haute Regional Airport.

December 8, 1964: Nuclear weapon incident at Bunker Hill Air Force Base

On December 8, 1964, a Convair B-58 carrying nuclear weapons crashed at Bunker Hill Air Force Base and caught fire, causing radioactive contamination of the area. Five nuclear weapons were burned.

1965: University of Southern Indiana founded

The University of Southern Indiana was founded in 1965 as the Evansville campus of Indiana State.

1967: Pacers Begin Play in ABA

In 1967, the Indiana Pacers began play in the American Basketball Association (ABA).

1968: Marion County Supports Republicans

From 1968, Marion County supported Republican candidates until 2000.

1970: Amendments to the state constitution were proposed

Beginning in 1970, a series of amendments to the state constitution were proposed, leading to the creation of the Indiana Court of Appeals.

1970: Population exceeds five million

By the 1970 census, Indiana's population had grown to exceed five million.

1972: Last Time Lake County Voted Republican

Since 1972, Lake County has strongly supported the Democratic party.

1973: Oil crisis

In 1973, the oil crisis created a recession that hurt the automotive industry in Indiana.

1975: Largest Steel Producing Center

Northwest Indiana has been the largest steel producing center in the U.S. since 1975.

1976: Pacers Join the NBA

In 1976, the Indiana Pacers joined the NBA when the leagues merged.

1980: Population Census

In the 1980 census 1,776,144 people claimed German ancestry, 1,356,135 claimed English ancestry and 1,017,944 claimed Irish ancestry out of a total population of 4,241,975 making the state 42% German, 32% English and 24% Irish.

1981: Celtics NBA Championship

In 1981, Larry Bird lead the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship.

1984: Celtics NBA Championship

In 1984, Larry Bird lead the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship.

1984: Colts Relocate to Indianapolis

In 1984, the Colts relocated to Indianapolis, leading to an eventual rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens.

1986: Release of Hoosiers

In 1986, the film "Hoosiers" was released, inspired by the story of the 1954 Indiana state champions Milan High School.

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1988: Dan Quayle Elected Vice President

In 1988, Dan Quayle was elected Vice President, serving with George H. W. Bush.

1990: Population Growth

Since 1990, population growth has been concentrated in the counties surrounding Indianapolis.

January 19, 1994: Record low temperature

On January 19, 1994, the record low temperature in Indiana of −36 °F (−38 °C) was recorded at New Whiteland.

1994: Grissom Air Force Base Realigned

In 1994, Grissom Air Force Base near Peru was realigned to an Air Force Reserve installation.

1996: Gubernatorial Election

In 1996, Indiana held its gubernatorial election concurrently with the United States presidential election, where the governor and lieutenant governor were jointly elected to four-year terms.

2000: United States Grand Prix Hosted

From 2000 to 2007, Indiana hosted the United States Grand Prix (Formula One).

2000: Gubernatorial Election

In 2000, Indiana held its gubernatorial election concurrently with the United States presidential election, where the governor and lieutenant governor were jointly elected to four-year terms.

2000: Population declines

Regarding the 20 largest cities, since 2000, Gary and Hammond have had the largest population declines, with a decrease of 21.0% and 6.8% respectively.

2000: Fishers growth

Since 2000, Fishers has seen the largest population rise amongst the state's twenty largest cities with an increase of 100%.

2000: End of Republican Support in Marion County

Until 2000, Marion County supported Republican candidates since 1968.

2002: Rail plan prepared by Parsons Corporation

In 2002, Indiana implemented an extensive rail plan prepared by the Parsons Corporation.

2004: Gubernatorial Election

In 2004, Indiana held its gubernatorial election concurrently with the United States presidential election, where the governor and lieutenant governor were jointly elected to four-year terms.

2004: Marion County Backs Democrats

In 2004, Marion County backed the Democrats after previously supporting Republican candidates from 1968 to 2000.

2004: Bay Area Center for Voting Research Study

In 2004, the Bay Area Center for Voting Research rated the most liberal and conservative cities in the United States on voting statistics. Five Indiana cities were mentioned in the study, Gary and South Bend on the liberal side, and Fort Wayne, Evansville, and Indianapolis among conservative cities.

