Former Vice President Dan Quayle: Undoubtedly, Huntington's most famous native son. After returning from college and law school Quayle returned to Huntington to work at the local newspaper, the Huntington Herald-Press. He later was elected to the US House of Representatives. Subsequently, he was elected to the US Senate for two terms. I n 1988 he was chosen to be George Bush's running mate in Bush's bid for the Presidency. Quayle served as Vice President of the United States for the 1989-1992 term. The Dan Quayle Center & Museum, located in Huntington, houses exhibits on Quayle and the history of the vice presidency.

Ed Roush: Roush, a long-time resident of Huntington, served in the U.S. house of Representatives. Among his many accomplishments, Roush sponsored the bill that established the 911 emergency number system.


Jean Baptiste Richardville: Served as chief of the Miami's from 1816 to 1841. His many business interests included control of the Long Portage between the St. Mary's and Wabash Rivers (he charged tolls for the use of the portage.) Richardville is reported to have been the wealthiest Native American at the time of his death. At the Historic Forks of the Wabash where a living history park stands today, Richardville built an impressive Federal home.


Lambdin P. Milligan: was a leader in the Knights of the Golden Circle. The organization believed in states rights and was sympathetic to the south during the Civil War. After they failed to gain much support in elections, they decided to resort to armed uprisings with Milligan chosen to lead the one in northeastern Indiana. On October 4, 1864 he was arrested and tried for treason. After trial before a military commission in Indianapolis, he was convicted and sentenced to be hanged.

Milligan filed an appeal arguing that since he was a civilian, he should be tried in a civilian court. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed by saying that civilians could not be tried in a military court as long as the civil court system was functioning. Milligan returned to practice law until 1897. He died in 1899.

Milligan's home on the Little River across from Elmwood Park included a sandstone home, barn, and a small building in which runaway slaver were allegedly held for their owners in the south. The home burned, the barn collapsed, and the slave building fell into disrepair. The slave building was reconstructed through the efforts of the Huntington County Bar Association to commemorate the landmark decision by the Supreme Court. The decision played an important part in the Rosenberg spy trial following WWII.

Learn more about Eiffel Plasterer.

Eiffel Plasterer: A Huntington County high school science teacher, Plasterer became a self-taught expert on soap films and wetting agents. He would use bubble shows to demonstrate scientific principles and to entertain. One of his stage tricks was to surround a volunteer from the audience with a giant soap bubble. He also kept soap bubbles in suspension for years at a time. Plasterer became popular nationwide being featured in a Paramount pictures short subject film. He also appeared on David Letterman and numerous other television shows. Before his death in June 1989 he was honored by the community, and a street at Hier's Park now bears his name.

Text from the Historic Pictures Huntington County, a publication of Huntington Alert, Inc.

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