Discover Indiana is a project of the Public History Program at IUPUI, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, and the Indiana Historical Society, uses the Omeka+Curatescape platform to distribute interpretive stories about the history, architecture, culture, and people of the state of Indiana on the web. Now in its seventh year, Discover Indiana offers digital tours on topics as diverse as sacred spaces and religious history, sports history, medical history, LGBTQ+ history, art, the experience of African Americans in the state, historic theatres, state parks, recreation, government, the Civil War, railroads, and archaeology.
Discover Indiana Project Staff
General Inquiries should be directed to: pubhist@iupui.edu
Rebecca K. Shrum
Project Co-Director
Rebecca Shrum is the Assistant Director of the Public History Program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and an Associate Professor in the Department of History. She is a scholar of American material culture and of public history. Her studies of material culture focus on the process by which material culture shapes individual and collective identity. As a public historian working primarily within the academy, she seeks to cultivate in students a passion for historical work that will make public history institutions a critical part of local and national conversations about American values and priorities and that will link past stories, whenever possible, to present choices and controversies. Rebecca can be reached via her website, by emailing her at IUPUI, or via twitter.
Jennifer Guiliano
Project Co-Director
Jennifer Guiliano received a Bachelors of Arts in English and History from Miami University (2000), a Masters of Arts in History from Miami University (2002), and a Masters of Arts (2004) in American History from the University of Illinois before completing her Ph.D. in History at the University of Illinois (2010). She currently holds a position as Associate Professor in the Department of History and affiliated faculty in both Native American and Indigenous Studies and American Studies at IUPUI in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her research focuses on digital humanities, digital history, Native American and Indigenous Studies, and Sport History. Jennifer can be reached via her website, by emailing her at IUPUI, or via twitter.
Helen Jesse
Project Manager, Phase 2, August 2020-June 2021
Helen Jesse is a graduate student in Public History at IUPUI. As an undergraduate she majored in Linguistics and minored in French. Her professional experience includes conducting genealogical research for the Wayne Township trustee’s office, project management for the nonprofit-consulting firm Community Solutions Inc., and giving tours at the Indiana State House. Her research interests include Indiana history, genealogy, and medical history. Helen can be reached at hjesse@iu.edu or on Twitter.
Nancy Yerian
Project Manager, Phase 1, August 2019-August 2020
Nancy Yerian is a graduate student in Public History and Library and Information Science at IUPUI. Much of her background is in working with local history in Ohio. She did two years in the Ohio History Service Corps helping historical societies with organizing collections, planning programming, and recruiting volunteers. Then for three years, she ran the website and social media for the Ohio Local History Alliance, a nonprofit coalition of local history sites all over Ohio. Along the way she has created a few exhibits, including an exhibit on LGBTQ activism in Cincinnati, and digital exhibits on local histories of rock ‘n’ roll, service men and women during WWI, and 19th century Black political activism.
Nancy assisted in development of:
The Great Indiana Gas Boom https://publichistory.iupui.edu/tours/show/40
South Bend Area Business & Industry https://publichistory.iupui.edu/tours/show/41
Hoagy Carmichael’s Jazz Years in Bloomington https://publichistory.iupui.edu/tours/show/42
Jackson County History Center https://publichistory.iupui.edu/tours/show/43
The Hamilton County School of Illustration https://publichistory.iupui.edu/tours/show/44
A Sense of Community: Taverns of Vanderburgh County https://publichistory.iupui.edu/tours/show/45
Richmond’s Industrial Heritage https://publichistory.iupui.edu/tours/show/47
Unexpected Vincennes https://publichistory.iupui.edu/tours/show/48
Peel, Pick, Preserve: Canning in Johnson County
Kokomo, Indiana
LGBTQ/Police/Local Government in Indianapolis in the 1970s -80s
Discover Indiana Project Partners
NEH Digital Projects Partners (2020-2021)
Anderson Public Library, Crystal Ward & Christa Cummings
Bartholomew County Public Library, Jason Hatton & Tricia Gilson
Eckhart Public Library, Thomas Irwin, Janelle Graber & Jenny Kobiela-Mondor
Elkhart County Historical Museum, Julie C Parke& Patrick McGuire
Gary Public Library, Maria G. Strimbu & David Hess
Historic Madison, Inc., John Staicier & Rhonda Deeg
Jackson County Public Library, Janet Hensen
Jeffersonville Township Public Library, Diane Stepro
Johnson County Public Library, Linda Kilbert
Levi and Catherine Coffin Historic Site, Joanna Hahn
Vigo County Historical Society, Susan Tingley
NEH Digital Projects Partners (2019-2020)
Grant County Historical Society, Bill Munn
Hamilton East Public Library, Brad Howell and David Heighway
Howard County Historical Society, Dave Broman
Jackson County History Center, Margo Brewer
Johnson County Museum of History, David Pfeiffer
Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, Doug Workinger
Marion Public Library, Mary Eckerle and Bill Munn
Monroe County History Center, Susan Dyer
Morrisson-Reeves Library, Sue King
St. Joseph County Public Library, Ellen Anderson
Vanderburgh County Historical Society, Terry Hughes
