After one of Indy’s steamiest summers, Tuesday morning dipped to a brisk 53° — the coolest start to Aug. 26 since 1982.
All this record-breaking weather has us thinking about the other extreme: the hottest day in Indianapolis history. Let’s rewind.
The day the heat set records
Indy’s hottest day on record took place on July 14, 1936, when temperatures hit a record-breaking 112°.
That sure puts this summer’s weather in perspective, huh? The closest we’ve come to that temperature in the past few weeks was when temperatures reached 92° on Saturday, Aug. 16.
What the headlines said
So, what occurred in Indy on the hottest day on record? Looking back, the Indianapolis Times predicted that the topic of Prohibition would sway voting in the upcoming presidential election.
It also reproached a driver whose discarded cigarette started a fire that burned 60 acres along Kessler Boulevard. Sports coverage included a story about Elizabeth Dunn — the “Hoosier Golf Queen” — dominating the competition at the state women’s golf tournament.
Elizabeth Dunn won 10 consecutive Indianapolis women’s golf championships.
Clipping via Hoosier State Chronicles
Newspapers at the time were filled with weather woes — reports of crop damage, residents struggling in the heat, and cautious optimism for a cold front that might bring temps down to the low 90s. Just a few pages later, a full-page ad for Block’s air-conditioned department store (once located at the southwest corner of Illinois and Market) drove the point home.
Ah, a suit — the perfect outfit for a 112° day.
Clipping via Hoosier State Chronicles
How to weather the weather today
Thankfully, we have plenty of air-conditioned museums to visit, splash pads that are open through Labor Day, and if all else fails, lots and lots of ice cream.
