Originally aired 02/14/2026. Hoosier History Live salutes Valentines Day and spotlights the marriages of people who lived to be 100 years old (or older) and, in some cases, were wed for 70 or even 80 years. Some of the stories are romantic and some are heart-breaking or quirky. Nelson's returning guest is Gerry Justice, an Indianapolis author who interviewed centenarians for his book, "My 100-Year-Old Friends: In Their Words".

Originally aired 02/07/2026. Benjamin Harrison V was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the great-grandfather (and namesake) of the only U.S. president elected from Indiana. Nelson and his guest explore other Revolutionary War-related aspects associated with the Harrison political dynasty. Benjamin V became the first person to read the Declaration of Independence out loud but voted not to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Jennifer Capps, the veteran curator at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis, will explain why.

Originally aired 01/31/2026. Genealogy for people with Native American ancestry can be challenging because of several factors, including the way the U.S. Census categorized (or did not categorize) Indigenous Peoples, particularly during the 1800s. Sarah Pfundstein, a genealogy librarian at the Indiana State Library, is Nelson's guest to offer advice and suggestions for resources.

Originally aired 01/17/2026. The Indiana World War Memorial, Circle Theatre on Monument Circle, the Indiana Statehouse, the Birch Bayh U.S. Courthouse and other buildings all have classical elements of Greek and Roman design. Nelson's guest is distinguished architectural historian James Glass, the author of two books that explore Indianapolis architecture during the 1800s and early 1900s.

Originally aired 01/10/2026. Nelson and guests, Michael and Jamie Snyder, native Hoosiers who moved separately to Pasadena in the mid 1970s as teenagers explore the unlikely, but extensive, historic connections between Pasadena and Indiana. The California city was founded in the 1870s by Hoosiers who were tired of bitter winters. They initially called their settlement "The Indiana Colony" before coming up with the "Pasadena" name. Transplanted Hoosiers also launched a festival to showcase flowers during winter (when they weren't blooming in Indiana) that evolved into the Tournament of Roses. After returning to their home state, Michael and Jamie founded the MEK Group, a Carmel based marketing and PR firm.

Originally aired 01/03/2026. Previous guest and antiques dealer, Charles Alexander, discusses his collection of historic Indianapolis memorabilia and ephemera. He has postcards, photos, artifacts and souvenirs connected to Indianapolis landmarks, high schools, and bygone department stores, businesses and banks. Charles shares insights about the history of garage sales, plus advice for collectors.

Originally aired 12/13/2025. An all call-in program was aired with co-host and prolific author Ray Boomhower of the Indiana Historical Society. Listeners are invited to call WICR-FM with any questions or comments about our Indiana heritage throughout the show. In between phone calls from listeners, Nelson and Ray interview each other about topics related to the holiday season and "America 250".

Originally aired 12/06/2025. Nelson and his guests explore the histories of the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood on the eastside of Indy as well as Polk's Dairy, the state's largest milk distributor during the early 1900s. The only remaining structure of the dairy complex is its stable for delivery horses, which today houses the Polklore Micro-Museum that highlights neighborhood history. Nelson's guests Joanna Taft, founder of the Harrison Center, Immanuel Ivey, who grew up in Martindale-Brightwood and works for the Edna Christian Center, and Kipp Normand, an artist and historian.

Originally aired 11/15/2025. An outstanding rower from Bloomington became the only organ donor to win an Olympic medal. A runner from Westfield was struck by a car, but recovered to become an All-American athlete. And an Indianapolis native who lost both of her twin sons, then took a long break from running, returned to set an Indiana record in the marathon. These women and others are featured in a book called "Inspiring Women of Indiana Sports." The author, acclaimed sportswriter David Woods, is Nelson's guest on this episode. Please note that the audio got cut off during recording and the episode abruptly ends. We apologize for this mistake!

Originally aired 10/25/2025. There have been six official, state-owned houses since 1816, but also long stretches when Governors and First Ladies lived in private residences for various reasons. In Indianapolis, the first governor's mansion constructed on the eventual site of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument was never occupied. A subsequent Governor's mansion was blamed for making family members sick. Nelson's guest is Libby Cierzniak, a retired lawyer and lobbyist who writes a blog about Indy city history.