Thread:61Storm/@comment-29709319-20181110010804/@comment-29709319-20181116030056

November 16th: National Indiana Day, National Fast Food Day, and National Button Day. 🌸🐲🔫pie🚢🚢raven,legend,RC

Indiana's name means "Land of the Indians", or simply "Indian Land". It also stems from Indiana's territorial history. On May 7, 1800, the United States Congress passed legislation to divide the Northwest Territory into two areas and named the western section the Indiana Territory. Today's Indiana state symbols: Nickname: The Hoosier State, Motto: The Crossroads of America, State song: "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away", Capital (and largest city): Indianapolis, Living insignia; 🕊Bird: Cardinal, 🐟Fish: Largemouth Bass, 🌸Flower: Peony, 🐲Insect: Say's Firefly, 🌳Tree: Tulip tree, Inanimate insignia; Colors: Blue and gold, 🔫Firearm: Grouseland Rifle, Food: Sugar cream pie, Poem: "Indiana", 💎Rock: Salem Limestone, Ship: USS Indianapolis (4), USS Indiana (4), Slogan: Honest to Goodness Indiana, Soil: Miami, 🏀Sport: Basketball, River: Wabash. The first inhabitants in what is now Indiana were the Paleo-Indians, who arrived about 8000 BC after the melting of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age. The Mississippian culture emerged, lasting from 1000 AD until the 15th century, shortly before the arrival of Europeans. During this stage, the people created large urban settlements designed according to their cosmology, with large mounds and plazas defining ceremonial and public spaces. The concentrated settlements depended on the agricultural surpluses. One such complex was the 😇Angel Mounds. They had large public areas such as plazas and platform mounds, where leaders lived or conducted rituals. Mississippian civilization collapsed in Indiana during the mid-15th century for reasons that remain unclear. The historic Native American tribes in the area at the time of European encounter spoke different languages of the Algonquian family. They included the Shawnee, Miami, and Illini. Later they were joined by refugee tribes from eastern regions including the Delaware who settled in the White and Whitewater River Valleys. In 1679 the French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle was the first European to cross into Indiana after reaching present-day South Bend(,Indiana) at the Saint Joseph River. French-Canadian fur traders soon arrived, bringing blankets, jewelry, tools, whiskey and weapons to trade for skins with the Native Americans. By 1702, Sieur Juchereau established the first trading post near Vincennes(,Indiana). In 1715 Sieur de Vincennes built Fort Miami at Kekionga, now Fort Wayne(,Indiana). In 1717, another Canadian, Picote de Beletre, built Fort Ouiatenon on the Wabash River, to try to control Native American trade routes from Lake Erie to the Mississippi River. In 1732 Sieur de Vincennes built a second fur trading post at Vincennes(,Indiana). In a period of a few years, British colonists arrived from the East and contended against the Canadians for control of the lucrative fur trade. Fighting between the French and British colonists occurred throughout the 1750s as a result. The Native American tribes of Indiana sided with the French Canadians during the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years' War). With British victory in 1763, the French were forced to cede all their lands in North America east of the Mississippi River and north and west of the colonies to the British crown. The tribes in Indiana did not give up; they destroyed Fort Ouiatenon and Fort Miami during Pontiac's Rebellion. In 1775 the American Revolutionary War began as the colonists sought more self-government and independence from the British. George Rogers Clark called for an army to help fight the British. Clark's army won significant battles and took over Vincennes and Fort Sackville on February 25, 1779. His success is often credited for changing the course of the American Revolutionary War. In 1787 the U.S. defined present-day Indiana as part of its Northwest Territory. President Thomas Jefferson chose William Henry Harrison as the governor of the territory and Vincennes was established as the capital. In 1810 the Shawnee chief Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa encouraged other tribes in the territory to resist European settlement. Tensions rose and the U.S. authorized Harrison to launch a preemptive expedition against Tecumseh's Confederacy; the U.S. gained victory at the Battle of Tippecanoe on November 7, 1811. Tecumseh was killed in 1813 during the Battle of Thames. After his death, armed resistance to United States control ended in the region. Most Native American tribes in the state were later removed to west of the Mississippi River in the 1820s and 1830s after