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Jordan Ryan

@jordanryan.bsky.social
300 followers 181 following 154 posts

archives + archaeology + architecture

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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Dad’s salvage of the week - he found the building topper of the historic & long lost Tee Pee Restaurant that was listed on the National Register in 1986 & then demolished by the state fairgrounds in 1988. So many avenues of interpretation possible with this artifact. Incredible find.
Metal decorative building topper Historic photo of tee pee restaurant
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
RIP the pride on the circle historic marker June 2022-July 2026 💔
Photo of historic marker stolen on top, photo of installation celebration on bottom
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
I waited til the 3rd date to talk about zoning, I deserve an award
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Thank you to Arika Herron at Axios Indianapolis for visiting us at the City-County Archives to learn about our origin story, collections, and research. We are a scrappy duo indeed! www.axios.com/local/indian... Miles to go.
axios.com
Inside the "scrappy" effort to build Indy's City-County Archives
The archives are just two years old, with a 150-year backlog of information.
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
I'm excited to share what we've been working on for a year & a half: a documentary feature film about the excavation of our section of Greenlawn Cemetery. So proud of our team of archaeologists, historians, preservationists & genealogists working on the analysis of this significant historic site.
A City Department of Public Works press release announcing the trailer screening of the Greenlawn Cemetery excavation documentaryDetails on the screenings 5/11 at the Eiteljorg at 3:30pm and 5/12 at Indiana Landmarks Center at 6:00pm
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
It has been an absolute honor to serve as the historian for the Rethink Coalition's SE gateway project. Thank you in particular to the Italian elders who shared so much with me. Here’s to the next steps for getting this damn thing built and reconnecting my community! rethink65-70.org/work/southea...
rethink65-70.org
Report - Southeast Gateway Planning Study — Rethink Coalition
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Thanks to @indymonthly.bsky.social for visiting the City-County Archives and chatting about the “legal, historical, and ethical minefield” of work surrounding our Greenlawn Cemetery excavation. www.indianapolismonthly.com/arts-and-cul...
indianapolismonthly.com
Read Our One-On-One With City-County Archivist Jordan Ryan
After the Henry Street bridge project recently got under way, Jordan Ryan's role came into play as the city-county archivist.
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
Really excited about this project - the City's response for a missing middles housing pattern book! ❤️ Pull the RFQ here: www.indy.gov/workflow/fin...
indy.gov
indy.gov
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Andrew Karre @andrewkarre.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
This is the aftermath of an ICE kidnapping a few blocks from my home in St. Paul—an hour ago. A quiet street full of broken glass and at least three wrecked cars. The target of the kidnapping was taken away by ambulance. He was on a stretcher and covered by a sheet, though a cop said he was alive.
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molly conger @socialistdogmom.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
they're executing moms and nurses in the street. they're using preschoolers as bait. they're stealing people's dads and grandmas and children. they're tear gassing babies. they're staking out schools. there is no remedy but abolition. any proposal that doesn't start there is an act of violence.
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James Ball @jamesrball.com · 19/01/2026
Fairly sure it’s unintentional, but the end date on this mug being sold by the Smithsonian does make it sound a little like they’re saying America dies in 2026…
A dark blue mug with an American flag reads “AMERICA 1776 – 2026”
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
You know you’ve made it as a municipal archivist when your Xmas gifts from dad are: a collage of materials from a demolition contractor who demo’d most lost city landmarks, Indiana world war memorial plaza ephemera, and an ashtray from the Lincoln Hotel
Collage of Zebrowski demolition materials Indiana world war memorial plaza pamphlet Lincoln Hotel ashtray
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
It’s hard building a municipal archive from scratch. Despite all the obstacles, we accomplished a lot this year. -108 reference questions answered -40 tours for ~150 people -8 lectures/panels for ~600 people -340 volunteer hours -doubled our vault and storage space -est online presence
Ledger booksDeeds Microfilm boxes
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
Mental health break ✌️
Icy lake Stained glass window Snow in park Icy lake
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Mapping Inequality, the digital humanities platform for exploring redlining maps & data, launched in 2016. Never in my wildest dreams did I think they would ask me to write an essay on Indianapolis! It is an absolute honor to be included in this project: dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/red...
