History Mystery: 84’s Connection to NYC

By: Maggie Webber

CFI staff, students and families know the name “Joseph J. Bingham,” the old name of our school, but most don’t actually know much about the man behind the name.

Joseph Jenkins Bingham was born on July 16, 1815 in New York City and his ancestors were on the Mayflower. He lived in New York throughout his childhood. He later moved to Indianapolis, where he became editor of the Indiana State Sentinel. Bingham was arrested during the Civil War for treasonous crimes against the state. Thankfully, the accusation was dropped, and he was asked to testify as a witness instead since he was innocent. He served on the Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners for six years. There he focused on encouraging education throughout the city.

Years after his retirement, he fell ill and died in 1896. Our school was named Joseph J. Bingham #84 in 1927 to honor a man who was interested in and invested in education. Our school was renamed Center for Inquiry #84 in 2003, but we still keep Bingham’s name around the school in many ways, like the name of our favorite mascot Bingham Bear!

Photo Credit: Context Travel