A Hoosier (pronounced /ˈhuːʒɚ/) is a nickname sometimes used to describe a person from the U.S. state of Indiana. Though other states have typically used the state name as a nickname e.g. Indianan or Indianian, these nicknames are rarely, if ever, used by actual persons resident in or from Indiana. People in Indiana adopted the nickname over 150 years ago.^[1] "Hoosiers" is also the mascot for Indiana University athletic teams and the title of an award-winning 1986 movie Hoosiers starring Gene Hackman, based on the story of the Milan High school basketball team and its road to winning the state championship. The word Hoosier is sometimes used in the names of Indiana-based businesses. In other parts of the country, the word has been adapted for other uses (see Other uses). The Hoosiers are a rock band from Reading, Berkshire and Sweden. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... For other uses, see Indiana (disambiguation). ... Indiana Universitys athletic teams are called the Hoosiers, and their colors are cream and crimson, though red and white have been used at times in the past. ... This page is about the movie Hoosiers. Hoosiers is also the nickname of Indiana University athletic teams; see Indiana Hoosiers. ... Eugene Allen Gene Hackman[1] (born January 30, 1930) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Milan is a town in Ripley County, Indiana, United States. ... This article is about the use of the term Hoosiers. For the small town in Indiana, see Hoosier, Indiana. ...

Origin

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the etymology of the word is unknown, but it has been in use since at least 1826. According to Bill Bryson, there are many suggestions for the derivation of the word "Hoosier," but none is universally accepted. The Oxford English Dictionary print set The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP), and is the most successful dictionary of the English language, (not to be confused with the one-volume Oxford Dictionary of English, formerly New Oxford Dictionary of English, of... Etymologies redirects here. ... The oldest surviving photograph, Nicéphore Niépce, circa 1826 1826 (MDCCCXXVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... William McGuire Bill Bryson, OBE, (born December 8, 1951 in Des Moines, Iowa) is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on scientific subjects. ...

It first came into general usage in the 1830s. John Finley of Richmond, Indiana wrote a poem, The Hoosier's Nest^[2], which was used as the "Carrier's Address" of the Indianapolis Journal, January 1, 1833. As it came into common usage, the debates about the term's origin began.^[3]. Richmond (IPA: ) is a city in east central Indiana, which borders Ohio. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1833 (MDCCCXXXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Jacob Piatt Dunn would be the most serious historian looking into the origin of the term "Hoosier" as a term used to describe citizens of Indiana.^[4]

Some folkloric etymologies

Frontier banter

This idea suggests the term was a greeting. When approaching a man's home in those early frontier days, you shouted from afar, "Hello, the cabin!" to avoid being shot. The inhabitants would then shout back "Who'sh 'ere?" (who's there). As it got slurred together over time, the country folk came to be called Hoosiers.

A variant of this story combines "Who's" and "your", such as in "Who'sh yer 'pa?". Additionally, the poet James Whitcomb Riley facetiously suggested that the fierce brawling that took place in Indiana involved enough ear biting that the expression "Whose ear?" was common enough to be notable. Honorary statue of James Whitcomb Riley on courthouse lawn in Greenfield, Indiana James Whitcomb Riley (Greenfield, Indiana October 7, 1849 – July 22, 1916), American writer and poet called the Hoosier poet and Americas Childrens Poet made a start writing newspaper verse in Hoosier dialect for the Indianapolis Journal...

Pugilistic boatmen

Indiana rivermen were so spectacularly successful in trouncing or "hushing" their adversaries in the brawling that was then common that they became known as "hushers."

Mr. Hoosier's men

One possible origin of the term "Hoosier" comes from the construction of the Louisville and Portland Canal

A contractor reportedly named Samuel Hoosier preferred to hire workers from Indiana during the construction of the Louisville and Portland Canal (1826-1831) in Louisville. His employees became known as "Hoosier's men" and finally just "Hoosiers." Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 452 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Taken by uploader, all rights released I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 452 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Taken by uploader, all rights released I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the... The McAlpine Locks and Dam refers to the series of locks and the hydroelectric dam in Louisville, Kentucky at the Falls of the Ohio. ... McAlpine Locks and Dam, Louisville, Kentucky The McAlpine Locks and Dam refers to the series of locks and the hydroelectric dam in Louisville, Kentucky at the Falls of the Ohio. ... Louisville redirects here. ...

