“Hoosier Poet” James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916) gained widespread fame performing across the U.S. from 1881-1903 and for poems written in rustic Hoosier dialect, such as “Little Orphant Annie.” He lived in this house, owned by the Nickums and Holsteins, the last 23 years of his life. To honor his legacy, a group of his friends formed the Riley Memorial Association. The Riley Memorial Association, which became Riley Children’s Foundation in 2003, worked with Indiana University and the Indiana Child Welfare Association to pass a 1921 bill to create a children’s hospital. In 1922, the Riley Association opened this home to the public. The James Whitcomb Riley Memorial Hospital for Children opened in 1924 and Camp Riley by 1955.

Photo: Oil on canvas by John Singer Sargent

Photo: J. J. Prats

Photo: J. J. Prats

Indianapolis city (balance), Indiana · USA