2005: Indiana residents

In 2005, 77.7% of Indiana residents lived in metropolitan counties, 16.5% lived in micropolitan counties and 5.9% lived in non-core counties.

2005: Mitch Daniels Becomes Governor

In 2005, Mitch Daniels became governor of Indiana; before him, Democrats had held the office for 16 consecutive years.

2005: Republicans Dominate Governorship

In 2005, Republicans have dominated the governorship since then.

2005: Median household income for Indiana residents

In 2005, the median household income for Indiana residents was $43,993.

2005: BRAC Proposal

In 2005, under the BRAC proposal, Air National Guard fighter units at Terre Haute airports were to be consolidated at Fort Wayne, with the Terre Haute facility remaining open as a non-flying installation.

2005: Base Realignment and Closure Proposal

The Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Proposal of 2005 stated the 181st would lose its fighter mission and F-16 aircraft, leaving the Terre Haute facility a general-aviation-only facility.

April 2006: Entire state observes DST

Since April 2006, the entire state of Indiana observes daylight saving time (DST).

2006: Wind capacity estimates raised

In 2006, estimates raised Indiana's wind capacity from 30 MW at 50 m turbine height to 40,000 MW at 70 m, and to 130,000 MW at 100 m, the height of newer turbines.

2006: Federal funding approval for Gary Chicago International Airport

In early 2006, a proposal to turn Gary Chicago International Airport into Chicago's third major airport received a boost with the approval of $48 million in federal funding over the next ten years.

2007: Rivers, streams, and creeks of environmental interest

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, as of 2007, there were 65 rivers, streams, and creeks of environmental interest or scenic beauty.

2007: End of United States Grand Prix Hosting

From 2000 to 2007, Indiana hosted the United States Grand Prix (Formula One).

March 19, 2008: Enactment of "circuit breaker" law

On March 19, 2008, Indiana enacted a "circuit breaker" law limiting property taxes to 1% of assessed value for homeowners, 2% for rental properties and farmland, and 3% for businesses.

November 2008: Rebuilt Indianapolis International Airport

In November 2008, the Indianapolis International Airport was rebuilt, featuring a midfield passenger terminal, concourses, air traffic control tower, parking garage, and airfield improvements.

2008: Barack Obama Wins Indiana

In 2008, Barack Obama narrowly won Indiana with 50% of the vote to 49%.

2008: Gubernatorial Election

In 2008, Indiana held its gubernatorial election concurrently with the United States presidential election, where the governor and lieutenant governor were jointly elected to four-year terms.

2008: Marion County Backs Democrats

In 2008, Marion County backed the Democrats after previously supporting Republican candidates from 1968 to 2000.

2008: Indiana University shifts associate degrees to Ivy Tech

In 2008, the Indiana University system agreed to shift most of its associate (2-year) degrees to the Ivy Tech Community College System.

2010: State Includes

As of 2010, the state includes 16 metropolitan and 25 micropolitan statistical areas, 117 incorporated cities, 450 towns, and several other smaller divisions and statistical areas.

2010: Median household income

As of the 2010 census, Indiana's median household income was $44,616, ranking it 36th among the United States and the District of Columbia.

2010: Demographic data

From the 2010 U.S. census demographic data for Indiana, the median age is 37.

2010: Religious Denominations

In 2010 the largest Protestant denomination by number of adherents in 2010 was the United Methodist Church, with 355,043.

2010: Coal and Petroleum Reserves in Indiana

In 2010, Indiana's estimated coal reserves totaled 57 billion tons, with annual mining operations yielding 35 million tons. Additionally, the state possessed approximately 900 million barrels of petroleum reserves in the Trenton Field, although recovery posed challenges.

2010: Wind capacity estimates at 100 m

In 2010, estimates raised Indiana's wind capacity to 130,000 MW at 100 m, the height of newer turbines.

2010: United States census

Indiana recorded a population of 6,785,528 in the 2020 United States census, a 4.65% increase since the 2010 United States census.

2010: AAA bond credit ratings

Since 2010, Indiana has consistently maintained AAA bond credit ratings with the Big Three credit rating agencies, representing the highest possible rating.

