The Hoosier State's Influence on Pasadena, CA

Originally aired 01/10/2026. Nelson and guests, Michael and Jamie Snyder, native Hoosiers who moved separately to Pasadena in the mid 1970s as teenagers explore the unlikely, but extensive, historic connections between Pasadena and Indiana. The California city was founded in the 1870s by Hoosiers who were tired of bitter winters. They initially called their settlement "The Indiana Colony" before coming up with the "Pasadena" name. Transplanted Hoosiers also launched a festival to showcase flowers during winter (when they weren't blooming in Indiana) that evolved into the Tournament of Roses. After returning to their home state, Michael and Jamie founded the MEK Group, a Carmel based marketing and PR firm.