Funeral business evolution and civic involvement in Indy

<p dir="ltr">Ever since the 1820s, when <strong>David Buchanan</strong> arrived by covered wagon in the Indianapolis area and opened a tavern before becoming a farmer, the Flanner and Buchanan families have been intertwined with city history. <strong><a href= "https://flannerbuchanan.com/what-we-do/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw2cWgBhDYARIsALggUhpEZW6s_U4WlIQr0CpgC73aX5gNbyUcdLqUcoEh4Px6TLVJKcrC8CEaAnTrEALw_wcB">Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Centers</a></strong> is a 142-year-old, family-owned business that began during an era when funerals and visitations typically were held in the parlors of private homes (hence, the derivation of the term funeral parlor). Before that, in the mid-1800s, undertakers often were carpenters.</p> <p dir="ltr">As the funeral business evolved (Flanner and Buchanan opened the first crematorium in Indianapolis in 1904), so did the civic impact of members of the Flanner and Buchanan families, who were brought together by marriage in the 19th century. <strong><a href= "https://indyencyclopedia.org/francis-william-frank-flanner/">Frank Flanner</a></strong>, who began in the mortuary business in 1881, founded <strong><a href= "https://www.flannerhouse.org/history">Flanner House</a></strong> (initially known as Flanner Guild House), a nonprofit to assist African Americans, including former enslaved people who had come to Indianapolis. His sister, <strong><a href= "https://flannerbuchanan.com/140-facts-to-celebrate-140-years/">Anna Flanner Buchanan</a></strong>, helped start the first <a href= "https://indyencyclopedia.org/young-women-s-christian-association-ywca/"><strong>YWCA</strong></a> in the city.</p> <p dir="ltr">All of that and more will be explored during our show when <strong><a href= "https://flannerbuchanan.com/staff-member/bruce-buchanan/">Bruce Buchanan</a></strong>, the CEO of <strong><a href= "https://buchanangroup.org/">Buchanan Group Inc.</a></strong> (which includes Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Centers), the fourth generation owner, is Nelson's studio guest. The massive Community Life Cent