The Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League have been based in the city since relocating from Baltimore in 1984. Since 2016, more than 350 film and media projects have been produced in the Indianapolis region with a collective economic impact of $24.1 million and the creation of 1,900 local jobs. Founded in 2018, the Indy Shorts International Film Festival is one of 34 film festivals in the world used to qualify for the Academy Awards. Three motion pictures filmed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway include Speedway (1929), To Please a Lady (1950), and Winning (1969). The city’s sports venues have served as backdrops for such films as Hoosiers (1986) and Eight Men Out (1988).

Healthcare

In 1970 the governments of the city and Marion county were consolidated into a single entity. The latter led to the development of automobile manufacturing as central to the city’s economy. Some impetus for growth was given when the Cumberland (National) Road (modern Washington Street downtown) was routed across the city in 1827 and later when railroads arrived. Nearby communities include Carmel (north), Lawrence (northeast), Beech Grove (southeast), Greenwood (south), and Speedway (west). Indianapolis, city, seat (1822) of Marion county and capital of Indiana, U.S. It lies on the White River at its confluence with Fall Creek, near the centre of the state.
The library collection contains nearly 1.7 million materials staffed by 410 full-time employees and has a circulation of 14.6 million, making it the ninth largest library by circulation in the U.S. Central Library’s special collections include the Center for Black Literature & Culture, the Chris Gonzalez Collection, and the Nina Mason Pulliam Indianapolis Special Collections Room. Three religiously affiliated universities based in the city are Indiana Bible College, the University of Indianapolis, and Marian University. Martin University, Indiana’s only Predominantly Black Institution, was founded in 1977 and is located in the Martindale–Brightwood neighborhood. IU Indianapolis is an R1 urban research university that enrolls about 25,000 students in 330 different bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. According to the Indiana Department of Education, about 75 private, parochial, and independent charter schools operate throughout Marion County.

Parks

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 the running buffalo clover. Some 57 species of fish can be found in the city’s waterways, including bass and sunfish. Birds native to the area include the northern cardinal, wood thrush, eastern screech owl, mourning dove, pileated and red-bellied woodpeckers, and wild turkey. In recent years, local raccoon and groundhog populations have increased alongside sightings of American badgers, beavers, mink, coyotes, and red fox.

Hotel Indy

  • All skyscrapers are in a relatively compact cluster downtown.
  • The internationally acclaimed institution provides educational entertainment for families, and sometimes the museum even hosts adults-only museum nights.
  • 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.
  • During the mayoral administration of Richard Lugar (1968–1976), the city and county governments consolidated.
  • Nearby communities include Carmel (north), Lawrence (northeast), Beech Grove (southeast), Greenwood (south), and Speedway (west).
  • Founded in 2018, the Indy Shorts International Film Festival is one of 34 film festivals in the world used to qualify for the Academy Awards.
  • The 8-mile-long (13 km) Indiana Central Canal is the oldest extant artificial facility in the city, dating to the 1830s.

It is among the largest privately funded zoos in the U.S. and one of the city’s most visited attractions, with 1.1 million guests in 2023. Key literary sites in the city include the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, the Ray Bradbury Center at IU Indianapolis, and the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. Major recurring events include the Drum Corps International World Class Championships, the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, and Indy Jazz Fest. Indianapolis is home to several national and international music organizations, including the American Piano Awards, Bands of America, Drum Corps International, and the Percussive Arts Society.

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Notable independent private schools include the International School of Indiana, the Orchard School, and Park Tudor School in Meridian Hills. Indianapolis Public Schools is the largest district in the city, enrolling about 23,000 students across 60 schools. Nine K–12 public school districts serve residents of the consolidated city as defined by the U.S. Unlike other major Midwest cities like Detroit and Chicago, the homicide rate for Indianapolis remained below the national average throughout the 1990s.

