When people think about Indiana, corn is usually the first thing that comes to mind. Then comes the Indianapolis Colts and the Indianapolis 500. Any Hoosier will be the first to tell you that Indiana is so much more than corn, football, and racing. In fact, here are 10 things about Indiana that even some Hoosiers may not know!
- Indiana Jones has absolutely nothing to do with the state of Indiana
WikiMedia Commons Indiana Jones was born in the state of New Jersey. His father was from Scotland, and he was raised in Utah and New Mexico. He worked in Connecticut and Illinois; and he traveled to China, Nevada, Peru, Egypt, Italy, Germany, Nepal, India, Austria, and Turkey. Individuals who lived in California and Ohio created Indiana Jones. Never once did this character have anything to do with Indiana.
- “Garfield” actually took place in Indiana
Vernon Barford School Did you know the comic strip and cartoon series “Garfield” took place in Muncie, Indiana? Most people do not know this because it’s not something mentioned very much in the series. The creator of the comic, Jim Davis, actually went to college in Muncie.
- The very first gasoline pump was invented in Indiana
Paul Sableman Sylvanus Freelove Bowser is credited for inventing the very first gasoline pump in 1885 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The only thing more incredible than that is the fact that he survived having that name.
- No one really knows where “Hoosier” came from
Marco Bellucci Ask a room full of Hoosiers why they are called Hoosiers and you are going to get a lot of different answers. Why? Because we have absolutely no idea where the name came from. Even though we have no idea where our beloved nickname came from, we still proudly claim the fact that we are Hoosiers every day.
- Indiana breeds more basketball players than any other state
WikiMedia Commons Did you know that, historically, more professional basketball players have been born in the state of Indiana (per capita) than any other state in the US? Statistically, 26 of every million citizens in the state of Indiana are destined to become a player for the NBA. Isn’t that cool?
- Indiana is home to the most ice cream
pexels.com Ok, so we are not the state that produces the most ice cream; but we do have pretty impressive ice cream production statistics. In the year 2011, our 19 ice cream factories produced nearly 90 million gallons of ice cream. This means that each of our factories produced almost 5 million gallons of ice cream every year. Compare that to the 71 factories in Texas that produce less than 2 million gallons per factory.
- In 1921 speed limits were first introduced to the roads of Indiana
WikiMedia Commons In 1921, the drivers of Indiana were introduced to speed limits of 20 to 25 miles. Can you imagine always having to drive so slow?
- Indiana is home to one of the ONLY two Adam’s fireplaces in the United States
WikiMedia Commons Most people know the first Adam’s fireplace is located in the White House. What a lot of people do not know is that the second one is located in the Diner Home in the state of Indiana.
- Indiana is home to one the largest cemeteries in the United States
WikiMedia Commons Crown Hill Cemetery, located in Indianapolis, is the largest cemetery in the state.
- La Porte County is the only county in the United States that is home to two fully functioning courthouses.
WikiMedia Commons But you probably don’t want to end up in either one.
How many of these cool facts did you already known? Can you think of any other fun facts that didn’t make the list? Tell us in the comments below and don’t forget to share this piece with your friends if you enjoyed it!
WikiMedia Commons
Indiana Jones was born in the state of New Jersey. His father was from Scotland, and he was raised in Utah and New Mexico. He worked in Connecticut and Illinois; and he traveled to China, Nevada, Peru, Egypt, Italy, Germany, Nepal, India, Austria, and Turkey. Individuals who lived in California and Ohio created Indiana Jones. Never once did this character have anything to do with Indiana.
Vernon Barford School
Did you know the comic strip and cartoon series “Garfield” took place in Muncie, Indiana? Most people do not know this because it’s not something mentioned very much in the series. The creator of the comic, Jim Davis, actually went to college in Muncie.
Paul Sableman
Sylvanus Freelove Bowser is credited for inventing the very first gasoline pump in 1885 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The only thing more incredible than that is the fact that he survived having that name.
Marco Bellucci
Ask a room full of Hoosiers why they are called Hoosiers and you are going to get a lot of different answers. Why? Because we have absolutely no idea where the name came from. Even though we have no idea where our beloved nickname came from, we still proudly claim the fact that we are Hoosiers every day.
Did you know that, historically, more professional basketball players have been born in the state of Indiana (per capita) than any other state in the US? Statistically, 26 of every million citizens in the state of Indiana are destined to become a player for the NBA. Isn’t that cool?
pexels.com
Ok, so we are not the state that produces the most ice cream; but we do have pretty impressive ice cream production statistics. In the year 2011, our 19 ice cream factories produced nearly 90 million gallons of ice cream. This means that each of our factories produced almost 5 million gallons of ice cream every year. Compare that to the 71 factories in Texas that produce less than 2 million gallons per factory.
In 1921, the drivers of Indiana were introduced to speed limits of 20 to 25 miles. Can you imagine always having to drive so slow?
Most people know the first Adam’s fireplace is located in the White House. What a lot of people do not know is that the second one is located in the Diner Home in the state of Indiana.
Crown Hill Cemetery, located in Indianapolis, is the largest cemetery in the state.
But you probably don’t want to end up in either one.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
