Fountain Square

Glimpses of Urban Life in Indianapolis

The Indiana Historical Society’s Herman List Collection 1897-1913 offers some revealing glimpses of life in Indianapolis at the turn of the twentieth century. List was born in Indiana to German immigrant parents and his wife Sophia was born in Germany. Photography became a popular hobby in the 1890s as the Eastman Kodak Company made cameras and film ever more user-friendly (“You press the button, we do the rest”).

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Tags: African-American history in Indianapolis, bakery, Downtown Indianapolis, Fountain Square, German-Americans, Herman List Collection, immigrants in Indianapolis, Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, live-work, National Surgical Institute, Urban Life, urban living, Virginia Avenue

Downtown Indianapolis: Some Suggestions

This post was originally created amid the media blitz of “what to see, where to go, and where to eat” in Downtown Indianapolis as the Super Bowl crowds converged on the city. As someone who has lived and worked in Downtown for four years (plus two earlier summer internships), I thought I might offer a few suggestions for our guests (and locals who have not spent much time Downtown recently). Indy has a lot to offer and it is great to have so many people visiting our city.

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There are a number of Cultural Districts in Downtown, most of which are now connected by the Cultural Trail (a world-class a pedestrian and bicycle corridor). Below are a few suggestions of places to try in some of these districts. I recommend sticking to local and regional businesses to get an authentic Indianapolis experience. We have lots of excellent local options to enjoy, so take advantage of them while you can. I hope you enjoy your time in Indianapolis!

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Tags: Biergarten, Bookmamas, Broad Ripple, Bru Burger, Chatham Tap, City Market, cultural trail, Downtown Indianapolis, Downtown Indy, eat local, Fermenti Artisan, Flying Cupcake, Fountain Square, Fountain Square Brewery, Georgia Street, Georgia Street Improvements, Homespun Modern Handmade, Indiana Beer, Indianapolis, Indianapolis bars, Indianapolis City Market, Indianapolis cultural districts, Indianapolis restaurants, Indianapolis Super Bowl, Irvington, local food, MacNiven's, Mama Irma, Maryland Street, Mass Ave, Mass Ave Toys, Massachusetts Avenue, microbreweries, Old Point Tavern, Pearl Street, pennsylvania street, places to eat, places to eat Indianapolis, Pure Eatery, Rathskeller, Red Lion Grog House, shop local, Silver in the City, Stout's Shoes, Sun King, Super Bowl Indy tips, Super Bowl Village, Super Bowl Village bars, Super Bowl Village restaurants, Super Bowl XLVI, Tomlinson Tap, Virginia Avenue, welcome to Indianapolis, yogulatte

Cubs on the Brain!

It is sad, but true, I am a Cubs fan. What would you expect from a kid who grew up 90 minutes from the center of Chicago?

Game One: Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs, Memorial Day night at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.

With friends piled into the car, we drove North on I-65 encountering North of Rensselaer, IN one the largest, if not the largest, wind generating farms under construction in the Midwest. We just saw the delivery area and that in itself was quite impressive. As we made it into the ‘The Region’, the Chicago Skyway offered the quickest route into downtown. We made an ‘architectural pit stop’ at Millennium Park to see Renzo Piano’s recently completed Modern Wing to the Chicago Art Institute. A well detailed structure that compliments the existing complex of buildings. The most impressive portion is the pedestrian bridge that connects the Modern Wing to the great lawn of Millennium Park. This also avoids a personal game of ‘Frogger’ across Monroe Street.

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Tags: Chicago Skyway, Daniel Libeskind, Fountain Square, Renzo Piano, Skyline Chili, The Ascent at Roebling’s Bridge, The Great American Ballpark., Wrigley Field