"Pictures of Welcome Home Day in Indianapolis after the World War" photograph album
Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: P067
Scope and Contents
This collection includes a photograph album of photographs taken in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana on May 7, 1919 depicting the Welcome Home Day celebration and parade to Monument Circle featuring marching troops, Red Cross workers, crowds, and school children after the end of World War I.
Dates
- 1919/05/07
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Historical Note
Welcome Home Day was intended to celebrate the return of Hoosier soldiers after the end of World War I on May 7, 1919 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Business and government essentially shut down for the day downtown for the event. The day's events began at 10 a.m. with the arrival of the 150th Field Artillery and Base Hospital No. 32 by train at Military Park. There, they were greeted by their families, before proceeding to the headquarters of the chief marshall, Adjunct General Harry B. Smith, at the intersection of Senate Avenue and Washington Street. There were 8 division headquarters in downtown Indianapolis for the different military personnel divisions to congregate, including: infantry; artillery; engineers, signal corps, and machine gun; African-American troops; marines, sailors, and aviators; ordnance, quartermaster, tank, military police, trains, transportation, chemical, and services of supply; medical, nurses, Base Hospital No. 32, and the wounded; and finally, vocational training units. The parade zone was bounded by Alabama, Delaware, and New Jersey streets in the east; Maryland Street to the south; Illinois Street to the west; and 17th Street to the north. The troops marched in the parade from Missouri and Washington streets to Monument Circle, beginning at 12:30 p.m. The parade featured a living Red Cross and American flag, and flower girls tossing flowers upon troops approaching the Victory Arch in Monument Circle, as well as the "Court of Honor" and "Court of the Allies." The parade lasted about 3 hours. Local women with the Salvation Army prepared and served 20,000 box lunches, 60,000 doughnuts, and 1,000 gallons of coffee to the soldiers and hospital personnel that day.
Sources:
Item in the collection.
World War I, 1917-1918>. Filmed by Harry H. Coburn, 1918-1927. Reproduced and distributed by the Indiana State Library and Lilly Endowment Inc., 1952. Accessed August 13, 2021. https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16066coll47/id/1678/rec/3.
"Welcome Home Day Facts." Indianapolis Star, May 7, 1919, 1. Accessed August 13, 2021. ProQuest.
Sources:
Item in the collection.
World War I, 1917-1918>. Filmed by Harry H. Coburn, 1918-1927. Reproduced and distributed by the Indiana State Library and Lilly Endowment Inc., 1952. Accessed August 13, 2021. https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16066coll47/id/1678/rec/3.
"Welcome Home Day Facts." Indianapolis Star, May 7, 1919, 1. Accessed August 13, 2021. ProQuest.
Extent
1 Cubic Feet (1 custom oversize box)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection consists of one item.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2021/08/13 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid created 2021/08/13 by Brittany Kropf.
- Title
- "Pictures of Welcome Home Day in Indianapolis after the World War" photograph album
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
