Hoosier History Live

Host Nelson Price, the "connoisseur of all things Hoosier," engages guests in a lively, live conversation about topics relating to Indiana history. Original shows are aired on WICR 88.7fm Saturdays from 12pm-1pm.

Former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard 08/14/2026

Former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard Originally aired 09/27/2025. During Greg Ballard’s two terms as mayor of Indianapolis (2008-2016), the city hosted the 2012 Super Bowl and he took a stance against state legislation known as RFRA that put him at odds with many of his Republican colleagues. Former Mayor Ballard discusses these events and others in recent Indy history as Nelson's guest on this episode of Hoosier History Live. Greg is the author of, “Urban Republican Mayor” which was released in 2025. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42367025

Creepy Indianapolis 08/12/2026

Creepy Indianapolis Originally aired 09/20/2025. Ashley Petry, the author of , “Amazing Indianapolis”, that describes some creepy events that have occured in Indianapolis. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42366995

Hoosier Food: Another Serving 08/10/2026

Hoosier Food: Another Serving Originally aired 08/30/2025. Ever heard the saying, “There’s nothing like a good Indiana tomato, and nothing worse than a bad tomato?” Following up the previous show about Hoosier food, Hoosier History Live has another serving for our listeners. Elwood-based Red Gold is the largest privately owned tomato processor in the country. Nelson’s guest, Bradley Hohulin, the dining reporter at the Indianapolis Star, shares knowledge about the Indiana State Fair. The pair also discuss some Indiana restaurants and a bakery with a long standing history in the Hoosier state. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42366795

100-Year-Old People: Insights from the Greatest Generation 08/07/2026

100-Year-Old People: Insights from the Greatest Generation Originally aired 8/23/2025. How many 100-year-old people (or older) have you met? Gerry Justice, a veteran journalist based in Indianapolis, has been interviewing centenarians. Gerry discusses insights connected with his new book, “My 100-Year-Old Friends :In Their Words”, an anthology that includes four Hoosiers. Gerry shares their stories, which he sets in historic context with details about everything from rural life in Indiana during the 1920s to D-Day during World War II, when one of the Hoosiers landed on Omaha Beach. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42306450

A'Lelia Walker: Black heiress and daughter of Madame C.J. Walker 08/05/2026

A'Lelia Walker: Black heiress and daughter of Madame C.J. Walker Originally aired 08/9/2025. Entrepreneur, Madam Walker, is regarded as the first self-made woman millionaire in the country. Her daughter, A’Lelia Walker, became the”first high-profile Black heiress” after Madam Walker’s death in 1919, according to a new biography written called by A'Lelia Bundles and guest of the show. The author grew up in Indianapolis and is the great-granddaughter of A’Lelia Walker. She also is the author of “On Her Own Ground”, an acclaimed biography of Madam Walker. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42293955

Ask Nelson and Charles Braun 08/03/2026

Ask Nelson and Charles Braun Originally aired on 8/2/2025. Charles Braun, the host of Legally Speaking, a live call-in radio show on WICR 88.7 FM at the University of Indianapolis, joins Nelson to answer listener questions. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42293900

Studebaker Electric Cars 08/02/2026

Studebaker Electric Cars Amid the focus on electric cars present day, the show which originally aired on 7/26/2025 explores how Studebaker in South Bend made electric cars during the early 1900s. Nelson’s guest, Justin Clark, describes how Studebaker marketed the electric cars to “city businessmen and society women” beginning circa 1902. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42227220

Skyscrapers in Indianapolis 07/29/2026

Skyscrapers in Indianapolis Originally aired 7/19/2025. Architectural historian James Glass will share insights about the evolution in the Hoosier capital city of skyscrapers, which date back more than 120 years. From the 1960s to the 1990s, a new “tallest building” in the city was constructed each decade. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42226730

Fire Towers in the State Parks 07/27/2026

Fire Towers in the State Parks Originally aired 07/12/2025. Nelson welcomes father-daughter duo, Chris Taelman and Kate Newman to the show. They have been on a quest to hike up to - then climb into - every fire tower that’s open in Indiana, many of which are in the state parks. Chris and Kateshare what they have learned about the history of these fire towers, particularly from the 1930s into the 1950s. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42222110

