By Victoria T. Davis

In Indiana, basketball is king, football fans adore the Indianapolis Colts, pork tenderloins can be found at almost every local fair and visitors can experience Hoosier hospitality at its finest. But do you think you know all Indiana has to offer?

Think you’re the master of Indiana trivia? Following are little-known facts about the State of Indiana.

• Indianapolis native Marcella Gruelle created the Raggedy Ann doll in 1914.

• Baseball was practically born here — the first professional game was played in Fort Wayne on May 4, 1871.

• Well-known actor James Dean was born in Marion in 1941.

• Southern Indiana is where Hoosiers can find a sea of limestone that is one of the richest deposits of top-quality limestone on earth, experts say. The Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Pentagon as well as 14 state capitol buildings are built from Indiana limestone.

• Although Indiana means “land of the Indians,” fewer than 8,000 Native Americans live in the state.

• The first practical gas pump was designed in Fort Wayne by Syvanus Bower.

• Indiana is known as the “mother of vice presidents,” as it is the home of five vice presidents: Schuyler Colfax (President Ulysses S. Grant), Thomas Hendricks (President Grover Cleveland), Charles Warren Fairbanks (President Theodore Roosevelt), Thomas Marshall (President Woodrow Wilson) and J. Danforth “Dan” Quayle (President George HW Bush).

• Sarah Walker, more widely known as Madame CJ Walker, became one of the nation’s first female millionaires by selling hair products marketed to African-Americans.

• Indiana’s first newspaper, The Indiana Gazette, was published in Vincennes in 1804.

• Indiana produces more than 20 percent of the United States’ popcorn supply. In a typical year, almost half of all cropland in Indiana is corn.

• Indiana has had two state constitutions, one in 1816 and another in 1851.

• In 1918, Columbus-born Charles “Chuck” Taylor made the Indiana High School All-State team. He developed a popular shoe colloquially called “Chucks,” which were created by Converse.

• Santa Claus Land opened in 1946 in Santa Claus, Indiana, becoming the world’s first theme park. The park was dedicated to all things Santa Claus and North Pole-related. This one design decision set it apart from all previous amusement parks, like the famed Coney Island, Luna Park and White City. This park opened almost a decade before Walt Disney’s park. Today, the theme park is known as Holiday World.

• Indianapolis hosted Elvis Presley’s last concert in 1977 in Market Square Arena.

• Cartoonist Jim Davis, creator of Garfield, is from Marion.

• Indiana is one of 13 U.S. states to be divided by more than one time zone.

• The iconic, curvy Coca-Cola bottles were designed in Terre Haute.

• The neighborhood of Newport, now known as Fountain City, was considered “grand central station” of the Underground Railroad, as many slaves used the location to escape.

• Wyandotte Cave is one of the largest caves in the U.S.

• In 1880, Wabash became the first electrically lighted city in the world.

Compiled by Kelly Patrick Slone

What’s not to love? We asked some leaders and entrepreneurs from across the state to tell Indiana Minority Business Magazine, “What do you love about Indiana?” Following are some of their responses.

“What I love about Indiana are the vast opportunities for growth for all businesses and entrepreneurs, in which excellence and resilience are exemplified by collectively prevailing over any given challenge.”

— Palermo Galinda, president of the Fort Wayne Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

“I moved to Indiana from New Jersey three years ago, and my experience has been absolutely wonderful! What I love most is the people — Indiana has some of the most warm and welcoming people I have ever met!”

— Seelpa Keshvala, campus president of Ivy Tech Warsaw

“I love the diversity represented among those of us who are African-Americans. We can boast people from one of the country’s first African-American millionaires, Madam CJ Walker, to individuals like my grandfather, Limmie Patterson, who migrated to Gary from the south to create a better life for his family. We have thrived in urban areas like Fort Wayne and rural areas like French Lick. We have been a part of Indiana’s fabric since the inception of the state.”

— Karen Freeman-Wilson, mayor of Gary, Indiana

“The people in Indiana are hands down the best-kept secret and totally my favorite thing about living and working in Indiana! I am a transplant from Michigan and was only supposed to be based in Indianapolis for three months, but I fell in love with this place and have been ever since. I have been afforded the opportunity to travel across our state and have met so many amazing Hoosiers who reconfirm for me every day that this is exactly where I’m meant to be!”

— Terrie Daniel, deputy commissioner Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises

“Having moved to Indiana 10 years ago for work, I’m always impressed by the talent and caliber of companies we have in our state. This is a place where you can get involved, make a difference and really contribute to the local business community.”

— Nicole Wilkins, president and owner, 260media in Roanoke

“I love working and living in Indiana, because the people are easy going and down to earth.”

— Antonio Alexander, Concrete Creations in Plymouth

“I love living in Indiana because I was born and raised in Indiana; it is home. I love working in Indiana because it has provided me with many job opportunities in my line of work and helped my company grow.”