U.S. negotiations and purchase of their lands. In order to decrease the threat of Indian raids following the Battle of Tippecanoe, Corydon, a town in the far southern part of Indiana, was named the second capital of the Indiana Territory in May 1813. Two years later, a petition for statehood was approved by the territorial general assembly and sent to Congress. President James Madison approved Indiana's admission into the union as the nineteenth state on December 11, 1816. In 1825, the state capital was moved from Corydon to Indianapolis, where it remains today. The arrival of steamboats on the Ohio River in 1811, and the National Road at Richmond in 1829 greatly facilitated settlement of northern and western Indiana. During the American Civil War, Indiana became politically influential and played an important role in the affairs of the nation. As the first western state to mobilize for the United States in the war, Indiana had soldiers participating in all of the major engagements. The only Civil War conflicts in Indiana were the Newburgh Raid, a bloodless capture of Newburgh, Indiana, and the Battle of Corydon, which occurred during Morgan's Raid. With the onset of the industrial revolution, Indiana industry began to grow at an accelerated rate. In the early 20th century, Indiana developed into a strong manufacturing state with ties to the new auto industry. Haynes-Apperson, the nation's first commercially successful auto company, operated in Kokomo, Indiana until 1925. The construction of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the start of auto-related industries were also related to the auto industry boom. During the 1930s, Indiana, like the rest of the nation, was affected by the Great Depression. Indiana manufactured 4.5 percent of total United States military armaments produced during World War II, ranking eighth among the 48 states. The expansion of industry to meet war demands helped end the Great Depression. With the conclusion of World War II, Indiana rebounded to levels of production before the Great Depression. Industry became the primary employer. In the 1960s the administration of Matthew E. Welsh adopted its first sales tax of two percent. Indiana schools were desegregated in 1949. The 1973 oil crisis created a recession that hurt the automotive industry in Indiana. Companies such as Delco Electronics and Delphi began a long series of downsizing that contributed to high unemployment rates in manufacturing in Anderson, Muncie, and Kokomo. The restructuring and deindustrialization trend continued until the 1980s, when the national and state economy began to diversify and recover. With a total area (land and water) of 36,418 square miles (94,320 km2), Indiana ranks as the 38th largest state in size. 🗺 Located in the Midwestern United States, Indiana is one of eight states that make up the Great Lakes Region. The Great Lakes region of North America is a bi-national Canada-American region that includes portions of the eight U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as the Canadian province of Ontario. The highest point in the state is Hoosier Hill in Wayne County at 1,257 feet (383 m) above sea level. The lowest point at 320 feet (98 m) above sea level is located in Posey County, where the Wabash River meets the Ohio River. Major river systems in Indiana include the Whitewater, White, Blue, Wabash, St. Joseph, and Maumee rivers. The Wabash River, which is the longest free-flowing river east of the Mississippi River, is the official river of Indiana. At 475 miles (764 kilometers) in length. There are about 900 lakes listed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. To the northwest, Indiana borders Lake Michigan, one of five lakes comprising the Great Lakes, the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world. Tippecanoe Lake, the deepest lake in the state, reaches depths at nearly 120 feet (37 m), while Lake Wawasee is the largest natural lake in Indiana. Lake Monroe covers 10,750 acres and is the largest lake in Indiana. In the middle of the winter, average high/low temperatures range from around 15°F/30°F (-10°C/-1°C) in the far north to 24°F/41°F (-4°C/5°C) in the far south. In the middle of summer there is generally a little less variation across the state, as average high/low temperatures range from around 64°F/84°F (18°C/29°C) in the far north to 69°F/90°F (21°C/32°C) in the far south. The record high temperature for the state was 116°F (47°C) set on July 14, 1936 at Collegeville. The record low was -36°F (-38°C) on January 19, 1994 at New Whitelan. In a 2012 report, Indiana was ranked eighth in a list of the top 20 tornado-prone states based on National Weather Service data from 1950 through 2011. A 2011 report ranked South Bend 15th among the top 20 tornado-prone cities