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98-581: In 1994, the Indianapolis Department of Parks and Recreation presented the Indianapolis Greenways Plan to establish a system of linear parks consisting of 14 corridors; one of those was Pleasant Run. Construction of the greenway began in 1997 and was officially opened in August 1998. Much of the greenway lies within the existing Pleasant Run Parkway; the parkway itself had been constructed in

196-532: A National Historic Landmark , encompasses several examples of neoclassical architecture , including the American Legion , Central Library , and Birch Bayh Federal Building and United States Courthouse . The district is also home to several sculptures and memorials, Depew Memorial Fountain , and open space, hosting many annual civic events. After completion of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument , an ordinance

294-676: A till plain . Elevations across Indianapolis vary from about 650 feet (198 m) to 900 feet (274 m) above mean sea level . Indianapolis is located in the West Fork White River drainage basin , part of the larger Mississippi River watershed via the Wabash and Ohio rivers. The White River flows 31 miles (50 km) north-to-south through the city and is fed by some 35 streams, including Eagle Creek, Fall Creek , Pleasant Run, and Pogue's Run . The city's largest waterbodies are artificial quarry lakes and reservoirs . Indianapolis

392-458: A 1-square-mile (2.6 km ) grid. Completion of the National and Michigan roads and later arrival of rail solidified the city's position as a major manufacturing and commercial center. Since the 1970 city-county consolidation , known as Unigov , local government administration operates under the direction of an elected 25-member city-county council headed by the mayor . Indianapolis anchors

490-421: A Center for Community Progress report, neighborhoods like Cottage Home and Fall Creek Place have experienced measurable gentrification since 2000. The North Meridian Street Historic District is among the most affluent urban neighborhoods in the U.S., with a mean household income of $ 102,599 in 2017. The city of Indianapolis maintains 212 public parks, totaling 11,258 acres (4,556 ha) or about 5.1% of

588-420: A block from Monument Circle. The city's address numbering system originates at the intersection of Washington (running east–west) and Meridian streets (running north–south). Beginning construction in 1836, the 8-mile (13 km)-long Indiana Central Canal is the oldest extant artificial facility in the city. Between 1985 and 2001, nearly 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of the former canal in downtown Indianapolis

686-454: A center of automobile manufacturing. The city was an early focus of labor organization . The Indianapolis streetcar strike of 1913 and subsequent police mutiny and riots led to the creation of the state's earliest labor-protection laws, including a minimum wage , regular work weeks, and improved working conditions. The International Typographical Union and United Mine Workers of America were among several influential labor unions based in

784-634: A new law was enacted in 1899, but the controversy over the plan continued. Despite the opposition to the Olmsted plan, the city under Mayor Thomas Taggart purchased 1,100 acres (450 ha) of land during the early 1900s, including much of what became Riverside Park . That park, however, had not been envisioned in Olmsted's plan. Construction of boulevards along the streams was also begun, with sections of Fall Creek Boulevard between Capitol and Central Avenues and of Pleasant Run Boulevard between Raymond and Beecher Streets being completed by 1906; boulevards along

882-708: A permanent seat of state government. Two years later, under the Treaty of St. Mary's (1818), the Delaware relinquished title to their tribal lands in central Indiana, agreeing to leave the area by 1821. This tract of land, which was called the New Purchase , included the site selected for the new state capital in 1820. The indigenous people of the land prior to systematic removal are the Miami Nation of Indiana ( Miami Nation of Oklahoma ) and Indianapolis makes up part of Cession 99;

980-458: A political upset. The Ballard administration oversaw the lease of the city's parking meters and the sale of the city's water and wastewater utilities with proceeds financing street repairs. Ballard pursued several environmental sustainability efforts, including establishing an office of sustainability, installing 200 miles (320 km) of bike lanes and trails, and spearheading a controversial deal to start an electric carsharing program. Two of

1078-668: A result of the city's expansive land area, Indianapolis has a unique urban-to-rural transect , ranging from dense urban neighborhoods to suburban tract housing subdivisions, to rural villages. Typical of American cities in the Midwest, Indianapolis urbanized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, resulting in the development of relatively dense, well-defined neighborhoods clustered around streetcar corridors, especially in Center Township . Notable streetcar suburbs include Broad Ripple , Irvington , and University Heights . Starting in

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1176-444: A seven-member city council. In 1853, voters approved a new city charter that provided for an elected mayor and a fourteen-member city council. The city charter continued to be revised as Indianapolis expanded. Effective January 1, 1825, the seat of state government moved to Indianapolis from Corydon, Indiana . In addition to state government offices, a U.S. district court was established at Indianapolis in 1825. Growth occurred with