— Dalia Spanos, N.I. Spanos Painting Inc. in Merrillville

By Lauren Caggiano

Not every business can stand the test of time. It can be a challenge to stay relevant and profitable in changing times. Luckily for the Hoosier State, several businesses in a variety of industries have enjoyed multiple decades of success. Here are a few we’ve highlighted:

Peerless Cleaners

Since 1915, Fort Wayne-based Peerless has served northeastern Indiana as the oldest full-service cleaner in the area. Services include everything from traditional dry cleaning to fire restoration. They have 10 drop-off locations in Fort Wayne, Warsaw, Angola and Auburn, and offer home delivery as well. Staff includes 100 part-time and full-time employees.

According to President Steve Grasshoff, the Peerless name carries a lot of weight. In his words, “it’s a strong name” and has survived ups and downs over the years. In the 15 years he’s led the company, Grasshoff said investing in the community and treating employees and customers right have been central to their business practices. Speaking of practices, he said technology upgrades will be king as a point of difference in the coming years. They’ve recently invested in a green dry cleaning process, which is trending in the industry.

G.A. Schimpff’s Confectionary

Located in Jeffersonville, G.A. Schimpff’s Confectionery is one of the oldest, continuously operated, family-owned candy businesses in the United States. Started by Gus Schimpff Sr. and Jr., the business has survived wars, floods, depressions and recessions through four generations.

This place exudes nostalgia, complete with a ’50s soda fountain and original tin ceiling. Customers come from far and wide for homemade candy and real fountain drinks. In 2001, the family added a candy demonstration area and candy museum to cater to curious customers.

Speaking of customers, co-owner Jill Schimpff gives credit where credit is due.

“We make it good and you make it famous,” she said, adding, “If you make something good, people will come.”

Allison Transmission

Today, Indianapolis-based Allison Transmission is the world’s largest manufacturer of fully automatic commercial-duty transmissions and a leader in hybrid-propulsion systems. But it wasn’t always such a giant.

The company started in 1915 with the vision of one man — James Allison — to support his Indianapolis 500 racing activities. Later in 1917, he shifted his shop’s focus to support the U.S. war effort and undertake a series of design modifications to existing military equipment. That sense of enterprise and ingenuity has remained consistent over the years.

“Our company was founded on the values of innovation, quality and reliability,” said Lawrence E. Dewey, chairman, president and CEO of Allison Transmission. “Although 100 years have passed, I’m very proud to say those remain our driving values today. With our products and services, we are improving the way the world works.”

Embassy Theatre

Built as a movie palace and vaudeville house in 1928, the Emboyd Theatre was the go-to place for entertainment in Fort Wayne. In 1952, the Emboyd Theatre and Indiana Hotel were sold to the Alliance Amusement Corporation, along with the Indiana Hotel adjacent to the theater. The name changed to the Embassy Theatre, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

“The Embassy Theatre has been and remains to this day a crown jewel for the city of Fort Wayne and Northern Indiana,” said Kelly Updike, the Embassy Theatre’s executive director. “From the vaudeville days of the 1920s to our new renovation set to open in 2016, the Embassy entertains audiences with the best of Broadway, concerts, comedians and more.”

Taylor’s Bakery

Taylor’s Bakery is a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated bakery in Indianapolis. It has catered to central Indiana’s sweet tooth for 102 years with its scratch-recipe birthday cakes, wedding cakes and specialty cakes.

Founded in 1913 by Dennis O. Taylor, it all began as a small food business. It grew from there. In 1968, the family opened the current location at 62nd Street and Allisonville Road. Today, Taylor’s Bakery is synonymous with custom creations and exceptional customer service — a distinction the owners don’t take lightly.

“I’ve always said you have to be lucky and good,” said President John Allen. A small business is fragile and depends largely on good people and customers, he added.

The Henry Company

In 1939, the Henry family relocated to Indiana from Ohio. Harold Henry opened Henry’s Sweeper Service on Columbia Avenue in Hammond, where the family sold and repaired vacuums. Operating nine offices throughout north central Indiana, Harold became one of the most successful vacuum cleaner dealers in the U.S. The business is still family owned; Harold’s grandson Steve Henry now operates the three Henry Company stores in Hammond, Highland and Merrillville.

Staying true to the founder’s vision and values has served the company.

“Throughout his business career, Harold Henry demanded that all his fellow employees provide the best products and service to each and every one of his valued customers,” said Dave Marshall, a spokesman for the store. “Today, The Henry Company under his grandson’s guidance continues to honor those standards set forth by its founder.”

By Kelly Patrick Slone

“When ‘progress’ calls for redevelopment of cities, African-American sites and structures are often the first to disappear. In small towns and rural areas, Black landmarks frequently fade into obscurity.” — Indiana Landmarks.

Indiana Landmarks, a private statewide historic preservation group, doesn’t necessarily fight progress. Rather, it works to ensure the developments of today and tomorrow maintain respect for yesterday’s structures and the value of Hoosier history.

