City of Indianapolis
Flag Seal
Nickname: Indy, The Circle City, The Crossroads of America, The Racing Capital of the World, Amateur Sports Capital of the World, Railroad City, Naptown
Location in the state of Indiana
Coordinates: 39°46′5.88″N 86°9′29.52″W / 39.7683, -86.1582
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Marion
Founded	1821
Government
- Type	Mayor-Council
- Mayor	Greg Ballard (R)
- Governing body	City Council
Area
- City	372 sq mi (963. A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The political units and divisions of the United States include The 50 states (four of these being officially styled as Commonwealths) which are typically The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union The US state of Indiana is divided into 92 counties. The oldest and newest counties in Indiana are Knox County (created 1790 Marion County is a County located in the US state of Indiana. The Mayor-Council government system sometimes called the Mayor-Commission government system is one of two variations of Government used for the most part in modern Gregory A Ballard (born 1954 is the Republican mayor of Indianapolis Indiana, United States. The Indianapolis City-County Council is the city legislature of Indianapolis Indiana and Marion County, known as Unigov. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 5 km²)
- Land	365. To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² 1 sq mi (945. 6 km²)
- Water	6. 9 sq mi (17. 9 km²)
Elevation	715 ft (218 m)
Population (2006)[1]
- City	785,597
- Density	2,152/sq mi (837/km²)
- Urban	1,219,000
- Metro	1,984,644 (2,006 CSA est. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central )
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	317
FIPS code	18-36003[2]
Website: www.indygov.org

Indianapolis (pronounced /ˌɪndiəˈnæpəlɪs/) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America UTC−5 is the Time offset used in the North American Eastern Time Zone during Standard time and in the North American Central Time Zone during Daylight saving time ( DST The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America UTC−4 is the Time offset used in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone in Canada in winter and the North American Eastern Time Zone during A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks Area code 317 is a North American Numbering Plan Area code for Central Indiana. Federal Information Processing Standards ( FIPS) are publicly announced standards developed by the United States Federal government for use by all non-military A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Marion County is a County located in the US state of Indiana. The 2000 Census counted the city's population (excluding included towns) at 781,870. Indianapolis (balance is a statistical entity defined by the United States Census Bureau to represent the portion of the city of Indianapolis Indiana that is It is Indiana's most populous city and is the 13th largest city in the U.S., the third largest city in the Midwest, and the second most populous state capital (behind Phoenix, Arizona). The Phoenix (ˈfiːˌnɪks O'odham Skikik, Yavapai Wasinka, Western Apache Fiinigis, Navajo Hoozdo,

Like many other Rust Belt cities, Indianapolis has diversified its economic base in order to avoid relying solely on manufacturing. The Rust Belt, sometimes called the Manufacturing Belt, is an area in parts of the Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic States, and portions of the A large part of this diversification includes the hosting of events, especially sporting events. The labels of The Amateur Sports Capital of the World, and The Racing Capital of the World, have both been applied to Indianapolis. ^[3] The city has hosted the 1987 Pan American Games, both Men's and Women's NCAA Basketball Tournaments, the Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, the United States Grand Prix (2000-2007), the 2002 World Basketball Championship, will host Super Bowl XLVI in February of 2012, and is perhaps most famous for the annual Indianapolis 500, known as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing. The 10th Pan American Games were held in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single elimination Tournament held each spring featuring 65 College basketball teams in the The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual Basketball tournament for women The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations The Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the men's College basketball regular season The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, introduced as the Brickyard 400 in 1994, is an annual 400-mile (644 km NASCAR Sprint Cup points race The United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908 when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The FIBA World Championship is a world Basketball tournament for men's national teams held quadrennially by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA Super Bowl XLVI will be the 46th annual edition of the Super Bowl in American football, and the 42nd annual championship game of the modern-era National The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, and historically known simply as "The 500" is an American " The attendance at the Indianapolis 500 and the Allstate 400 makes them the two largest single day sporting events in the world, with well over 250,000 fans in attendance at each. The city is second only to Washington, D.C., for number of monuments inside city limits. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D ^[4] There have been two United States Navy vessels named after Indianapolis, including the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) which suffered the worst single at-sea loss of life in the history of the U. Service before World War II Indianapolis was laid down on March 31 1930 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp S. Navy.

The Indianapolis metropolitan area has seen modest and steady growth among U. The Indianapolis - Carmel, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 33rd largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA in the United States S. cities. ^[5], with growth centered in the surrounding counties of Hamilton, Hendricks, and Johnson. Hamilton County is a County located in the US state of Indiana. Hendricks County is a County located in the US state of Indiana. Johnson County is a County located in the US state of Indiana. Hamilton and Hendricks Counties are currently the fastest growing counties in Indiana and in the Midwest, although the state as a whole is only showing modest growth. ^[6] Currently, the population of the combined statistical area stands at 1,984,644, making it the 23rd-largest CSA in the U. Table of United States Combined Statistical AreasThe United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Table of United States Combined Statistical AreasThe United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. S.

History

For more details on this topic, see History of Indianapolis.

