May is National Historic Preservation Month, and the DNR Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology (DHPA) celebrates Indiana’s historic places every year in a variety of ways. DHPA promotes Historic Preservation Month events across the state and will post related items on the DNR Facebook Page during the first week of May to highlight preservation month.
Historic Preservation Month Theme & Poster Design
The 2024 Indiana Historic Preservation Month theme is Indiana's Historic Scholastic Gymnasiums.
Indiana's fascination with basketball goes back almost to its invention in 1892. In 1903, the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) formed to regulate and administer athletic competitions. Between 1911 and 1937, the IHSAA boys' basketball tournament grew from 12 teams to more than 800, showing the rise of popularity of the sport, or "Hoosier Hysteria." As a result, large gyms were needed for crowds and tournament games. These facilities were built in both urban and rural school districts, leading to the belief that even the smallest of high schools could win with home court advantage.
Today, Indiana is home to some of the largest high school basketball gyms in the country, demonstrating our state's enthusiasm for and dedication to the sport.
Basketball's popularity in Indiana also extends into the collegiate arena. Most people think of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I tournament held in March. The men's tournament began in 1939, and the women's tournament began in 1982. In 2021, the entire Division I men's tournament was held at sites within central Indiana because of logistical consideration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Across the state, numerous historic gymnasiums remain standing as a physical representation of Indiana's beloved sport.
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