Obscure Indianapolis 07/24/2026

Obscure Indianapolis Originally aired 07/05/2025. Nelson’s guest is journalist Will Higgins, who created a pop-up museum that spotlights obscure history called the Museum of Fabulosity. The exhibit was up at CAMI throughout the summer of 2025. Highlights included an Olympic gold medalist in 1904 who later was a bank embezzler, and rock singer, Jinx Dawson, who in the late 1960s and ‘70s was associated with the occult. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42200845

Off the Beaten Path In Indiana 07/22/2026

Off the Beaten Path In Indiana Originally aired 06/28/2025. A massive sculpture of Bigfoot at Patoka Lake; a horror-themed pizza parlor in Decatur, and a former Presbyterian church in Richmond with 62 genuine Tiffany stained glass windows. All of these and other off-the-beaten-path sites are the center of discussion between Nelson and his guest Jamie Ward. Jamie is the author of “.” /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42147410

Nazis on the Eastside Pre-World War II 07/20/2026

Nazis on the Eastside Pre-World War II Originally aired 06/21/2025. , the history columnist for the newspaper that covers the east side of Indy, is Nelson's guest. The two discuss Nazi sympathizers who, during the late 1930s, lived on the eastside of Indianapolis. Families who were members of the German American Bund, a pro-Hitler group, also had connections to Brown County. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42147320

The History of Indiana Harbor and East Chicago 07/17/2026

The History of Indiana Harbor and East Chicago Originally aired 06/14/2025. Although never separate towns, Indiana Harbor and East Chicago often were regarded that way as they evolved into becoming, as guest Joseph Pete puts it, “one of the most heavily industrialized places on Earth.” The communities near Lake Michigan also became a diverse area, with more than 100 different nationalities represented in the 1932 graduating class of a high school in Indiana Harbor. Joseph Pete is the author of “Lost East Chicago and Indiana Harbor” and a reporter for the Times of Northwest Indiana newspaper. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42096670

Auto Races Before the Indianapolis 500 07/15/2026

Auto Races Before the Indianapolis 500 Originally aired 06/07/2025. Before the first Indy 500 in 1911, there were auto races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 1910 after the track was paved with bricks. Those thrilling early races and the spectacular aviation shows at the Speedway in June 1910 that featured the Wright Brothers are discussed with Nelson’s guest, racing historian . /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42096605

Prohibition in Indiana 07/13/2026

Prohibition in Indiana Originally aired on 5/3/2025. Indiana “went dry” before Prohibition went into effect nationally in January 1920. Guest , assistant director of the honors program at Butler University, talks with Nelson about a range of aspects of this colorful and controversial era including moonshine makers and one of the largest raids in the Midwest unfolding in southeastern Marion County. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42018375

Thomas R Marshall: The Hoosier Vice President Who Didn't Seize Power 07/10/2026

Thomas R Marshall: The Hoosier Vice President Who Didn't Seize Power Thomas R. Marshall was vice president in 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson suffered debilitating strokes that created a crisis. Before that, Marshall had been a popular governor of Indiana who is remembered for his wit, including the line: “What the country needs is a really good 5-cent cigar.” Nelson’s guest is Ray Boomhower of the Indiana Historical Society. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42002565

Hoosier Food and Dining Preferences 07/08/2026

Hoosier Food and Dining Preferences Originally aired 04/12/2025. The full menu for this show doesn't just include food traditionally associated with Indiana such as tenderloins, sugar cream pie, persimmons and catfish. Nelson and guest Bradley Hohulin, the dining reporter for the Indianapolis Star, also delve into whether restaurant and menu preferences here differ from other regions. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42002480

Latino Heritage in Indiana 07/06/2026

Latino Heritage in Indiana Chili parlors owned by Mexican Americans were popular in Indianapolis as early as 1907 and during the 1920s and ‘30s, a “hot tamale craze” occurred from Elkhart to Evansville. Nelson is joined by Nicole Martinez-LeGrand of the Indiana Historical Society to follow up on previous explorations of the early Mexican heritage in the state, including new details about a “Lost Barrio” of the 1950s and ‘60s. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41971505

Historic Hoosier Women 07/03/2026

Historic Hoosier Women Originally aired 03/29/2025. Guest David Steele shares his knowledge on two trailblazing women he has spent time researching and shares the impact they have had on Hoosier history. One of them was an Indianapolis school principal and the other a jazz pianist in Richmond. Their lives were entwined with a range of aspects of Indiana history, from our Native American heritage to our jazz recording heyday. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41856060