Indianapolis was selected as the site of the new state capital in 1820. Year 1820 ( MDCCCXX) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Jeremiah Sullivan, a judge of the Indiana Supreme Court, invented the name Indianapolis by joining Indiana with polis, the Greek word for city; literally, Indianapolis means "Indiana City". The Supreme Court of Indiana is the state supreme court of Indiana. The city was founded on the White River under the incorrect assumption that the river would serve as a major transportation artery; however, the waterway was too sandy for trade. The White River is a two-forked River that flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River. The capital moved from Corydon] on January 10, 1825 and the state commissioned Alexander Ralston to design the new capital city. Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States and a former capital of the State of Indiana Alexander Ralston (1771-1827 was one of two co-architects for the design of the city of Indianapolis Indiana. Ralston was an apprentice to the French architect Pierre L'Enfant, and he helped L'Enfant plan Washington, DC. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Ralston's original plan for Indianapolis called for a city of only one square mile (3 km²). At the center of the city sat Governor's Circle, a large circular commons, which was to be the site of the governor's mansion. Meridian and Market Streets converge at the Circle and continue north and south and east and west, respectively. The governor's mansion was eventually demolished in 1857 and in its place stands a 284-foot (87 m) tall neoclassical limestone and bronze monument, the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a 284-feet tall neoclassical oolitic Limestone and Bronze Monument in the center of The surrounding street is now known as Monument Circle. The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a 284-feet tall neoclassical oolitic Limestone and Bronze Monument in the center of

The city lies on the original east-west National Road. US 40svg|right|100px|thumb|The National Road is now included as part of U The first railroad to service Indianapolis, the Madison & Indianapolis, began operation on October 1, 1847, and subsequent railroad connections made expansive growth possible. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Indianapolis was the home of the first Union Station, or common rail passenger terminal, in the United States. The Indianapolis Union Station was the first Union station in the world opening on September 20, 1853, by the Indianapolis Union Railway By the turn of the century, Indianapolis had become a heavy automobile manufacturer, rivaling the likes of Detroit. With roads leading out of the city in all directions, Indianapolis became a major hub of regional transport connecting to Chicago, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, Cleveland and St. Louis, befitting the capital of a state whose motto is "The Crossroads of America. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Columbus is the Capital and the largest city of the US state of Ohio. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state The Crossroads of America is a nickname given to the state of Indiana as it and more specifically the city of Indianapolis is the hub for several major Interstate " This same network of roads would allow quick and easy access to suburban areas in future years. Natural gas and oil deposits in the surrounding area in the late 19th century helped the economy of Indianapolis prosper. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit City population grew rapidly throughout the first half of the 20th century. While rapid suburbanization began to take place in the second half of the century, racial relations deteriorated. Even so, on the night that the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, Indianapolis was the only major city in which rioting did not occur. Martin Luther King Jr ( January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, Activist and prominent leader Many credit a speech by Robert F. Kennedy, who was in town campaigning for President that night, for helping to calm the tensions. Robert F Kennedy's speech on the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy (November 20 1925 – June 6 1968 also called RFK, was the United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964 and a The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Racial tensions heightened in 1970 with the passage of Unigov, which further isolated the middle class from Indianapolis' growing African American community. Unigov is the name adopted by the city of Indianapolis to describe its Consolidated city-county government adopted in 1970 by act of the Indiana state Court-ordered school desegregation busing by Judge S. Hugh Dillon was also a controversial change.

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in 1898. The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a 284-feet tall neoclassical oolitic Limestone and Bronze Monument in the center of

In the 1970s and 1980s Indianapolis suffered at the hands of urban decay and white flight. Urban decay is a process by which a City, or a part of a city falls into a state of disrepair White flight is a term for the demographic trend in which working and Middle-class White people move away from Suburbs Major revitalization of the city's blighted areas, such as Fall Creek Place, and especially the downtown, occurred in the 1990s and led to an acceleration of growth on the fringes of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area. Fall Creek Place is one of many Gentrified neighborhoods in inner Indianapolis Indiana, United States The term Downtown Indianapolis refers to the Central business district, or CBD of Indianapolis The city's relative flat terrain allows for easy access to areas in and around the city.

The opening of Circle Centre Mall in downtown Indianapolis signaled that revitalization continued. Circle Centre is a large indoor Shopping mall located in downtown Indianapolis (just around the corner from the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument) Currently the city is experiencing growth in the hospitality industry with the Convention Center expansion and the construction of Lucas Oil Stadium. The Indiana Convention Center is a convention center located in Indianapolis Indiana. Lucas Oil Stadium is a retractable roof stadium in Indianapolis Indiana. A new Conrad Hotel has been constructed in order to add more hotel rooms. Conrad Hotels is an international brand of upscale luxury hotels and resorts owned and operated by the Hilton Hotels Corporation. This adds to the growing list of downtown accommodations and restaurants. Indianapolis International Airport is currently building a new midfield airport terminal. Indianapolis International Airport is a public Airport located seven miles (11 km) southwest of the Central business district of Indianapolis Both the stadium and airport are expected to open late in 2008 with the hotel and convention center sometime in 2010. ^[7]

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, "the balance" (that part of Marion County not part of another municipality) has a total area of 368. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 2 square miles (953. 5 km²)—361. 5 square miles (936. 2 km²) of it is land and 6. 7 square miles (17. 3 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1. 81% water. These figures do not, however, represent the entire Consolidated City of Indianapolis (all of Marion County, except the four excluded communities). The total area of the Consolidated City of Indianapolis, not including the four excluded communities, covers approximately 373. 1 square miles (966. 3 km²).

At the center of Indianapolis is the One-Mile Square, bounded by four appropriately-named streets: East, West, North, and South Streets. Nearly all of the streets in the Mile Square are named after U. S. states. The exceptions are Meridian Street, which numerically divides west from east; Market Street, which intersects Meridian Street at Monument Circle; Capitol and Senate Avenues, where many of the Indiana state government buildings are located; and Washington Street, which was named after President George Washington. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the The street-numbering system centers not on the Circle, but rather one block to the south, where Meridian Street intersects Washington Street — National Road. US 40svg|right|100px|thumb|The National Road is now included as part of U

Indianapolis is situated in the Central Till Plains region of the United States. Two natural waterways dissect the city: the White River, and Fall Creek. The White River is a two-forked River that flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River.