1274-581: A stop at Indianapolis, where an estimated crowd of more than 100,000 people passed the assassinated president's bier at the Indiana Statehouse . Following the Civil War and in the wake of the Second Industrial Revolution , Indianapolis experienced tremendous growth and prosperity. In 1880, Indianapolis was the world's third-largest pork packing city, after Chicago and Cincinnati , and

1372-506: A system of parkways following the city's waterways. The system's 3,474 acres (1,406 ha) were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. Marion County is also home to parks managed by the State of Indiana, including Fort Harrison State Park and White River State Park . Established in 1996, Fort Harrison State Park covers 1,744 acres (706 ha) that are overseen by

1470-481: A total area of more than 1,118 acres (452 ha) are individually listed properties of the district. Riverside Park (including South Grove, Coffin, and Riverside Golf Courses), Garfield Park , and Brookside Park are the large parks in the plan; Rhodius Park and Willard Park are neighborhood parks; and Fletcher Park, Highland Park, Indianola Park, McCarty Triangle Place, and Noble Place are small parks. University Park and Military Park in downtown are included in

1568-520: A town of 1 square mile (2.6 km ), near the confluence of the White River and Fall Creek . Known as the Mile Square, the plan followed a grid pattern centered on a traffic circle called Monument Circle , from which Indianapolis's "Circle City" nickname originates. Four diagonal avenues— Indiana (northwest), Kentucky (southwest), Massachusetts (northeast), and Virginia (southwest)—radiated

1666-408: A town plan for the new settlement. Indianapolis became a seat of county government on December 31, 1821, when Marion County , was established. A combined county and town government continued until 1832 when Indianapolis was incorporated as a town. Indianapolis became an incorporated city effective March 30, 1847. Samuel Henderson , the city's first mayor, led the new city government, which included

1764-430: Is 42.4 inches (108 cm). Snowfall averages 25.9 inches (66 cm) per season. Official temperature extremes range from 106 °F (41 °C), set on July 14, 1936 , to −27 °F (−33 °C), set on January 19, 1994 . The U.S. Census Bureau considers Indianapolis as two entities: the consolidated city and the city's remainder, or balance . The consolidated city is coterminous with Marion County , except

1862-554: Is a planned city . On January 11, 1820, the Indiana General Assembly authorized a committee to select a site in central Indiana for the new state capital, appointing Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham to survey and design a town plan for Indianapolis. Ralston had been a surveyor for the French architect Pierre L'Enfant , assisting him with the plan for Washington, D.C. Ralston's original plan for Indianapolis called for

1960-593: Is land and 6.3 square miles (16 km ) is water. It is the 19th-most extensive city by land area in the U.S. As a consolidated city-county , Indianapolis's city limits are coterminous with Marion County , except the autonomous and semi-autonomous municipalities outlined in Unigov . Nine civil townships form the broadest geographic divisions within the city and county; these are Center , Decatur , Franklin , Lawrence , Perry , Pike , Warren , Washington , and Wayne townships. The consolidated city-county borders

2058-465: Is situated 98 miles (158 km) northwest of Cincinnati, Ohio , 107 miles (172 km) north of Louisville, Kentucky , 164 miles (264 km) southeast of Chicago, Illinois , and 168 miles (270 km) west of Columbus, Ohio . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the Indianapolis (balance) encompasses a total area of 367.9 square miles (953 km ), of which 361.6 square miles (937 km )

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2156-430: Is situated in the state's central till plain region along the west fork of the White River . The city's official slogan, " Crossroads of America ", reflects its historic importance as a transportation hub and its relative proximity to other major North American markets. At the 2020 census , the balance population was 887,642. Indianapolis is the 16th-most populous city in the U.S., the third-most populous city in

2254-712: Is unique in that it contains some 200 farms covering thousands of acres of agricultural land within its municipal boundaries. Equestrian farms and corn and soybean fields interspersed with suburban development are commonplace on the city's periphery, especially in Franklin Township . Noted as one of the finest examples of the City Beautiful movement design in the U.S., the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza Historic District began construction in 1921 in downtown Indianapolis. The district,

2352-448: The 19th-most extensive city by land area in the country. Indigenous peoples inhabited the area dating to as early as 10,000 BC. In 1818, the Lenape relinquished their tribal lands in the Treaty of St. Mary's . In 1821, Indianapolis was established as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government. The city was platted by Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham on