dsl.richmond.edu
Mapping Inequality
Redlining in New Deal America
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 16/11/2025
Beautiful weekend away 🧡
View of fall landscape View of fall landscape Cabin sign: “teach me the unforced rhythms of grace” In the forest
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Safe Streets Indy @safestreetsindy.org · 16/11/2025
Today is World Day of Remembrance — a global event to remember those killed or seriously injured on our streets. Read more about this day, and our call to action for the City of Indianapolis, at the link below. #WDoR2025 #SafeStreetsIndy #Indianapolis #HoosierSky #VisionZero
safestreetsindy.org
Safe Streets Indy
Advocating for Safe Streets in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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s. e. smith @sesmith.lol · 10/11/2025
Anyway a great way to radicalize people is for them to realize that you just abandoned their chance at being able to access and afford health care because you didn’t like waiting in line at the airport.
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
🍁 “I’ve got an idea. Let’s go outside.” 🍁
Spring mill state park Spring mill state park garden Spring mill state park cave Spring mill state park close up of tavern
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
Thank you @mirrorindy.org for featuring Deedee our reference archivist and her amazing work to identify historic glass negatives held at the Irvington Historical Society: mirrorindy.org/historic-pho... You have until Nov 30 to see the exhibit!
mirrorindy.org
The lost photographs of Osbert Sumner
Historian Deedee Davis’ research began seven years ago to tell a different story of life in Indianapolis from 1898-1903.
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
Thanks IndyStar for celebrating Archives Month with local public, nonprofit, university, and governmental archives ❤️ www.indystar.com/story/opinio...
indystar.com
Indiana's archives preserve more than history — they protect the truth | Opinion
Every family does something important. No history is insignificant. Our archives make sure we remember that.
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ElieNYC @elienyc.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Remember, according to the Republican Justices, it's okay to gerrymander for party advantage, not racial advantage. It's an unknowable distinction, but one that allows the Republicans to okay racist gerrymandering under the guise of political gerrymandering.
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
The civic shame of it all
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 11/10/2025
Exhibit Columbus installations + Alexander Girard exhibit today with Dad 💯
Outdoor installation Outdoor installation Girard poster Girard dolls
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
A fabulous week in Fort Wayne at the statewide historic preservation conference.
Decorative floor tiles Greenhouse Courthouse ceiling Sanctuary
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
📣 Excited to share that What a Building Does: The Hoosier Modernisms of Evans Woollen is available for pre-order! Phillip Cox & Niall Cronin brilliantly tell the story of Woollen and his firm's journey from Midcentury Modernism to Brutalism to Postmodernism. Pre-order: iupress.org/978025307410...
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
RIP the Albert Kahn-designed Crane Bay, what a sad loss These photos are from July 2019. I just had this sick feeling the last crane bay wouldn’t survive The tangible context of: Industrial history Labor history West side neighborhood history Gone. #thisplacemattered
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Wildstyle @mrwildstyle.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
I just rolled up to what I assumed was a public unveiling of a sculpture at Elanco but when I rolled up I was immediately turned away by this gentleman Who said I couldn't come back there Then he asked the guy walking up if he was there for the art unveiling and let him thru 😉
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Another excellent Behind Closed Doors mausoleum tour at Crown Hill Cemetery. #thisplacematters
Stained glass Chandelier Stained glassCookie with historic archway design
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
The Henry Street Bridge Project's Greenlawn Cemetery excavation is well over 1,500 grave shafts now on our little 1.5 acre strip. Don't forget to follow along on our project website where we provide updates for the public: wridinfrastructure.com/archaeology/...
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 07/09/2025
🪦 Happy archaeology month 🪦 The City-County Archives was thrilled to table at the Indiana State Museum’s Archaeology Family Discovery Day yesterday. We shared historic maps and deed research with guests. Some guests made their own marker/monuments. Thank you to all who stopped by!
Archivist holding a map of cemetery plots Play doh sculptured monuments
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Yesterday marked our final Archives teaching day for our Indyology internship. The students learned about memorialization from Leon Bates & Ahmaud Carroll-Tubbs, looking at national examples, then designed their own memorials for our cemetery. They then sculpted monuments to place in their designs.
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
The City-County Archives went on a great field trip yesterday, visiting Ball State’s architectural archivist Cody Sprunger. We learned about DIY humidification chambers to make our architectural drawing collection work more efficient. And of course we had to end the trip with some Pizza King!
