Thursday, August 20th
Happy Thursday, Indiana. Thankfully, water levels are receding and Hoosiers are helping Hoosiers get back on their feet.
This Week in Indiana History: Benjamin Harrison Is Born (1833)
Everything About the Flood of 2026
Pick an Indiana Region and Live There Forever
Date Night at the Dinner Theatre
Dirty Socks? Hang ‘Em On the Barn
IU Football Expectations
Listen to the Latest Episodes From the Get IN. Podcast Network
Hidden Gems: Mounds State Park and Fox Island County Park
Indiana Events
1 Big wIN: Indiana’s Affordability for Homebuyers and Renters
Get IN. with Nate Spangle: From a Strip Mall to a $2.5 Billion Sale
This issue is 1,667 words, a 6-minute read.
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📜 This Week in Indiana History 📜
Benjamin Harrison Is Born (1833)
This week in Indiana history, Benjamin Harrison, the only president who claimed Indiana as his home base, was born. Originally born near North Bend, Ohio and the grandson of William Henry Harrison (the ninth U.S. president), Benjamin eventually moved to Indianapolis where he established himself as a prominent attorney.
In 1881, Harrison became a member of the U.S. Senate before running for president in 1888. He lost the popular vote but won the electoral college. His term ran from March 4, 1889 to March 4, 1893. During that stretch, his biggest accomplishment was signing the Sherman Antitrust Act, which limited monopolies and helped stop businesses from working together to control trade.
Though he was only president for one term, we are proud to call President Harrison a Hoosier. In 1951, his home in Indianapolis opened as a museum, and it is currently open for tours throughout the week. It joins the Reagan Library as the only presidential memorials that serve as polling places on election day.
📰 Hoosier Headlines 📰
Everything About the Flood of 2026
In July, Nate and Will spent five days canoeing 84 miles down the White River from Muncie to Indianapolis, and along the way they met some amazing Hoosiers who love the river life. If you know of organizations or volunteer opportunities to help flood victims, let us know and we’ll share them in next week’s newsletter. Here’s where the water levels were at during their canoe trip.
Many homes in Anderson were hit hard by the flood. See what homeowners are going through to try and salvage what’s left. (FPI News)
Less than 1% of homeowners in Indiana have flood insurance. Here’s what you need to know. (FPI News)
If your house was damaged from the flooding, don’t apply for individual assistance from FEMA just yet. Here’s why. (FPI News)
Need to apply for Indiana’s emergency flood assistance and SNAP refunds? Here’s how. (Mirror Indy)
If you have a garden that flooded, here are some precautions you should take. (FPI News)
Property damage, displaced Hoosiers, a flood unlike anything we’ve seen. Check out these two photo galleries. (Mirror Indy in Broad Ripple / Mirror Indy in Rocky Ripple)
A view of the Monon Trail bridge just north of Broad Ripple in Indianapolis. (Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy)
Pick an Indiana Region and Live There Forever
Nate and Will sat down and asked themselves where they would choose to live in Indiana forever. Comment with the region you’d settle down in for good.
Date Night at the Dinner Theater
If you grew up anywhere near Fountain County, chances are you’ve heard someone talk about a night out at The Harmony Theater, better known to many longtime locals as Myers Dinner Theatre. Read more about its history and why it’s special. (Get Indiana)
Dirty Socks? Hang ‘Em On the Barn
Brown County is home to one of Indiana’s best state parks, Hard Truth, shops and eateries to explore. But something you have to see to believe? The Sock Barn. (Get Indiana)
IU Football Expectations
The Hoosiers lost key contributors from last season’s national title team, but they’ve reloaded with transfers. It will be tough for TCU quarterback transfer Josh Hoover to fill the shoes of Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, but third-year head coach Curt Cignetti believes in him and will lean on an experienced group once again to lead IU back to the College Football Playoff this fall. (Get Indiana)
Listen to the Latest Episodes From the Get IN. Podcast Network
Get IN. Sports - Greg Rakestraw’s Sports Broadcasting Journey and Indiana’s Best High School Football Atmospheres, State Title Contenders and Mr. Football Candidates
IN the Parks - Bryce Canyon National Park: Dark Sky Gazing & Hoodoos and Capitol Reef National Park: Beauty, Adventure, and Pie!