Physically, Indianapolis is similar to many other Midwestern cities. A mix of deciduous forests and prairie covered much of what is considered Indianapolis prior to the 19th century. Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including Prairie, from the French prairie ("meadow" "grassland" "pasture" refers to an area of land of low topographic relief that historically Land within the city limits varies from flat to gently sloping; most of the changes in elevation are so gradual that they go unnoticed, and appears to be flat from close distances. The mean elevation for Indianapolis is 717 feet (219 m). The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The highest point in Indianapolis lies at Crown Hill Cemetery atop Strawberry Hill (the tomb of famed Hoosier writer James Whitcomb Riley) with an elevation of 842 feet (257 m), and the lowest point in Indianapolis lies at the Marion County/Johnson County line, with an elevation of about 680 feet (207 m). Hoosier (ˈhuːʒɚ is the official Demonym for a resident of the U James Whitcomb Riley ( Greenfield, Indiana, October 7, 1849 &ndash July 22, 1916) was an American Johnson County is a County located in the US state of Indiana. The highest hill in Indianapolis is Mann Hill, a bluff located along the White River in Southwestway Park that rises about 150 feet (46 m) above the surrounding land. Variations in elevation from 700-900 feet occur throughout the city limits. There are a few moderately-sized bluffs and valleys in the city, particularly along the shores of the White River, Fall Creek, Geist Reservoir, and Eagle Creek Reservoir, and especially on the city's northeast and northwest sides. In Geology, a valley (also called a vale, dale, glen or strath and near or in Appalachia, a draw) is

Indianapolis has a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dfa). The humid continental climate is a Climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist Like most cities in the Midwest, it has four distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid, with high temperatures approaching 90 °F (32 °C), with some days approaching or exceeding 100 °F (38 °C). Spring and autumn are usually pleasant, with temperatures reaching around 65 °F (18 °C). Spring, however, is much less predictable than autumn; midday temperature drops exceeding 30 °F (17 °C) are common during March and April, and instances of very warm days (86 °F; 30 °C) followed within 36 hours by snowfall not unheard of during these months. Winters are cool to cold, with daily highs barely inching above freezing. Temperatures occasionally fall below 0 °F (-18 °C). The rainiest months are in the spring and summer, with average rainfalls of over four inches (102 mm) per month, but these averages fluctuate only slightly throughout the year.

The city's average annual precipitation is 41 inches (1,040 mm).

The average July high is 85. 6 °F (29. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 8 °C), with the low being 65. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 2 °F (18. 4 °C). January highs average 34. 5 °F (1. 4 °C), and lows 18. 5 °F (-7. 5 °C). The record high for Indianapolis is 107 °F (42 °C), on July 25th, 1954. The record low is -27 °F (-33 °C), on January 19th, 1994. Average annual snowfall is 27 inches ^[8].

Cityscape

Indianapolis looking north

High rise construction in Indianapolis started in 1888 when the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument was completed. The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a 284-feet tall neoclassical oolitic Limestone and Bronze Monument in the center of The 284-foot (87 m) tall monument sits at the center of Indianapolis and until 1962 was still the tallest structure in the city.

In the 1970s the city center, like many other 'Rust Belt' cities of the United States, saw decreased economic activity, racial tension, and white flight to gentrified suburbs. The Rust Belt, sometimes called the Manufacturing Belt, is an area in parts of the Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic States, and portions of the As a result, downtown Indianapolis saw little new construction. The city of Indianapolis dealt with these issues by developing plans, in the 1980s, to redefine the city's downtown. Neighborhoods in the downtown area were designated in relation to their proximity to the city center, and plans were initiated for them to be redeveloped. A series of modern skyscrapers were constructed, including what is currently the tallest building in the state; the newly renamed Chase Tower. A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable Building. There is no official definition or a precise cutoff height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper The third tallest building in the city, One Indiana Square, is going through an exterior make over after being damaged by high winds in April 2006. ^[10]

For more details on this topic, see List of tallest buildings in Indianapolis. This list of tallest buildings in Indianapolis ranks Skyscrapers and High-rises in the U

Neighborhoods

Indianapolis in the 1910s

Main article: List of Indianapolis neighborhoods

See also: Indianapolis Cultural Districts

Indianapolis has several distinct neighborhoods and cultural districts throughout the city. The following is a list of Neighborhoods and Districts within the city limits of Indianapolis Indiana. Indianapolis has six designated neighborhoods as Cultural Districts: Broad Ripple Village, Massachusetts Avenue, Fountain Square, the Wholesale

• Indianapolis Cultural Districts

Demographics

The 2006 Census estimate for Indianapolis, Balance (an unofficial area which is only a portion of the Consolidated City of Indianapolis) is 785,597. (The population of the full Consolidated City of Indianapolis contains approximately another 9,974 people--derived by adding the 2006 Census estimates for areas left out of Indianapolis, Balance and using 2000 Census data for a portion of Cumberland, Indiana included in Consolidated City of Indianapolis). Cumberland is a town split between Hancock and Marion Counties in the U

Greater Indianapolis is a rapidly growing region located at the center of Indiana and consists of Marion County, Indiana and several adjacent counties. Geography of Indiana The Metropolitan Indianapolis Area (Nine-County Region is a name to an area comprising Marion County is a County located in the US state of Indiana. The Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of Indianapolis will likely exceed 2 million people in the 2007 estimate, ranking 23rd in the United States and 7th in the Midwest. Table of United States Combined Statistical AreasThe United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the As a unified labor and media market, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had a 2006 population of 1. Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced 66 million people, ranking 33rd in the United States. Indianapolis is the 7th largest MSA in the Midwest.

