Who inspired holiday decorations on Monument Circle? An influential architect

<p dir="ltr">Before the dust settles on the holiday season, Hoosier History Live will explore the impact of a man who, during a Christmas Eve visit to <a href= "https://downtownindy.org/go/monument-circle"><strong>Monument Circle</strong></a> in the 1930s, found the center of Indianapolis "dark and depressing". So <strong><a href= "https://www.indymidtownmagazine.com/edward-pierre-architect-of-midtowns-character/">Edward Pierre</a></strong>, an influential architect, crusaded for the first ornaments to be placed on trees at the <strong><a href= "https://www.in.gov/iwm/soldiers-and-sailors-monument/">Soldiers and Sailors Monument </a></strong>in 1947. This was decades before what's now called the "<strong><a href= "https://www.visitindy.com/event/circle-of-lights/2063/">Circle of Lights</a></strong>", which began in 1962.</p> <p dir="ltr">The impact of Edward Pierre (1890-1971) on Monument Circle during the holiday season is just one of the aspects of his career and life that we will spotlight during the show. Pierre, who co-founded the architectural firm of <strong><a href= "https://indyencyclopedia.org/pierre-and-wright/">Pierre & Wright</a></strong> and served as president of the <strong>Indiana Society of Architects</strong>, also designed dozens of other buildings, including the <strong><a href="https://www.in.gov/library/">Indiana State Library</a></strong>; <strong><a href= "https://indyencyclopedia.org/bush-stadium/">Bush Stadium</a></strong> (the former home of the <strong><a href= "https://www.milb.com/indianapolis">Indianapolis Indians</a></strong>, which opened in 1931 as Perry Stadium), storefronts in <strong><a href= "https://www.broadrippleindy.org/">Broad Ripple</a></strong> and residential homes in such northside Indianapolis neighborhoods as <strong><a href= "https://lifeinindy.com/neighborhoods/meridian-kessler/">Meridian-Kessler</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://indyencyclopedia.org/williams-creek/">Williams Creek Estates</a></strong>. Nelson will be joined by two guests:</p> <ul> <li d