2450-497: The 29th largest metropolitan economy in the U.S. Prominent industries include trade, transportation, and utilities; education and health services; professional and business services; government; leisure and hospitality; and manufacturing. The city has notable niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing . Contemporary Indianapolis is home to two major league sports teams, three Fortune 500 companies, eight university campuses, and numerous cultural institutions, including

2548-578: The City-County Building was the first high-rise in the city to surpass the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in height. A building boom , lasting from 1982 to 1990, saw the construction of six of the city's ten tallest buildings. The tallest is Salesforce Tower , completed in 1990 at 811 ft (247 m). Indiana limestone is the signature building material in Indianapolis, widely included in

2646-596: The Civil War , the desire for parks grew. In 1864 the city took operative control of state-owned Military Park , University Square , and the Governor's Circle after previously rejecting, during the preceding five years, offers of various citizens to donate land to be developed as parks. The land that would become Brookside Park was purchased by the City Council in 1870, and in 1873 Southern Park, later renamed Garfield Park ,

2744-738: The George Floyd protests in Indiana prompted a series of local police reforms and renewed efforts to bolster social services for mental health treatment and homelessness. In 2021, a mass shooting occurred at a FedEx facility on the city's southwest side, killing nine (including the gunman) and injuring seven others. Indianapolis is located in the East North Central region of the Midwestern United States , about 14 miles (23 km) south-southeast of Indiana's geographic center . It

2842-621: The Indiana Department of Natural Resources . Since 1979, White River has been owned and operated by the White River State Park Development Commission, a quasi-governmental agency. White River's 250 acres (100 ha) are home to several attractions, including the Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens . Two land trusts are active in the city managing several sites for nature conservation throughout

2940-566: The Indianapolis Cultural Trail was completed in 2011. Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System The Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System is a group of parks, parkways, and boulevards in Indianapolis , Indiana , that was designed by landscape architect George Edward Kessler in the early part of the twentieth century. Also known as the Kessler System , the district includes 3,474 acres (1,406 ha) and has shaped

3038-497: The Midwest after Chicago and Columbus, Ohio , and the fourth-most populous state capital in the nation after Phoenix , Austin , and Columbus. The Indianapolis metropolitan area is the 34th-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., home to 2.1 million residents. With a population of more than 2.6 million, the combined statistical area ranks 27th . Indianapolis proper covers 368 square miles (950 km ), making it

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3136-485: The Mississippi Flyway , the city sees more than 400 migratory bird species throughout the year. Some 57 species of fish can be found in the city's waterways, including bass and sunfish . Some federally-designated endangered and threatened species are native to the Indianapolis area, including several species of freshwater mussels , the rusty patched bumble bee , Indiana bat , northern long-eared bat , and

3234-583: The White River and Fall Creek from Washington Street to the Indiana State Fairgrounds , but this plan was rejected as too extravagant. The next year (1895) the Parks Board, which had been established under auspices of state legislation initially drafted by the Commercial Club, hired John Charles Olmsted , stepson of Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. , to develop a plan for future parks. His plan

3332-511: The decidious forests that once covered 98% of the region were cleared for agriculture and urban development , contributing to considerable habitat loss . Indianapolis's current urban tree canopy averages approximately 33%. A rare example of old-growth forest in the city can be found on 15 acres (6.1 ha) of Crown Hill Cemetery 's North Woods in the Butler–Tarkington neighborhood. The cemetery's 555 acres (225 ha) represents

3430-518: The running buffalo clover . In recent years, the National Wildlife Federation has ranked Indianapolis among the ten most wildlife-friendly cities in the U.S. Indianapolis has a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification : Dfa ), but can be considered a borderline humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cfa ) using the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm. It experiences four distinct seasons. The city lies at

3528-564: The 1920s as part of the Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System . Most of the greenway is asphalt and is 5–12 feet (1.5–3.7 m) wide. Exceptions are in Ellenberger Park, where crushed limestone is used, and those places where the path uses existing sidewalks along streets. Every quarter-mile is marked; the first marker in Ellenberger Park is mile 2 because of plans to extend the trail further east. The Pleasant Run Greenway starts in

3626-593: The 1930s. At that time projects under the Federal Emergency Relief Administration and the Works Progress Administration completed Fall Creek Parkway, Pleasant Run Parkway, Riverside Drive, and Kessler Boulevard. The passage of time saw the aging and deterioration of the parks and other components of the system. In the 1970s, for example, the city transferred ownership of one of the small parks along Pogue's Run, Fletcher Park, to

3724-480: The 1990s, including the openings of Circle Centre Mall , Victory Field , and Gainbridge Fieldhouse , as well as ongoing redevelopment of the Indiana Central Canal and White River State Park areas. Bart Peterson took office in 2000, the first Democrat elected to the post since John J. Barton 's 1963 election . The Peterson administration focused on education reform and promoting the arts. In 2001,

