Tracking the Remains of a Big Four Railroad in Indianapolis
Exploring the route of the Big Four Railroad's Chicago Division on its line north of downtown Indianapolis.
top of page
Class 900: Indianapolis
A BLOG ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CIRCLE CITY
Nov 172 min read
School 86 Preservation Update and Upcoming Listening Session
Update about the efforts to preserve School 86 in Butler-Tarkington.
61 views0 comments
Nov 117 min read
Eye in the Sky: The Last Indianapolis Fire Tower
Exploring the history of fire towers in Indianapolis, including the last one constructed atop the Barnes & Thornburg building in 1912.
129 views0 comments
Oct 305 min read
Finding the Remains of the Brookside Park Shelter House
Exploring the site of the Brookside Park shelter house in Indianapolis.
101 views0 comments
Oct 185 min read
The Great Comet of 1858 and its Visit to Indianapolis
Examining the Great Comet of 1858 and its visit to the skies over Indianapolis.
36 views0 comments
Sep 3013 min read
The Historic Hills of Marion County and Indianapolis
Exploring the history of three hills in Indianapolis and Marion County.
209 views0 comments
Sep 165 min read
The Motorboat Della May and a Dream to Sail Away from Indianapolis
Exploring a tale of an unfulfilled dream, and a boat constructed in a garage in the middle of Indianapolis.
105 views0 comments
Sep 46 min read
The Meridian Street Tower at the top of Meridian Heights
Confirming the existence of a stone tower which was to be the center piece of the Meridian Heights residential development.
362 views0 comments
Aug 2313 min read
Promoting The Paddle: The History of the Indianapolis Canoe Club
Exploring the history of the Indianapolis Canoe Club and its two clubhouses at Riverside Park in Indianapolis.
126 views0 comments
Jul 305 min read
The History of the Wandering Normandy Barn
Exploring the history of the Normandy Barn located at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.
209 views0 comments
Jul 228 min read
The History Behind Stone Fence Pillars on North Illinois Street
Exploring the history of stone fence pillars along Illinois Street in Indianapolis.
194 views0 comments
Jul 314 min read
Queen of the White River: The Steamboat Helen Gould at Riverside Park
Exploring the history of the steamboat Helen Gould at Riverside Park in Indianapolis.
188 views2 comments
Jun 207 min read
Huffman Cemetery: Tracking Down a Graveyard in the Heart of Broad Ripple
Exploring the history of the Huffman Cemetery in the Broad Ripple neighborhood of Indianapolis.
315 views7 comments
Jun 1010 min read
The History of the Old Broad Ripple Park Swimming Pool and the 1924 Olympic Trials
Exploring the history of the old Broad Ripple Park pool, which hosted the swimming trials for the 1924 Olympics in Paris.
977 views0 comments
Jun 46 min read
Nine Days and 522 Miles: A Bike Tour from Indianapolis and Back Again
Follow along with three Indianapolis teenagers as they embark upon a 522-mile bicycle tour through southern Indiana in 1911.
222 views2 comments
May 2113 min read
Aiming High: A Brief History of the Indianapolis Arrows Baseball Team
Exploring the history of the Indianapolis Arrows, and the city's attempt to bring a major league baseball team to Central Indiana.
728 views1 comment
May 811 min read
Disaster at Broad Ripple: The Sinking of the Steamboat Sunshine
Exploring the unfortunate history of a steamboat named Sunshine in Broad Ripple.
512 views0 comments
Apr 228 min read
"Probably the Handsomest Bridge Across Fall Creek": The History of the Capitol Avenue Bridge
Exploring the 100+ year history of the Capitol Avenue bridge over Fall Creek in Indianapolis.
244 views0 comments
Apr 116 min read
The Delaware Jog: History of the Intersection of 16th and Delaware in Indianapolis
Examining the history of one of the strangest, and most notorious, intersections in Indianapolis.
1,603 views0 comments
Mar 235 min read
1865 Solar Eclipse Excitement in Indianapolis
Exploring the reactions and reports of the 1865 solar eclipse in Indianapolis and surrounding communities.
414 views0 comments
Mar 136 min read
An Indianapolis Pastor, His Church, and the Klan: The Resignation of Earl N. Griggs of Butler-Tarkington
Exploring the 1923 resignation of pastor Earl Griggs in Butler-Tarkington whose church was coming under the sway of the Ku Klux Klan.
284 views0 comments
Feb 296 min read
Tracking the Remains of the Indianapolis Northern Interurban Line
Tracking the remains of the Indianapolis Northern interurban line in Indianapolis, Broad Ripple and points to the north.
696 views0 comments
Feb 2111 min read
The Indianapolis Civil Rights Trial which Challenged the Street Railway Company
Exploring an early Civil Rights trial which took place in Indianapolis shortly after the conclusion of the Civil War.
115 views0 comments
Feb 148 min read
South Indianapolis: A Tale of Two Suburbs
Exploring the history of two towns which both bore the name South Indianapolis.
317 views0 comments
Jan 253 min read
Stairways to Nowhere in Indianapolis
A short post looking at the history behind a few random staircases to nowhere located around Indianapolis.
657 views2 comments
Jan 106 min read
Redirecting Nature: Moving the White River
Exploring the history of a project which changed the course of the White River in Indianapolis.
583 views0 comments
Dec 29, 20234 min read
November Explosion: The Destruction of the Sigma Chi House at Butler University
Exploring an explosion which destroyed a fraternity house at Butler University in Indianapolis in 1955.
