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Indiana History Bibliography

We have selected a sampling of Indiana history resources for students and teachers. Most of the books listed are still in print and should be part of any library of Indiana resources. There are a limited number of Indiana history books written on an elementary level. We have included some of the recent ones. We hope to encourage students and teachers to read about Indiana pioneers and Indiana Civil War soldiers along with general histories on such interest subjects.

We recommend that teachers review Indiana Books by Indiana Authors: A Guide to Children's Literature by Ruth Gillis for recommendations for historical fiction, biography, history, literature, art, and science. Authors of classic Indiana literature such as Gene Stratton-Porter, Edward Eggleston, and Charles Major have not been included in this bibliography but are worth consideration for classroom use.

Indiana history can be taught in conjunction with any grade level language arts lesson, many science and math lessons, and with United States history classes. Indiana history belongs to all of us--it is our common heritage. It has applications in all phases of our lives, and its lessons can be utilized in many aspects of the classroom.

The list is divided into books on:

Adult History Sources

  • Bigham, Darrel E. An Evansville Album: Perspectives on a River City, 1812-1988. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1988.
  • Gibbs, Wilma L. ed. Indiana's African-American Heritage: Essays from Black History News & Notes. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1993.
  • Gillis, Ruth Jeannette. Indiana Books by Indiana Authors: A Guide to Children's Literature. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990.
  • Indiana Biographical Dictionary. New York: Sommerset Publishers, Inc., 1993.
  • Madison, James H. The Indiana Way. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1986.
  • Moore, Powell A. The Calumet Region: Indiana's Last Frontier. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1959.
  • Rafert, Stewart. The Miami Indians of Indiana: A Persistent People, 1654-1994. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1996.
  • Taylor, Robert M., Jr. Indiana: A New Historical Guide. Indianapolis: Indianapolis Historical Society, 1989.
  • Taylor, Robert M., Jr., and Connie A. McBirney, eds., Peopling Indiana: The Ethnic Experience. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1996.

Fact Books

  • Cavinder, Fred D. The Indiana Book of Records, Firsts, and Fascinating Facts. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1985.
  • Cavinder, Fred D. Indiana's Believe It or Not. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990.
  • Couch, Ernie, and Jill Couch. Indiana Trivia. Nashville, TN: Rutledge Hill Press, 1989.
  • Jacobson, Nancy. Awesome Almanac - Indiana. Fontana, WI: B & B Publishing, Inc., 1993.
  • Robinson, Mona. Who's Your Hoosier Ancestor? Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1992.
  • Shull, Glenda S. Who's Your County Named For? And Other Hoosier County Facts. Spring Lake, MI: River Road Publications, Inc., 1990.

Fiction

  • Anderson, Joan. Christmas on the Prairie. New York: Clarion Books, 1985.
  • Anderson, Joan. The Glorious Fourth at Prairietown. New York: William Morrow and Co. Inc., 1986.
  • Henry, Joanne Landers. A Clearing in the Forest: A Story about a Real Settler Boy. New York: Four Winds Press, 1992.
  • Long, Eleanor Rice. Wilderness To Washington, An 1811 Journey on Horseback. Bloomington, IN: Reflections Press, 1981.
  • Thrasher, Crystal. End of a Dark Road. New York: Atheneum, 1983.
  • Thrasher, Crystal. A Taste of Daylight. New York: Atheneum, 1985.
  • Waters, Kate. The Mysterious Horseman: An Adventure in Prairietown, 1836. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1994.

Folklore

  • Baker, Ronald L. From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1995.
  • Baker, Ronald L. Hoosier Folk Legends. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1982.
  • Dégh, Linda, ed. Indiana Folklore: A Reader. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1980.
  • Ketteman, Helen. The Year of No More Corn. New York: Orchard Books, 1993.
  • Reichmann, Eberhard, ed. Hoosier German Tales Small and Tall. Indianapolis: German-American Center and Indiana German Heritage Society, Inc., 1991.

