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.

Garvey-ism in Indiana 09/16/2026

Garvey-ism in Indiana Originally aired 02/28/2026. Indianapolis-based historians Jeff Stroebel and Eunice Trotter will join Nelson to share insights about the little-remembered but historically significant political movement known unofficially as “Garvey-ism.” The movement peaked during the 1920s and early 1930s and had a presence in cities across Indiana. It stressed racial pride and economic self-sufficiency along with rejecting racial assimilation and pursuing a “Back to Africa” advocacy. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42840060

Follow Up on Martinsville Murder of Carol Jenkins in 1968 09/14/2026

Follow Up on Martinsville Murder of Carol Jenkins in 1968 Originally aired 02/21/2026. Content awareness for listeners: This show contains discussion about violence and may not be suitable for listeners that are senstive to this subject matter. For many decades after Carol Jenkins, a young Black woman, was murdered in Martinsville in 1968, the killing remained unsolved and a “cold case”. Then a series of revelations began to unfold, including a chilling voicemail left with Sandra Chapman when she was an investigative reporter in Indy. Sandra is Nelson's guest to share updates, including about a documentary, “The Girl in the Yellow Scarf”, that she has produced and directed about the infamous case and aftermath. This is a follow up to a previous show with Sandra in 2024. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42839980

Centenarians and Romance: Lifetimes Filled with Love 09/11/2026

Centenarians and Romance: Lifetimes Filled with Love Originally aired 02/14/2026. Hoosier History Live salutes Valentines Day and spotlights the marriages of people who lived to be 100 years old (or older) and, in some cases, were wed for 70 or even 80 years. Some of the stories are romantic and some are heart-breaking or quirky. Nelson’s returning guest is Gerry Justice, an Indianapolis author who interviewed centenarians for his book, “My 100-Year-Old Friends: In Their Words”. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42839220

Benjamin Harrison V and America 250 09/09/2026

Benjamin Harrison V and America 250 Originally aired 02/07/2026. Benjamin Harrison V was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the great-grandfather (and namesake) of the only U.S. president elected from Indiana. Nelson and his guest explore other Revolutionary War-related aspects associated with the Harrison political dynasty. Benjamin V became the first person to read the Declaration of Independence out loud but voted not to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Jennifer Capps, the veteran curator at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis, will explain why. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42839175

Genealogy of Indigenous People in the US: Challenges and Advice to Address Them 09/07/2026

Genealogy of Indigenous People in the US: Challenges and Advice to Address Them Originally aired 01/31/2026. Genealogy for people with Native American ancestry can be challenging because of several factors, including the way the U.S. Census categorized (or did not categorize) Indigenous Peoples, particularly during the 1800s. Sarah Pfundstein, a genealogy librarian at the Indiana State Library, is Nelson’s guest to offer advice and suggestions for resources. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42634170

Classical Architecture in Indianapolis 09/04/2026

Classical Architecture in Indianapolis Originally aired 01/17/2026. The Indiana World War Memorial, Circle Theatre on Monument Circle, the Indiana Statehouse, the Birch Bayh U.S. Courthouse and other buildings all have classical elements of Greek and Roman design. Nelson’s guest is distinguished architectural historian James Glass, the author of two books that explore Indianapolis architecture during the 1800s and early 1900s. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42633350

The Hoosier State's Influence on Pasadena, CA 09/02/2026

The Hoosier State's Influence on Pasadena, CA Originally aired 01/10/2026. Nelson and guests, Michael and Jamie Snyder, native Hoosiers who moved separately to Pasadena in the mid 1970s as teenagers explore the unlikely, but extensive, historic connections between Pasadena and Indiana. The California city was founded in the 1870s by Hoosiers who were tired of bitter winters. They initially called their settlement “The Indiana Colony” before coming up with the “Pasadena” name. Transplanted Hoosiers also launched a festival to showcase flowers during winter (when they weren’t blooming in Indiana) that evolved into the Tournament of Roses. After returning to their home state, Michael and Jamie founded the MEK Group, a Carmel based marketing and PR firm. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42633220