HamCo Live Hot Ticket - Front Porch Music Festival, TradeUp Fest and Best Concert Memories
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Mounds State Park
Mounds State Park is a hidden gem near Anderson, even after flood waters affected portions of Trail 5, Trail 6, and a handful of non-paved trails. Watch below and see why you should visit soon.
Fox Island County Park
We’ve got a Fort Wayne hidden gem for you! Fox Island County Park.
What’s your Hidden Gem? Submit here to have it featured!
Events This Week in Indiana
Garth Brooks: Blame It All On My Roots Arena Tour – Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis – Thursday–Sunday, Aug. 20–23 - Country music icon Garth Brooks kicks off his arena tour with a four-night residency at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, including a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee. Tickets
Indianapolis Indians Baseball – Victory Field in Indianapolis – Aug. 20–30 (no game Aug. 24) - The Indians are atop the International League second-half standings and pushing for the postseason. Catch them this weekend against the Louisville Bats (Cincinnati Reds affiliate) through Aug. 23 before the Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Guardians affiliate) come to town through Aug. 30. Don’t miss Lexie Hull Night next Thursday, Aug. 27. Tickets
TLC and Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue – Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville – Thursday, Aug. 20 at 7:30 p.m. - Three legendary '90s R&B and hip-hop groups co-headline for a nostalgia-packed night of "Waterfalls," "Push It," and "Free Your Mind." Tickets
Craig Morgan & Sammy Kershaw – Indiana State Fair Hoosier Lottery Free Stage – Friday, Aug. 21 (Kershaw at 6 p.m., Morgan at 7:30 p.m.) - Country double bill on the state fair's free stage — Craig Morgan ("That's What I Love About Sunday") and Sammy Kershaw ("She Don't Know She's Beautiful"). Details
Feast of Lanterns – Spades Park in Indianapolis – Saturday, Aug. 22 from 4–11 p.m. - Indy's oldest continuously running neighborhood festival transforms Spades Park with hundreds of paper lanterns, food trucks, vendors, live performances, a beer and wine garden, and a Kids Zone. Details
Outlaw Music Festival featuring Willie Nelson & Family, The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow – Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville – Sunday, Aug. 23 at 3:20 p.m. - Willie Nelson's annual traveling festival returns with a stacked bill led by the Red Headed Stranger himself, plus The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, and more. Tickets
👏 1 Big wIN 👏
Indiana remains one of America's most affordable states for homebuyers and renters in 2026, with median home prices significantly below national averages across most cities. From Gary at $130,500 to Terre Haute at $136,450 (median sale prices, Redfin city data, May 2026), the Hoosier State offers significant value for first-time buyers, families, and investors.
This guide covers the top 10 most affordable Indiana cities, featuring current market data, neighborhood insights, and practical advice for buyers looking to maximize their dollars. (Get Indiana)
🎙 On today's show I sat down with Scott Dorsey, former CEO/co-founder of ExactTarget and currently the managing partner at High Alpha, about his move from Chicago to Indianapolis to start ExactTarget and build email marketing software with co-founders Peter McCormick and Chris Baggott.
ExactTarget originated in a Greenfield, Indiana strip mall, where Baggott identified the need while running a dry cleaner. Dorsey looks back on early hires, downtown Indianapolis' evolution, resilience through 9/11, the 2008 crisis, outages and breaches, and leadership practices like ExactTarget's "Orange" culture and a weekly Friday note to keep 2,000 employees connected.
He explains filing for an IPO in 2007, pulling it during the financial crisis, successfully going public in 2012, and selling to Salesforce in 2013 for $2.5 billion after interest from firms including Adobe.
Our conversation highlights civic leadership, Orr Fellowship's impact, the 2012 Super Bowl host committee, and ExactTarget's philanthropy that became Nextech to expand computer science education statewide.
If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.
You are going to learn about:
- How ExactTarget was Founded and Grew to Become a $2.5B Company
- Leadership Practices for Large-Scale Companies
- The Impacts of Orr Fellowship
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