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📜 This Week in Indiana History 📜

President Lincoln Signs the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862

In 1862, fellow Hoosier Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Morrill Land-Grant Act that provided states with federal public lands to fund public colleges. This allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges for mechanical and agricultural studies. As dry as that sounds, the Indiana General Assembly took advantage of this to create one of the best engineering and agricultural universities in the country… Purdue University.

That’s right… President Lincoln signed an act that essentially allowed for Purdue to be built. A few years after he signed it, the Indiana General Assembly accepted bids from different parts of the state to be the location of Purdue University. Indiana University was also pitched, as well as the idea of adding an agricultural department at what is now Indiana State University. But John Purdue, a Lafayette business owner, put up $150,000 (plus $50,000 from Tippecanoe County) to have Purdue University in West Lafayette. Boiler Up!

📰 Hoosier Headlines 📰

Celebrating America’s 250th

Most already have plans on when and where they’re celebrating the Fourth of July and America’s 250th, but if you don’t we’re here to help. (Get Indiana)

Our friends at Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance also compiled a list of spots to enjoy Independence Day celebrations, and Nate talks about some of them here. (IFBI)

Scroll down to the events section for more festival and fireworks listings, too.

3 Tips to Lower Your Utility Costs in the Summer

Utility bills shoot upwards when temperatures really heat up as they have this week across the Midwest. Here are three ways for you to keep your utility bills manageable, and if you’re in central Indiana, hit up Hope Plumbing, Heating and Cooling to book an AC maintenance appointment. (Get Indiana)

Hope is a fun account to follow on Instagram, too.

Whitewater Memorial State Park: Honoring Our Veterans

Whitewater Memorial State Park was formed as a cooperative project between four neighboring counties to honor the young men they had lost during World War II. (Get Indiana)

Cooling Centers Available in Marion County

Need to find relief from the heat today and tomorrow? Here is a list of cooling centers in Marion County that are open to the public. (WIBC)

If you’re in the pink area, the heat warnings and advisories have been extended through Friday, with heat index values still pushing into the triple digits.

Splash Down at an Indiana Water Park

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari. Indiana Beach. Deep River Waterpark, it’s simply splash-tastic. Those are the big three in the Hoosier State, but there are many more outdoor and indoor water parks to enjoy. (IFBI)

Who remembers this classic Indiana Beach commercial?

AND, Holiday World made a cannonball of an announcement yesterday! (Start video at 6:10)

Celebrate July 4th in Kirklin

Kirklin Main Street is throwing the 250th July 4th Freedom Fest at Travelers Point Distillery, with food, live music, games, and all the good stuff from 2 to 8 p.m. It's free to attend and family friendly. Find them at 400 East Madison Street and get details at kirklin-mainstreet.org.

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The Ranch

The next time you’re in Parke County in west-central Indiana, head to The Ranch in Rockville. J Hurless, owner of Reeder-Trausch Marine, has us sold.

Indiana

Travel 4,000 miles across the pond to Paris, France, and you’ll find a popular restaurant and bar chain called… Indiana. Seriously, it’s an American and Tex-Mex Bar Restaurant, and locals love it. (Get Indiana)

What’s your Hidden Gem? Submit here to have it featured!

Events This Week

Kroger Symphony on the Prairie: Star-Spangled Symphony – Conner Prairie Amphitheatre in Fishers – Thursday–Saturday, July 2–4 at 8 p.m. - The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performs patriotic favorites with celebrated tenor Jim Cornelison, who has sung “Back Home Again in Indiana” before every Indy 500 since 2017 and also sings the national anthem before every Chicago Blackhawks game, the Indianapolis Opera Chorus, cannons, biplane flyovers, and a fireworks finale to the 1812 Overture. Tickets

Marion County Fair – Marion County Fairgrounds in Indianapolis – July 3–12 - The 96th annual fair includes livestock shows, midway rides, grandstand entertainment, fair food, and 4-H exhibits on Indy's south side. Details

Lights Over Morse Lake – Red Bridge Park in Cicero – Thursday–Saturday, July 2–4 - It started Wednesday, but you can still catch this free festival on Morse Lake that features fireworks over the water, parade, carnival, golf-cart poker run, car show, live music, kids' day, and a talent show. Details