This story is reported by Dunn (1907:16-17) as being told in 1901 by a man who heard this story from a Hoosier family member while traveling in southern Tennessee. However, Dunn’s research could find no-one in southern Tennessee who had heard the story, nor could he find any family of that name in any directory in the region. In spite of Dunn’s skepticism, this version has been accepted by Evan Bayh, who has served as Indiana governor and senator, and by Senator Vance Hartke, who introduced this story into the Congressional Record (1975), according to Graf. Dunn may refer to: Places Dunn, Harnett County, North Carolina Dunn, Dunn County, Wisconsin Dunn, Dane County, Wisconsin People Dunn, Eighth-century English bishop Herbert O. Dunn, American admiral Holly Dunn, American country music singer John Dunn (1834-1895), South African historical person John Dunn (1934-2004), British radio personality... Birch Evans Bayh III (commonly known as Evan Bayh) (pronounced like bye; IPA pronunciation: ) (born December 26, 1955) is an American politician who has served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana since 1999 and a former Governor of Indiana. ... Rupert Vance Hartke (May 31, 1919–July 27, 2003) was a Democratic U.S. Senator from Indiana from 1959 to 1977. ...

A similar story involves the National Road, which began in Cumberland, Maryland, and slowly extended westward, reaching Indiana in 1829-1834. As plans were made to extend the highway to Richmond, Indiana, the call went out for laborers. Knowing that the federal government would pay "top dollar," the employees of a contractor in the Indiana Territory reportedly named Robert Hoosier asked their boss if they could go work for this higher wage in the neighboring state of Ohio. Mr. Hoosier gave his consent, asking them to return to work for him when this section of the road was done. Map showing the route of the National Road at its greatest completion in 1839, with historical state boundaries. ... Cumberland is one of the 39 traditional counties of England. ... Richmond (IPA: ) is a city in east central Indiana, which borders Ohio. ... Map of the Indiana Territory Indiana Territory was an organized territory of the United States from 1800 to 1816, created by Act of Congress and signed into law by President John Adams on May 7, 1800, effective on July 4. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ...

Just as in the Sam Hoosier story, the crew of Indiana workers proved to be industrious, conscientious, and efficient. The Federal foreman referred to the group as "Hoosiers" meaning they were workers that Robert Hoosier had allowed to join the national work crew. It wasn't long before people along the National Road used the term to describe the folks living in the territory to the west.

This story is not mentioned in Dunn’s or Mencken’s research, but if there were such a contractor and such events, they would have taken place after the term “Hoosier” was already well established in Appalachia and was becoming attached to Indiana.

Hussars

In this story, a veteran of the Napoleonic wars, Col. John Jacob Lehmanowsky, settled in Indiana later in life and gave lectures on the “Wars of Europe” in which he extolled the virtues of the hussars, which his audience heard as “hoosiers.” Young men wishing to identify with these virtues called themselves Hoosiers, enough of them that eventually all Indianans were called Hoosiers. A British Hussar from the Crimean War Hussar (original Hungarian spelling: huszár, plural huszárok, Polish: Husaria) refers to a number of types of cavalry used throughout Europe since the 15th century. ...

Weaknesses of this story include the unlikely mispronunciation of hussar as Hoosier and the fact that Lehmanowsky did not come to Indiana until 1833, by which time the term was already well established.

Other uses

A Hoosier cabinet, often shortened to "hoosier", is a type of free-standing kitchen cabinet popular in the early decades of the twentieth century. Almost all of these cabinets were produced by companies located in Indiana. The name is derived from the largest of them, the Hoosier Manufacturing Co. of New Castle, Indiana.^[5] New Castle is a city in Henry County, Indiana, 44 miles (71 km) east-northeast of Indianapolis, on the Big Blue River. ...

