First Capitol Building
(c) 2008 Michael Maupin
The corydon story
Corydon, Indiana is a small town approximately 30 miles west of Louisville that is best known for being Indiana's first state capital. The Corydon Group, LLC was named after the small town because the town and the firm are both unique to Indiana.
Corydon was founded by General William Henry Harrison (later the 9th President of the United States) who decided that the area where Big Indian Creek and Little Indian Creek met to become Indiana Creek was a great place for a town. However, the town was not officially founded until 1808 when Harrison sold the land to Harvery Heth. Heth donated the town square to the public, and it later became the location of the first capitol building. The state's original constitution was composed in Corydon, and Indiana was granted its statehood in 1816. Corydon remained Indiana's capital until 1825 when Indianapolis was named the new state capital due to a northward shift in Indiana's population.
The Corydon Group story dates back to 2000 when Chris Gibson, after serving in several political positions, formed the independent lobbying firm Gibson & Associates, Inc. Two years later Mike Leppert left the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission and joined Chris to form Gibson & Leppert, LLC. After experiencing several years of sustained growth, the business partners determined that a new firm name was appropriate- one that better exemplified the level of service that our clients have come to know and expect.
The name “Corydon” was chosen for several reasons. Corydon, Indiana was this state’s first state capital and provides a fitting backdrop for our motto- first in governmental affairs. The name also serves as a tribute to Governor Frank O’Bannon, who hailed from Corydon and passed away shortly before the name was chosen. Finally, the firm’s office space is located on the site of the former Indianapolis Press Club. Chris and Mike were long standing members of the Club, as was Governor O’Bannon (who had worked for and eventually ran the family-owned newspaper in Corydon).
The firm’s logo is an artist’s rendering of the cupola that stands atop the original capital building in Corydon. The firm’s periodic newsletter is named “The Constitutional Elm”, deriving its name from the tree under which Indiana’s first Constitution was drafted in 1816. A piece of The Constitution Elm sits in our office.