The Indiana State Library was established in 1825 shortly after the state capital was moved to Indianapolis and the building that now houses it was completed in 1934. The Indiana limestone building is the largest library in the state and contains over 2 million volumes within its walls. It features stained glass windows, oak and walnut paneling, a marble staircase, hand-painted murals and bas-relief sculptures on its exterior. The building is also home to the Indiana Historical Bureau and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
Although presently home to a parking lot, this was the location of one of the largest and most opulent hotels in the region. The structure was not built as a hotel initially, but rather as a medical clinic and device maker known as the National Surgical Institute that treated patients and designed medical devices and surgical equipment. The building was completed in 1895 following a deadly 1892 fire that killed 19 patients and destroyed the company's previous headquarters. When complete, this building was home to researchers and physicians who were at the forefront of treatments for congenital deformities and they also created numerous medical devices. Unfortunately, efforts to recoup the considerable construction costs of this building led the company to bankruptcy by the end of the century. The building was converted to a hotel by 1900 and home to the Imperial Hotel between 1900 and 1914. The hotel changed hands during World War I, a time when it housed soldiers as they trained to become gunsmiths and mechanics. When it reopened after the war, the Imperial Hotel housed state legislators, and many of the city and state's most powerful men made deals at its ornate bar. The hotel changed names three times, but the story for each owner was similar. The building's maintenance costs led each of its tenants to financial problems, and the building was demolished in the late 1940s.
Although the site of the Indiana Statehouse has remained the same since 1835, the current statehouse building was constructed in 1888 after the original was destroyed and renovated one hundred years later in 1988. The capitol building’s construction was highly centralized as the architects, workers, and even materials were largely from Indiana. Its cornerstone holds forty-two items significant to Indiana’s history or relevant to events of the time period. Today, its architecture still shines and holds the history of not only Indianapolis, but much of Indiana.
Following the assassination of US President Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865 in Washington, D.C., a grand, yet somber, "Final Journey Home" was prepared for the body of Lincoln back to Springfield, Illinois. Eventually, 7 states (Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois) would have the train run through them, following the funeral and other events in D.C, with over 444 communities visited (New Jersey did not hold a viewing of the body or have a stop within). Indianapolis was the destination for viewing following a stop in Columbus, Ohio. Arriving April 30, at 7am in Indianapolis and taken to the Indiana Statehouse, the viewing lasted all day in the rain until the funeral train steamed off again at midnight for its next stop in Michigan City, Indiana. Indiana Governor Oliver Morton was one four Union governors to accompany the train throughout the journey to Illinois.
Dedicated in 2013, this historical marker recognizes the importance of The Indianapolis Times newspaper which was established in 1888 as the Indianapolis Sun and was headquartered here starting in 1924. Beginning in 1923, the Times produced a series of articles exposing the Ku Klux Klan, its activities, and the hate organization's political influence in the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. Though it was not the only Indiana paper to publish on the topic, but its coverage was extensive and in 1928, the Times was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in Journalism "for its work in exposing political corruption in Indiana, prosecuting the guilty and bringing about a more wholesome state of affairs in civil government," [2]. The newspaper upheld its role in public service by campaigning to aid children during the Great Depression, to help improve conditions and treatment of the mentally ill in the 1950s, and to reduce the city's crime rate in the 1960s through investigative journalism; the paper ceased publication in 1965. As of October 2023, the pole of the historical marker is still located in the west-central portion of Hudnut Commons, but the marker was missing at this time.
The Indiana Theatre is the largest theatre built in Indianapolis. Since opening in 1927, it has housed many movies and performances. When first built, the theatre housed bowling alleys, a barber shop, a lunch counter, and a Spanish-style ballroom that is still used today. In 1980 the building was remodeled to accommodate the Indiana Repertory Theatre. The Repertory Theatre has been housed in the theatre ever since and continues to put on productions today
The Claypool Hotel opened in 1903, replacing the Bates Hotel, which had stood at this location since 1853 and had once provided lodging to President-elect Abraham Lincoln. At the time of its opening, the Claypool included 495 rooms, making it the largest hotel in the region. The hotel included a theater and also boasted one of the largest hotel lobbies beyond the East Coast and also claimed to hold more bathtubs than any hotel in the nation. Ten years later, the hotel expanded to include a total of 600 rooms. A fire on June 23, 1967, damaged the building and led to the closure of the hotel. After two years of sitting empty, the building was demolished. This location is still home to a hotel that is currently part of the Embassy Suites chain, as well as Claypool Court- a shopping center that includes offices of several businesses.
The Artsgarden is owned and managed by the Arts Council of Indianapolis. It hosts many cultural events in this unique seven stories tall glass dome that sits suspended over the intersection of Illinois and Washington Streets. The structure also hosts the city's Visitor Information Center. The Artsgarden has featured a realm of performance art, including musical showcases. Its unique design sets it apart from its surroundings, making it as visually recognizable as the art events it houses.