3822-624: The Board of Park Commissioners again hired Kessler to design extensions to the boulevard system in what was then the far northern reaches of the city. He recommended that Fort Benjamin Harrison on the northeast side be connected to the northwest side of town via a 100-foot (30 m)-wide boulevard encompassing portions of Cooper Road and 56th and 59th Streets. Construction had just begun on the project when Kessler died in March 1923 in Indianapolis. In recognition of

3920-712: The Capitol Avenue, Meridian Street , and Illinois Street bridges over Fall Creek, and the 30th Street bridge over White River. Others span smaller streams within the parks, such as the Crooked Creek bridge in Riverside Park and the filled spandrel concrete foot bridge in Brookside Park over Pogue's Run. The historic district includes 29 contributing sites, 20 contributing buildings, 109 contributing structures (other than buildings), and 7 other contributing objects. Most of

4018-518: The Indianapolis area include mammals such as the white-tailed deer , eastern chipmunk , eastern cottontail , and the eastern grey and American red squirrels . In recent years, local raccoon and groundhog populations have increased alongside sightings of American badgers , beavers , mink , coyotes , and red fox . Birds native to the area include the northern cardinal , wood thrush , eastern screech owl , mourning dove , pileated and red-bellied woodpeckers , and wild turkey . Located in

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4116-635: The Klan. While campaigning in the city in 1968, Robert F. Kennedy delivered one of the most lauded speeches in 20th century American history, following the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. As in most U.S. cities during the Civil Rights Movement , the city experienced strained race relations. A 1971 federal court decision forcing Indianapolis Public Schools to implement desegregation busing proved controversial. During

4214-502: The adjacent counties of Boone to the northwest; Hamilton to the north; Hancock to the east; Shelby to the southeast; Johnson to the south; Morgan to the southwest; and Hendricks to the west. Between 2.6 million and 11,700 years ago, the Indianapolis area was situated on the southern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet . The erosive advance and retreat of glacial ice produced a flat or gently sloping landscape, known as

4312-498: The area that became Indianapolis were either the McCormick or Pogue families. The McCormicks are generally considered to be the first permanent settlers; however, some historians believe George Pogue and family may have arrived first, on March 2, 1819, and settled in a log cabin along the creek that was later called Pogue's Run . Other historians have argued as early as 1822 that John Wesley McCormick and his family and employees became

4410-470: The area's first European American settlers, settling near the White River in February 1820. On January 11, 1820, the Indiana General Assembly authorized a committee to select a site in central Indiana for the new state capital. The state legislature approved the site, adopting the name Indianapolis on January 6, 1821. In April, Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham were appointed to survey and design

4508-433: The city through the present day. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. The Park and Boulevard System consists of a number of components comprising 3,474 acres (1,406 ha) in an area roughly bounded by 38th Street and Emerson, Southern, and Tibbs Avenues with extensions on Fall Creek and Pleasant Run Parkways to Shadeland Avenue. Twelve parks within these boundaries with

4606-485: The city's land area by more than 300 square miles (780 km ) and increased its population by some 250,000 people. It was the first major city-county consolidation to occur in the U.S. without a referendum since the creation of the City of Greater New York in 1898. Lugar is credited with initiating downtown revitalization efforts, overseeing the building of Market Square Arena , renovations to Indianapolis City Market , and

4704-561: The city's land area. Eagle Creek Park , Indianapolis's largest and most visited park, ranks among the largest municipal parks in the U.S., covering 4,766 acres (1,929 ha). Garfield Park , the city's first municipal park, opened in 1876 as Southern Park. In the early 20th century, the city enlisted landscape architect George Kessler to conceive a framework for Indianapolis's modern parks system. Kessler's 1909 Indianapolis Park and Boulevard Plan linked notable parks, such as Brookside , Ellenberger , Garfield, and Riverside , with

4802-699: The city's largest capital projects, the Indianapolis International Airport 's new terminal and Lucas Oil Stadium , were completed in 2008. In 2012, construction began on a $ 2 billion tunnel system designed to reduce sewage overflows into the city's waterways. Since 2016, the administration of Joe Hogsett has focused on addressing a rise in gun violence and the city's racial disparities. In recent years, significant capital and operational investments have been made in public safety, criminal justice, and public transit. The city also established rental assistance and food security programs. In 2020,