494 views1 comment
Dec 20, 202310 min read
The History of the Former DeHaan Estate Property in Indianapolis
Exploring the history of the former Christel DeHaan Estate on the northside of Indianapolis.
13,220 views0 comments
Dec 7, 20238 min read
Pioneer Railways of the Circle City: The Indianapolis & Bellefontaine Railroad Depot on Mass Avenue
Exploring the history of the original Bellefontaine Railroad depot on Massachusetts Avenue.
248 views0 comments
Nov 29, 20236 min read
The Modern Indianapolis Zoo Part III: Remains of the Old Zoo
In a final post about the history of the old Indianapolis Zoo, we explore the remnants of the zoo at Washington Park.
460 views0 comments
Nov 15, 20236 min read
Clyde Milton Johnson and the Shootout on Monument Circle
On a spring afternoon in 1949 a fugitive bank robber engaged in a running gun battle with federal agents on Monument Circle in Indianapolis.
191 views0 comments
Nov 4, 202316 min read
50th Anniversary: IFD and the Grant Fire - “The Finest Moment this Department Ever Had."
Note: This post was originally published on February 12, 2022. November 5, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of the Grant Fire and this...
721 views0 comments
Oct 30, 20236 min read
Constructing Another Landmark: The Coca-Cola Bottling Plant
Exploring the history of the Coca Cola Bottling Plant on Massachusetts Avenue, constructed by the William P. Jungclaus Co.
564 views0 comments
Oct 20, 202311 min read
A History of Wild Times at the Bellevue Roadhouse and Resort on Michigan Road
Exploring the history of wild times at the Bellevue Resort and Roadhouse on Michigan Road on the northside of Indianapolis.
373 views1 comment
Oct 2, 202318 min read
The Modern Indianapolis Zoo Part II: Finding its Stride and Growing Pains
Part II in a series exploring the Indianapolis Zoo as it expanded operations at Washington Park, up to its move to White River State Park.
359 views0 comments
Sep 27, 20235 min read
A Call for the Preservation and Reuse of IPS School 86 in Butler-Tarkington
Not a traditional Indianapolis history post, but a case for the preservation and reuse of IPS School 86 in Butler-Tarkington.
1,139 views0 comments
Sep 13, 20235 min read
Exploring the Remains of a Bridge in Millersville
Exploring the remains of an old iron bridge in the Millersville neighborhood of Indianapolis.
240 views0 comments
Sep 11, 20231 min read
Vanished Indianapolis: Book Launch Event Tuesday, September 12
If you follow me on social media, you likely have seen me promoting my first book, Vanished Indianapolis, published this past week by...
132 views0 comments
Sep 7, 20238 min read
The Corruption of Dr. Coe Part I: The Doctor and the Canals
In Part 1 of a series on the actions of Dr. Coe in regard to the financing of the Indiana canal system in the 1830s.
204 views3 comments
Aug 22, 20236 min read
Meet Me at the Vu: The History of the Ron-D-Vu drive-in restaurant in Butler-Tarkington
Exploring the history of a popular drive-in restaurant which was once located in Butler-Tarkington at 52nd and Westfield Blvd.
293 views2 comments
Aug 12, 202312 min read
The Modern Indianapolis Zoo - Part I: From Proposal to Reality
Exploring the history of the founding of the first modern Indianapolis Zoo at Washington Park.
490 views0 comments
Jul 31, 202310 min read
Sweetest Street in Indianapolis: Chocolate Avenue and the Dilling Candy Company
Exploring the history of Chocolate Avenue and the Dilling Candy Company in Indianapolis.
446 views0 comments
Jul 24, 20234 min read
Beacon of Health: The History of the Methodist Hospital Lighthouse
Taking a quick look at the history of the Lighthouse, or 'Beacon,' atop the IU Health Methodist Hospital at 16th and Capitol in Indianapolis
740 views0 comments
Jul 15, 202310 min read
Fishing, Dancing, and Drinking: The History of Shannon’s Lake
Exploring the history of Shannon's Lake, one of the few natural lakes in Marion County, and a scene of recreation and frivolities.
520 views0 comments
Jun 29, 20237 min read
Ruins on the Monon Trail: The Remains of the Maas-Neimeyer Lumberyard
Exploring the history of the ruins of a now abandoned brick structure along the Monon Trail in Indianapolis.
454 views2 comments
Jun 19, 20234 min read
The Chase Bank Building at Westfield Blvd. and Illinois St.: A Long History of Being a Bank
Exploring the rather straightforward history of the Chase bank building at Illinois and Westfield Boulevard in Butler-Tarkington.
492 views0 comments
Jun 8, 20236 min read
Exploring Mount Nebo in Indianapolis
Exploring the history of the Mount Nebo location in Indianapolis.
515 views0 comments
May 26, 20237 min read
In The Shadow of the Motor Speedway: The Allison Machine Shop in Speedway, Indiana
Exploring the history behind the founding location of the Allison Transmission Company in downtown Speedway, Indiana.
247 views0 comments
May 9, 202311 min read
Preserving the Natural Space of Indianapolis: The History of Marott Woods
Exploring the history of the Marott Park (aka Marott Woods Nature Preserve) in Indianapolis.
703 views0 comments
Apr 29, 20234 min read
A Remnant of Railway Mass Transit: The McLean Place Streetcar Barn
Exploring the history of a former streetcar maintenance and storage barn on the near northside of Indianapolis.
377 views2 comments
bottom of page