in the United States, while another report from 2011 ranked Indianapolis eighth. Despite its vulnerability, Indiana is not a part of tornado alley. The U.S. state of Indiana is divided between Eastern and Central time zones. The official dividing line has generally moved progressively west from its original location on the Indiana–Ohio border, to a position dividing Indiana down the middle, and finally to its current location along much of the Indiana–Illinois border. In April 2006, several southwestern and northwestern counties reverted to Central time, although by late 2007 all but two had returned to Eastern time. From 1880 to 1924, a resident of Indiana was included in all but one presidential election. Indiana Representative William Hayden English was nominated for Vice President and ran with Winfield Scott Hancock in the 1880 election. In 1884 former Indiana Governor Thomas A. Hendricks was elected Vice President of the United States. He served until his death on November 25, 1885, under President Grover Cleveland. In 1888 former Senator from Indiana Benjamin Harrison was elected President of the United States and served one term. He remains the only U.S. President from Indiana. Indiana Senator Charles W. Fairbanks was elected Vice President in 1904, serving under President Theodore Roosevelt until 1909. Fairbanks made another run for Vice President with Charles Evans Hughes in 1916, but they both lost to Woodrow Wilson and former Indiana Governor Thomas R. Marshall, who served as Vice President from 1913 until 1921. Not until 1988 did another presidential election involve a native of Indiana, when Senator Dan Quayle was elected Vice President and served one term with George H. W. Bush. Governor Mike Pence was elected Vice President in 2016, to serve with Donald Trump. Indiana is home to several current and former military installations. The largest of these is the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, located approximately 25 miles southwest of Bloomington, which is the third largest naval installation in the world, comprising approximately 108 square miles of territory. Indiana is home to professional sports teams, including the NFL's Indianapolis Colts and the NBA's Indiana Pacers, and hosts several notable athletic events, such as the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 motorsports races. Indiana has an extensive history with auto racing. Indianapolis hosts the Indianapolis 500 mile race over Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway every May. The name of the race is usually shortened to "Indy 500" and also goes by the nickname "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." The race attracts over 250,000 people every year making it the largest single day sporting event in the world. The track also hosts the Brickyard 400 (NASCAR) and the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix. From 2000 to 2007, it hosted the United States Grand Prix (Formula One). Indiana features the world's largest and most prestigious drag race, the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, held each Labor Day weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in Clermont, Indiana. Indiana is also host to a major unlimited hydroplane racing power boat race circuits in the major H1 Unlimited league, the Madison Regatta (Madison, Indiana). As of 2013 Indiana has produced more National Basketball Association (NBA) players per capita than any other state. Muncie has produced the most per capita of any American city, with two other Indiana cities in the top ten. The Indiana Pacers of the NBA play their home games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse; they began play in 1967 in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and joined the NBA when the leagues merged in 1976. Although James Naismith developed basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1891, Indiana is where high school basketball was born. The 1986 film 'Hoosiers' is inspired by the story of the 1954 Indiana state basketball champions Milan High School. Indianapolis is home to the Indianapolis Colts who won Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears on February 4, 2007, to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2006 season. At the Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida the Colts defeated the Bears by the score of 29–17. In 2016, Indiana was home to seven Fortune 500 companies with a combined $142.5 billion in revenue. Anthem ranked 33 among Indiana companies on the list. Anthem, Inc. is an American health insurance company founded in the 1940s, prior to 2014 known as WellPoint, Inc. It is the largest for-profit managed health care company in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. It has $79.2 billion