In frontier Indiana, vigilantism was a grim necessity. Beginning with the vigilance committees of the 1860s that lynched the Reno Gang and the Knights of the Golden Circle, who plotted to assassinate Governor Morton, the Hoosier State was a hotbed for citizens taking the law into their own hands. Later groups such as the White Caps enforced their own moral code, while the state legislature sanctioned the Horse Thief Detective Association and the Banking Vigilantes.
Today, Fishers is one of the safest places to live in the United States, but it was once a lawless town where anything could happen. Starting off as a small railroad community, Fishers attracted its fair share of drifters, and the whiskey flowed like water. It may have been small, but it made national headlines on more than one occasion. A two-day bar brawl led to one death and dozens of injuries and required the sheriff to restore order. A sensational trial exposed mass grave robberies and led to legislative changes. James Redwine became the town’s first homicide victim over a Christmas turkey shootout. Author Robert Bowling explores the history of this once small town and the misdeeds that thrust it into the national spotlight.
Celebrating Hamilton County, Indiana: 200 Years of Change On the occasion of Hamilton County’s 200th anniversary comes an updated history of one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. Celebrating Hamilton County, Indiana: 200 Years of Change builds on past histories of the county while introducing new stories, people, photography, and art to modern readers. On these glossy pages, you will find a chapter dedicated to each of the county’s nine townships. Discover the forgotten communities, important industries, influential people, and institutions that have shaped what Hamilton County is today. As part of the effort to introduce readers to stories that are not yet part of an official Hamilton County history, you will also find new oral histories, submissions from local residents, a special section on the Black History of Noblesville Township, and more. The production of this book was made possible through the establishment of the Bicentennial Commission and the tireless dedication of that group and the entire Bicentennial Book Team. Hamilton County Bicentennial The Hamilton County, Indiana, Bicentennial commemorates the county’s 200 years of history and takes place throughout 2023. (Contributing Author)
