Daylight Saving Time started as a way to preserve energy and make the most of daylight hours. However in Indiana, it’s been part of a heated debate for nearly 100 years.
Here’s a look at the complicated history with time zones and daylight saving time in Indiana:
1918: Congress approves the Standard Time Act, putting Indiana in the Central Time Zone
1919: Standard Time Act of 1918 repealed
1949: Indiana General Assembly outlaws Daylight Saving Time
1957: New law passed to make Central Time the official time zone of Indiana
1961: Indiana legislature repeals the law made in 1957
1968: Time Life broadcasting leads federal lawsuit to force the observance of DST, and wins
1972: Indiana General Assembly places NW and SW Indiana in the Central Time Zone and the rest of the state on Eastern Time.
2006: The entire state of Indiana becomes the 48th state to observe Daylight Saving Time across the board.
Today: While all of Indiana officially observes Daylight Saving Time, 12 of the 92 counties are on Central Time, with the rest still on Eastern Time.