Administrative History
Monroe County was organized in 1818, two years after the admission of Indiana as a state. The county seat, Bloomington, was also founded in 1818. The current Courthouse is the third on the site, dating from 1906. In 1820 Bloomington was selected as site for the state seminary, later Indiana University, which opened in 1825. The University moved to the current campus after fire destroyed one of two primary university buildings in 1883. Made up of rural farming communities, Monroe County nonetheless developed several industries during the 19th century, assisted by the arrival of railroads in the 1850s. These included limestone cutting and furniture manufacture. Several public works and utilities were introduced before the turn of the 20th century -- telephone, electric power, and water. Also at the turn of the century, Monroe County debated long over the issue of temperance. As a result of expansion in the 20th century, population and services have moved beyond town centers. In Bloomington, city planning as well as cultural events at the University have maintained the city center as a viable business and residential area.
Scope and Content Note
The collection contains various publications, reports, manuscripts, and other miscellaneous items dealing with Bloomington and Monroe County. The collection will be continually added to as materials are accessioned into the University Archives. The collection is organized into three series: Publications, Subject files, and Scrapbooks. The first series, Publications, is comprised of 51 publications, sets of publications, chapters, articles, and reports, originals and copies, on topics relating to Monroe County or Bloomington. They are arranged alphabetically by title.
Series two, Subject files, is further organized into two subseries, Bloomington materials and Monroe County materials. Each subseries is arranged alphabetically by topic, and contains files on particular subjects with a focus on city or county history. Including originals and photocopies, materials date from the 1830s to 2006. The Monroe County materials also include materials on Lake Lemon and Lake Monroe, and the correspondence of Robert Miller from 1937 to 1940 on state and local history.
Note: In 2011, this series was transferred to the Monroe County History Center . The final series, Scrapbooks, consists of 17 scrapbooks of materials which are mostly comprised of newspaper clippings cut from local newspapers from 1898 through 1916. Each scrapbook has a title; some are divided into sections, and each is provided with an index by topic and page number. Items within the books are arranged chronologically, though occasionally also by subject.
Arrangement
Organized into three series: Publications, Subject files, and Scrapbooks.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions:
This collection is open for research.
Advance notice is required.
Usage Restrictions:
The donor(s) of this collection have not transferred their copyrights for the materials to the Trustees of Indiana University. For more information, please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.
The Indiana University Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not claim any copyrights for non-university records, materials in the public domain, or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. Responsibility for the determination of the copyright status of these materials rests with those persons wishing to reuse the materials. Researchers are responsible for securing permission from copyright owners and any other rights holders for any reuse of these materials that extends beyond fair use or other statutory limitations.
Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University Archives are made available for noncommercial educational and research purposes only. If you are the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University Archivist.
Indexed Terms
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Subjects
- Cities and towns --Indiana --Bloomington --History --Sources.
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Places
- Bloomington (Ind.) --History --Sources.
- Bloomington (Ind.) --Periodicals.
- Monroe County (Ind.) --History --Sources.
- Monroe County (Ind.) --Periodicals.
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Genres and Forms
Administrative Information
Provenance
Folders "Semi-Centennial Anniversary of the United Presbyterian Congregation of Bloomington, Indiana" and "Sarah Showers property assessment" were transferred from the Theophilus A. Wylie papers, Collection C202 , in August 2019.
Preferred Citation
[Item], Bloomington and Monroe County historical collection, Collection C219, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
Acquisition Information
Accessions 0732 and 7046
Processing Information
Processed by John Cash.
Completed in 2004 .
Additional materials added to collection, January 2008.
