Special Collections has many early histories of Indianapolis in both its general and reference collections. These histories would provide context to the communities and happenings before, during, and potentially after any buildings were built or torn down. For more recent information and overviews, a good resource is The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, which includes numerous articles about significant people, groups, and even buildings in the Indiana capital. (Bodenhamer, David J, Robert G Barrows, and David Gordon Vanderstel. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994.) This resource is available in Special Collections as well as online, which can be found through the Butler University Library catalog. Special Collections holds the Consolidated Index to Thirty-Two Histories of Indianapolis and Indiana and is especially useful for locating people, buildings, etc.
To search for more resources available through Special Collections, go to the Butler University Libraries website and search in the online catalog. To limit your search to only materials held by Special Collections, select Special Collections under the section Held By Library.
More city and county histories can be found at the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana State Library.
Select Publications:
Special Collections
Bodenhamer, David J., Robert G. Barrows, and David Gordon Vanderstel. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1994.
Special Collections Reference Collection F534.I357 E63 1994
Hyman, Max R. Hyman's Handbook of Indianapolis: An Outline History and Description of the Capital of Indiana, with Over Three Hundred Illustrations from Photographs Made Expressively for the Work. Indianapolis, IN: M. R. Hyman, 1909.
Special Collections Reference Collection F534.I3 H9 1897
Special Collections General Stacks F534.I3 H9 1897
A Consolidated Index to Thirty-Two Histories of Indianapolis and Indiana. Indianapolis, IN: Indianapolis Public Library, 1939.
Special Collections Reference Collection F532.M4 C67 1939
Ball, Rick A, and Indiana Architectural Foundation. Indianapolis Architecture. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Architectural Foundation, 1975.
Special Collections General Stacks NA735.I5 I53 1975
Irwin Library General Collection
Jones, Darryl, and Howard Caldwell. Indianapolis. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1990.
OVERSIZE F534.I343 J66 1990
Andreas, A. T. Maps of Indiana Counties in 1876: Together with the Plat of Indianapolis and a Sampling of Illustrations. 1876. Reprint, Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Historical Society, 1968.
OVERSIZE G1400.A5 1968
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