ENCYCLOPÆDIA Britannica DISCOVER AMERICA Indiana The Hoosier State CHICAGO LONDON NEW DELHI PARIS SEOUL SYDNEY TAIPEI TOKYO
INTRODUCTION Indiana is well known by its nickname the Hoosier State Indiana is also well known as the home of the Indianapolis 500 car race Equally interesting are the people industry sports entertainment and history of the state This fascinating Midwestern state is full of surprises Indiana has lush forest areas and beautiful beaches along the shores of Lake Michigan There is fun to be found in the sand dunes that line the lake Millions of tourists flock to Indiana to visit its wonderful attractions and breathtaking scenery The Feast of the Hunters Moon is held each autumn at Fort Ouiatenon Historic Park near West Lafayette The festival celebrates the annual gathering of French settlers and Native Americans that took place at this fur-trading outpost in the mid-1700s 4 INDIANA Chain O’Lakes State Park is one example of Indiana’s spectacular recreational areas Indiana was the 19th state to enter the Union The tulip tree is Indiana’s state tree The state motto is Crossroads of America because of Indiana’s location in the central United States The motto was adopted in 1937
INTRODUCTION 5 Of all the prairie states Indiana is the farthest east It occupies the smallest area of all the Midwestern states Indiana is bordered by Michigan to the north Ohio to the east Illinois to the west and Kentucky to the south People often travel Indiana’s many highways when crossing the nation With 14 interstate highways running through the state it really is the crossroads of the nation The South Shore Line provides railroad transportation to some 3 5 million passengers annually along a route between South Bend and Chicago Ill Since 1963 it has been the nation’s only interurban electric railroad International airports are located in Fort Wayne Indianapolis and Terre Haute and regional and municipal airports are located throughout the state The Port of Indiana Burns Harbor in Portage is the busiest port on the Great Lakes Downtown Terre Haute can be a confusing place with roads branching off in all directions Including inland water Indiana spans 36,420 square miles The official state flower was originally the carnation Some people objected because the carnation is a European flower The official flower was later changed to the tulip tree blossom the zinnia and the dogwood blossom before the peony was chosen in 1957 Indiana’s state song is On the Banks of the Wabash Far Away Indiana Location Map Capital Indianapolis Interstate highways Scale 0 0 25 40 50 80 Mi Km Population 6,080,485 Size 36,420 square miles Highest peak Hoosier Hill 1,257 feet