Collection Inventory
Series:
Publications , 1878-1999, undated
box 1
Airport Expansion at Monroe County Airport. A Report to the Board of Aviation Commissioners, Monroe County, Indiana, by Longardner, Hobson, Brown, Inc., Architects, Engineers , 1965
box 1
Bloomington Discovered Karen S. Craig and Diana M. Hawes , 1980
box 1
Bloomington High School Annual , 1908
box 1
Bloomington Indiana Annual Report , 1961
box 1
Bloomington Public Library: District Library Meeting , 30 Apr 1929
box 1
Boy Builders of Bloomington Incorporated: A Private Community Sponsored Work-Study Program For Boys Who Are Academically And Vocationally Handicapped , ca. 1963
box 1
City of Bloomington Interim Report: Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory , 1988
box 1
Community Chest of Bloomington and Monroe County, Inc.
box 1
Red Feather Services , 2 copies; Annual Report; Annual Meeting , 1953
box 1
Red Feather Funds; Wise Giving is Still Good Business; Red Feather Services , 2 copies; Annual Report , 2 copies , 1954
box 1
Red Feather Services , 2 copies; Annual Report; Annual Meeting , 1955
box 1
Elks Lodge. Souvenir programs , 1903-1906, undated
box 1
Fifty Years: A Brief Account of the Graduates of Bloomington High School Classes of 1908 and Some Changes in the Town and School that have Occurred Since Then , 1958
box 1
The Flatwood Region of Owen and Monroe Counties Indiana Clyde A. Malott , 1979
box 1
"Freedom Footsteps: Monroe County" , circa 2018
General: "This list includes many of the buildings constructed before 1900 in Bloomington (Monroe County)."
box 1
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce: A History , 1915-2003
box 1
The Gothic Bloomington High School Class of 1915 , 1915
box 1
A Guide: Bloomington: Monroe Co. Indiana The League of Women Voters of Bloomington , 1973
box 1
Harris Grand Theatre. Souvenir program for opening play Sunny Side of Broadway , 1907
box 1
Health Welfare Recreation Services and Facilities in Monroe County , 1967
box 1
Historic Treasures Forest M. "Pop" Hall. 1922. Plus index , 1922
box 1
History of Medicine in Monroe County Donna Ray , undated
box 1
Land Uses in Bloomington Robert O. Harvey , 1951
box 1
Living in Bloomington, Indiana, USA: A Comprehensive Guide to Resources and Services , 1991
box 1
Monroe County Courthouse. Rededication Celebration , Courthouse Millennium Celebration at the Monroe County Courthouse , 1984, 1999
box 1
Monroe County Historical Society Newsletter , July 1973-Sept. 1993
General: incomplete set
box 1
Monroe County Index Maurice Holmes , 1979
box 1
Multi-Family Housing Analysis: Bloomington, Indiana , 1965
box 1
Municipal Services Equities and Major Deficiencies , 1961
box 1
The Old Library, Bloomington, Indiana: Preservation Feasibility Study , 1977
box 1
Old and New Ways in Monroe County: 1920-1945 Draft. James H. Madison , 1993
box 1
The Physical Characteristics of Monroe County, Indiana, and Their Cultural Implications Thomas F. Barton , ca. 1962
box 1
Pioneer Painters of Indiana Wilbur D. Peat , 1954
General: Pages 74-79; 236, 241
box 1
Presenting Hoosierdom's 'All-America City' , 1958
box 1
Program and Picture Album: Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana. 1818-1968 , 1968
box 1
Program of Studies: Junior-Senior High School, Bloomington, Indiana , 1931
box 1
Proscenium Players, Programs of the , 1931
box 1
The Reflector English Class of Bloomington High School , 1929-1930
box 1
Semi-Centennial Anniversary of the United Presbyterian Congregation of Bloomington, Indiana , September 18, 1883
box 1
Soil Survey of Monroe County Indiana T.M. Bushnell , 1928