Indianapolis Memorabilia 09/01/2026

Indianapolis Memorabilia Originally aired 01/03/2026. Previous guest and antiques dealer, Charles Alexander, discusses his collection of historic Indianapolis memorabilia and ephemera. He has postcards, photos, artifacts and souvenirs connected to Indianapolis landmarks, high schools, and bygone department stores, businesses and banks. Charles shares insights about the history of garage sales, plus advice for collectors. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42632480

Ask Nelson and Ray Boomhower 2 09/01/2026

Ask Nelson and Ray Boomhower 2 Originally aired 12/13/2025. An all call-in program was aired with co-host and prolific author Ray Boomhower of the Indiana Historical Society. Listeners are invited to call WICR-FM with any questions or comments about our Indiana heritage throughout the show. In between phone calls from listeners, Nelson and Ray interview each other about topics related to the holiday season and “America 250”. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42603905

Martindale-Brightwood 08/26/2026

Martindale-Brightwood Originally aired 12/06/2025. Nelson and his guests explore the histories of the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood on the eastside of Indy as well as Polk’s Dairy, the state’s largest milk distributor during the early 1900s. The only remaining structure of the dairy complex is its stable for delivery horses, which today houses the Polklore Micro-Museum that highlights neighborhood history. Nelson's guests Joanna Taft, founder of the Harrison Center, Immanuel Ivey, who grew up in Martindale-Brightwood and works for the Edna Christian Center, and Kipp Normand, an artist and historian. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42519580

Inspiring Women Athletes 08/24/2026

Inspiring Women Athletes Originally aired 11/15/2025. An outstanding rower from Bloomington became the only organ donor to win an Olympic medal. A runner from Westfield was struck by a car, but recovered to become an All-American athlete. And an Indianapolis native who lost both of her twin sons, then took a long break from running, returned to set an Indiana record in the marathon. These women and others are featured in a book called “Inspiring Women of Indiana Sports.” The author, acclaimed sportswriter David Woods, is Nelson’s guest on this episode. Please note that the audio got cut off during recording and the episode abruptly ends. We apologize for this mistake! /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42519475

History of the Governor's Mansion 08/21/2026

History of the Governor's Mansion Originally aired 10/25/2025. There have been six official, state-owned houses since 1816, but also long stretches when Governors and First Ladies lived in private residences for various reasons. In Indianapolis, the first governor’s mansion constructed on the eventual site of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument was never occupied. A subsequent Governor’s mansion was blamed for making family members sick. Nelson’s guest is Libby Cierzniak, a retired lawyer and lobbyist who writes a blog about Indy city history. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42367180

Invasive Insects and Should the Peony be Indiana's State Flower? 08/19/2026

Invasive Insects and Should the Peony be Indiana's State Flower? Originally aired 10/18/2025. Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp , the Hoosier Gardener, is Nelson’s guest. She is well-known garden writer and coach who recently was inducted into the Garden Communicators Hall of Fame. During this episode she shares insights about the spotted lantern fly and other invasive insects as well as the plants and trees that host them. Jo Ellen also discusses a crusade to replace the peony as the official state flower by a native flower. During the show, listeners were welcome to call WICR-FM to ask any gardening - related questions. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42367125

Marquis de Lafayette 08/17/2026

Marquis de Lafayette Originally aired 10/11/2025. Hoosier History Live spotlights the colorful return to the country of Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette after more than 40 years. Gen. Lafayette traveled thousands of miles and visited all of the 24 states in the nation in 1824-25, including Indiana. The tour, which was both triumphant and rugged, is described in “The Last Adieu”, a book by Bloomington based author Ryan Cole, who is Nelson’s guest. The journey included the sinking of a steamboat carrying Lafayette and his son on the Ohio River, forcing the distinguished visitors from France to spend a wet, cold night on Hoosier soil. Despite such mishaps, Americans came together as “Lafayette mania” swept the country. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42367095

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 History Live

TOPICS