“Each building represents a different goal and achievement that a community has. For that reason, we’ve always felt whatever kind of structure it is, it played an important part in our history,” said Mark Dollase, Indiana Landmarks vice president.

But a couple decades ago, Dollase said the organization realized their focus needed to be broadened.

“For so long, the arc of the work that we do had been focused on the most important works of architecture in our state, and when I say ‘most important,’ I mean specifically in the design of the structures or who built them,” Dollase said.

“And most often, those were wealthy people who back in the 1800s, early 1900s had the financial means to build places like that. And most often those were wealthy white people, to be blunt.”

In the early 1990s, Indiana Landmarks decided to reevaluate its focus to include more diverse initiatives, which led to the creation of a group that’s been key to saving and restoring significant African-American sites and buildings across the state.

“Indiana Landmarks set up the African-American Landmarks Committee (AALC) at that time, and we began by doing some studies of key buildings that we thought needed to be preserved that had a support system around them. And that led to some significant restoration and rehabilitation projects,” Dollase said.

With help from the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana Historical Bureau, the AALC conducted a survey and identified 330 buildings and historic sites across the state that are important to African-American history.

After identifying their targets, the AALC could really get down to business. When asked for some of the highlights of the committee’s work, Dollase mentioned significant “saves” in Jefferson County, Marion County and Vigo County. Dollase said he oversees eight regional offices across the state, which helps to keep tabs on projects and work with communities in their respective regions.

One project in particular that Dollase said Indiana Landmarks was especially pleased with was the restoration of St. Stephen’s AME Church in Jefferson County, just outside Hanover, Indiana. The church, which was built in 1904, was in bad shape.

“The building not only was run down, but the congregation had dwindled down to about 10 people,” Dollase said.

Indiana Landmarks was able to revitalize the building, which helped the church attract new members and led to a turnaround in the congregation itself. Dollase said it was a prime example of Indiana Landmarks ability to use a “building and its heritage as a source of energy to help inspire people.”

Another significant church project that had major help from the community was the restoration of Allen Chapel AME in Terre Haute.

“Some us in the community formed a group called the Friends of Historic Allen Chapel, and that group has raised since the mid 1990s about $600,000 that’s been put into the building,” Dollase said.

The church now has a new roof, updated wiring, revamped heating and cooling, and remodeled restrooms and kitchen. The building was also updated for accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The biggest expense — to the tune of about $125,000 — was restoring all the church’s original stained glass windows.

Dollase said Indiana Landmarks has made definite progress preserving the state’s African-American sites since the AALC was formed, but there are still constant threats and challenges.

“We are constantly having to educate the development community as to why these places are unique and special. We’ve fought off several threats over the past few years in Indianapolis,” he said.

Dollase said the group just hopes for a better understanding that certain sites are “off the table” for demolition, though as a compromise, some can be “incorporated into someone’s project, so that piece of history is still there to tell the story of both the African-American community and the city of Indianapolis.”

“I think there are unique and different ways we can make sure these special places continue to be a part of our lives going forward,” he said.

And just because Indiana Landmarks has touched a community, doesn’t mean the challenges stop.

“One of the properties that we spent an extensive amount of time and money on saving was the Second Christian Church, which is in the middle of the Ransom Place Historic District (in Indianapolis). That was really the eyesore of the neighborhood, and we knew if we could fix that building and bring it back, it would help revitalize other buildings in the neighborhood.”

But that revitalization has caught the eye of developers, who have big plans for “improving” Ransom Place. Dollase said many plans have been proposed for large developments that are out of scale for the quaint, homey neighborhood, and while many have been shutdown, Indiana Landmarks’ work is never done.

Tour Indiana’s African-American landmarks

Mark Dollase, vice president of Indiana Landmarks, a private statewide historic preservation group, listed some of his “must-see” African-American heritage sites around Indiana.

Roberts Settlement (Hamilton County)

Free Blacks who migrated mostly from North Carolina and Virginia founded this African-American pioneer farm settlement in 1835. A chapel and a cemetery are today’s reminders of the thriving community that once called Roberts Settlement home.

Georgetown District (Jefferson County)

This neighborhood, along the Ohio River, housed free Blacks as early as the 1830s and included at least eight sites on the Underground Railroad. More than 70 percent of the neighborhood’s original structures still stand, including two churches that were Underground Railroad stops and the homes of several Underground Railroad leaders.

Lyles Station (Gibson Co.)

Lyles Station was settled in the early 1800s and is one of the last remaining African-American settlements in the state. The Lyles Station School has been preserved and renovated, and the Lyles Station Museum was created. Several events and programs are put on at Lyles Station, including a program for school fieldtrips.

Civil Rights Museum (St. Joseph County)

A civil rights museum has been set up at a natatorium building where the pool was whites-only six days of the week. Dollase said once a week, the pool was completely drained and refilled, so the Black community could swim. After that day, the pool was again drained and refilled for the whites-only days.