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Indianapolis Then and Now

Indianapolis Special Collections Room (ISCR) Program

Join us at Central Library for an in-person local history lecture with historians Nelson Price and Joan Hostetler.

Culture, History, and Society—Historic Indianapolis: From the "Crossroads of America" to the quieter "Naptown" period of the mid-20th century, explore the development of Indianapolis with Nelson Price and Joan Hostetler, authors of Indianapolis Then and Now. Registration is required.

Presenters: Nelson Price is an Indianapolis-based author, journalist, historian and radio personality. His popular books include his Indiana Legends: Famous Hoosiers from Johnny Appleseed to David Letterman, The Quiet Hero: A Life of Ryan White, and Legendary Hoosiers. He is the co-author of Indianapolis Then and Now with Joan Hostetler. Nelson is the host of “Hoosier History Live!”, a weekly talk show, on WICR-FM (88.7) in Indianapolis. The show, which has been on the air since 2008, is believed to be the only radio program in the country about a state’s history that’s live with listener call-in. An award-winning former feature writer/columnist for The Indianapolis Star, Nelson draws from his books to provide commentary on history tours across Indiana. In addition, he has taught at Indiana University-Indianapolis, regularly speaks at schools across the state as part of PTA-sponsored presentations about Indiana history, writes for several magazines, and has been named a Sagamore of the Wabash by two Indiana governors. Nelson is a fifth-generation Hoosier and serves on the boards of several civic and media organizations, including the Society of Indiana Pioneers and the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame. He helped launch the annual “Living Legends” gala at the Indiana Historical Society that honors distinguished Hoosiers.

Joan Hostetler is a local historian, archivist, and photograph specialist based in Indianapolis. She is the founding director of The Indiana Album, a nonprofit dedicated to sharing the state's visual history, and has consulted about photo preservation and interpretation throughout Indiana.

Parking: The Central Library offers a parking garage for patrons during their visit. See our Garage pricing information. The garage can be accessed on Pennsylvania Street.

This in-person program is part of the Culture, History, and Society—Historic Indianapolis programs hosted by the Indianapolis Special Collections Room (ISCR). 

Age Level: Adults

Contact: Special Collections Librarian Montoya Barker

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