Other Indiana businesses use Hoosier in the name of their company: 1) Hoosier Racing Tire, manufacturer of racing tires; and 2) Hoosier Bat Company, manufacturer of wood baseball bats. Hoosier Racing Tire is an American tire manufacturer primarily specializing in the production of tires for competition use. ...

As the mascot of Indiana University, the Hoosier is the subject of debate, primarily concerning the term's meaning and origin. As there is no physical embodiment of a Hoosier, IU is represented through their letters and colors alone. Indiana University, founded in 1820, is a nine-campus university system in the state of Indiana. ...

The RCA Dome, home of the Indianapolis Colts, was once known as the Hoosier Dome. The RCA Dome is a domed stadium located in Indianapolis, Indiana, which was the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons (1984-2007). ...

Famous References

• Hoosier was referred to in Kurt Vonnegut's book, Cat's Cradle.
• Serial killer Carl Panzram's last words were reportedly, "Hurry it up, you Hoosier bastard! I could kill 10 men while you're fooling around!"

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. ... For the string game, see Cats cradle. ... Serial killers are individuals who have a history of multiple slayings of victims who were usually unknown to them beforehand. ... Carl Panzram (June 28, 1891 – September 5, 1930) was an American serial killer. ...

References

1. ^ Indiana State Emblems Indiana State Library
2. ^ The Hoosier's Nest
3. ^ Indiana Historical Society
4. ^ Indiana Historical Society
5. ^ RootsWeb

See also

• Hoosier Hysteria
• Hoosier Group

Hoosier Hysteria. ... The Hoosier Group was a group of Indiana Impressionist painters working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ...

External links

• Article on the name "Hoosier" from the Indiana University Alumni Association
• Hoosier National Forest "What is a 'Hoosier'" Web page
• Article: Explanation of "Hoosiers" by Dave Barry