2011: Tornado Ranking for South Bend

A 2011 report ranked South Bend 15th among the top 20 tornado-prone U.S. cities.

2011: Population Estimates

Based on population estimates for 2011, 6.6% of the state's population is under the age of five, 24.5% is under the age of 18, and 13.2% is 65 years of age or older.

2011: Installed wind turbines

By the end of 2011, Indiana had installed 1,340 MW of wind turbines.

2011: CEO Magazine Ranking

In 2011, CEO magazine ranked Indiana first in the Midwest and sixth in the country for best places to do business.

2012: Marion County Backs Democrats

In 2012, Marion County backed the Democrats after previously supporting Republican candidates from 1968 to 2000.

2012: Tornado ranking

In a 2012 report, Indiana was ranked eighth in a list of the top 20 tornado-prone states.

2013: NBA Players Per Capita

As of 2013 Indiana has produced more National Basketball Association (NBA) players per capita than any other state.

April 2014: Adoption of modern, public school standards

In April 2014, Indiana public schools adopted modern, public school standards throughout the state, with the goal of ensuring students have the necessary skills for college or the workforce upon high school graduation.

2016: Climate Classification

As of the 2016 update, about half the state is now classified as humid subtropical.

2016: Indiana Fortune 500 Companies

In 2016, Indiana was home to seven Fortune 500 companies with a combined $142.5 billion in revenue.

2016: Marion County Backs Democrats

In 2016, Marion County backed the Democrats after previously supporting Republican candidates from 1968 to 2000.

2016: Mike Pence Elected Vice President

In 2016, Mike Pence was elected Vice President, serving with Donald Trump.

2016: Steel Production

In 2016, Northwest Indiana accounted for 27% of American-made steel.

2016: Donald Trump Wins Indiana

In 2016, Republican Donald Trump carried the state of Indiana.

2016: Total Gross State Product

In 2016, the total gross state product in Indiana was $347.2 billion.

2017: Fortune Publication Recognizes Companies

In 2017, Columbus-based Cummins, Inc. and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Company and Simon Property Group were recognized in Fortune publication's "2017 World's Most Admired Companies List", ranking in each of their respective industries.

2017: Indiana Labor Force

In 2017, Indiana had a civilian labor force of nearly 3.4 million, the 15th largest in the United States.

2017: Indiana Ranked First in Government Listing

In 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked Indiana first in the publication's inaugural Best States for Government listing.

2017: College attendance rate of high school students in 2017

In 2017, the rate of Indiana high school students attending college was 65%.

2018: Countries of origin

In 2018, the top countries of origin for Indiana's immigrants were Mexico, India, China, Myanmar, and the Philippines.

2020: Donald Trump Wins Indiana by Largest Margin

In 2020, Donald Trump won Indiana by his largest margin, defeating Joe Biden by 57% to 41% on a turnout of 64.58%.

2020: Doubled wind turbines

In 2020, Indiana's total wind turbine capacity more than doubled to 2,968 MW.

2020: Marion County Backs Democrats

In 2020, Marion County backed the Democrats after previously supporting Republican candidates from 1968 to 2000.

2020: Indiana Ranked as 10th Hardest State to Vote In

In a 2020 study, Indiana was ranked as the 10th hardest state for citizens to vote in. Also in 2020, abortion is illegal in Indiana with limited exceptions.

2020: Population recorded

Indiana recorded a population of 6,785,528 in the 2020 United States census.

2020: United States census

The table below lists the state's twenty largest municipalities based on the 2020 United States census.

2021: Indiana's graduation rate in 2021

In 2021, the Indiana Department of Education reported a state graduation rate of 87.7%.

2022: Homeless people

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 5,449 homeless people in Indiana.

2022: Indiana's graduation rate declines

In 2022, the Indiana Department of Education reported that the state's overall graduation rate was 86.7%, down one percent from 2021.

2022: College attendance rate declines significantly

In 2022, the rate of Indiana high school students attending college fell to 53%, a significant decline from 65% in 2017, with widening gaps for ethnic minorities and low-income families.