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About Broad Ripple Random Ripplings

Broad Ripple Random Ripplings grew out of the Broad Ripple Gazette newspaper. It is the digital version available on the web and by email.

We cover the Broad Ripple area (and other Indianapolis Cultural Districts) events and happenings, publishing approximately every two weeks.

The Random Ripplings page is also reachable from EverythingBroadRipple.com

Your editor's background:

I am a life-long resident of the Broad Ripple area. My family has been in Broad Ripple for many generations. Jacob Coil platted and named Broad Ripple in 1837. Two of his daughters married into my family in the 1870s.

My grandfather Girstle Hague was a mail carrier at the BR post office and a charter member of the American Legion Post #3. My grandmother Helen Dawson Hague worked at the Broad Ripple National Bank in Mustard Hall that became Fletcher Trust, then AFNB, then Bank One, and now Chase. My great grandparents John E. Hague and Nora Hague lived at 6148 N. College Avenue and 6170 Guilford Avenue. My great grandparents John Dawson and Nora Ringer Dawson lived at 6122 Carrollton Avenue. My 2nd great grandaunt and uncle, Sarah Coil Thompson and Hamlin Thompson, lived at 6116 Guilford Avenue.

My uncle Glen Hague worked at TV News and at Hoster-Roberts Ford, which is now Passwater’s and the Old Pro’s Table.

My great-great-great-grandfather Salathiel Fisher platted the town of Fishers, Indiana in 1982, and, a more distant relative, my paternal grandfather of the wife of my great-great-great-uncle is Jacob Coil who platted the Town of Broad Ripple in 1837. Oddly, both of those relatives within the year after platting those towns, aged 62 and 57 respectively.

My great-grandfather (class of 1896), uncle (class of 1951), father (class of 1947), sister (class of 1970) and son all graduated from BRHS; I am class of 1978. My son John is BRHS class of 2006, was Assistant Band Director at BRHS, and now is band director at Crispus Attucks High School. As a baord member of the BRHS Alumni Association, he is an organizer of the BRHS reunions for the classes of the 1940’s through the 1950’s held the first Sunday each June at Riviera Club and of the annual Homecoming Celebration and Parade.

For many years, I have wanted a newspaper that answered my questions. Where did that store go? Why were those people digging on the corner? What happens at that business?

I created The Broad Ripple Gazette in 2004 for that purpose. We published the free paper for almost 16 years, converting that content into Random Ripplings in 2020.

Broad Ripple Random Ripplings continues right where The Broad Ripple Gazette left off. You will get an unbiased look into what is happening in Broad Ripple because I have no financial interests in Broad Ripple, nor am I affiliated with any of its organizations. I am simply a resident who is passionate about the area. You will also read about the history of Broad Ripple. This history continues to expand as I uncover new sources of stories and photos.

Broad Ripple Random Ripplings’ area of coverage has no real boundaries. Historically, the town of Broad Ripple extended down to 54th Street. The goal of Random Ripplings is to share with readers stories that are within 10 minutes or so from the heart of Broad Ripple - covering events in the Midtown region. Also, Broad Ripple is one of the seven Cultural Districts recognized by the City of Indianapolis. We try to let you know what is going on in the other districts as we can.

One question I often get is how an article gets into the Random Ripplings. We do not accept payment for articles. Article subjects are picked by me for inclusion based on the interest to the residents and visitors to the Broad Ripple area.

Since this is a bi-weekly production, we will not be able to cover news as it happens. Rather, our focus is on issues that are not time sensitive. You will probably never see these stories anywhere else, so getting them a week or so later will be much better than not at all. We try to include a new/recently opened business or long-time business feature article in each issue. I have hundreds of stories planned, but if there is something you want to read about, please let us know.

I think you will enjoy Broad Ripple Random Ripplings. I know I enjoy bringing it to you.

-Alan Hague


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Email us at info@randomripplings.com