Residential drawings Model of convention center Drawing from former zoo Model of downtown
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
Thanks to everyone who attended our Greenlawn Cemetery excavation + Henry Street Bridge project public information meeting. I am excited to see where the research takes us in the next few years. In case you missed the meeting, the presentation slides are here: wridinfrastructure.com/june-2024-up...
Some members of the community advisory group
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
Last week we hit a new benchmark on the Henry Street Bridge Project excavation - reaching over 1,000 graveshafts identified. Not even 50% through our excavation. On our tiny, 1.5 acre parcel of a larger 25 acre cemetery.
Grave shaft table showing 1,027 grave shafts discovered Invitation for meeting 7/8 5pm at school 47
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Jen Mercieca @jenmercieca.bsky.social · 22/06/2025
He was humiliated last weekend. This weekend he bombed someone. My guess is there is a relationship between those two events.
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Elizabeth Blasius @blaservations.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
New from me in Mas Context: In February NPS removed Transgender and Queer from the Stonewall National Monument website. NPS also removed LGBTQ America: A Theme Study of Lesbian Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer History—the 1st federal account of the LGBTQ community.
mascontext.com
Stonewall: Movement, Monument, Myth
In February 2025, under the orders of the Trump administration, the National Park Service (NPS) removed the words “Transgender” and “Queer” from the…
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
I’m shattered. Our traffic calming project survived 2 months before a motorist wrecked through it. Listen to neighborhoods when they tell you we need more traffic calming measures. Pedestrians and cyclists are not safe. 💔
A destroyed neighborhood mural and planters
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
Special thanks to my reference archivist who surprised me & assembled this model before a tour. This is a rejected proposed plan for the GM stamping plant. It’s a great artifact and teaching tool that captures a moment in time of the downtown and west side’s built environment. #whatanarchivistdoes
Architectural model of downtownArchitectural model of downtownArchitectural model of downtown Architectural model of downtown
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Brilliant and dedicated historians, librarians, archivists, and curators - gone. 💔
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
civic shame.
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Nicholas Guyatt @nicholasguyatt.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
A tiny but wild snapshot of the current chaos
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
I'm excited to share that Jeannie Regan-Dinius and myself are starting a dialogue at the Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation conference. Our presentation, "The Monumental Effort to Excavate and Memorialize Greenlawn Cemetery," discusses the physical, archaeological, & contextual challenges.
1866 map of Greenlawn Cemetery
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
🥳 Happy Historic Preservation Month! What do a union steelworker, a clairvoyant palmist, and the inventor of Bar Keepers Friend all have in common? These individuals all made history in the Fountain-Fletcher District: the area including the Fletcher Place, North Square, and Fountain Square n’hoods.
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Ed Fujawa @edfujawa.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
A new post about the history behind a mystery photo at an ice cream establishment in Broad Ripple. www.class900indy.com/post/gus-bar...
class900indy.com
Gus Barthel and the Little Deutsche House in Broad Ripple
Exploring the story of Gus Barthel of Broad Ripple and his roadhouse named the Little Deutsche Haus.
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
3 neighborhoods came together to do a tactical urbanism project on a problematic piece of infrastructure impacting each of us. And I spoke with WFYI about it: www.wfyi.org/news/article... Oh, and I thoroughly enjoyed waving the safety flag at motorists.
Visual of mural painting with quotes from the article overlaid
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
2 years today without our Paul 💔 We love you and we miss you very, very much Every volume, every talk, every paper, every collection… everything is to honor your work and the work you left us. Miles to go ❤️
Group photo
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 12/04/2025
A story of 3 neighborhoods - Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, and North Square - coming together to work on a shared infrastructure problem: speeding motorists on Calvary/McCarty Street getting on or off the highway. Can’t wait to see what we do next. ❤️
Before photoAfter photoView of barriers and mural View of flexi posts
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Jordan Ryan @jordanryan.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
Thanks for all the kind words at my Society of Indiana Archivists conference plenary talk yesterday. It means a lot. 💞 I'll be at Indy Design Week 4/25 to talk about municipal logos and the Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation 5/17 to talk about Greenlawn Cemetery & monument-making.
Indy Design Week presentation info
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andybchen.com @andybchen.com · 27/03/2025
celebrity sighting in this clip!!! wishtv.com/news/local-n...
wishtv.com
Plan would put 'land bridge' over half-mile stretch of South Split
Rethink I-65/I-70 Coalition proposes a unique solution to reconnect neighborhoods to downtown Indianapolis by covering part of the highway with a cap.
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