Avon's Night at the Park – Washington Township Park in Avon – Friday, July 3 from 6–10 p.m. - Hendricks County's free family evening features pony rides, a petting zoo, bounce houses, face painting, live music, food trucks, and fireworks after dark. Details

CarmelFest – Carmel Civic Square – Friday–Saturday, July 3–4 from Noon–10 p.m. - Carmel's beloved two-day celebration includes live entertainment, marketplace, KidsZone, the July 4 parade at 10:30 a.m., and a fireworks finale synchronized to WHJE 91.3 FM. Details

Fourth Fest – American Legion Mall & Indiana War Memorial in Downtown Indianapolis – Saturday, July 4 (festival 6 p.m., fireworks 10 p.m.) - Downtown Indy's Fourth Fest returns with food trucks, live music, a Kids Zone, and a 20-minute fireworks show launched from the 500 N. Meridian building. Details

Noblesville Fireworks Festival – Forest Park in Noblesville – Saturday, July 4 - Free Hamilton County celebration with a 4 p.m. parade, festival from 6–10 p.m., live music, food trucks, beer garden, and fireworks at 10 p.m. Details

Crown Point 4th of July Celebration – Downtown Crown Point & Lake County Fairgrounds – Saturday, July 4 - One of NW Indiana's most acclaimed Fourth of July celebrations with an 11 a.m. parade past Crown Point High School that will feature 30 floats telling America and Crown Point’s story. Stick around for fireworks at the fairgrounds at dusk. Details

Michigan City Fireworks Spectacular – Washington Park Beach in Michigan City – Saturday, July 4 from 8:30–9:30 p.m. - Annual lakefront fireworks show visible from anywhere along the city's 1.9 miles of Lake Michigan beachfront. Details

Fort Wayne July 4th Fireworks – Downtown Fort Wayne (launched from Harrison Square/Parkview Field) – Saturday, July 4 at 10 p.m. - Fort Wayne's downtown Independence Day fireworks light up the skyline from the new Harrison Square launch site. Details

Fireworks on the Fairway – Black Squirrel Golf Course in Goshen – Saturday, July 4 from 5–10 p.m. - Elkhart County's July 4 celebration features food trucks, local vendors, live entertainment, and fireworks over the fairway. Details

Linton Freedom Festival – Downtown Linton (Greene County) – Saturday, July 4 - Home to Indiana's largest Fourth of July parade, plus carnival rides, car shows, food, live music, and fireworks in southwestern Indiana. Details

Fireworks on the Ohio Presented by Bally's Evansville – Riverside Drive in Downtown Evansville – Saturday, July 4 (activities 6 p.m., fireworks around 9:15 p.m.) - Evansville's largest free public fireworks celebration along the Ohio River with 25+ food trucks, face painting, yard games, and the Evansville Youth Music Collective. Details

Bloomington Fourth of July Parade & Concert – Downtown Bloomington – Saturday, July 4 - Bloomington Parks & Recreation and Downtown Bloomington Inc. present the annual parade and concert, with additional evening fireworks over Lake Lemon. Details

👏 1 Big wIN 👏

Braden Smith is staying home. The Westfield, Indiana native and “Assist King” was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the NBA Draft last week and his rights were traded to… the Indiana Pacers. He’s Dom Miranda’s Hoosier High School Hero this week.

Bonus: Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn out of Silver Creek High School in Sellersburg, Indiana, was also drafted late in the second round. Find out where here. (Get Indiana)

🎧 The Midwest’s Next Startup City 🎧

🎙 On today's show I sat down with John Fernandez, CEO of Amplify Bloomington and former Bloomington mayor and Obama administration economic development leader.

Fernandez explains how the former Showers Brothers Furniture Factory site became an innovation hub through public-private partnerships, infrastructure investment, and entrepreneur-driven community building, expanding from The Mill to The Forge and nearby private initiatives like The Kiln.

We discuss why homegrown companies like Cook Group matter, the need for economic diversification, and Bloomington's challenges and strengths in talent retention and storytelling.

He highlights founder support, peer groups, local "sleeper" companies, and the Flywheel Fund's early-stage investing. Amplify's goals include scaling 10 firms from $1M to $10M revenue by 2031 and retaining more IU graduates in Bloomington.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- How a Furniture Factory Site Evolved to a Community Hub
- Amplify Bloomington's Five-Year Vision
- Bloomington's "Sleeper" Companies

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