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Kelley School of Business The Kelley School of Business of Indiana University is one of the top ranked business schools in the USA. It is home to approximately 4,600 full-time students on its Bloomington campus and approximately 1,200 students on its Indianapolis campus. ... The School of Education of Indiana University is an academic unit within the university, with a presence on the two core campuses of IU, Indiana University Bloomington and IUPUI. It offers a range of degrees in professional education: a B.S. in teacher education, leading to a teaching license, M... SPEA at Indiana University The Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs (or SPEA) is the largest school of its kind in the United States. ... Athletics Indiana Hoosiers · Men's Basketball · Men's Football · Big Ten Marcing Hundred · Indiana, Our Indiana · Hoosier Rivalries: Indiana-Purdue Rivalry · Old Oaken Bucket · Old Brass Spittoon Facilities: Memorial Stadium · Assembly Hall · Bill Armstrong Stadium · Sembower Field Coaches: Tom Crean · Dan Dakich · Bill Lynch Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 202 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Indiana University Bloomington Kappa Alpha Psi Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... Indiana Universitys athletic teams are called the Hoosiers, and their colors are cream and crimson, though red and white have been used at times in the past. ... Indiana Universitys athletic teams are called the Hoosiers, and their colors are cream and crimson, though red and white have been used at times in the past. ... NCAA Tournament Champions 1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987 NCAA Tournament Final Four 1940, 1953, 1973, 1976, 1981, 1987, 1992, 2002 Conference Regular Season Champions 1926, 1928, 1935, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1967, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2002 The Indiana Hoosiers mens basketball... Head coach Bill Lynch 1st year, 3–1 Home stadium Memorial Stadium Capacity 50,180 - AstroPlay Conference Big Ten First year 1882 Athletic director Rick Greenspan Website IUHoosiers. ... For other uses of the term Big Ten see Big Ten (disambiguation). ... The Marching Hundred (or Hundred for short) is Indiana Universitys marching band. ... Indiana, Our Indiana is the official school fight song of Indiana University. ... The Indiana-Purdue rivalry is a college rivalry between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Purdue Boilermakers. ... The Old Oaken Bucket The Old Oaken Bucket is the name of the trophy that is annually awarded to the winner of the Big Ten Conference college football game between Indiana University and Purdue University. ... The Old Brass Spittoon is presented to the winner of the Indiana-Michigan State football game. ... Memorial Stadium is a stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. ... Assembly Hall is a 17,456-seat arena on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. ... Bill Armstrong Stadium is a 6,500-capacity soccer-specific stadium located in Bloomington, Indiana. ... Sembower Field is a baseball stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. ... For Victoria Cross recipient, see Thomas Joseph Crean. ... Bill Lynch is the college football head coach for the Indiana Hoosiers. ... Campus Bryan House · Art Museum · Kinsey Institute · Kirkwood Observatory · Bloomington Indiana University is the principal campus of the Indiana University system. ... The Bryan House The Bryan House is the traditional home of the president of Indiana University (IU) in the center of the Bloomington camus of the university. ... The Indiana University Art Museum was designed by I.M. Pei & Partners as a commission by the board of trustees of Indiana University. ... Kirkwood Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Indiana University. ... Location in the state of Indiana Coordinates: County Monroe Mayor Mark Kruzan Area    - City 51. ... Student life Student Association · Student Foundation · Little 500 · Indiana Daily Student · Indiana University Student Television · WIUX Indiana University is the principal campus of the Indiana University system. ... The Indiana University Student Foundation is a not-for-profit student group that was formed by Howdy S. Wilcox. ... Participants compete in the 1977 Little 500 The Little 500 (also known popularly as the Little Five) is a bicycle race held annually at Bill Armstrong Stadium on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. ... The Indiana Daily Student, or IDS for short, is an independent, student-run newspaper serving Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, USA. Founded in 1867, the IDS is published Monday through Friday and has a circulation of 15,000 to 16,000 during the school year and is published on Monday... Indiana University Student Television (IUSTV), was created in 2002 and serves today as Indiana Universitys only completely student managed and produced student television station. ... WIUX (100. ... People Notable Alumni · Notable Faculty · Michael McRobbie · Herman B Wells · Evan Bayh · Joe Buck · Mark Cuban · Dick Enberg · Donald Fehr · Robert Gates · E. W. Kelley · Kevin Kline · Bob Knight · Branch McCracken · John Mellencamp · Frank O'Bannon · Jane Pauley · Ernie Pyle · Jeff Sagarin · Mark Spitz · Isiah Thomas · James D. Watson This is a list of notable current and former faculty members, alumni, and non-graduating attendees of Indiana University (Bloomington) in Bloomington, Indiana. ... This is a list of notable current and former faculty members, alumni, and non-graduating attendees of Indiana University (Bloomington) in Bloomington, Indiana. ... This is a list of notable current and former faculty members, alumni, and non-graduating attendees of Indiana University (Bloomington) in Bloomington, Indiana. ... Michael McRobbie is the current provost of the Indiana University system. ... Herman B Wells (June 7, 1902 – March 18, 2000) was the 11th president of Indiana University – Bloomington. ... Birch Evans Bayh III (commonly known as Evan Bayh) (pronounced like bye; IPA pronunciation: ) (born December 26, 1955) is an American politician who has served as the junior U.S. Senator from Indiana since 1999 and a former Governor of Indiana. ... For the fictional character, see Midnight Cowboy. ... Mark Cuban (born July 31, 1958 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)[1] is an American billionaire entrepreneur. ... Richard Alan Dick Enberg (born January 9, 1935 in Mount Clemens, Michigan) is an American sportscaster. ... Donald Fehr (born July 18, 1946) is the managing director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. ... Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is currently serving as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense. ... E.W. Ed Kelley is considered the modern day founder of Steak n Shake, a chain of sit-down, old-fashioned style restaurants known for their Steakburgers and hand-dipped milkshakes. ... 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