James Whitcomb Riley

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For the former passenger train, see James Whitcomb Riley (passenger train).

Honorary statue of James Whitcomb Riley on courthouse lawn in Greenfield, Indiana

James Whitcomb Riley (Greenfield, Indiana October 7, 1849 – July 22, 1916), American writer and poet called the "Hoosier poet" and America's "Children's Poet" made a start writing newspaper verse in Hoosier dialect for the Indianapolis Journal in 1875. Some of his phrases remained in the popular repertory after the poems were no longer read: "when the frost is on the punkin." Known for his dialect recitations and pithy pragmatic remarks, his popular verse was humorous or sentimental— one of whose sentimental poems was "Little Orphant Annie" He knew the secret of his own success: “simple sentiments that come from the heart” and satisfied his public with modest verse that was "heart high." He supported himself touring with dialect and public readings of his poetry. His favorite authors were Burns and Dickens. His last collection was Knee Deep in June (1912).

As the "People's Laureate," his poems were considered so inspiring, in 1915 the Secretary of the Interior suggested that one of his poems be read in each school-house in the land.

"When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck."— James Whitcomb Riley

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Legacy

In 1916 a group of prominent citizens from Indianapolis who knew Riley started the Riley Memorial Association (later called Riley Children's Foundation) to build a children's hospital in memory of Riley. The James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children opened in 1924. In 1950, the foundation started Camp Riley, a camp in south central Indiana for children with disabilities.

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