in revenue and $2.56 billion in profit. Northwest Indiana has been the largest steel producing center in the U.S. since 1975 and accounted for 27 percent of American-made steel in 2016. Steel Dynamics Inc. in Fort Wayne ranks at 356th on the Fortune 500 list. $7.6 billion in revenue - $130 million loss. Indiana is home to the international headquarters and research facilities of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, the state's largest corporation, as well as the world headquarters of Mead Johnson Nutritionals in Evansville. Eli Lilly and Co. ranks 141st on the Fortune 500 2016 list with $20 billion in revenue - $2.41 billion profit. In 2011 Indiana was ranked first in the Midwest and sixth in the country for best places to do business according to CEO magazine. Indiana does not have a legal requirement to balance the state budget either in law or its constitution. Instead, it has a constitutional ban on assuming debt. The state has a Rainy Day Fund and for healthy reserves proportional to spending. Indiana is one of six US states to not allow a line-item veto. Line-item veto, or partial veto, is the power of an executive authority to nullify or cancel specific provisions of a bill, usually a budget appropriations bill, without vetoing the entire legislative package. The line-item vetoes are usually subject to the possibility of legislative override as are traditional vetoes. The other 5 states to not allow a line-item veto are Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Indiana has 24 coal power plants, including the largest coal power plant in the United States, Gibson Generating Station. Wind power in Indiana was limited to a few small water-pumping windmills on farms until 2008 with the construction of Indiana's first utility-scale wind power facility, Goodland (phase I) with a nameplate capacity of 130 MW(megawatt). As of September 2017, Indiana had a total of 1897 MW of wind power capacity installed, ranking it 12th among U.S. states. Wind power was responsible for 4.8% of in-state electricity production in 2016. As of May 2017, Fowler Ridge Wind Farm was completed and has a final nameplate capacity of 750 MW, making it the Midwest's largest wind farm, and one of the largest in the world. In the 1840s, Caleb Mills pressed the need for tax-supported schools, and in 1851 his advice was included in the new state constitution. The largest educational institution is Indiana University, the flagship campus of which was endorsed as Indiana Seminary in 1820. Indiana State University was established as the state's Normal School in 1865; Purdue University was chartered as a land-grant college in 1869. The three other independent state universities are Vincennes University (Founded in 1801 by the Indiana Territory), Ball State University (1918) and University of Southern Indiana (1965 as ISU – Evansville). Many of the private colleges and universities in Indiana are affiliated with religious groups. The state's community college system, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, serves nearly 200,000 students annually, making it the state's largest public post-secondary educational institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system. Now the fun part. I couldn't decided on what part of hiking activities to go with so let's say it depends on what you want to see. There's caves, waterfalls, beautiful scenery and there's even a old pioneer town you can stop and visit and interact with. A couple other things to consider before your hike, how long and rugged do you want it. Here is the shortest, longest and one somewhere in between hikes. Calumet Dunes Trail System is an easy paved wheelchair accessible 0.5 mile trail. And features the Calumet Dunes ridge that formed at what once was the edge of the Lake Michigan over 12,000 years ago. Glenwood Dunes Trail System is a moderate 6.8 miles in length, average hike time of 4 hours. This extensive trail system features interconnected loops in mature woods ranging from less than a mile to nearly 15 miles and is popular with hikers, runners, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. The Adventure Hiking Trail: Located in part of O’Bannon Woods State Park, this 25-mile loop can be spread out over 2-3 days. There are several unique shelters along the trail available on a first come, first serve basis. Enjoy some great views of the Ohio River as you climb ridges and descend into valleys. You’ll experience elevation changes up to 400 ft. and see some sinkholes and caves along the way. Moving on, I'm only listing 15 other activities (including 4 that are for the winter time), there's a whole lot more hopefully I pick something for everyone. Holiday World and Splashin' Safari are two popular amusement parks in Santa Claus, Indiana. #1. At