Wholesale District

A designated cultural district just southeast of downtown, Fountain Square combines vintage architecture with a creative energy. Nicknamed the “Crossroads of America,” the Indy has great access to major highways such as I-65, I-70, and I-74. With convenient rental car access and ride-hailing services, you can be downtown in less than 30 minutes. The best time to visit Indianapolis is during spring and fall when temperatures are comfortable and the city comes alive with outdoor events. In Speedway, Borage feels like a community hub, pairing a relaxed café atmosphere with a connected market selling the same locally sourced grains, vegetables, and breads used in its kitchen.
According to 2014 research published in the American Political Science Review, the city’s policy preferences are less conservative than the national mean when compared with other large U.S. cities. The Indiana Governor’s Residence is on Meridian Street in the Butler–Tarkington neighborhood, about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of downtown. The executive branch is headed by an elected mayor who serves as the chief executive of both the city and county. The city has a strong mayor–council system of government which oversees six administrative departments. Indianapolis—officially the Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County—has a consolidated city-county form of government, a status it has held since 1970 under Indiana Code’s Unigov provision.

  • 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.
  • Some 22% of residents identified as religiously “unaffiliated”, consistent with the national average of 22.7%.
  • Menu favorites include house-made pastas and their famous house-made grilled breads.
  • With convenient rental car access and ride-hailing services, you can be downtown in less than 30 minutes.
  • In recent years, local raccoon and groundhog populations have increased alongside sightings of American badgers, beavers, mink, coyotes, and red fox.

The company’s thermal division operates the Perry K. Generating Station which produces and distributes steam for heating and cooling to about 160 customers in downtown Indianapolis. AES Indiana supplies electricity to more than 500,000 Indianapolis customers and maintains 90,000 street lights. Indianapolis Union Station is the state’s primary intercity bus transfer hub, served by seven carriers operating 12 routes. As home to the second largest FedEx Express hub in the world, it ranks among the ten busiest U.S. airports in terms of air cargo throughput. In 2024, the airport served 10.5 million passengers and offered nonstop service to 53 domestic and international destinations.
Within a few years, more than 200 families were tending 600 garden plots on nearly 100 acres (40 ha) of land on the city’s near north side. As consumer habits evolved and residents moved from the central city, City Market transitioned from a traditional marketplace to a food hall. Founded in 1821 as the city’s public market, the Indianapolis City Market has served the community from its current building since 1886. Other notable sites in the city include Crown Hill National Cemetery, the Indiana 9/11 Memorial, the Medal of Honor Memorial, and the USS Indianapolis National Memorial. State-specific historical institutions based in Indianapolis include the Indiana Historical Society, Indiana Humanities, the Indiana Jewish Historical Society, Indiana Landmarks, the Indiana Medical History Museum, and the Indiana State Museum.

Welcome to Indy

Starting in https://www.royalspiniacasino.org/ the mid-20th century, the post–World War II economic expansion and subsequent suburbanization greatly influenced the city’s development patterns. In the 2020 census, Indianapolis was among the 20 largest cities in the U.S. by both population and land area. The city’s address numbering system originates at the intersection of Washington (running east–west) and Meridian streets (running north–south). The grid plan called for a town of 1 square mile (2.6 km2) centered on a traffic circle (from which Indianapolis’s “Circle City” nickname originates). 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.
North of 18th Street, the canal retains much of its original appearance, flowing through the north side neighborhoods of Riverside, Butler–Tarkington, Rocky Ripple, and Broad Ripple. Between 1985 and 2001, nearly 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of the former canal in downtown Indianapolis were redeveloped into a cultural and recreational amenity. Since the 2000s, downtown Indianapolis and surrounding neighborhoods have seen increased reinvestment mirroring nationwide market trends, driven by empty nesters and millennials. Notable streetcar suburbs include Broad Ripple, Irvington, and University Heights.
The museum provides intimate access to the motorsports heritage that defines Indianapolis globally, one of Levingston’s top recommended stops in Indy. Home to the world’s most famous auto race, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has guided tours and an extensive museum dedicated to racing history, iconic cars, and the legendary 500-mile tradition. Honoring America’s first self-made woman millionaire, this museum documents Madam C.J. Walker’s entrepreneurial legacy as she built her empire of haircare products. During his yours, you can get to know Indianapolis on a deeper level as you see the city through his historian’s lens. Sampson Levingston’s Walk & Talk tours have garnered national recognition as he takes people through the hidden history of Indianapolis streets. Highlights include real fossils, a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and hands-on science demonstrations.