4900-431: The city's many monuments, churches, academic, government, and civic buildings. For statistical purposes, the consolidated city-county is organized into 99 "neighborhood areas" with most containing numerous individual historic and cultural districts, subdivisions, and some semi-autonomous towns. In total, some 500 self-identified neighborhood associations are listed in the city's Registered Community Organization system. As

4998-659: The city's population more than doubled. An estimated 4,000 men from Indianapolis served in 39 regiments, and an estimated 700 died during the war. On May 20, 1863, Union soldiers attempted to disrupt a statewide Democratic convention at Indianapolis, forcing an adjournment of the proceedings, sarcastically referred to as the Battle of Pogue's Run . Fear turned to panic in July 1863, during Morgan's Raid into southern Indiana, but Confederate forces turned east toward Ohio , never reaching Indianapolis. On April 30, 1865, Lincoln's funeral train made

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5096-714: The city. As a stop on the Underground Railroad , Indianapolis had one of the largest black populations in the Northern States , until the Great Migration . Led by D. C. Stephenson , the Indiana Klan became the most powerful political and social organization in Indianapolis from 1921 through 1928, controlling the City Council and the Board of School Commissioners, among others. At its height, more than 40% of native-born white males in Indianapolis claimed membership in

5194-476: The construction of the Indiana Government South Building and the development of White River State Park . Indianapolis Indianapolis ( / ˌ ɪ n d i ə ˈ n æ p ə l ɪ s / IN -dee-ə- NAP -ə-lis ), colloquially known as Indy , is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County . Indianapolis

5292-522: The contributing buildings are within the parks, but some, such as the Heslar Naval Armory located on the White River just north of Riverside Park, are not. In its first 40 years, Indianapolis did not see much need for organized park land because the pastures and other open areas in and near the still small town were easily accessible by the inhabitants. As the city gained population during and after

5390-472: The development of Indianapolis to the present day. The system of parkways and boulevards reinforced the perception that the northern and eastern sides of town were the most desirable places to live. One of Kessler's recommendations in 1909 was for a court of public buildings and green space leading west from the Indiana State House to the White River. This was realized in spirit about 80 years later with

5488-689: The district, although both had previously been separately added to the National Register of Historical Places. Several other parks are included as components of a parkway: Spades Park as part of Brookside Parkway; Fall Creek and 16th, Watkins, Barton, Fall Creek and 30th parks and Woolens Gardens as parts of Fall Creek Parkway; and Orange, Christian, and Ellenberger parks along with the Pleasant Run Golf Course as parts of Pleasant Run Parkway. Six parkways extending for 34.8 miles (56.0 km) and containing 2,153.5 acres (871.5 ha) link

5586-419: The east side of White River north of Michigan Street and through Riverside Park were also being built. By 1907 the Parks Board realized that it needed a new comprehensive plan, and from 1908 to 1915 it engaged George Edward Kessler as a consulting landscape architect. Kessler was already well-known, having created plans for Kansas City, Missouri , in 1892 and Cincinnati , Ohio , in 1907. He had also planned

5684-486: The first visit from a president-elect in the city's history. On April 16, 1861, the first orders were issued to form Indiana's first regiments and establish Indianapolis as a headquarters for the state's volunteer soldiers. Within a week, more than 12,000 recruits signed up to fight for the Union. Indianapolis became a major logistics hub during the war, establishing the city as a crucial military base. Between 1860 and 1870,

5782-529: The formation of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis . Amid the changes in government and growth, the city pursued an aggressive economic development strategy to raise the city's stature as a sports tourism destination, known as the Indianapolis Project. During the administration of the city's longest-serving mayor, William Hudnut (1976–1992), millions of dollars were invested into sports venues and public relations campaigns. The strategy

5880-540: The grounds of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis , Missouri. Kessler had already been hired by the city to plan a boulevard system. In 1909, after a year of study, Kessler presented his Park and Boulevard Plan combining the ideals of the City Beautiful Movement with practical functionalility. That same year he helped to obtain the passage of a new state law that allowed the Parks Board to levy taxes for

5978-466: The impact and value of his plan, the city named the new parkway Kessler Boulevard in his honor. By the time of Kessler's death in 1923 a large portion of the plan had been constructed. Lawrence Sheridan, who had graduated from Purdue University and attended the Harvard School of Landscape Architecture , took over as city planner for Indianapolis. He continued the implementation of Kessler's plan over

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6076-430: The independent municipalities of Beech Grove , Lawrence , Southport , and Speedway . The city's balance excludes the populations of ten semi-autonomous municipalities that are included in totals for the consolidated city. These are Clermont , Crows Nest , Homecroft , Meridian Hills , North Crows Nest , Rocky Ripple , Spring Hill , Warren Park , Williams Creek , and Wynnedale . An eleventh town, Cumberland ,