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 791,926 people, 320,107 households, and 192,704 families residing in the city. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The population density was 2,163. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 0 people per square mile (835. 1/km²). There were 352,429 housing units at an average density of 975. 0 per square mile (376. 4/km²). The racial makeup of the balance was 69. 1% white, 25. A European American (Euro-American is a person who resides in the United States and is either from Europe or is the descendant of European immigrants 50% black or African American, 0. 25% Native American, 1. 43% Asian, 0. 04% Pacific Islander, 2. 04% from other races, and 1. 64% from two or more races. 3. 92% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. Hispanic and Latino Americans are Americans of Hispanic or Latino descent, which comprises ancestry or origins in Hispanic America The top 5 largest ancestries include: German (16. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry 6%), Irish (10. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 2%), American (9. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 3%), English(7. English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry 7%), and Italian (2. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship 2%)^[12].

From 2000 to 2004, the Hispanic population in Indianapolis increased by 43%. ^[13]The majority of the non-white population lives in the central and north portions of the inner-city area. Indianapolis has over 6000 immigrants from the former Yugoslavia. See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian

The median income for a household in the balance is $41,964, and the median income for a family is $48,755. Males have a median income of $36,302 versus $27,738 for females. The per capita income is $21,640. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country ^[14] 14. 8% of the population lives below the poverty line. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country Out of the total population, 16. 2% of those under the age of 18 and 8. 1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

There are 320,107 households out of which 29. 8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40. 6% are married couples living together, 15. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** 1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39. 8% are non-families. 32. 0% of all households are made up of individuals and 8. 5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2. 39 and the average family size is 3. 04.

The age distribution is: 25. 7% under the age of 18, 10. 2% from 18 to 24, 32. 9% from 25 to 44, 20. 3% from 45 to 64, and 11. 0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 93. 7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90. 2 males.

Law and government

Main article: Government of Indianapolis

The Indiana State Capitol in Indianapolis. The Government of Indianapolis is a Mayor-council, Consolidated city-county system The Indiana Statehouse (or State House) is the state capitol building of the U

Indianapolis has a consolidated city-county government known as Unigov. In American Local government, a consolidated city-county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction Unigov is the name adopted by the city of Indianapolis to describe its Consolidated city-county government adopted in 1970 by act of the Indiana state Under this system, many functions of the city and county governments are consolidated, though some remain separate. The city has a mayor-council form of government. The Mayor-Council government system sometimes called the Mayor-Commission government system is one of two variations of Government used for the most part in modern

Mayor

The executive branch is headed by an elected mayor, who serves as the chief executive of both the city and Marion County. The current Mayor of Indianapolis is Republican Greg Ballard. Gregory A Ballard (born 1954 is the Republican mayor of Indianapolis Indiana, United States. The mayor appoints city department heads and members of various boards and commissions.

City-County Council

For more details on this topic, see Indianapolis City-County Council. The Indianapolis City-County Council is the city legislature of Indianapolis Indiana and Marion County, known as Unigov.

The legislative body for the city and county is the City-County Council. The Indianapolis City-County Council is the city legislature of Indianapolis Indiana and Marion County, known as Unigov. It is made up of 29 members, 25 of whom represent districts, with the remaining four elected at large. As of 2008, Republicans hold a 16-13 majority. The council passes ordinances for the city and county, and also makes appointments to certain boards and commissions.

Courts

All of the courts of law in Indianapolis are part of the Indiana state court system. The Marion Superior Court is the court of general jurisdiction. This article concerns the term "general jurisdiction" as used in reference to Subject matter jurisdiction. The 35 judges on the court hear all criminal, juvenile, probate, and traffic violation cases, as well as most civil cases. The Marion Circuit Court hears certain types of civil cases. Small claims cases are heard by Small Claims Courts in each of Marion County's nine townships. Also, the Appeals Courts and the Supreme Court for the state of Indiana are held in the statehouse.

Fire protection

Historically there was a fire department maintained by each suburban township, which provided service to the areas of the townships outside of the pre-Unigov city limits and the corporate limits of the excluded cities. In January 2007, by a resolution jointly passed by the Washington Township Board and by the Indianapolis City-County Council, the Washington Township Fire Department was merged into the City of Indianapolis Fire Department. In July 2007, by a similar resolution between the City-County Council and the Warren Township Board, the Warren Township Fire Department was also merged into the city fire department. All of the career fire-fighting personnel and emergency medical services personnel were absorbed into the city department. Distinguish from a Firefight, which means a battle with firearms

Law enforcement

Indianapolis and Marion County historically maintained separate police agencies: the Indianapolis Police Department and Marion County Sheriff's Department. Marion County is a County located in the US state of Indiana. On January 1, 2007, a new agency, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, was formed by merging the two departments. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, or IMPD, is the law enforcement agency for the city of Indianapolis. IMPD is a separate agency, as the Sheriff's Department maintains jail and court functions. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, or IMPD, is the law enforcement agency for the city of Indianapolis. IMPD has jurisdiction over those portions of Marion County not explicitly covered by the police of an excluded city or by a legacy pre-Unigov force. Unigov is the name adopted by the city of Indianapolis to describe its Consolidated city-county government adopted in 1970 by act of the Indiana state As of February 29, 2008, the IMPD is headed by a Public Safety Director appointed by the Mayor of Indianapolis; the Public Safety Director appoints the Police Chief. The IMPD was formerly under the leadership of the Sheriff of Marion County, Frank J. Anderson. Frank J Anderson (born circa 1938 is currently Sheriff of Marion County Indiana, and is the first black individual to serve in that post The Sheriff remains in charge of the County Jail and security for the City-County Building, service of warrants, and certain other functions. The Sheriff must be consulted, but does not have final say, on the appointment of the Public Safety Director and the Police Chief. ^[15].

