How to Appreciate James Whitcomb Riley

When Hoosier writer and poet James Whitcomb Riley died in 1916, more than 35,000 mourners paid their respects at the Indiana State Capitol before he was laid to rest at the historic Crown Hill Cemetery. Such public outpouring speaks volumes to the impact he had on the literary world and his home state. Riley, who penned more than 1,000 poems, remains a shining father figure in Indiana history.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• James Whitcomb Riley poetry books
• Online access to browse James Whitcomb Riley poems
• Transportaion to Greenfield or Indianapolis to visit his homes and the annual Riley Festival

1. James Whitcomb Riley’s boyhood home. Visit James Whitcomb Rileys’s birthplace and boyhood home, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, at 250 West Main Street in Greenfield, Indiana. The home includes relics from Riley’s past before he was a famous literary figure.
2. James Whitcomb Riley's Lockerbie home. Tour the Indianapolis Italianate-style home where James Whitcomb Riley lived until he died from complications from a stroke in 1916. The museum, located at 528 Lockerbie Street, in a historic neighborhood one mile east of downtown Indy’s Monument Circle, features original 19th-Century décor, furnishings and woodwork.
3. Read his poems. Start with “Little Orphant Annie” and “When the Frost is on the Pumpkin” and go from there. James Whitcomb Riley was known for his children’s poetry but also enjoyed writing prose celebrating nature and his home state.
4. Celebrate James Whitcomb Riley’s birthday on October 7 by attending the Riley Festival in Greenfield in October. The Riley Festival features parades, music, food, a queen pageant and one of the largest craft festivals in Indiana.

Tips & Warnings

• Visit James Whitcomb Riley’s boyhood home and the house he lived until his death in 1916.
• Check out or purchase his poetry books or go online to see some of his best works.