Terre Haute, Indiana Trivia Quiz

Answer: High ground

French explorers found the site and named the area in the 1700s. Further south on the Wabash River many had settled but they found that the area was subject to frequent flooding so they sought an area that was on higher gound. The building of Fort Harrison was the first settlement of Europeans in the area in 1811.

A Wea Indian village called Weautano was also in the area. The actual site for Terre Haute was platted in 1816. Terre Haute became the county seat in 1818, a town in 1832, and a city in 1853.

Answer: Paul Dresser

Johann Paul Dreiser Jr. was born in Terre Haute in 1858. He changed his name for show business purposes. He had a troubled childhood and joined a medicine show that led him in to music, comic actor, and composer of popular ballads such as "My Gal Sal", although he had little formal music training.

He was sometimes compared to Stephen Foster. He died in 1906. Seven years later "On the Banks of the Wabash" become the state song.

Answer: Junction of US41 and US40

Prior the implementation of the Interstate Highway System, US41 (north-south) connected with US40 (east-west) where 41 passed through town and crossed US40. For a period of time it was one of the most traveled highways. When Interstate 70 opened, the designation became irrelevent. The crossing was at 7th Street and Wabash Avenue.

Answer: Francis Vigo, a Revolutionary War hero

Francis Vigo was born in Italy and was an early resident of Vincennes, Indiana. He became well-to-do mostly from the fur trade. Because he was foreign born, he was regarded with suspicion. He acted as a spy and provided much intelligence to General George Rogers Clark.

In addition he provided funds to help pay for the Revolutionary War. He died in 1836. It took until 1875 before the United States repaid him with interest--about 42,000 dollars. Since he had no descendants, the United States only paid for a bell in the Vigo County Courthouse that was a provision of his will.

Answer: Timothy McVeigh

Timothy McVeigh was held responsible for the bombing that killed 168 people. Nichols recieved a life sentence and Fortier a ten year sentence.

The Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex opened in 1940. It has two campuses, one a medium security facility and the other a maximum security facility.

Answer: John Wooden

While Wooden was at Indiana State, he refused an enter a tournment where black players were unable to participate. His first teams at ISU had many who were returning veterans of World War Two that he had coached as players at South Bend Central. He was lured to UCLA in 1949 where he coached to ten NCAA Nation al Championships.

Cylde Lovellette played at Terre Haute Garfield and then attended the University of Kansas whre he was an All American basketball player. He was the first player to play on an NCAA, Olympics and NBA championship teams. Garfield fell one game short of on the Indiana State Campionship. He later became the Vigo County sheriff.

Larry Bird was an All American at Indiana State University. He went on the National Basketball Association and is regarded as one of finest players to play the game.

Terry Dischinger followed Lovellette at Garfield High School and went on to become an All American at Purdue that was followed by a ten year NBA career. He became a dentist at retirement.

Answer: Protesting World War One

Woodrow Wilson was very displeased with Deb's actions and speeches during World War One. He labeled him as 'a traitor to his country' when he urged resistance to the draft and he was charged with ten counts of sedition.

Debs had become a Socialist long before that and was the Socialist Party candidate for president five times, the last in 1920 while he was in prison. His home is now a museum near the ISU campus.

Answer: Indianapolis 500

Through the Hulman family's support, Rose Polytechnic Institute was renamed Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 1971. US News and World Reports ranked Rose-Hulman number one in the United States for undergraduate engineering education. The campus is on the eastern side of Terre Haute.

In 1945 Tony Hulman purchased the dilapidated Indianapolis Speedway. He made repairs and upgraded it so this classic race could continue. To this day a member of the Hulman family is present and delivers the "Gentlemen, start your engines!" cry.

Answer: Theodore Dreiser

Dreiser was born in 1871 in Terre Haute. His style is often described as 'turgid' but has risen in stature as a great American novelist. "Sister Carrie" sold poorly. "An American Tragedy" was a commericial success. Dreiser's writing was diverse as he also wrote poetry, short stories, and social commentary.

He was an avowed socialist and wrote much about social justice. He did not change his name when he met success as did his brother Paul Dresser, a popular song writer.

Answer: Columbia Record Club

Columbia Records in 1955 initiated a 'club' where you could receive phonograph records by mail. The lure? You could get twelve records--not free--but for one cent. Persons who failed to read the fine print often found out that they were obligated to purchase more records by signing the agreement. If you did not return the monthly annoucement of records, they would send them to you anyway if you did not respond. Perhaps the recordings were not your prefered genre. It was hard to avoid the lure as advertisements were is all over popular magazines and newspapers.

Terre Haute was chosen as the distribution center and later actually had record presses. It created for many years a source of employment for the community. In 2009 the last vestige of Columbia House was closed in Terre Haute
as it failed to keep up with technology, changing tastes, was absorbed by other entities, and had a storm of customer dissatisfaction.