Thought I would try something new - Tuesday Trivia. No fair googling or otherwise researching the questions before answering.
Today's topic: Early Indianapolis History
1. What was originally constructed on Monument Circle?
a. A monument to Revolutionary War veterans
b. The Marion County Courthouse
c. The Indiana Statehouse
d. The Governor's Mansion
2. What mode of transportation was available to get to the first Indiana legislative session held in Indianapolis?
a. Traveling by horse and wagon on one of the roads leading to the capitol city
b. Railroad
c. Flatboat on the White River
d. Airplane
3. What was the name of the settlement in Indianapolis, before Indianapolis was christened as the capitol city by the Indiana Legislature?
a. Haughville
b. Fall Creek Settlement
c. White River Settlement
d. Indiana City
4. Which of the following best characterizes the physical characteristic of the land that became Indianapolis?
a. Slightly rolling hills
b. Dry, arid land
c. Swampy land
d. Flat land with few trees
5. Who occupied the first Governor's Mansion built in Indianapolis
a. The Governor lived there
b. The Indiana Legislature met there when the Governor refused to move in
c. The Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana Appellate Court took over the building when the Governor refused to move in
d. The house was mostly taken over by bums and other squatters when the Governor refused to move in
5 comments:
1. d.
2. a.
3. a.
4. c.
5. d.
Interesting and fun (even if I'm all wrong).
My guesses. It has been a long time since I read that Indiana History book in third grade...
1. d (Didn't the Governor refuse to move in because his wife would have nowhere to hang clothes to dry?)
2. a.
3. b. (I vaguely remember that William Conner had something to do with the selection of the site.)
4. c.
5. d.
Oh, and an interesting footnote, the area now used by the water company near the Stadium on Waterway was once the city dump....
Gotta love that city water! :)
Here are the answers:
1. What was originally constructed on Monument Circle?
a. A monument to Revolutionary War veterans
b. The Marion County Courthouse
c. The Indiana Statehouse
d. The Governor's Mansion
ANSWER: a; The Governor's Mansion was built in the circle in 1827.
2. What mode of transportation was available to get to the first Indiana legislative session held in Indianapolis?
a. Traveling by horse and wagon on one of the roads leading to the capitol city
b. Railroad
c. Flatboat on the White River
d. Airplane
ANSWER: c; There were no railroad or airplanes, of course. But what may be surprising is that Indianapolis was established BEFORE there were any roads leading to the place, including the National Road. They thought White River would be much more navigable than it turned out to be. Flat boats could, sometimes, make it on the shallow river but that was about it. A lot of the first legislators to meet in Indianapolis by horseback or walking through the woods. There is a story of one set of legislators who got lost for about a week and possibly only survived because they were found by Indians who gave them food or shelter.
3. What was the name of the settlement in Indianapolis, before Indianapolis was christened as the capitol city by the Indiana Legislature?
a. Haughville
b. Fall Creek Settlement
c. White River Settlement
d. Indiana City
ANSWER: b
4. Which of the following best characterizes the physical characteristic of the land that became Indianapolis?
a. Slightly rolling hills
b. Dry, arid land
c. Swampy land
d. Flat land with few trees
ANSWER: c; Indianapolis has always been swampy, which is why especially on the north side of the county you don't see many basements - water table is too high and people have trouble keeping basements dry. Interestingly the county was names after Revolutionary War General Francis Marion whose nickname was the "Swamp Fox."
5. Who occupied the first Governor's Mansion built in Indianapolis
a. The Governor lived there
b. The Indiana Legislature met there when the Governor refused to move in
c. The Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana Appellate Court took over the building when the Governor refused to move in
d. The house was mostly taken over by bums and other squatters when the Governor refused to move in
ANSWER: d; Very impressed by the people who got this right. The mansion built in 1827, was torn down in 1857. No Governor ever lived there. There were complaints that the house lacked privacy and was cold and damp. Several squatters and others lived there. A kindergarten class met there for awhile. Some farm animals used to graze the circle and people who lived there hung out their laundry to dry. Interestingly we have had five different governor's mansions in Indianapolis.
Invicta,
Thanks for that bit of information. Next time my neighborhood petitions to go on city water, I don't think I'll sign the petition.
Post a Comment