Crime

For the past decade, crime rates within the Indianapolis city limits have fluctuated greatly. In the late 1990s, violent crimes in inner-city neighborhoods located within the old city limits (pre-consolidation) peaked. The former Indianapolis Police District (IPD), which serves about 37% of the county's total population and has a geographic area covering mostly the old pre-consolidation city limits, recorded 130 homicides in 1998 to average approximately 40. 3 homicides per 100,000 people. This is over 6 times the 1998 national homicide average of 6. 3 per 100,000 people. Meanwhile, the former Marion County Sheriff's Department district serving the remaining 63% of the county's population, which includes the majority of the residents in the Consolidated City, recorded only 32 homicides in 1998, averaging about 5. 9 murders per 100,000 people, slightly less than the 1998 national homicide average. Homicides in the IPD police district dropped dramatically in 1999 and have remained lower through 2005. In 2005, the IPD police district recorded 88 homicides to average 27. 3 homicides per 100,000 people; nonetheless, the murder rate in the IPD is still almost 5 times the 2005 national average.

When considering the total Consolidated City of Indianapolis, the overall crime rate has historically been low compared to the national average. Nonetheless, crime in impoverished inner-city neighborhoods remains a problem. Areas of Indianapolis that were unincorporated or separate municipalities before the 1970 city-county consolidation generally have significantly lower crime rates although their aggregate population is higher than the old pre-consolidation Indianapolis city limits. Thus, crime figures for the Consolidated City and the entire Marion County average out to a low rate. However, according to FBI reports in 2006, for the first half of the year, Indianapolis saw one of the larger increases in homicides in the country for the first half of 2006 as compared to the same time period in 2005. ^[16] Overall violent crime in Indianapolis increased 8% for the first half of 2006 compared to the first half of 2005. ^[17] While Marion County has still not surpassed its record homicide number of 162 set in 1998, it is on pace to see one of the highest numbers of homicides since then, with 153 committed in 2006^[18] as the year draws to a close. In one 2006 event, seven individuals from the same family were murdered in their home. In 2007, city leaders such as Sheriff Frank J. Anderson and former Mayor Bart Peterson held rallies in neighborhoods in effort to stop the violence in the city. Frank J Anderson (born circa 1938 is currently Sheriff of Marion County Indiana, and is the first black individual to serve in that post Barton "Bart" R Peterson (born June 15, 1958 to parents Howard and Lori is the former mayor of the U

The immediate downtown area of the city around most main attractions, venues, and museums remain relatively safe. IMPD uses horseback officers and bicycle officers to patrol the downtown area or the city. Certain areas of Indianapolis, most notably portions of the city's East Side, remain a challenge for law enforcement officials.

Politics

Until the late 1990s, Indianapolis was considered to be one of the most conservative metropolitan areas in the country but this trend is reversing. Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined Republicans had held the majority in the City-County Council for 36 years, and the city had a Republican mayor for 32 years from 1967 to 1999. The Indianapolis City-County Council is the city legislature of Indianapolis Indiana and Marion County, known as Unigov. This was in part because the creation of Unigov added several then-heavily Republican areas of Marion County to the Indianapolis city limits. More recently, Republicans have generally been stronger in the southern and western parts (Decatur, Franklin, Perry, and Wayne, townships) of the county while Democrats have been stronger in the central and northern parts (Center, Pike, and Washington townships). Decatur Township is the smallest in geographic size and in population of the nine Townships in Marion County, Indiana, United States. Franklin Township is one of the nine Townships of Marion County, Indiana, United States. Perry Township is one of the nine Townships of Marion County, Indiana, United States, located in the south central part of the county Wayne Township is one of nine townships in Marion County Indiana. Center Township is one of nine townships in Marion County Indiana. Pike Township is one of the nine Townships of Marion County, Indiana, United States, located in the northwestern portion of the county Washington Township is one of the nine Townships of Marion County, Indiana, United States, located in the northern part of the county Republican and Democrat strength is split in Warren and Lawrence townships. Warren Township is one of nine townships in Marion County Indiana. Lawrence Township is one of nine townships in Marion County Indiana. ^[19]

In the 1999 municipal election, Democrat Bart Peterson defeated Indiana Secretary of State Sue Anne Gilroy by 52 percent to 41 percent. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Barton "Bart" R Peterson (born June 15, 1958 to parents Howard and Lori is the former mayor of the U Four years later, Peterson was re-elected with 63 percent of the vote. Republicans narrowly lost control of the City-County Council that year. In 2004, Democrats won the Marion County offices of treasurer, surveyor and coroner. The county GOP lost further ground during the 2006 elections with Democrats winning the offices of county clerk, assessor, recorder and auditor. Only one GOP countywide office remained: Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, who defeated Democratic challenger Melina Kennedy with 51 percent of the vote in his bid for a second term, despite outspending her two-to-one. At the township level, Democrats picked up the trustee offices in Washington, Lawrence, Warren and Wayne townships, while holding on to Pike and Center townships.

In the 2007 municipal election, fueled by voter angst against increases in property and income taxes as well as a rise in crime, Republican challenger Greg Ballard narrowly defeated Peterson, 51 percent to 47 percent -- the first time an incumbent Indianapolis mayor was removed from office since 1967. Gregory A Ballard (born 1954 is the Republican mayor of Indianapolis Indiana, United States. Discontent among these issues also returned control of the City-County Council to the GOP with a 16-13 majority. ^[20]

John Kerry defeated George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election by roughly 6,000 votes in Marion County, 51 percent to 49 percent. } John Forbes Kerry (born December 11 1943 is an American Politician who is currently serving his fourth term as the junior United States Senator George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The United States presidential election of 2004 was held on Tuesday November 2, 2004, to elect the President of the United States. ^[21] It was the first time a Democratic presidential candidate had carried Marion County since 1964.