In Memoriam Dan Wakefield 07/01/2026

In Memoriam Dan Wakefield Originally aired 03/22/2025. Nelson is joined by Susan Neville, Will Higgins, and Pat Chastain to honor acclaimed novelist, journalist and screenwriter Dan Wakefield. Dan passed away in March 2024. The 55th anniversary of his national bestseller “”, which is set in his hometown of Indianapolis, was in March 2025. The group discuss his compelling life and impact, which involved coverage of the civil rights movement, challenges with alcoholism, and friendships with other legendary Americans. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41855985

Caroline Scott Harrison 06/29/2026

Caroline Scott Harrison /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41855905

Early Days of State Legislature in Indianapolis 06/26/2026

Early Days of State Legislature in Indianapolis Originally aired 03/08/2025. What happened 200 years ago when the Indiana General Assembly met for the first time in Indianapolis? Where did the legislature stay in 1825, how did they entertain themselves, and what kinds of issues were they coping with? Nelson explores all of that with guest Libby Cierzniak, a retired lawyer and lobbyist, whose career has been intertwined with the Indiana Statehouse. Libby writes about Indianapolis city history on her blog called . /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41801270

Fight Songs of Bygone High Schools 06/25/2026

Fight Songs of Bygone High Schools Originally aired 03/01/2025. Originally aired 03/01/2025. Ever hear of the former Monroe City High School, where the mascot was the Blue Jeans? How about the Bunker Hill High School, where the mascot was the Minutemen? For this Hoosier History Live show, Nelson is joined by Reta Williams, a retired principal from Clinton County who found the lyrics and other details about the fight songs of more than 620 bygone high schools across Indiana that were at risk of being lost. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41801125

Noble Sissle: Trailblazing Lyricist and Broadway Producer 06/22/2026

Noble Sissle: Trailblazing Lyricist and Broadway Producer Originally aired 02/15/2025. Nelson’s guest on this Black History Month show is , author of the biography, “The Robust Life & Times of Noble Sissle.” Indianapolis native, Noble Sissle was the lyricist and co-producer of the first hit Broadway musical by and about Black people titled “Shuffle Along” (1921). He was a tenor, orchestra conductor and member of the Army regiment known as the “Harlem Hellfighters” during World War I. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41714560

Ask Nelson and Ed Fujawa 06/19/2026

Ask Nelson and Ed Fujawa Originally aired 02/01/2025. Host Nelson Price is joined by local historian Ed Fujawa, author of “Vanished Indianapolis” and creator of the the blog, . The pair interview each other between phone calls from listeners. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41672825

The Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925 06/17/2026

The Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925 Although the in 1925 is considered the deadliest continual tornado in U.S. history, it’s been nearly forgotten. This show, which originally aired on 01/25/2025, describes the devastation. , author of “The Great Tri-State Tornado” shares his knowledge of the event and its outcomes. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41672635

Architecture in Indianapolis (Part 2): 1870-1900 06/15/2026

Architecture in Indianapolis (Part 2): 1870-1900 Originally aired 01/18/2025. Several of the most lavish structures in city history were constructed in Indianapolis between the 1870s through 1900. Architectural historian James Glass returns to talk with Nelson about this era of the city. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41638280

Historic True Crime in Indiana 06/12/2026

Historic True Crime in Indiana Content awareness for listeners: This show does contain discussion about violence relating to guns and murder and may not be suitable for listeners that are sensitive to this subject matter. Originally aired on 01/11/2025. On February 1st, 1960, 44-year-old principal Leonard Redden opened fire with a shotgun at a school in Hartford City, Indiana. This story and others are discussed by Nelson and his guest, , author of “No Place Like Murder 2”. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41604980

Indianapolis Public Schools and the Education of Black Students 06/10/2026

Indianapolis Public Schools and the Education of Black Students Originally aired 01/04/2025. Historians and discuss the ways that Indianapolis Public Schools handled the education of Black children and teenagers from the beginning of Indiana’s statehood in 1816, through the founding of Indianapolis in the 1820s, and up through much of the 20th Century. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41493085

Forensic Genealogy 06/08/2026

Forensic Genealogy Originally aired 12/21/2024. is a fascinating emerging field of work. Nelson’s guest, , was hired by the Indiana State Police as their first genetic genealogist. Bradley shares how genealogy and DNA have been used to solve cold cases, including high-profile Indiana cases. He discusses misconceptions about law enforcement and forensic genealogy. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/41492885

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