NOBLESVILLE — A century ago, on November 14, D.C. Stephenson, the powerful Grand Dragon of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan, was convicted of the brutal murder of Madge Oberholtzer in a trial that took place in Noblesville.
The conviction greatly helped eliminate the power of the KKK throughout Indiana.
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"It was nationally significant, as much as anything else, in terms of both the downfall of D.C. Stevenson and the whole exposure of the Ku Klux Klan and their organization," said David Heighway, a Hamilton County historian.
The trial occurred in a much different Noblesville than today, with fewer than 10,000 people living in the city at the time.
"It was a completely different time period to think about," Jessica Layman of the Hamilton County Historical Society shared.
Stephenson wielded enormous influence in Indiana during the height of the KKK's power in the 1920s.
"He openly proclaimed that, you know, I am the law in Indiana," Heighway said.
"Lawyers and judges and businessmen — all of those people were a part of this kind of organization. Here in Indiana, we were starting to kind of realize that, okay, this was not a good path. That is not a great path for what we want to be."
The historic courtroom where the trial took place still stands today on the second floor of the Historic Hamilton County Courthouse, serving as a powerful reminder of this pivotal moment in Indiana history.
"This was a trial that really highlighted values, both good, bad, ugly, and beautiful," said Aili McGill of Noblesville Creates.
McGill said visiting the courtroom evokes strong emotions.
"I get goosebumps every time I come in here, especially when working on this story because I feel like the legacy of this story is very present here," McGill said.
This weekend, McGill and Noblesville Creates are putting on a play in the historic courtroom, replaying key moments from the trial.
"You can sit in that same place where this incredibly historic moment took place. And I think that adds a huge amount to the feel and the experience of this historic moment," McGill said.
Historians emphasize the importance of remembering all aspects of the past, even the uncomfortable parts.
"We want to make sure that we do honest history. And that includes everything, even the ugly stuff," Heighway said.
McGill agreed that confronting difficult history is essential.
"I love beautiful things, I love fun things. This story is not necessarily either one of those. But through that adversity, through examining and letting ourselves be uncomfortable with our past," McGill said.
One hundred years later, Hoosiers continue looking back to ensure the past is not repeated as they think about building and celebrating culture for the future.
Tickets for this weekend's show, Persistent Destroyer: An original one-act play, in the room where it happened, reenacting the key moments of the trial, are available on the Noblesville Creates website.
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Griffin Gonzalez is the In Your Community multimedia journalist for Hamilton County. He joined WRTV in January of 2024. Griffin loves to tell stories about people overcoming their biggest obstacles and share the good news that his community has to offer. Share your story ideas and important issues with Griffin by emailing him at griffin.gonzalez@wrtv.com.
