Description: Postcard showing the bridge where the National Road crossed the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana. A history of the bridge is provided on the reverse side. The National Road was one of the first paved roads (constructed of compacted gravel) to cross the Appalachian Mountains. Congress authorized construction of the National Road in 1806, and in 1811, awarded contracts to private builders to begin construction. The War of 1812 prevented work from beginning until 1815, when construction began in Cumberland, Maryland, and the contractors completed the road to Wheeling, Virginia (modern-day West Virginia), in 1817. Eventually, the federal government extended the road to near St. Louis, Missouri. Modern-day U.S. Route 40 follows the National Road's original route. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV119_B01_F10_13
Subjects: National Road; Ohio Economy--Transportation and Development; Cumberland Road--History; Roads--United States--History; Bridges
Places: Indianapolis (Indiana);
 

Description: Photomechanical reproduction of an image of a home, known as the Old Bacon Home, a station on the Underground Railroad in Indiana. Hiram Bacon, the station operator, owned the house and dairy farm. The image was collected by Ohio State University professor Wilbur H. Siebert (1866-1961). Siebert began researching the Underground Railroad in the 1890s as a way to interest his students in history. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL03011
Subjects: Siebert, Wilbur Henry, 1866-1961; Bacon, Hiram, 1806-1879; Underground Railroad--Indiana
Places: Indianapolis (Indiana)
 

Description: This is the front facade of the Indiana State House. This Beaux-Arts and Greek Revival building houses the General Assembly, Governor, Supreme Court and other Indiana state officials and governmental functions. It was completed in 1888 in response to Indiana’s growing population and cost $1.8 million, just below the original $2 million appropriation. The extra money was returned to the general fund. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AV101_B01F07_543
Subjects: Capitols--Indiana; National Register of Historic Places; domes (architectural elements); cupolas; columns (architectural elements); Beaux-Arts; Greek Revival
Places: Indianapolis (Indiana); 200 W. Washington St.
 

Description: Ticket for the 1986 Indianapolis 500. The ticket is signed by race car driver Bobby Rahal. Rahal is from Medina, Ohio, and a graduate of Dennison University. The ticket is also signed by James R. Truman, founder of Red Roof Inns, which was the parent company of Rahal's racing team at that time, Truesports. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL03338
Subjects: Cultural Ohio--Popular Culture; Automobile racing; Sports and leisure
Places: Indianapolis (Indiana)
 

Description: Portrait of Benjamin Harrison who served as President from 1889-1893. Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) was born on his family's farm in North Bend, Ohio. He attended Farmer's College near Cincinnati and later transferred to Miami University in Oxford. He graduated from that institution in 1852 and went on to read law in Cincinnati. In 1853, Harrison married Caroline Scott and the couple moved to Indianapolis, where Benjamin Harrison set up a successful law practice. He also became involved in the newly formed Republican Party. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Harrison helped to raise the 70th Indiana Infantry regiment and served with distinction. When the war ended, Harrison returned to Indianapolis and resumed his law practice and political activities. He ran unsuccessfully for governor of Indiana in 1876 and was elected to the U. S. Senate in 1881. Harrison was chosen as the Republican nominee for President in 1888. During the campaign he supported a high tariff to protect American industries against foreign competition. Harrison won the election and during his term in office, Congress raised the tariff and passed acts relating to coining silver money and regulating monopolies. The United States also became more involved in foreign affairs. Harrison ran unsuccessfully for re-election in 1892. Many of his policies had proved unpopular and his wife was terminally ill, which limited his campaigning. Harrison died in 1901. Whitelaw Reid (1837-1912) was a native of Xenia. Like Harrison, he was also a graduate of Miami University. He gained acclaim as a newspaper man and wrote for papers in Xenia and Cincinnati before becoming the managing editor of the New York Tribune. Later in life, Reid served as ambassador to Great Britain. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL01076
Subjects: Presidents--United States; Ohio History--Presidents and Politics