Massachusetts Avenue Arts District
This five-block downtown area includes art galleries, theaters, the Indianapolis Arts Academy, restaurants and bars. It also includes a jazz club, alternative bookstore, coffee house, architectural, graphic, and interior design firms, advertising and marketing agencies and apartment and condominium complexes. Each year, the area hosts the Rib America Festival at the Murat Centre and Oktoberfest at the Athenaeum.
Broad Ripple Village
About 20 minutes from downtown, this northside neighborhood features a concentration of eclectic boutiques, art galleries, sidewalk cafes, nightclubs, pubs, vintage clothing stores and ethnic restaurants. Feeding the ducks at the canal that runs through Broad Ripple and walking, running and bicycling the Monon Trail are popular pastimes.
Capital Commons
In warm weather, office workers and visitors linger on park benches to enjoy this plaza’s English garden atmosphere and colorful perennial plantings. Located one block south of the Indiana State Capitol Building, the plaza-completed in 1988-features walkways arranged in a geometric design and a 90-foot diameter water fountain.
Soldiers & Sailor’s Monument and Col. Eli Lilly Civil War Museum
Located at the center of Indianapolis on Monument Circle, this 284-foot limestone monument was dedicated in 1902 and stands as a tribute to the valor of Indiana’s soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil and Spanish American Wars. An observation tower, accessible by an elevator or 32 flights of stairs, provides a panoramic view of the skyline.
A museum honoring the sacrifices made by Indiana citizens who lived, fought and died during the Civil War is also located here. The Col. Eli Lilly Civil War Museum is in the lower level of the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument. Visitors can experience the Civil War from the battlefield to the homefront. Artifacts, letters and personal diaries written by Hoosiers during the war are the foundation for the exhibits. The museum preserves the rich history of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.
War Memorial Plaza and American Legion Mall
Dominating the five-block picturesque setting of War Memorial Plaza is the Indiana World War Memorial. The mausoleum-style limestone and marble memorial pays homage to Hoosiers killed during World Wars I and II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Shrine Room, with 24 stained-glass windows, is a magnificent architectural setting for the 17-by-30 foot American flag that is suspended from the center of the room. A military museum in the basement allows visitors to follow the history of Indiana soldiers from the Battle of Tippecanoe through the most recent wars.
North of the memorial is the American Legion Mall, a park-like setting that includes the American Legion State and National Headquarters as well as the Vietnam, Korean and World War II memorials. The mall is a popular site for festivals and events. Also on the grounds are the Veterans Memorial Plaza, where the flags of all 50 states fly, and University Park, which features the DePew fountain and statues of Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Harrison and Schuyler Colfax.
Medal of Honor Memorial
The only memorial designed to recognize recipients of the nation’s highest military honor is in downtown Indianapolis. The memorial gives tribute to 3,410 Medal of Honor recipients, an award that is given by Congress for military valor. The one-acre memorial is located on the north side of downtown’s Central Canal in White River State Park.
The memorial represents 15 different conflicts, ranging from the Civil War through Somalia and is composed of 27 curved walls of glass, each between 7 and 10 feet high. Each day at dusk, the memorial’s sound system plays recorded stories of medal winners or of the conflicts in which they fought.
USS Indianapolis
Situated on the east bank of the Central Canal, the USS Indianapolis Memorial was built to recognize those who died on the last U.S. ship to sink in World War II. The gray and black granite monument stands in the shape of the USS Indianapolis with the story of the sinking etched on one side and the names of all of those who served on the other. Approximately 1,200 soldiers were on board; only 317 survived.
Military Park
Bounded by West, New York and Blackford streets and the Central Canal, this 14-acre park is the oldest in the city. Over the years, Military Park has had many uses. The city’s first recorded July 4th celebration was held there in 1822; in 1836 militia gathered there to prepare for the Black Hawk War; the first Indiana State Fair was held at this location in October 1852; and at the outbreak of the Civil War, the park quickly became a military camp used for the recruitment and training of troops.
Between the World Wars and through the ensuing decades, the park slowly deteriorated, its beauty and historical importance largely forgotten. In 1980, it was given a facelift with funds obtained through grants. In recent years, Military Park has been used for gatherings of political groups and for festivals, such as the Indy Jazz Fest. This park, located in White River State Park, now serves as a daily reminder of the great history of Indianapolis.
Indiana Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters Memorial
Located on the west side of the Indiana Statehouse at the corner of Government Way and Senate Avenue, this $1 million memorial honors Hoosier police and fire fighters who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty. The crescent-shaped park features statues inscribed with the names of more than 600 fallen heroes.
[insert_php]
$market = “IND” ;
global $market ;
[/insert_php]
[insert_php]
$market = “IND” ;
[/insert_php]