This historical marker is located near the site of the former Bowen-Merrill Bookstore, which was destroyed by fire on March 17, 1890. Twenty firefighters battling the blaze fell from the building's roof when the building's walls and the roof collapsed. Twelve of those men were killed by the accident; a thirteenth firefighter perished as a result of his injuries. The fire was the deadliest in the history of the Indianapolis Fire Department. As word of the tragedy spread, residents of the city established annuities for each of the nine widows and twenty-two orphans. The state of Indiana responded to the tragedy by creating the first statewide pension fund the following year.
Originally known as the Merchants National Bank Building, the 17-story Barnes and Thornburg Building was completed in two phases, the first in 1908-1909 and the second in 1912. It is located at what many refer to as Indianapolis’ most important intersection at the corner of Meridian and Washington Streets, just south of the city’s center at Monument Circle. It was designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Burnham and Root and is an excellent example of the Chicago School of design. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and is also part of the larger Monument Circle Historic District.
Built by the architectural firm of Rubush and Hunter and completed in 1923, the Guaranty Building was home to numerous law offices, insurance companies, and the Western Union Telegraph Company. The curved limestone facade blends in to Monument Circle - a feature that was required to win approval of the building by city leaders and others who originally opposed the construction of any building that might distract from the Soldiers and Sailor's Monument. The building was planned to be seven stories tall but grew to nine stories upon completion. The 132-foot height was still below the new limit set by the city of 150 feet. Read on to see how roller skates fit into the building's history.
Located on Indianapolis’ famed Monument Circle, the Test Building was named after Charles Test, the former president of the National Motor Vehicle Company of Indianapolis. At the time it was built, in 1925, it was one of the first buildings that served as a multi-level parking garage in the state, if not the first. It was, and is, also unique in that it was a multi-use structure that housed retail space at street level and office space on the upper floors. It was intentionally designed to appear as a Neo-Classical office building of the era so that it would not detract from the aesthetics that surround the city’s centerpiece, the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument. The Test Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Completed in 1857, Christ Church Cathedral replaced a previous church that was built at this location between 1837 and 1838. Like many of the other churches that were once located in the area, the congregation almost sold this property to developers several different times; however, even though many of the parishioners had moved away from the city center, members ultimately opposed the sale of the building. Today, the Cathedral serves as the ceremonial seat of the Episcopalian Diocese of Indianapolis. The bishop of Indianapolis presides here and oversees 46 congregations throughout central Indiana. The cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The Columbia Club was built in 1924 by supporters of the Republican Party. The club dates its origins back to 1888, when Indianapolis Republicans formed a group to support the presidential campaign of local attorney and politician Benjamin Harrison. Harrison had been an officer in the Civil War and had also been selected by the Indiana State legislature to represent Indiana in the United States Senate prior to the modern practice where voters directly elect their Senators. Harrison's presidential campaign was a success. The Columbia Club also experienced success, quickly becoming one of the leading social clubs in the city. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, situated at One Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis, was dedicated on May 15, 1902. The monument was designed to honor the common soldier and was constructed over a thirteen-year period between 1888 and 1901. The structure is the largest outdoor memorial in the state of Indiana and has become closely tied to the identity of both the state and the city of Indianapolis. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument once housed the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum until flooding led to the relocation of those artifacts to the Indiana War Memorial. The monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 1973.
Completed in 1930, Circle Tower was designed by Architects Rubush & Hunter, the same firm that built the famous and adjacent Circle Theater. The building uses Indiana limestone and its top stories recede from the previous story to create a tiered effect. The top of the building features Art Deco sculpture. The main entry on the north side of the building features a 1.5 story arch with an intricate bronze screen. This entry, and the first floor lobby, are full of artistic detail and well-worth a visit and photos. The building was designed for office space, with commercial storefronts on the street level. Circle Tower is part of the larger Monument Circle Historic District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Circle Theater opened in 1916 as the city's first “movie palace”---and one of the first such buildings in the Midwest. Today it is the second-oldest building on Monument Circle, after Christ Church Cathedral, and is home to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The theater was designed by the prominent local firm of Rubush and Hunter in a Neoclassical Revival style. The exterior is white terra cotta, featuring a frieze of classical Greek figures. Inside, a detailed bas-relief proscenium, plaster molding throughout the house, and other details render the interior among the most historic in the city. In fact, the interior is one of only two interiors in the city that has been granted historic landmark status and official city protection. The theater was renamed after Stephen Hilbert, a local businessman, and his wife Tomisue, in 1996, after they pledged $10 million toward a building endowment. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This tour starts at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument and proceeds to historic sites around the city's famous Monument Circle before heading south and west to see historic buildings, markers, and the statehouse. The tour concludes at the Indiana State Library and Historical Bureau. Visitors to the city will also enjoy the War Memorial Plaza walking tour.
