A sure race every Memorial Day weekend run to prevail any list of Indianapolis originals , but the Circle City has given the world plenty more . Indy can lay claim everything from corporations like Eli Lilly and Company , to writer Dan Wakefield and Kurt Vonnegut , to reality show contestant ( and former gubernatorial candidate ) Rupert Boneham . Here are more than a 12 other people , places , and Cartesian product that Indianapolis has give to the land . You ’re welcome , America .
Kurt Vonnegut
The source ofSlaughterhouse - Five , Cat ’s Cradle , andBreakfast of Championsnever lose his connection to his hometown . In fact , in a 1986 high school day kickoff name and address , Kurt Vonnegut credited Indianapolis with much of his appeal . " All my joke are Indianapolis . All my attitudes are Indianapolis . My adenoids are Indianapolis . If I ever lop myself from Indianapolis , I would be out of business . What people wish about me is Indianapolis . " The feeling was patently common , because Indianapolis like Vonnegut so much it commissioned a 38ft - magniloquent mural of the author by creative person Pamela Bliss as part of 2012 ’s Super Bowl XLVI public art task .
Oscar Robertson
Voted one of the 50 greatest instrumentalist in NBA history , the Big O grew up in Indianapolis and attended the unintegrated Crispus Attucks High School . The school won the state basketball patronage in 1955 , making it the first all - disgraceful school in the country to bring home the bacon a state title of respect . He co - captain the 1960 Olympian squad that won a gold medal in basketball game and went on to an outstanding calling with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks .
Indianapolis Children’s Museum
More than a million visitors each year come to explore the five floors of the Indianapolis Children ’s Museum , the large minor ’s museum in the earthly concern . Exhibits include a dinosaur home ground , a run carousel , a steam locomotive , a planetarium , and loads of hands - on activities for all ages – which means that Mom and Dad can savour the visit too . In fact , grownups like it so much that there are even adult - only events .
Van Camp’s Pork & Beans
Gilbert Van Camp launched a canning business in Indianapolis in 1861 , so by the sentence the Union Army call for Chou for the flock during the Civil War , Van Camp ’s was ready with pork & bean . However , it was n’t until 1894 that Gilbert ’s Word Frank created the famous formula made with tomato sauce .
Jane Pauley
The Warren Central High School and Indiana University graduate started her programme calling with regard - TV in Indianapolis . She was then hired byThe Today Show , where she remained until 1989 . Afterwards , she moved on toDateline NBCandNBC Nightly News . These day you’re able to enamour her onCBS Sunday Morning . you’re able to also see her name on the Jane Pauley Community Health Center in Indianapolis .
Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds
The Grammy - gain singer / songster / producer grow up in Indianapolis and attend North Central High School , but you ’ll probably see his name most often on Interstate 65 . A 17 - mi stretch is named for the prize - winning R&B creative person , who has publish and give rise for such star as Whitney Houston , Michael Jackson , Madonna , Aretha Franklin , and many others .
Marc Summers
Whether you see him unleash the slime on Nickelodeon’sDouble Dareback in the ' fourscore , or you ’re familiar with him on Food web’sUnwrapped , you probably agnise this bozo from somewhere . Summers , who also producesRestaurant : Impossible , is occasionally back in Indianapolis and always makes certain to barricade in for a burger at Steak ' n Shake .
Duesenbergs
When brothers Fred and August Duesenberg moved to Indianapolis in 1919 , they ’d already tasted winner in the famed 500 - nautical mile Race . The engineers were on the cusp of a breakthrough , one that would ensure their home in history . The duo develop a powerful straight - eight locomotive , absquatulate it onto a revolutionary chassis , then sell them to wealthy customer around the humanity , who had custom coach makers finish up the gleaming car , which many regard among the finest ever bring forth .
David Letterman
He ’s retired from former - night TV and now , plainly , sports a bushy beard , but you may still pick out David Letterman at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May , where the former talk show host co - possess an IndyCar team . The one - time local television weatherman sustain close link with his college alma mater ( Ball State University ) , where his name graces the metier and communication theory building . Hell , there ’s even a scholarship in his name that goes to telecommunications scholarly person with ordinary grades and above - norm creative thinking .
Wonder Bread
The quintessential sandwich cabbage first impinge on store shelves in 1921 , after an ad campaign promised shopper " a wonder . " According to corporate lore , the marketing veep at Indy ’s Taggart Baking Company came up with the name and logo thought after being " filled with wonderment " at the sight of a sky full of multicolored balloons at an international balloon race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway .
Bar Keepers Friend
This product was a hitting with local tavern owners when an Indy chemist come up with the formula in 1882 . Not only does it keep brass rails shiny , but the non - bleach cleanser work on household surfaces as well – and it ’s still made in Indianapolis .
Raggedy Ann
Yes , the button - eyed , yarn - hairy tag doll is a Hoosier . agree toHistoric Indianapolis , local cartoonist and illustrator Johnny Gruelle drew a face on one of his girl ’s tag wench in 1915 and began indite story about Raggedy Ann – and , later , Raggedy Andy . ( However , we ’re still not sure whether Andy was her brother or her beau , which makes all those date - Paraguay tea Halloween costumes even more confusing . )
Zipp Speed Weaponry
route bicycler are a competitive and loyal bunch , so it takes a higher-ranking product to break into the business . That ’s what motorsports engineer and wheel enthusiast Leigh Sargent had when he train his first carbon character wheels in 1988 with his new company , Zipp Speed Weaponry , just down the street from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway . By 2000 , the ship’s company was supplying wheels to top - floor professional cycling teams , and its Cartesian product were on the cycle of multiple Tour de France leg achiever .
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