Most of Indianapolis is within the 7th Congressional District of Indiana, represented by Democrat André Carson. The 7th Congressional district of the state of Indiana and encompasses most of Marion County / Indianapolis Indiana. André D Carson (born October 16, 1974) is the United States Representative for Indiana's 7th congressional district and the grandson of his He is the grandson of the district's previous representative, Julia Carson who held the seat from 1997 until her death on December 15, 2007. Julia May Carson ( July 8 1938 &ndash December 15 2007) born Julia May Porter, was a member of the United States House of Representatives ^[22] The younger Carson, a former member of the City-County Council, won the seat in a special election on March 11, 2008. After the death of 7th district representative Julia Carson (D on December 15, 2007, a Special election was required to fill the vacancy for Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The northeastern and southeastern portions of the city are in the 5th District, represented by Republican Dan Burton. Indiana's 5th congressional district takes in the eastern and northern suburbs of Indianapolis including Hamilton and Hancock Counties the city of Marion Danny "Dan" Lee Burton (born June 21 1938) American politician is a member of the United States House of Representatives for A portion of western Indianapolis is in the 4th District, represented by Republican Steve Buyer. The Fourth Congressional District of Indiana was created in its current form after the 2000 United States census. Stephen Earle Buyer (born November 26 1958) has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993 for

Education

Main article: List of schools in Indianapolis

Indianapolis Public Schools   School Town of Speedway   Beech Grove City Schools   MSD Pike Township   MSD Washington Township   MSD Lawrence Township   MSD Warren Township   Franklin Township CSC   MSD Perry Township   MSD Decatur Township   MSD Wayne Township Indianapolis Public School Districts

Higher education

Indianapolis is the home of the following colleges and universities (in alphabetical order): Butler University, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Marian College, Indiana Wesleyan University, Martin University, Oakland City University Indianapolis campus, The Art Institute of Indianapolis, Brown Mackie College,and the University of Indianapolis. Universities Brown Mackie College Butler University Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI Indianapolis Public Schools, abbreviated locally as IPS, is the largest School district in Indianapolis as well as in the state of Indiana with The School Town of Speedway is a public School district based in Speedway, Indiana ( USA) Beech Grove City Schools is the public school district serving the city of Beech Grove Indiana. The Metropolitan School District of Pike Township is a School district in the northwest corner Marion County, Indianapolis, Indiana The Metropolitan School District of Washington Township (MSDWT is a Public School district in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township is a School district in northeast Marion County, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Metropolitan School District of Warren Township is a School district on the east side of Marion County, Indianapolis, Indiana Franklin Township Community School Corporation (FTCSC is a public school district in Franklin Township Marion County Indiana, United States. The Metropolitan School District of Perry Township serves Perry Township, Marion County, Indiana, United States, a southern part of the The Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township is a public school district located in Decatur Township Indianapolis Indiana. In Indiana, the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township is a School district located in Indianapolis Indiana, serving Wayne Township in western Butler University is a private Liberal arts University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis ( IUPUI) is an urban shared campus of Indiana University and Purdue University located Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana (usually shortened to Ivy Tech Community College or colloquially Ivy Tech) is the state of Indiana 's system Marian College is a co-educational Liberal arts college, located in Indianapolis Indiana, on the northwest side of the city Indiana Wesleyan University ( IWU) is a private Evangelical Christian Liberal arts college located in Marion Indiana that is affiliated Martin University in Indianapolis Indiana, was founded by Rev Oakland City University is located in Oakland City in northeastern Gibson County in southwestern Indiana, and is the only General Baptist -affiliated The Art Institute of Indianapolis – is one of The Art Institutes, a system of more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing The Brown Mackie College system of schools is a collection of private for-profit educational institutions for career preparation in the business legal health sciences information The University of Indianapolis is a University located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and

Butler University was originally founded in 1855 as North Western Christian University. Butler University is a private Liberal arts University in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school purchased land in the Irvington area in 1875. Historic Irvington Founded in 1870, Irvington was originally created as a suburban town of Indianapolis Indiana. The school moved again in 1928 to its current location in at the edge of Butler-Tarkington. Butler-Tarkington is a neighborhood on the north side of Indianapolis with the following borders 38th Street and Crown Hill Cemetery to the south the Central Canal The school removed itself officially from religious affiliation, giving up the theological school to Christian Theological Seminary. Christian Theological Seminary is an Ecumenical Seminary of the Protestant denomination, Disciples of Christ. A private institution, Butler's current student enrollment is approximately 4,400.

IUPUI was originally an urban conglomeration of branch campuses of the two major state universities: Indiana University in Bloomington and Purdue University in West Lafayette, created by the state legislature. Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis ( IUPUI) is an urban shared campus of Indiana University and Purdue University located Indiana University is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Bloomington is a city and the County seat of Monroe County in the south central region of the U West Lafayette (ˌwɛst ˌlɑːfeɪˈɛt is a city in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, 65 miles (105km northwest of Indianapolis. In 1969 a merged campus was created at the site of the Indiana University School of Medicine. The Indiana University School of Medicine is the Medical school of Indiana University, part of the Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis IUPUI's student body is currently just under 30,000, making it the third-largest institute of higher learning in Indiana. This campus is also home to Herron School of Art and Design, which was established privately in 1902. A new building was built in 2005 under both private donation and state contribution enabling the school to move from its original location.

Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, a state funded public school, was founded as Indiana Vocational Technical College in 1963. Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana (usually shortened to Ivy Tech Community College or colloquially Ivy Tech) is the state of Indiana 's system With 23 campuses across Indiana, Ivy Tech has a total enrollment of just over 70,300, with just over 12,000 attending campuses in the Indianapolis area.

Marian College was founded in 1936 when St. Marian College is a co-educational Liberal arts college, located in Indianapolis Indiana, on the northwest side of the city Francis Normal and Immaculate Conception Junior College merged. The college moved to Indianapolis in 1937. Marian is currently a private Catholic school and has an enrollment of approximately 1,800 students.

The University of Indianapolis is a private school affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The University of Indianapolis is a University located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and The United Methodist Church is the largest Methodist denomination and the second largest Protestant denomination in the United States. Founded in 1902 as Indiana Central University, the school currently hosts almost 4,300 students.

Brown Mackie College is new to the area. The Brown Mackie College system of schools is a collection of private for-profit educational institutions for career preparation in the business legal health sciences information

Primary and secondary education

Indianapolis has eleven unified public school districts (eight township educational authorities and three legacy districts from before the unification of city and county government) each of which provides primary, secondary, and adult education services within its boundaries. The boundaries of these districts do not exactly correspond to township (or traditional) boundaries, but rather cover the areas of their townships that were outside the pre-consolidation city limits. Indianapolis Public Schools served all of Indianapolis prior to 1970, when almost all of Marion County was incorporated, and is still the city's largest school corporation today. Indianapolis Public Schools, abbreviated locally as IPS, is the largest School district in Indianapolis as well as in the state of Indiana with

Libraries

Public library services are provided to the citizens of Indianapolis and Marion County by the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library (IMCPL). The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library (IMCPL is the Public library system that serves the citizens of Marion County, Indiana, United The educational and cultural institution, founded in 1873, now consists of a main library, Central Library, located in downtown Indianapolis and 22 branch locations spread throughout the city. Serving over 5. 43 million visitors in 2006, IMCPL's mission is to provide "materials and programs in support of the lifelong learning, recreational and economic interests of all citizens of Marion County. " A renovated Central Library building opened on December 9, 2007, ending a controversial multi-year rebuilding plan. ^[23]

Cultural features

The Central Canal in Indianapolis

Indianapolis prides itself on its rich cultural heritage. The Indiana Central Canal was a canal intended to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the Ohio River. Several initiatives have been made by the Indianapolis government in recent years to increase Indianapolis's appeal as a destination for arts and culture.

Cultural Districts

For more details on this topic, see Indianapolis Cultural Districts. Indianapolis has six designated neighborhoods as Cultural Districts: Broad Ripple Village, Massachusetts Avenue, Fountain Square, the Wholesale

Indianapolis has designated six official Cultural Districts. Indianapolis has six designated neighborhoods as Cultural Districts: Broad Ripple Village, Massachusetts Avenue, Fountain Square, the Wholesale They are Broad Ripple Village, Massachusetts Avenue, Fountain Square, The Wholesale District, Canal and White River State Park, and Indiana Avenue. Broad Ripple Village is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis Indiana, USA Massachusetts Avenue or simply "Mass Ave" is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis Indiana. The Wholesale District is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis Indiana. width="280px" style="margin-left 05em"> Indiana Avenue is an historic area in downtown and is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis Indiana. These areas have held historic and cultural importance to the city. In recent years they have been revitalized and are becoming major centers for tourism, commerce and residential living.

Monument Circle

At the center of Indianapolis is Monument Circle, a traffic circle at the intersection of Meridian and Market Streets, featuring the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a 284-feet tall neoclassical oolitic Limestone and Bronze Monument in the center of A traffic circle is an intersection with a circular shape and usually a central island The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a 284-feet tall neoclassical oolitic Limestone and Bronze Monument in the center of (Monument Circle is depicted on the city’s flag, and is generally considered the city’s symbol). Monument Circle is in the shadow of Indiana's tallest skyscraper, the Chase Tower. A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable Building. There is no official definition or a precise cutoff height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper Opened in 1990 near Monument Circle in Indianapolis, the Chase Tower (formerly known as the Bank One Tower and originally conceived as American Until the early 1960s, Indianapolis zoning laws stated that no building could be taller than the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Each Christmas season, local electricians string lights onto the monument. It is lit for the holiday season in a ceremony known as the "Circle of Lights," which attracts tens of thousands of Hoosiers to downtown Indianapolis on the day after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a traditional North American Holiday, which is a form of harvest festival.

The War Memorial

War Memorial Plaza

Main article: Indiana World War Memorial Plaza

A five-block plaza at the intersection of Meridian and Vermont surrounds a large memorial dedicated to Hoosiers who have fought in American wars. The Indiana World War Memorial Plaza is an urban feature located in Indianapolis Indiana, originally built to honor the veterans of World War I. It was originally constructed to honor the Indiana soldiers who died in World War I, but construction was halted due to lack of funding during the Great Depression, and it was finished in 1951. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The purpose of the memorial was later altered to encompass all American wars in which Indianans fought.