6174-456: The largest green space in Center Township , home to an abundance of wildlife and some 130 species of trees. Native trees most common to the area include varieties of ash , maple , and oak . Several invasive species are also common in Indianapolis, including tree of heaven , wintercreeper , Amur honeysuckle , and Callery pear . A 2016 bioblitz along three of the city's riparian corridors found 590 taxa . Urban wildlife common to

6272-557: The location of the proposed new hospital building several hundred yards from the banks of Fall Creek to allow space for the boulevard and improvements on the creek's banks. The success of Kessler's plan for Indianapolis led several other cities in Indiana to engage his services. His plans for Fort Wayne , South Bend , and Terre Haute all incorporated the ideals of the City Beautiful Movement. He also advised on plans for Anderson , Evansville , Marion , and Peru . In 1922

6370-507: The mayor's office became the first in the U.S. to authorize charter schools . Indianapolis Cultural Districts were designated in 2003, followed by the groundbreaking of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail in 2007. Further consolidation of city and county units of government resulted in the establishment of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department in 2007. Later that year, Greg Ballard succeeded Peterson in

6468-434: The mayoral administration of Richard Lugar (1968–1976), the city and county governments consolidated. Known as Unigov (a portmanteau of "unified" and "government"), the city-county consolidation removed bureaucratic redundancies, captured increasingly suburbanizing tax revenue, and created a Republican political machine that dominated local politics until the early 2000s. Effective January 1, 1970, Unigov expanded

6566-552: The meandering streams, open vistas, and wooded areas that the city's geography afforded. Besides their aesthetic aspects, the parkways also helped prevent pollution of the waterways and provided flood control. Kessler's plan also linked the boulevards with major city streets, including Meridian Street , Washington Boulevard, and Maple Road (now 38th Street), with those streets also being beautified. Decorative stone-clad arched bridges spanning White River and Fall Creek are an important component of Kessler's plan. Several of these predate

6664-706: The mid-20th century, the post–World War II economic expansion and subsequent suburbanization greatly influenced the city's development patterns. From 1950 to 1970, nearly 100,000 housing units were built in Marion County, most outside Center Township in suburban neighborhoods such as Castleton , Eagledale , and Nora . Since the 2000s, downtown Indianapolis and surrounding neighborhoods have seen increased reinvestment mirroring nationwide market trends, driven by empty nesters and millennials . Renewed interest in urban living has been met with some dispute regarding gentrification and affordable housing . According to

6762-589: The nearby Switzer Corporation; after that company closed, the park became neglected and fell into disrepair. In 2013 ownership was transferred to the Windsor Park Neighborhood Association, which plans to restore the park using historical elements, including a central fountain, in phases through 2015. In the 1990s a major rehabilitation of the sunken gardens in Garfield Park was undertaken. The Indy Greenways plan has brought renewed attention to

6860-452: The next decades. In 1928 he presented an expanded version of the plan that proposed parks and parkways throughout Marion County . Sheridan's plan envisioned parkways along most of the smaller streams within the county not already included in Kessler's plan, but those additions were generally never implemented. Several lengthy stretches of the parkways in Kessler's plan were not completed until

6958-529: The north bank for a short distance until it turns south across Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive. A pathway to Thomas Carr Howe Community High School connects at that point. The greenway continues along the north bank until both it and the parkway cross the creek under the CSX (formerly Baltimore and Ohio ) railroad bridge. At Brookville Road, the trail again crosses from the south bank to the north bank and passes through Christian Park, connecting with several paths within

7056-588: The north. West of Shelby Street, the greenway turns south with the creek, passing through the southeast corner of the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood. South of Beecher Street, it travels under the Indianapolis Belt Railroad tracks and enters the north edge of Garfield Park , passing on a boardwalk under the Raymond Street bridge. The greenway ends at Pagoda Drive in the park, but several paths within

7154-583: The opening of the National Road through the town in 1827, the first major federally funded highway in the United States. A small segment of the ultimately failed Indiana Central Canal was opened in 1839. The first railroad to serve Indianapolis, the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad , began operation in 1847, and subsequent railroad connections fostered growth. Indianapolis Union Station

7252-525: The park connect with it. In 2021, the city began design work to extend the trail west from Garfield Park along the creek to Bluff Road, with an extension on Bluff Road north to Raymond Street and south to Troy Avenue. The new segments allow a future connection to the Wapahani Trail along the White River . Construction is scheduled to start in Spring 2023 and finish in late Fall 2023 and will cost $ 4 million. In

