Indianapolis history

Indianapolis History – Indianapolis During its First Century of Existence

The capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, Indianapolis, is associated by most tourists with the automobile industry and car races. But Indianapolis, the city located at the crossroads of America’s major routes (I-69 coming from Fort Wayne, I-70 from Dayton or I-65 from Chicago), is deeply rooted into the history and tradition of the East Coast. Indianapolis history goes back to the early 19th century, immediately after Indiana was granted statehood. Back then, Indiana officials were planning to change the location of the capital from Corydon to a more central position.

Right in the heart of Indiana was the cabin of John McCormick. That site was finally chosen as the location of the new capital and architect Alexander Ralston was assigned the urban planning. A judge of the Supreme Court came up with a name ‘Indianapolis’ (‘Indiana’+’polis’, which is Greek for ‘town’). The fact that White River proved to be too shallow to allow navigation probably represents the key element in Indianapolis’ future development.

To compensate the absence of water routes, several major railroads and highways were crossing Indianapolis in the 19th century. When the Civil War began, more than 18,000 souls were living in Indianapolis, which played an important role in the war due to the local ammunition plant. The war was followed by the greatest economic boom in Indianapolis history: many historic landmarks, administrative buildings, as well as Victorian style houses were build in those years. Electricity was used to illuminate the streets and the first automobile factories were constructed.

Indianapolis History – 20th Century Indianapolis

Indianapolis became famous across the next century not only as a major car manufacturer but also as an innovation center (the six-cylinder engine or the four-wheel brakes were designed by Indianapolis engineers). Indianapolis history took another turn when the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was brought into being in 1911. As the population grew rapidly in the first half of the 20th century, so did Indianapolis’ reputation as a sports center. Modern sports facilities, as the city convention centre were built during this period, generating new nicknames for the city, as “The Racing Capital of the World” or “The Amateur Sports Capital of the World”. This fame was amplified when Indianapolis came to host events like the “Indianapolis 500” car race, or the Super Bowl, and became the headquarters of the national gymnastics, diving or track & field teams. For the new millennia, Indianapolis has established a new set of objectives: improving inter-racial relationships and the quality of life, striving for sustainable development and paving the way for a better educational system.