box 1
Souvenir of Bloomington, Indiana: Seat of Indiana University and Center of Oolitic Stone Belt Prepared by the Members of The Commercial Club , ca. 1912
General: (See the text at end of 2nd page of text and beginning of 3rd page)
box 1
Souvenir: Bloomington High School , 1914
box 1
"Stinesville Centennial: Steps of Time, 1855-1955" , 1955
box 1
Subdivision Ordinance: Monroe County, Indiana , 1947
box 1
The Telephone , 1878-1879
box 1
The Underground Railroad in Monroe County Henry Lester Smith. From Indiana Magazine of History , undated
General: Pages 288-297
box 1
Very Early Days: 600 Million Years Ago to 1816 Pamela Service , undated
box 1
Zoning Ordinance: Monroe County, Indiana , 1947
SC 30
"History of Matlock Heights"
Series:
Subject files , 1818-2006, undated
Subseries:
Bloomington materials , 1871-1999
box 1
Brochuresand , 1934, undated
box 2
Bloomington High Schooland , 1875-1968, undated
box 2
Bloomington High School: Commencement and Baccalaureateand , 1875-1934, undated
box 2
Bloomington Peace Action Coalition , 2006
box 2
City of Bloomington Annual Report , 1956
box 2
Female Seminaryand , 1836-1993, undated
box 2
History - biographies, reminiscences, etc. and , 1870-1996, undated
box 2
History - business receipts , 1893-1913
box 2
History - sites, buildings, industries, etc. and , 1818-1983, undated
box 2
Homes and , 1829-1992, undated
box 2
Music and Arts Festival , 1999
box 2
"Old Bloomington" newspaper columns by James A. Woodburn , 1925
box 2
"Pops" Whitesell materials , 1986-1997
box 2
Public Library (Old Library) - see Monroe County Historical Society Museum
box 2
Sarah Showers property assessment , April 7, 1886
box 2
Sidewalk, first (flagstone) , 1936-1965
box 2
Theatres and Opera Houses , 1846-1987
Subseries:
Monroe County materials , 1818-2002
box 3
Lake Monroe - Monroe Reservoirand , 1960-1974, undated
box 3
Robert Miller - Correspondence , 1937-1940
box 3
Agricultural Fair , undated
box 3
Community Schools , 1889-1970
box 3
Council of Defense , 1918
box 3
Early History , 1818-1983
box 3
Historical Homes Tour , 1966
box 3
Historical Society , 1905-1974
box 3
Historical Society Museum and Bloomington Public Library (Old Library) , 1831-1976
box 3
Medicineand , 1830, undated
box 3
Miscellaneous , 1949-2002
Box 4
Series:
Scrapbooks , 1898-1916
General: Note: In 2011, this series was transferred to the Monroe County History Center .
Box 4
Boer War and the Philippines , 1899-1911
Box 4
Volume 1: Baptist, Colored Churches, Church of Christ, Congregational, Christian Science , 1900-1913
Box 4
Volume 2: Christian, Catholic, Episcopal , 1900-1913
Box 4
Volume 3: Mormon, Methodist, Presbyterian, Spiritualist, United Presbyterian , 1900-1913
Box 4
Indiana History. Indexed by topic. , 1899-1916
Box 4
Banks, and Monroe County Buildings , 1900-1914
Box 4
Biographies, From Treasured Clippings by Amzi Atwater and the Monroe County Historical Society.
Box 4
Volume 1, part 1, A-D , 1900-1910
Box 4
Volume 2, A-Z , 1900-1910
Box 4
Clubs and Organizations. Indexed by topic , 1898-1913
Box 4
Court Records, Volume 1. Indexed by case , 1899-1908
Box 4
Farmers, Monroe County Health, Monroe County Hitchrack, Illinois Central Railroad, and Monroe County Light and Power , 1900-1911
Box 4
Historical Society, and Monroe County Center of [U.S.] Population , 1900-1913
Box 4
Hospitals and Charity Work , 1903-1912
Box 4
Local Option [i.e. prohibition] , 1900-1913
Box 4
Streets and Roads , 1899-1914
Box 4
Telephone Company, Monroe County Water Company, Monroe County Weather, and Miscellaneous , 1904-1913