7350-490: The park. At the intersection of English and Avon avenues, the Pleasant Run Greenway diverges from the creek and is routed along sidewalks on English Avenue to Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive. The greenway continues west between the parkway and the creek to Keystone Avenue, at which point it is again routed on sidewalks south on Keystone and east on Prospect Street until it again meets the creek. There are signs marking

7448-600: The parkways by creating trails such as the Fall Creek Greenway and Pleasant Run Greenway . In 2003 the city officially recognized the importance of the Kessler System and worked with the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology to document the entire 3,400-acre (1,400 ha) system and place it on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district . Kessler's plan has influenced

7546-541: The plan its own character. For example, he created formal sunken gardens for Garfield Park, retained the large stands of trees in Ellenberger Park , and recommended a large central fountain with formal pathways for University Park. The effect of Kessler's plan began to be seen immediately. For example, Dr. Henry Johnson, who became chairman of the Park Board in 1908, persuaded the leaders of St. Vincent Hospital to move

7644-433: The plan, having been designed by City Engineer J. Clyde Power to replace existing iron bridges. Kessler himself designed a new bridge on Capitol Avenue over Fall Creek. By including all sections of the city in his plan, Kessler was able to overcome many of the objections raised by residents whose areas had been overlooked by the earlier plans. Moreover, the 1909 law which he had championed provided for differing tax rates for

7742-553: The primary treaty between the indigenous population and the United States was the Treaty of St. Mary's (1818) . The availability of new federal lands for purchase in central Indiana attracted settlers, many of them descendants of families from northwestern Europe. Although many of these first European and American settlers were Protestants , a large proportion of the early Irish and German immigrants were Catholics . Few African Americans lived in central Indiana before 1840. The first European Americans to permanently settle in

7840-492: The purchase and improvement of parks. Kessler retained many of the elements of the Earnshaw and Olmsted plans, including the linear parks and boulevards along White River and Fall Creek. However, his plan was much more far-reaching in scope, encompassing all the open public land in the city. Parkways would follow the four major watercourses in the city - White River, Fall Creek, Pleasant Run , and Pogue's Run - taking advantage of

7938-624: The region. Indianapolis is situated in the Southern Great Lakes forests ecoregion which in turn is located within the larger temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome , as defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature . Based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 's alternative classification system , the city is located in the Eastern Corn Belt Plains , an area of the country known for its fertile soil. Much of

8036-520: The same time period, a $ 5 million project will rehabilitate and improve the existing segments of the trail between Garfield Park and Prospect Avenue and between English Avenue and Ritter Avenue. An extension south and east from Ellenberger Park toward Arlington Avenue and the Pennsy Trail is in the city's long range plans. A connector running north along the west side of Shelby Street to Fountain Square and

8134-461: The second-largest railroad center in the U.S. by 1888. By 1890, the city's population surpassed 100,000. Some of the city's most notable businesses were founded during this period of growth and innovation, including L. S. Ayres (1872), Eli Lilly and Company (1876), Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company (1910), and Allison Transmission (1915). Some of the city's most prominent architectural features and best-known historical events date from

8232-512: The southwest corner of Ellenberger Park in Irvington and follows the north bank of the creek west and south to the Kin Hubbard Memorial, a small park bounded by Emerson Avenue, New York Street, and Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive. From there the trail heads south along Emerson over the creek to Washington Street . It follows Washington Street west back across the creek and again runs along

8330-474: The spring and summer, with slightly higher averages during May, June, and July. May is typically the wettest, with an average of 5.05 inches (12.8 cm) of rain. Most rain is derived from thunderstorm activity. There is no distinct dry season, although occasional droughts occur. Severe weather is not uncommon, particularly in the spring and summer months. Indianapolis experiences an average of 20 thunderstorm days annually. Indianapolis's average annual rainfall

8428-584: The state's name, Indiana (meaning "Land of the Indians", or simply "Indian Land" ), with the suffix -polis , the Greek word for "city". Jeremiah Sullivan , justice of the Indiana Supreme Court , is credited with coining the name. Other names considered were Concord, Suwarrow, and Tecumseh . In 1816, the year Indiana gained statehood, the U.S. Congress donated four sections of federal land to establish

8526-485: The trail in those locations where it uses city sidewalks. From Prospect Street, the greenway runs along the north bank of Pleasant Run, passing by Orange Park. Near Spruce Street, a pedestrian bridge takes the trail to the south bank, where it continues in a westward direction under the Interstate 65 bridge. At Shelby Street, the greenway intersects with a cycle track that connects with the Indianapolis Cultural Trail to

