Author Visit- Charlotte Halsema Ottinger
Schedule
Sat, 07 Feb, 2026 at 02:00 pm
UTC-05:00Location
929 Wabash Avenue, Terre Haute, IN, United States, Indiana 47807 | Terre Haute, IN
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Author Charlotte Halsema Ottinger will discuss her 2021 book, Madge: The life and times of Madge Oberholtzer, the young Irvington woman who brought down D.C. Stephenson and the Ku Klux Klan. According to newsman Harold C. Feightner, “Few deaths of comparatively inconspicuous people have had the far-flung effects that [Oberholtzer’s] did. Her passing marked the beginning of the end of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana; it resulted in the indictment of Governor Ed Jackson; the indictment and conviction of Mayor Ed L. Duvall, of Indianapolis, and other city officials and a complete change in the capital city’s administration, and it nearly wrecked a political party.” Ottinger will discuss Oberholtzer’s limited relationship with Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Klu Klux Klan, her abduction and assault, her death bed declaration and the trial that sent D.C. Stephenson to prison for second degree murder. In addition to a display of related artifacts from the 1920s, Ottinger will share interesting aspects of Oberholtzer’s short life including her time studying under notable Indiana artists William Forsyth, Otto Stark and Clifton Wheeler. Special attention will be given to the legal precedents established during the trial and Oberholtzer’s lasting legacy. Time will be given for questions and answers. You are welcome to bring your own copy of Madge to be signed or you may purchase a copy following the presentation. Signed copies of book- $35.00 with 50% of proceeds going to the Irvington Historical Society.
Payment methods include cash, check, Venmo, Zelle or credit card.
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Where is it happening?
929 Wabash Avenue, Terre Haute, IN, United States, Indiana 47807Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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