Lew Wallace wrote several books throughout his life, but he is best known for his fame-establishing story, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, published in 1880. Wallace began writing his first novel, The Fair God, in 1843, but did not publish it until 1873. The book was based on the conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés. During Wallace’s time in Crawfordsville, he wrote the manuscript for Ben-Hur, later publishing the book while he was the governor of New Mexico.

Ben-Hur eventually became the best-selling novel of the 19th Century, providing Wallace with sound financial security and fame throughout the country. The book also was adapted for several motion pictures, the most notable of which was an MGM sound film starring Charlton Heston, which premiered in New York City on November 18, 1959. Some historians insist that Ben-Hur directly drew from Wallace’s personal experiences, particularly his time at the Battle of Shiloh, and his tarnished reputation as  a man accused of failing to follow orders. Wallace did indeed write two subsequent novels, Why Constantinople Fell and The Prince of India, but neither was as popular as Ben-Hur.

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