Holiday World, visitors can be thrilled by massive roller coasters with hairpin twists and turns or hop on some carnival-style rides that are fun for the whole family. Each ride is assigned a rating from mild to wild so that guests can easily find rides that they are comfortable with. (Holiday World introduced The Raven a wooden roller coaster in 1995; it has been voted one of the world's top wooden coasters each year since, as has The Legend wooden roller coaster, added in 2000.) #2. Splashin' Safari features all kinds of water rides, including slides, a wave pool, a lazy river(ride on an inter tube), and splash pad areas for young kids. Guests can reserve parts of either park for birthday parties, corporate events, and other get-togethers. #3. Connor Prairie Interactive History Park is a sprawling natural area filled with opportunities for hands-on learning. At the 1836 prairie town, visitors can get a feel for what life was like in the in the early 1800s. The town features a one-room schoolhouse, a general store, and several other historic buildings. Horses, chickens, and other farm animals are found throughout the town center. At the prairie town, kids can learn historical games or observe a blacksmith in action. Guests also have the option of flying nearly 400 feet over the history park as part of the 1859 Balloon Voyage. Important lessons from the Civil War are covered in the 1863 Civil War Journey tour, and Native American life is on display at the Lenape Indian Camp. #4. The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is an ideal destination for classic car fans. The museum boasts noteworthy vehicles from the 1890s through the 21st century. With a focus on the achievements of the Auburn Automobile Company, the museum tells the story of the car from past to present times. #5. The Eskenazi Museum of Art at the University of Indiana houses an impressive collection of works from all parts of the globe. The 45,000 objects in the museum bear the names of some of the world's greatest artists, including Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet. Gold jewelry, ancient African masks, and other unique pieces are also part of the museum's permanent collection. #6. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is home to more than 120,000 artifacts and specimens. The museum's main exhibits include the Dinosphere, where visitors can learn all about dinosaurs, Scienceworks, which is centered on geology, and Beyond Spaceship Earth, an exhibit that is loaded with information about space travel and astronomy. Other popular attractions at the museum include the Fireworks of Glass sculpture and the Treasures of the Earth exhibit, which contains recreations of incredible artifacts from Egypt, China, and the Caribbean. #7. Marengo Cave was discovered in 1883 by two young children who entered the grotto by candlelight. Located beneath the town of Marengo, the cave quickly became known as an exciting attraction for locals and visitors alike. Although the cave was originally located on private land, the Marengo Cave Company was established in 1900 to protect and preserve the unique landmark. A new entrance to the cave was carved out in the early 1900s so that visitors didn't have to deal with the 160-step staircase that stood beneath the original entrance. Today, the cave receives individuals and tour groups on a daily basis. Marengo Cave is filled with interesting formations and is home to a fascinating ecosystem. #8.The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art was founded to honor and preserve Native American artwork from around the United States and Canada. The museum has three main collections centered on Native American art, western art and contemporary art. #9. Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park is located in Shipshewana. This family-friendly destination is filled with all types of animals, including horses, deer, birds, donkeys, goats, and llamas. Exotic animals like zebras, monkeys, camels, and ostriches are also housed within the park. Unlike a zoo, visitors at Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park can pet the animals, feed them, and even sit with some of them. Kids especially enjoy interacting with the miniature horses, little chicks, and rabbits. Guests can also enjoy a ride in a horse-drawn carriage while at the park. Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park is open throughout the summer and early fall. #10. The Grissom Air Museum houses a variety of unique aircraft. Modern jets as well as classic fighter planes and bombers are on display at this large facility. The museum derives its name from Indiana native Lieutenant Colonel Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, an astronaut who was killed in a spacecraft fire. Prior to becoming an educational site, the Grissom Air Museum served as an air force base. The base saw plenty of use between 1968 and 1994. After its deactivation in the mid-1990s, a variety of fighter jets as well as refueling, command, cargo, transport, and bomber planes were brought in for display. The Grissom Air Museum is open for visitors all year round. #11. The Studebaker National Museum pays homage to one of Indiana's most famous companies: Studebaker vehicles. Opened in 2005, the 55,000-square-foot facility holds a range of permanent and rotating exhibits. The museum's core collection consists of the 1st Source Presidential Carriage Collection, which is celebrated for being the world's largest collection of U.S. presidential carriages. There is also the Original Studebaker Collection, which includes 33 classic vehicles, and the Super Service Center, a fun and interactive exhibit geared toward children. The Studebaker National Museum also has a military section that houses war vehicles from 1857 onwards. #12. Martinsville Candy Kitchen! It's always a special treat (pun intended) to watch the famous candy canes being poured and shaped by hand in this welcoming shop on the square. You can watch this process through the windows that separate the store from the kitchen and then fill your bags with delicious stocking stuffers from the store. It's even more special this year as the Martinsville Candy Kitchen heads toward its 100th anniversary! #13. Christmas at the Zoo! Come to the Indianapolis Zoo for the 50th year of their beloved tradition of decorating with holiday (Christmas) lights. The magical nighttime experience takes place from 5 to 9 o'clock each evening November 23 thur December 30. You can also visit with Santa, have a penguin encounter, go through a mirror maze and more. #14. Santa Claus! A December visit to Santa Claus is the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit! Drive through Lake Rudolph’s 1.2-mile Santa Claus Land of Lights, write a letter to Santa, roast chestnuts on an open fire, visit Santa, go shopping and so much more. Don’t miss the Santa Claus Museum & Village to learn the history of this festive town. #15. Toboggan Run at Pokagon State Park is the midwest’s only refrigerated toboggan. Have your own adventure there as you streak downhill at more than 30 mph on a wooden toboggan. It opens the day after Thanksgiving and stays open weekends through February.

🍔🍟National Fast Food Day! First popularized in the United States in the 1950s, fast food is considered any meal with low preparation time and served to a customer in a packaged form for quick dine-in, take-out or take-away and typically with a drive-thru. Merriam-Webster dictionary first recognized the term “fast food” in 1951. Following World War I, automobiles became popular and more affordable. At that time drive-in restaurants were introduced. In 1921, White Castle, an American company founded by Billy Ingram and Walter Anderson in Wichita, Kansas, opened, selling hamburgers for five cents each. Anderson had opened the first White Castle in 1916 as a limited menu, high-volume, low-cost, high-speed hamburger restaurant. The United States has the largest fast food industry in the world. American fast food restaurants are located in over 100 countries. Standard fast food menu items include hamburgers and other sandwiches, fish, fried chicken, chicken nuggets, tacos, pizza, hot dogs, french fries, onion rings, breakfast biscuits, coffee and ice cream. Fun fact: The first Happy Meal was served in June of 1979.

National Button Day! The National Button Society was founded in 1938 and recognized button collecting as an organized hobby. Both novice and advanced button collectors celebrate the enjoyment collecting on this day. Crafters across the country utilize buttons in creative ways and are some of the best at finding new uses for old items. There are thousands of button collectors in the United States.

I've kinda gotten away from fast foods. Although sometimes a bacon cheeseburger or big roast beef sandwich I have to have. I had a mason jar of button once and gave them away to my mother-in-law when she was looking for some matching buttons. Indiana; I would have loved to tried that toboggan ride if I could have. That looks like fun. And I would go see the Christmas lights at the zoo but for the little problem of it being to cold for me. I also know Indiana has a covered bridge festival, but it's at a certain time a year. There also an old settlers day weekend with food cooked the old way and a civil war enactment but it's once a year too.

More snow last night. It only melted enough to leave roads wet so they can freeze over tonight. Hope the people who have to be out are careful.

Sounds good MD!

Sending keeping warm hugs!🐶💕🍂💕🦃