Back home again, in Indiana

The world's largest orchid species collection is found at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana .

Tomato juice was first served at a French Lick, Indiana, hotel in 1925. The first tomato juice factory was also in French Lick, Indiana. French Lick was originally a French trading post built near a spring and salt lick.

World famous basketball star Larry Bird lives in French Lick.

The first regulated speed limit (20 - 25 mph!) was initiated on Indiana roads in 1921.

The steepest railroad grade in the world is in Madison, Indiana .

An average of 400 funnel clouds are sighted each year in Indiana .

The city of Gary, Indiana, was built on fill brought from the bottom of Lake Michigan through suction pipes.

There are only two Adams fireplaces in the United States. One is in the White House and the other in the Diner Home in Indiana .

Josie Orr, wife of former Indiana Governor Robert Orr, flew bombers and cargo planes during World War II.

The Indianapolis Methodist Hospital is the largest Hospital in the Midwest .

One of the first complete bathrooms in Indianapolis was in the home of Hoosier poet, James Whitcomb Riley.

The career of Dorothy Lamour (famous for the Bing Crosby-Bob Hope Road Movies) was launched in Indianapolis.

Aviatrix Amelia Earhart was once a Professor at Purdue University.

Crown Hill Cemetery ( Indianapolis ) is the largest cemetery in the U.S. Many of my husband’s maternal relatives are buried there.

The library in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, houses one of the largest genealogy libraries in America .

Wabash, Indiana, was the first electrified city in the U.S.

Pendleton, Indiana, was the site of the first hanging of a white man for killing Indians.

The Courthouse roof in Greensburg, Indiana, has a tree growing from it.

The world's first transistor radio was made in Indianapolis .

Clark Gable and wife Carole Lombard (born in Fort Wayne , IN ) honeymooned at Lake BarBee near Warsaw , Indiana .

The American Beauty Rose was developed at Richmond, Indiana .

Elkhart, Indiana, is the band instrument capitol of the World.

Frank Sinatra first sang with the Tommy Dorsey band at the Lyric Theater in Indianapolis .

Purdue Alumnus, Earl Butz, served as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

U.S. 231 is the longest highway in Indiana (231miles).

Johnny Appleseed is buried at Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The singing McGuire Sisters spent their childhood summers at the Church of God Campground in Anderson, Indiana . (I attended camp there one summer for Church of the Brethren Youth Conference.)

The main station of the Underground Railroad was in Fountain County, Indiana .

There are 154 acres of sculpture gardens and trails at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

La Porte County is the only county in America having 2 functioning courthouses.

Nancy Hanks Lincoln is buried in Posey County, Indiana.

The Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Allen County, contains the world's largest private collection of President Abraham Lincoln mementos (Lincoln National Life Insurance Company).

Crawfordsville, Indiana ( Montgomery County ) is one of the few sites in the world where crinoids are found. (What is a crinoid, you ask? A form of deep-water marine life that looks something like a starfish.)

Pendleton, Indiana, was the site of the 'Fall Creek Massacre'. A museum housing 3500 artifacts of pioneer heritage now exists on that site.

St. Meinrad Archabbey is located in Spencer County and is one of only 2 archabbeys in the U.S. and seven in the world. (Abbey Press is an operation of the archabbey.)

A buzz bomb [German ram-jet V-1, pioneer of the "Cruise Missiles"), believed to be the only one on public display in the nation, can be found on the Putnam County Courthouse lawn in Greencastle.

Roberta Turpin Willett was born in Indiana .

James Dean was born and is buried in Indiana.

The world's tallest woman lived in Indiana .

Red Skelton was born in Vincennes, Indiana  (and was a proud Hoosier 'til the day he died!)

Mae West and Claude Akins were from Bedford, Indiana.

John Mellencamp is a Hoosier and resides in Bloomington.

The inventor of the television, Philo T. Farnsworth, lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana .

Forrest Tucker was from Plainfield, Indiana .

You can't ship wine to Indiana .  (Direct to consumer, like UPS or FedEx)

Bob Greise is from Evansville, Indiana and was quarterback at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.

Toni Tenille (of The Captain and Tenille) is from Indiana ..

Oprah Winfrey built her residence in N/W Indiana .

Florence Henderson is from Indiana .

The much sought-after Hoosier Cabinets are an Indiana product.

90% of the world's popcorn is grown in Indiana . (Orville Redenbacher was what percent?)

The Jackson Five are from Gary , Indiana .

The birthplace of the American automobile, the pneumatic rubber tire, the aluminum casting process, stainless steel and the first push-button car radio was in Kokomo, Indiana.

Frank Borman, NASA astronaut, born in Gary, Indiana.

I received this via e-mail, but most can be found at Facts about Indiana at the State Library site.