Exploring the history Indianapolis, Indiana, and the surrounding area, Yesterday's Indianapolis will cover a wide range historical topics about the people, places and events, which have shaped the history of the Circle City and Indiana as a whole. Also check out the companion website to this podcast: Class 900: Indianapolis History ( (https://www.class900indy.com/)class900indy.com (http://class900indy.com)) (https://www.class900indy.com/)
In 1866 the United States Congress passed the country's first Civil Rights Act, which in addition to establishing rights of citizenship, it also reinforced many basic rights for African Americans, including being able to provide testimony in court, and to sue a white person. In 1866, using this law, two men, Mumford Harris and William Nichols, challenged a policy of the Indianapolis streetcar company which banned African American men to ride inside the car. Instead, they were forced to stand on exterior platforms, no matter the weather. This podcast episode explores the trial of this case.
Class 900 Indy Blog Post: The Indianapolis Civil Rights Trial which Challenged the Street Railway Company (https://www.class900indy.com/post/the-indianapolis-civil-rights-trial-which-challenged-the-street-railway-company)
Information about the Civil Rights Act of 1866 can be found here (https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/civil-rights-act-of-1866-april-9-1866-an-act-to-protect-all-persons-in-the-united-states-in-their-civil-rights-and-furnish-the-means-of-their-vindication).
Cover image is the headline from the Indianapolis Herald for its report on the Harris/Nichols trial on June 29, 1866.
Want to help offset the hosting costs for the blog and podcast? Leave a donation here: https://ko-fi.com/class900indyhistory (https://ko-fi.com/class900indyhistory).
Also, Venmo can be accessed here: https://venmo.com/u/ejfujawa (https://venmo.com/u/ejfujawa)
10 Sept 2026
Tragedy on the Honey Bee Line: The Sahara Grotto Interurban Crash of 1927
This episode of Yesterday's Indianapolis explores a bit about the extensive history of the interurban electric trains in Indianapolis, and explores a tragic accident which occurred on the Honey Bee interurban line just west of downtown Indianapolis in 1927.
Honey Bee Line Blog Post: Tragedy on the Honey Bee Line: The Sahara Grotto Interurban Crash of 1927 (https://www.class900indy.com/post/tragedy-on-the-honey-bee-line-the-sahara-grotto-interurban-crash-of-1927)
Another blog post covering interurbans in Indianapolis:
Tracking the Remains of the Indianapolis Northern Interurban Line (https://www.class900indy.com/post/tracking-the-remains-of-the-indianapolis-northern-interurban-line)
Fox 59 Discussion about Indianapolis Flooding History: https://youtu.be/LqK-htd6rRs?si=ZexeCNFk0u9_xwFf (https://youtu.be/LqK-htd6rRs?si=ZexeCNFk0u9_xwFf)
Want to help offset the hosting costs for the blog and podcast? Leave a donation here: https://ko-fi.com/class900indyhistory (https://ko-fi.com/class900indyhistory).
Also, Venmo can be accessed here: https://venmo.com/u/ejfujawa (https://venmo.com/u/ejfujawa)
28 Aug 2026
A Monument to Lincoln's Visit to Indianapolis
A plaque along Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis memorializes president-elect Abraham Lincoln's stop in the city while on his way to assume the presidency in February of 1861, on the eve of the Civil War. This podcast explores Lincoln's visit and speech, and the history behind how the plaque was established.
Close-up of the plaque on the side of the Claypool Hotel: Abraham Lincoln Plaque - Larry Foster - Indiana Historical Society Digital Images (https://images.indianahistory.org/digital/collection/p16797coll35/id/2599/rec/6)
If you zoom in on this 1955 image of the Claypool Hotel, you can see the plaque in its original location, between two windows of the Claypool Pharmacy and just above the passing streetcar: Claypool Hotel - Larry Foster - Indiana Historical Society Digital Images (https://images.indianahistory.org/digital/collection/p16797coll35/id/2408/rec/32)
News clipping about Marie Stewart: https://indystar.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news-marie-strwart/204439587/ (https://indystar.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news-marie-strwart/204439587/)
Want to help offset the hosting costs for the blog and podcast? Leave a donation here: https://ko-fi.com/class900indyhistory (https://ko-fi.com/class900indyhistory).
Also, Venmo can be accessed here: https://venmo.com/u/ejfujawa (https://venmo.com/u/ejfujawa)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Spotify
4.8 / 5
6 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 10 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
7
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Contact Yesterday's Indianapolis
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