8624-878: The transition between USDA plant hardiness zones 6a and 6b. Typically, summers are fairly hot, humid, and wet. Winters are generally cold with moderate snowfall. The July daily average temperature is 75.4 °F (24.1 °C). High temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 18 days each year, and occasionally exceed 95 °F (35 °C). Spring and autumn are usually pleasant, if at times unpredictable. Midday temperature drops exceeding 30 °F or 17 °C are common during March and April, and instances of very warm days (80 °F or 27 °C) followed within 36 hours by snowfall are not unusual during these months. Winters are cold, with an average January temperature of 28.1 °F (−2.2 °C). Temperatures dip to 0 °F (−18 °C) or below an average of 3.7 nights per year. The rainiest months occur in

8722-536: The turn of the 20th century. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument , dedicated on May 15, 1902, would later become the city's unofficial symbol. Ray Harroun won the inaugural running of the Indianapolis 500 , held May 30, 1911 , at Indianapolis Motor Speedway . Indianapolis was one of the hardest hit cities in the Great Flood of 1913 , resulting in five known deaths and the displacement of 7,000 families. Once home to 60 automakers, Indianapolis rivaled Detroit as

8820-697: The various parks and major city streets. The parkways are Fall Creek (from I-465 to White River), White River (from 38th Street to the confluence of Pleasant Run), Brookside (from Brookside Park to Fletcher Park at Brookside Avenue and 12th Street), Pleasant Run (from Shadeland Avenue to White River), Ellenberger, and Burdsal. Two boulevards are also part of the system: Maple Road (now named 38th Street) from Fall Creek to White River, and Kessler Boulevard from 38th to 56th Street and from Cooper Road to Fall Creek Parkway. The district contains several stone and stone-clad decorative bridges over Fall Creek, White River, and other streams. Some of these carry major streets, such as

8918-416: The various sections of city, depending on the scale of park improvements in each section. Kessler and his firm created designs for several of the existing and new parks within his plan, including University Park in 1914, Garfield Park in 1915, and Riverside Park in 1916. The plan for Garfield Park is one of the few complete park plans created by Kessler during his career. Kessler gave each major park in

9016-399: The world's largest children's museum . The city is perhaps best known for hosting the world's largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500 . Among the city's historic sites and districts , Indianapolis is home to the largest collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war casualties in the U.S. outside of Washington, D.C. The name Indianapolis is derived from pairing

9114-491: Was acquired. However, neither site was developed until the 1880s, when citizens working at times privately and at other times in conjunction with the city, began to make improvements. In 1894 the Commercial Club, which later became the Chamber of Commerce, hired Joseph Earnshaw, a landscape architect from Cincinnati , Ohio, to develop a park plan for the city. He recommended construction of a boulevard lined with parks running along

9212-463: Was passed in 1905 restricting building heights on the traffic circle to 86 ft (26 m) to protect views of the 284 ft (87 m) monument. The ordinance was revised in 1922, permitting buildings to rise to 108 ft (33 m), with an additional 42 ft (13 m) allowable with a series of setbacks . A citywide height restriction ordinance was instituted in 1912, barring structures over 200 ft (61 m). Completed in 1962,

9310-462: Was redeveloped into the Canal Walk, a cultural and recreational amenity. North of 18th Street, the canal retains much of its original appearance, flowing through the northside neighborhoods of Riverside , Butler–Tarkington , Rocky Ripple , and Broad Ripple . This segment has been recognized as an American Water Landmark since 1971. Compared to American cities of similar populations, Indianapolis

9408-413: Was similar to Earnshaw's, with a focus on the waterways and including boulevards, small parks, and several large regional parks. However, opposition soon arose, especially from the south and east sides of the city because those areas would not benefit from the new park system even though they would be taxed for it. In 1897 the state law enabling the creation of the Parks Board was declared unconstitutional;

9506-502: Was successful in landing the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1982, securing the relocation of the Baltimore Colts in 1984, and hosting the 1987 Pan American Games . Beginning in 1992, the mayoral administration of Stephen Goldsmith introduced a number of austerity measures to address budget shortfalls through privatization and greater reliance on public–private partnerships . Major downtown revitalization projects continued through

9604-553: Was the first of its kind in the world when it opened in 1853. During the American Civil War , Indianapolis was mostly loyal to the Union cause. Governor Oliver P. Morton , a major supporter of President Abraham Lincoln , quickly made Indianapolis a rallying place for Union army troops. On February 11, 1861, President-elect Lincoln arrived in the city, en route to Washington, D.C. for his presidential inauguration , marking

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