Howard County Historical Society

10/01/2026

James Duke (1895-1968) opened Duke Restaurant in Kokomo in 1929. It was located at 112 East Sycamore until it closed in late 1955. Duke served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was known for its homemade cream pies.

James Duke was a WWI veteran of the tank corps ending his time in the army as a Lieutenant. He was an early member of Kokomo’s Golliday Post No. 6 of the American Legion serving as its commander in 1936.

In 1929, he started a restaurant in Noblesville in addition to the one he started in Kokomo. He was an organizer of the Indiana Restaurant Association serving at one time as its president and also as director.

Though never having served in elected office, Duke was involved in local Republican party leadership for years and was treasurer of the Howard County Republican party at the time of his death.

09/30/2026

Join us on Friday, Oct 9 and Saturday, Oct 10 for the HCHS Cemetery Walk! From Aunt Millie Martindale to Father Francis Lordemann, there are so many stories to discover! Tickets are limited and can be purchased online: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/hchs-2026-cemetery-walk
For more information, please call the office or visit our website!

09/29/2026

HCHS is experiencing some technical difficulties today, so if you can’t reach us by phone, please email [email protected] and someone will get back to you!

09/24/2026

In September and October of 1986, a film was being shot here in Kokomo. That film was “Terror Squad.” It centered around Libyan terrorists who wanted to sabotage the Blackriver nuclear plant west of Kokomo. They ended up being thwarted in their attempt and made it to the high school in town and took several students hostage.

Several local people were used as extras and at least one, Baggy Hardiman, had some lines. The movie premiered in Kokomo on May 29, 1987 after having been shown at the Cannes Film Festival in France a couple of weeks earlier.

If you were in the movie, we would love to hear about your experience in the
comments.

These images were shot during the filming of the movie.

09/22/2026

Have some free time on your hands and love history? We would love for you to join our volunteer team! We have a wide range of roles. Check out some details on our website at https://www.hchistory.org/support/volunteer-opportunities

09/19/2026

Come see us at Foster Park today for Drums Along the Wildcat!

Daniel Bluetail leads the Grand Entry at Drums Along the Wildcat today at Foster Park.

We’re here today until dusk! The event is FREE! Come see and participate in dances, grab some food, and check out vendors.

09/18/2026

We are excited to announce the opening of our online gift shop! From mugs, apparel, books and one of a kind memorabilia – there’s something for everyone! Best of all? Your purchase helps to support our work to collect, preserve, and share the diverse history of Howard County. Click the link to shop the collection today! Prefer to do your shopping in person? Come check out the Mansion gift shop Tuesday - Sunday 1 - 4 PM.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/seiberling-museum-gift-shop

09/17/2026

Dr. Corydon Richmond (1808-1906) arrived in Kokomo in 1844 after having been born in New York and living in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1832, he moved to Madison County, Indiana, where he began practicing medicine. In 1838, he moved to Indianapolis and went into practice with his father. He relocated to Kokomo in 1844 where he became the first permanent physician in Howard County. He won a seat in the state legislature in 1847 as the representative from Howard and Cass Counties, though the session only lasted a short time due to an outbreak of smallpox.

During the Civil War, Richmond served in a military hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, but had to come home due to ill health. He returned to Nashville in 1865 to treat soldiers and start up a hospital to treat Black soldiers. In 1867, he was elected Kokomo’s second mayor and served for two years. His mayoral picture is seen with this article. After serving as mayor, he was proprietor of a drug store before finally retiring from working life in approximately 1886. For the final 14 years of his life he was blind. He is buried in Crown Point Cemetery.