Ask An Archivist 2024

Every year during Archives Month, we participate in #AskAnArchivistDay, where archivists from around the country respond to question about their repositories on social media. This year, we received over 100 questions and comments on Reddit! We’ve gathered a selection of questions and answers.

To get the conversation started, we shared the first state map of Indiana, published less than a year after the state was founded. One of the most conspicuous elements of this map is that Lake Michigan is significantly out of place. The exact location and dimensions of Lake Michigan were unknown for a long time and would eventually result in the Toledo War between Michigan and Ohio.

Sure enough, the map sparked conversation with people who were curious about Indiana landmarks, early surveys, and Hoosier migration patterns. We also received questions about microfilm, becoming an archivist, and  preserving family records. You can see the full AMA on our Reddit profile, here: https://www.reddit.com/user/indianastatearchives/

Q: When and why was Lake Michigan properly mapped, and why was this the idea early explorers had of the lake?

A: It would be properly mapped as part of the Public Land Survey System, beginning around the time this map and efforts to end the dispute between Michigan and Ohio over their shared borders, both occurring around the time this map was created. All the details were ironed out by an 1841 nautical survey in support of commercial shipping.

Early maps were usually created by fitting together multiple other maps, usually based around river systems that were conduits for exploration. After collecting these maps, the cartographer would then have to fit them together in relation to each other, often trying to line up landmarks that were hundreds of miles apart, where a single degree of angle could result in a big mistake.

Q: Only state to be settled South to North, correct? That’s what I always heard at least. 

A: That claim doesn't quite seem to hold up. Alaska would certainly be similar with very different circumstances, but our neighbor Illinois had a similar settlement pattern: https://www.ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/ipub15.pdf

That said, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio are the only non-coastal states where a major river makes up the southern border of the state. Much of Ohio's settlement came directly west from Pennsylvania, so this may be something that is largely peculiar to ourselves and Illinois.

Q: Why did the state of Indiana change its capital so much?

A: The State capital has actually only moved once. Vincennes was the capital of the Indiana Territory prior to statehood. It relocated to Corydon as the Ohio River was the first focal point for American settlement in the territory and it would be more conveniently located for the early population. Finally, it moved to Indianapolis as a planned city in 1825, anticipating that the center of the state would eventually become its population center as well.

Q: I have heard many old surveys have interesting information on the lay of the land. How can I find ones relevant to my area?

A: Indiana Historical Land Records has uploaded the PLSS maps and notes to the Internet Archive, but it is unfortunately suffering attacks from hackers at the moment: https://archive.org/details/@indiana_historical_land_records

In the meantime, we can provide copies by our usual method, answering requests directed at arc@iara.in.gov.

Data from this project has been incorporated into the State GIS system to assist in locating relevant surveys and notes: https://indianamap-inmap.hub.arcgis.com/datasets/INMap::historical-indiana-plss-township-records/about

Q: Is Orange, Indiana a Dutch reference? Also are Revolutionary War graves uncommon in Indiana?

A: Sort of. Orange County was named after the North Carolina county where many of its early settlers originated. Orange County, NC is thought to be named after either William V of Orange, or William of Orange, who became William III of England, but records confirming that have been lost.

Revolutionary veteran's graves aren't terribly common in Indiana, most of the veterans lived in the Original 13 and many of those that moved to Indiana in its earliest days were buried on family plots that have been lost or overlooked, but they are certainly present, especially in the south. You can find some of them in the WPA grave index in our Research Indiana Index by searching the keyword Revolution.

Q: What’s the largest public works project Indiana has ever undertaken and how long did it take?

A: It's difficult to compare projects over time due to changes in labor and material value, but as u/ivy7496 mentioned, the easy answer for most of Indiana's history is the Wabash and Eerie Canal, for which the Archives holds a great deal of records, such as contracts and receipts. Unfortunately, the canal was mired in graft and mismanagement, and the arrival of the railroads during its 20-year long construction dramatically impacted its profitability. The failure of this and related large public projects in the early 19th century are what lead to the new 1851 State Constitution and Indiana's constitutional restriction from the government carrying debt.

More recently, Indiana, Kentucky, and the Federal government completed the Ohio River Bridges project, which built the Lewis and Clark and Abraham Lincoln bridges connecting Louisville to Jeffersonville to the tune of $4.1 Billion dollars.

Q: What are your personal favorite items preserved at the archives?

A: I personally have a great fondness for the Santa vs. Santa case: https://www.in.gov/iara/divisions/state-archives/collections/from-the-vault-blog/vault-santa-claus-vs-santa-claus/

Other especially notable items include corrections records for John Dillinger, Charles Manson, and Mike Tyson, a Colt Revolver sales brochure signed by Samuel Colt, and a beautifully preserved copy of Flagg's "I Want You" World War I poster.

Q: When was Microfilm most popular/when was it phased out?

A: Microfilm use probably peaked in the 1980s, but it has not been phased out! While digital records are great for access, they are not an ideal preservation solution due to their requirement of constant maintenance. For infrequently referenced, but still important, records microfilm has an important role.

Q: What would you recommend to be a good v-shaped scanner with spine cradling for home use, I have a number of very old books/family papers I would like to digitize?

A: The best budget book scanner is an overhead rig, a DSLR camera, and a custom riser. If you search for "DIY book scanner" you'll find dozens of such projects on shoe-string budgets. Things like the CZUR scanners can be OK if you aren't terribly concerned with resolution and correct color, but their results are not considered to be archival. You might also want to keep an eye on your local library, historical society, or university libraries for outreach events where they allow citizens to use their equipment for family record digitization. There are likely to be a fair number of these events as we lead up to the 250th anniversary of the U.S.A. in 2026.

Q: I’d love to know how you can get a job as an archivist! What degree would be best for it?

A: Archivists generally have undergraduate degrees in English or History, but many bachelor's degrees can be relevant, such as pre-law (law libraries and archives) or biology or nursing (medical archives).

For graduate degrees, an MLS is expected by most archives, but Public History MAs are becoming more broadly accepted.

GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) is a challenging field to break into. We strongly encourage taking every possible opportunity to get practical experience through internships and volunteering. Volunteering is an especially good idea if you are considering the field and would like to get a better idea of the day-to-day activity.

Thank you to reference archivist Keenan for answering these questions!