Happy Birthday, Indiana!

Today is the anniversary of Indiana being admitted to our United States of America. This makes me a little bit proud, as I consider Indiana my third home-town after Missouri and Minnesota.
Date of Admittance:December 11, 1816

Parentage: The word "indiana" is Latin for "land of Indians." Oddly enough, I never met a Native American while I lived there. 

Place in the Family 

Number 19

between Louisiana  (April 1812)

and Mississippi (Dec 1817)

Indiana was the Darling of 1816, 

the first state since the War of 1812 to join. 

It started a trend, as three more states

joined in the month of December for the next three years.  

Motto 

"The Crossroads of America"

I really like this, and those Hoosiers sure love cars!  

 

Nick-Name 

The Hoosier State

Although no one really knows the origin of the name....!

On the License Plate 

This is the one I had in 2001...

they've change it to this (below) and various others now.... 

 

State Flag 

A blue banner with the state seal in the center. 

I really love this flag. The state name is so small that you may not even notice it at first.

First City You Probably Think of 

When You Think "Indiana" 

Indianapolis

Actual State Capital:Indianapolis

State Size (Area) is 38th of 50
Population is closer to 14th of 50

(per 2000 Census figures)

Personal Russell Fact 
I lived in Portland, Indiana for four years, from 2001 to 2005. Although it was the County Seat, it was surrounded by soy and corn crops.The biggest city was Muncie, about half an hour away. Still, it was a nice place to live. If my wife hadn't found it boring *and* my boss hadn't sucked, I could still be there now. I have many great friends in Indiana!
Oh, and my nephew was born there, too!! 

Where I Lived in Indiana
My house was the corner of Main and Charles. It was a rental, and during the time I lived there I heard from several other people who had also  lived in this house! It was a good location and just the right size for me and my daughter. I liked that house. 
The other place I liked in Portland was Arts Place. 
It's where I did all of my shows while I lived there. 
Wonderful facility!!

Indiana Sports
NFL (Indianapolis Colts)

  
NBA (Indianapolis Pacers) 

Anybody From Indiana
Ever Grow Up To Be President?
Well...although Presidents William Henry Harrison, 
Abraham Lincoln, and Benjamin Harrison 
all LIVED in Indiana, none of them were actually
from there. 
So I gotta say NO. 
Sorry, Indiana. 
The closest you've come is Vice-President Dan Quayle. 

Musical Hoosiers

Cole Porter

songwriter, "Night And Day," 

"You're The Top" etc etc etc!

The Jackson Family

the first family of pop?


John Mellencamp

"Jack and Diane"

David Lee Roth

"Hot For Teacher" 

Axl Rose

front man, Guns & Roses


Adam Lambert

"Whaddya Want From Me?"

Historical Hoosiers
Kurt Vonnegut

novelist, Slaughterhouse Five

 

Larry Bird

Hall of Fame Basketball player


Ryan White

The First HIV Poster Child 

Jim Davis

creator of "Garfield"

Jeff Gordon

NASCAR driver

Tony Stewart

NASCAR driver


John Schnatter

CEO of Papa John's Pizza

John Roberts

Chief Justice, US Supreme Court 

Celebrities From Indiana
Leon Ames 

actor, "Meet Me In St. Louis"

(from "my" home-town of Portland!) 

Karl Malden

Academy Award-winning actor


Red Skelton
comedian


James Dean

immortal Hollywood icon

Anne Baxter

actress, "All About Eve" 


Steve McQueen
actor, "The Magnificent Seven"
 

Forrest Tucker

actor, "F Troop"


Scatman Crothers

actor, "The Shining"

Florence Henderson

actress, "The Brady Bunch"


JoAnne Worley
comedienne, voice-actress


Will Geer

actor, "The Waltons"

Ron Glass

actor, "Barney Miller" 

David Letterman

comedian, talk-show host

Shelly Long 

actress, "Cheers" 

 

Brendan Fraser

actor, "The Mummy" 


Avery Brooks
actor, "Star Trek Deep Space Nine"


Twyla Tharp

dancer & choreographer

(from "my" home-town of Portland!) 

 

Michael Rosenbaum

actor, "Smallville"


Ryan Murphy

writer-producer, "Glee," "The New Normal" etc

A Song For You.... 
"Indiana Wants Me"
written & sung by R. Dean Taylor
after watching the movie "Bonnie & Clyde!"
this is a hokey home-made video, but those ARE scenes
of Indiana, unlike the official PR video which looks like
it was filmed in Canada! ;-)