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.

Eerie Indiana 10/16/2026

Eerie Indiana Originally aired 06/13/2026. Guest host Molly Head and her guest Jay Lee talk about mystical phenomenons in Indiana. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/43082643

John Hay: Abraham Lincoln's Speech Writer 10/14/2026

John Hay: Abraham Lincoln's Speech Writer Originally aired 06/06/2026. Did you know that Abraham Lincoln's private secretary and uncredited speechwriter was a native Hoosier? John Hay (1838-1905) was born in Salem, Ind., where there’s a John Hay Center. As a cultured, Ivy League educated teenager, Hay developed a nearly father son relationship with Lincoln beginning in Springfield, Ill. Hay, a gifted poet, went on to have a significant impact on many of the 16th president’s most famous speeches, according to Nelson’s guest, Jan Hartman, an award winning historian based on the East Coast. She is the author of a new book about John Hay titled “Lincoln’s Speechwriter “. Just 26 years old when Lincoln was assassinated, John Hay had a remarkable life ahead, including serving as the U.S. Secretary of State to two other presidents. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/43082298

Sikh Heritage in Indiana 10/12/2026

Sikh Heritage in Indiana Originally aired 05/30/2026. Following the opening in Indianapolis of a new Gurdwara, a house of worship for the Sikh faith, which originated in India, Hoosier History Live learns about the heritage that has been flourishing locally in recent decades. About nine Gurdwaras are in the Indy metro area, with dozens more across the state. Nelson’s guests are well-known artist and civic leader K.P. Singh, who was one of the few Sikhs in Indianapolis when he arrived in 1967. They are joined by Saurabh Singh, a business executive and engineer who was a plant manager in Fort Wayne during the 1990s. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/43082273

City and County Names 10/09/2026

City and County Names Originally aired 05/23/2026. Counties, towns, rivers, lakes and other sites have names inspired by Revolutionary War heroes, Founding Fathers, Native Americans terms and tribes, and even countries in South America. Nelson and his guest, Charles Braun, share their knowledge about the origins of place names ranging from the town of Wakarusa in far-northern Indiana to Rising Sun on the Ohio River. Charles Braun, an attorney, is the host of the long-running “Legally Speaking “ show on WICR-FM. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/43082238

Janet Flanner 10/07/2026

Janet Flanner Originally aired 05/02/2026. As an acclaimed journalist primarily based in Paris beginning in the 1920s, Indianapolis native Janet Flanner profiled and befriended notables including Hemingway, Picasso and Matisse. Flanner also reported on the rise of Hitler. A one-woman play about her remarkable life (1892-1978) was presented the summer of 2026, and a new biography of her has been published. Nelson’s guests are Bruce Buchanan and Scott Keller, who were relatives of Janet Flanner; her father co-founded the Flanner Buchanan mortuary business. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/43082218

Treasures of Northern Indiana 10/05/2026

Treasures of Northern Indiana Originally aired 4/25/2026. During the early 1920s, Hammond had a pro football team. In Valparaiso, a restaurant popular for many generations specialized in turkey dinners all year, not just at Thanksgiving. And in Fort Wayne, an elegant French restaurant consistently received four-star ratings in national guides. All are among bygone “treasures” in northern Indiana that Hoosier History Live highlights during this episode. Nelson and his guest Joseph Pete, author of “Lost Treasures of Indiana”, will explore restaurants, theaters, amusement parks and sports teams across the northern one-third of the Hoosier state. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/43082183

Central State Hospital 10/02/2026

Central State Hospital Originally aired 4/18/2026. The Indiana Medical History Museum is located in a historic building that was part of Central State Hospital in Indianapolis, where, for 150 years, patients received treatment for mental health issues. Sarah Halter, the executive director of the museum, and Danielle Thomas, the operations manager, join Nelson to share an array of stories involving Central State, including insights about a patient during the 1930s who created widely acclaimed paintings. They also will discuss a reform-minded superintendent during the 1880s who destroyed straight jackets, restraint chairs and other devices in a public bonfire. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/43082168

Strikes in Indianapolis 10/01/2026

Strikes in Indianapolis Originally aired 04/11/2026. Streetcar strikes in 1892 and 1913 were initiated by workers frustrated by low pay and long hours. The 1913 strike even involved what was described as a “police mutiny”. Nelson’s guest, award-winning author Ed Fujawa, and the creator of the blog, shares insights about the streetcar strikes and a strike in 1934 at the Real Silk Factory, which had reports of various acts of violence. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/43014023

Ask Nelson and A World War II Historian 09/25/2026

Ask Nelson and A World War II Historian Originally aired on 03/28/2026. Listeners were invited to call and ask any questions about Indiana’s heritage of Nelson and his guest, Ron May. In between the calls, Ron and Nelson will be interviewing each other, primarily about World War II topics connected to Indiana. In addition to being a WW II historian, Ron is a chaplain and a Carmel-based author who interviewed Hoosiers who served as Marines, pilots, nurses and in other capacities. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42886540

Indianapolis' City Archives 09/23/2026

Indianapolis' City Archives Originally aired 03/21/2026. In the wake of an extensive initiative to pull them together from 45 city, county and quasi-governmental agencies, Hoosier History Live delves into the archives. The archives include everything from jail registries dating to the 1880s to artifacts discovered during recent excavations. City Archivist Jordan Ryan and Dee Dee Davis, the reference archivist, describe their roles in the excavations related to the former Greenlawn Cemetery, the first major burial site in the city. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42886525

America 250: How Hoosiers Celebrated Milestones of the Past 09/21/2026

America 250: How Hoosiers Celebrated Milestones of the Past Originally aired on 03/14/2026. The show reflects on how Hoosiers celebrated previous milestone anniversaries such as the Bicentennial in 1976 with a look at a historic cottage in the then-evolving Lockerbie neighborhood in Indianapolis, and fire hydrants in South Bend, which had distinctive decorations. Nelson'g guest, Libby Cierzniak, a retired Indianapolis attorney who writes a city history blog at . The duo discuss what unfolded in Indiana during 1926, when the country turned 150, as well as the Centennial in 1876, plus pioneer-era festivities in 1826. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42886420

The Trail-Blazing Women of Purdue University 09/18/2026

The Trail-Blazing Women of Purdue University Originally aired 03/07/2026. The show spotlights the first woman faculty member at Purdue University as well as other trail-blazing women affiliated with Purdue. They include a Latin professor who became a legendary mountain climber in the 1880s and the first female professor in the Department of Entomology. These women are featured in a new book, “Purdue’s Female Founders” by Lafayette-based historian and writer Angie Klink who is the guest of this episode of the show. /episode/index/show/hoosierhistorylive/id/42840085

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

Hoosier History Live

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