History

  • Arnold, Eleanor, ed. Feeding Our Families; Party Lines, Pumps, and Privies; Buggies and Bad Times; Girlhood Days; Going to the Club; Living Rich Lives, Memories of Hoosier Homemakers Series. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983-1988.
  • Baxter, Nancy Niblack. The Miamis! Indianapolis: Guild Press of Indiana, 1987.
  • Clinton, Susan. Benjamin Harrison. Encyclopedia of Presidents Series. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1989.
  • Conway, W. Fred. Corydon: The Forgotten Battle of the Civil War. New Albany, IN: FBH Publishers, 1991.
  • Fitz-Gerald, Christine Maloney. William Henry Harrison. Encyclopedia of Presidents Series. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1987.
  • Hale, Janet. The Conners of Conner Prairie. Indianapolis: Guild Press of Indiana and Conner Prairie Press, 1989.
  • Henry, Joanne Landers. Log Cabin in the Woods: A True Story About a Pioneer Boy. New York: Four Winds Press, 1988.
  • Indianapolis Remembered: Christian Schrader's Sketches of Early Indianapolis. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1987.
  • Johnson, Oliver. A Home in the Woods: Pioneer Life in Indiana; Oliver Johnson's Reminiscences of Early Marion County as Related by Howard Johnson. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1951.
  • Mallett, Ann. A Child's History of Indianapolis. Indianapolis: Indianapolis Public Schools, 1966.

Indiana History Standards

  • Barnhart, John D., and Donald F. Carmony. Indiana from Frontier to Industrial Commonwealth. Vols. 1-2. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc. 1954.
  • Barnhart, John D., and Dorothy L. Riker. Indiana To 1816: The Colonial Period. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau and Indiana Historical Society, 1971.
  • Bennett, Pamela J., and Shirley S. McCord. Progress after Statehood: A Book of Readings. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1974.
  • Buley, R. Carlyle. The Old Northwest. Vols. 1-2. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1950.
  • Carmony, Donald F. Indiana 1816-1850: The Pioneer Era. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau & Indiana Historical Society, 1998.
  • Kettleborough, Charles. Constitution Making in Indiana. Vols. 1-4. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1916-78.
  • Madison, James H. Indiana through Tradition and Change: A History of the Hoosier State and Its People, 1920 -1945. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1982.
  • Phillips, Clifton J. Indiana In Transition: The Emergence of an Industrial Commonwealth, 1880-1920. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau and Indiana Historical Society, 1968.
  • Thornbrough, Emma Lou. Indiana in the Civil War Era, 1850-1880. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau and Indiana Historical Society, 1965.
  • Thornbrough, Gayle, and Dorothy Riker. Readings in Indiana History. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1956.

Photographic Essays

  • Byrd, Cecil K., ed. Frank M. Hohenberger's Indiana Photographs. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993.
  • Hartley, W. Douglas. Otto Ping 1900-1940: Photographer of Brown County, Indiana. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1994.
  • Jones, Darryl, and James Alexander Thom. The Spirit of the Place: Indiana Hill Country. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1995.
  • Reid, Robert L., ed. Back Home Again: Indiana in the Farm Security Administration Photographs, 1935-1943. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987.
  • Schlereth, Thomas J. US 40: A Roadscape of the American Experience. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1985.

Miscellaneous

  • Berry, S. L. Indianapolis: A Downtown America Book. Minneapolis: Dillon Press, Inc., 1990.
  • Fradin, Dennis Brindell, and Judith Bloom Fradin. Indiana. From Sea to Shining Sea Series. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1994.
  • Herda, D. J. Ethnic America: The North Central States. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press, 1991.
  • Ogden, Dale. Hoosier Sports Heroes: An Introduction To Indiana Sports. Indianapolis: Guild Press of Indiana, 1990.
  • Stein, R. Conrad. America the Beautiful. Indiana. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1990.
  • Swain, Gwenyth. Indiana. Minneapolis: Lener Publications Co., 1992.

Produced by the:
Indiana Center for the Book, Indiana Historical Bureau, Indiana State Library, 1996
with the generous support of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

Special thanks to Jackie Hill, Children's Division, Indianapolis/Marion County Public Library.
Permission granted to reproduce this document for educational purposes.

Indiana State Library and Historical Building
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2296