One of the worst sights to see when working in a historic building is water pouring in from the ceiling. This was a common occurrence a few years ago anytime it rained. We had to set out several buckets to catch the water and hope that the storm would be […]
lewwallace
Lew Wallace is widely remembered for the successful movie interpretations of his masterwork Ben-Hur in 1925 and 1959. These were not the only times the General’s name (and even the General) showed up in Hollywood movies. In 1914, Wallace’s book, The Prince of India, was adapted as a silent movie. […]
Lew Wallace was what today would be called an alternative learner. In his much-less-polite day, many in Indianapolis referred to Lew, the governor’s son, as rascal and worse. As a youth running around the capital city, Lew and his friends found their way into the basement of the governor’s house. […]
Gifts from the Sultan Lew Wallace’s tour of duty as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the Ottoman Empire ended in 1884. His friend, Sultan Abdul Hamid II, offered Lew a number of gifts. These included Arabian horses, jewels, and works of art. As a representative of the government of […]
In the summer of 1864, John W. Garrett, President of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, came to see General Lew Wallace. Mr. Garrett expressed concern for the safety of Washington (as well as his railroad). His personnel reported detachments of Confederate troops in the Shenandoah Valley. According to Garrett, such […]
It might surprise you to learn that Lew Wallace may have celebrated Cinco de Mayo. But the idea isn’t as crazy as you might think! Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Lew was busy with the aftermath of the Battle of Shiloh in the […]
April is National Poetry Month. Lew and Susan both wrote dozens of poems, and occasionally we like to share them here. To celebrate the end of National Poetry Month, take some time to relax and read some of Lew’s poetry from his celebrated novel Ben-Hur. TIRZAH’S SONGWake not, but hear […]
Some interesting things have been found so far on the first day of the spring History Beneath Us. A marble, horseshoe, and a hip bone from a small mammal have all been found in Unit 10, one of the units that contains part of the reflecting pool. A group of […]
April 21-27 is National Volunteer Week, and to celebrate that, we would like to introduce you to one of our volunteers. This is the first in a series of posts about our volunteers and why the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum is important to them. We couldn’t run the […]
One of the great Hoosier authors of the early 20th century was Gene Stratton-Porter. Her literary career began its ascent at the turn of the century and continued until her death in 1924 when her limousine was hit by a streetcar in Los Angeles. She had moved to Los Angeles […]