A Hoosier-Style Bicentennial Salute

Well, the day has arrived, December 11, 2016, marking 200 years since that inestimable day in 1816 when Indiana became the 19th US State.

To celebrate, I think it would be appropriate to start knocking:

Knock, knock.

"Hoosier?"

So goes a story about the origin of Indiana's nickname, the Hoosier State (# 168).  Back in the days of the pioneers, people knocking on the doors of Indiana residents would hear, "Hoosier?" (Who's there?) from inside.

The Great Seal of the State of Indiana depicts a scene from pioneer days (#169): A woodsman using an ax, a bison, sycamore trees, and the sun lodged partly behind some hills.  The hardy woodsman also lends another theory to the origin of “Hoosier” as a term used by southerners for woodsmen or rough hill people, according to a historical article on the official Indiana website.

The origin of the name Indiana comes from land of the Indians (#170).  These aboriginal peoples include the moundbuilding Mississippians, who come around 1000 (#171).  Angel Mounds State Historic Site (#172) near Evansville preserves one such mounds site.  Later in history, Algonquin peoples (#173) inhabited present-day Indiana, including the Potawwatomi (#174), Kickapoo (#175), Miami (#176), Delaware (#177), and Shawnee (#178).  I read about these peoples in a book about Indiana by Darlene R. Stille in the "America the Beautiful" series that I checked out at the the library in anticipation of this day.  And you can read more about the origin of Indiana in this article.

Indiana’s blue and gold-colored state flag (#179) has a torch representing liberty and enlightenment (#180), with rays to show its influence reaching far.  There are 13 stars in a circle to represent the original 13 colonies.  There are another 5 in a half-circle, and a larger star above the torch’s flame to represent Indiana as the 19^th State of the United States (#181).  (You can read more about the flag in this article.)

Indiana has many other state symbols.

The state beverage, interestingly enough, is water (#182).

The state bird is the Northern Cardinal (#183), which Indiana shares with a number of other states.

The state flower is the peony (#184), one of my favorite flowers, which I always look forward to seeing bloom in late May/early June.

The state pie is sugar cream pie (#185).

The state river is the Wabash River (#186), which makes it fitting enough that the state song is "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away" (#187).  (The same article on the origins of Hoosier says that the term came from rivermen who were so good at “hushing” their opponents in brawls.)  Also of note for Illinoisans, farmers from the area near the Wabash would travel north to sell their good in markets in Chicago, which is the origin of the name Wabash Street.

The point of the Wabash River’s confluence with the Ohio River in the extreme southwest corner of the state is the lowest point of elevation in Indiana, at 320 feet above sea level (#188).

The highest point of elevation is Hoosier Hill (#189), at 1,257 feet above sea level, in Franklin Township, in Wayne County, about a mile west of the border with Ohio.

The highest honor given by the state of Indiana is the Sagamore of the Wabash (#190).  Sagamore is a term that a chief would bestow on someone from whom he would seek counsel, according to the Indiana page on the State Symbols website, where you can read more about all these symbols.

Indiana also has a state poem, "Indiana" (#191), by Arthur Franklin Mapes (#192) of Kendalville, who was named the unofficially Indiana State Poet Laureate in 1977 through Indiana legislative action, House Concurrent Resolution 63.

Indiana's official state languages are English and sign language (#193).

The state tree is the tulip poplar (#194).

The state stone is Salem Limestone (#195).

Indiana even has an unofficial Indiana tartan (#196).

Reflecting on Indiana, my thoughts naturally turn to the experience of my four college years at Valparaiso University, a time when I got to know life in the northwest part of the state, which figures heavily into my 200 list.  And it’s fitting that the 200^th blog post to celebrating the bicentennial of Indiana, bringing it full circle, since my graduation from Valparaiso University inspired the launch of this blog.

I think Indiana on the whole is defined by the wide open fields (#197) that cover the state, much like my home state of Illinois.  There aren't necessarily any huge cities like New York City, Los Angeles, or Chicago, but its people (#198) have much to offer.  They're a good bunch, who work well, and make a good place for living in the “State that Works” (#199).  It has been a true pleasure developing a number of wonderful friendships with them over the past seven years (#200).  And as an Illinoisan, they certainly make for fine neighbors.

With that, I wrap up my yearlong 200 Things about Indiana List in tribute to this special occasion.  Of course, I have to acknowledge that Indiana is so amazing that all its excellent attributes, remarkable people, great places, and other claims to fame aren’t able to fit in this 200 list, and so I've definitely left out a whole bunch of other wonderful things about this fine state.  If there’s something you want to eagerly share with me, by all means, please let me know—you can use the contact form on the right side of this page to do so, or in any other way you know how. 

And with so many notables about Indiana, there’s all the more reason to continue celebrating all things Hoosier day after day with each passing year as we head forth from this occasion.

So here's to your Bicentennial, Indiana!  Godspeed for all the years ahead.

On May 19, 2013, the day of my graduation from Valparaiso University, with Kallay-Christopher Hall in the background, center of picture, the building for the Department of Geography and Meteorology

Saluting Indiana with this picture of me posing next to a statue of Orville Redenbacher in the up-and-coming downtown Valparaiso, along Lincolnway.  Thanks to Dan Ruggaber for getting this picture--one of many fine Hoosier I have gotten to know in my lifetime, especially during my time at Valparaiso University.

P.S. Check out the other blog posts which contain items in the 200 List about Indiana:
"A Starting Salute to Indiana"
"Another Friendly Silvery Salute"
"A Few Notables in Lake County, Northwest Indiana"
"Post-College: Three Years"
"A Place of Many Roads"
"Travels through Way More than Just Cornfields"
"Popcorn and Porter County"
"Hooray for Hoosiers of Note"

And I sure hope this Bicentennial occasion adds to the celebration at this evening's Advent Student Dinner at St. Teresa of Avila in Valaparaiso, along with the occasions of Gaudete Sunday and the end of the semester for ValpU students--see the first blog post in the list above.