The monument is modeled after the Mausoleum of Maussollos. The Tomb of Mausolus, Mausoleum of Mausolus or Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (in Greek,) was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus At 210 feet (64 m) tall it is approximately seventy-five feet taller than the original Mausoleum. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The blue lights, which shine between columns on the side of the War Memorial, make the monument easy to spot. On the north end of the War Memorial Plaza is the national headquarters of the American Legion and the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library's Central Library. For other uses of American Legion see American Legion (disambiguation The American Legion was chartered by the U The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library (IMCPL is the Public library system that serves the citizens of Marion County, Indiana, United

Indiana Statehouse

For more details on this topic, see Indiana Statehouse. The Indiana Statehouse (or State House) is the state capitol building of the U

The Statehouse houses the Indiana General Assembly, the Governor of Indiana, state courts, and other state officials. The Indiana General Assembly is the state legislature, or legislative branch of the state of Indiana. List of Governors of Indiana Territory List of Governors of the State of Indiana

Festivals, conventions, and organizations

Beginning in 1999 the city became host to the annual Indy Jazz Festival. The festival is a three day event held in Military Park near the canal. Past stars include: B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Hornsby, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, Kool and the Gang, Ray Charles, The Temptations, Dave Brubeck, Emmylou Harris, Chris Isaak, Jonny Lang, Norah Jones and regional and local favorites. B B King (born Riley B King, September 16 1925 is an American Blues Guitarist and Singer-songwriter. Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25 1942 Franklin has had a total of twenty number-one singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart, two of which became #1 hits on the Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23 1954 in Williamsburg Virginia) is an American singer Pianist, Accordion player and songwriter Béla Fleck (born July 10, 1958 in New York City, New York) is an American Virtuoso Banjo player Kool & the Gang are a highly successful American Jazz / R&B / soul / Funk / Disco group Ray Charles Robinson ( September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) known by his Stage name Ray Charles, was an American The Temptations (sometimes abbreviated as The Temps or The Tempts) are a Grammy -winning vocal group that achieved fame as one of the most successful David Warren Brubeck (born December 6, 1920 in Concord California) better known as Dave Brubeck, is an American jazz pianist Emmylou Harris (born April 2 1947) is an American country, folk, alternative rock, and Alternative country Christopher Joseph Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American rock Musician and occasional Actor. Jonny Lang (born Jon Gordon Langseth Jr, January 29 1981 in Fargo North Dakota) is a Grammy Award -winning American Norah Jones (born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar on March 30 1979) is an American Singer-songwriter, Pianist, Keyboardist

Every May Indianapolis holds the 500 Festival, a month of events culminating in the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade the day before the running of the Indianapolis 500. The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, and historically known simply as "The 500" is an American The Festival was first held in 1957.

The Circle City Classic is one of America’s top historically African-American college football games. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa This annual football game, held during the first weekend of October, is the showcase event of an entire weekend. The weekend is a celebration of cultural excellence and educational achievement while showcasing the spirit, energy and tradition of America’s historically black colleges and universities.

In 2003, Indianapolis began hosting Gen Con, the largest role-playing game convention in the nation (record attendance thus far being numbered in excess of 30,000), at the Indiana Convention Center. Gen Con is the one of the largest Despite a recent lawsuit from Lucasfilm and filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 15, A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. The Indiana Convention Center is a convention center located in Indianapolis Indiana. Future expansion of the convention space is expected by many to further increase attendance numbers in coming years. The convention center has also recently played host to such events as Star Wars Celebration II and III, which brought in Star Wars fans from around the world, including George Lucas. Star Wars Celebration is an official Star Wars convention held during banner years of the franchise Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded George Walton Lucas Jr (born May 14, 1944) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director, producer, Screenwriter From October 25 to 28, 2006, the convention center was home to the 79th national Future Farmers of America convention, bringing around 50,000 visitors in from around the country. The National FFA Organization is an American Youth organization known as a Career and Technical Student Organization, based on middle and high school classes that It will also host it every year up to 2012. ^[24]

Indianapolis is also home to the Indiana State Fair as well as the Heartland Film Festival, the Indianapolis International Film Festival, the Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, the Indianapolis Alternative Media Festival, the Midwest Music Summit and the Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival. The Indiana State Fair is held in Indianapolis, the state capital usually in August The Heartland Film Festival is a Film festival held each October in Indianapolis Indiana. Mission & General Information Founded in 2004 the Indianapolis International Film Festival's mission is to present films that inform enlighten and educate the community by providing The Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, nicknamed "IndyFringe" is a 10-day showcase of traditional and non-traditional theatre dance music improvisation and a wide range Midwest Music Summit is an annual Music festival held in Indianapolis Indiana which showcases Musicians from the Midwest.

Indianapolis is home to Bands of America (BOA), a nationwide organization of high school marching, concert, and jazz bands, and hosts several BOA events annually. Honor Band A Bands of America Honor Band will perform in the Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 2009 in Pasadena California. Indianapolis is now also the international headquarters of Drum Corps International, a professional drum and bugle corps association, and beginning in 2008 will host the DCI World Championships in the new Lucas Oil Stadium. Drum Corps International ( DCI) formed in 1972 is the non-profit governing body operating the North American drum and bugle corps circuit for junior corps Lucas Oil Stadium is a retractable roof stadium in Indianapolis Indiana.

Indianapolis has been the headquarters of the Kiwanis International organization since 1982. Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers headquartered in Indianapolis Indiana. The organization and its youth-sponsored Kiwanis Family counterparts, Circle K International and Key Club International, administer all their international business and service initiatives from Indianapolis. Circle K is a international chain of Convenience stores originally founded in 1951 in El Paso Texas. Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students

The Indy International Wine Competition, the largest U. S. wine competition outside of California, is held in Indianapolis every July at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The city has a vibrant arts community that includes many fairs celebrating a wide variety of arts and crafts during the summer months. They include the Broad Ripple Art Fair,Talbot Street Art Fair, Carmel Arts Festival and the Penrod Art Fair

Indianapolis contains the national headquarters for twenty-six fraternities and sororities. Many are congregated in the College Park area surrounding The Pyramids.

Indianapolis is the headquarters for all three international Jewish fraternities, Zeta Beta Tau, Alpha Epsilon Pi, and Sigma Alpha Mu. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Zeta Beta Tau ( ZBT, brothers of which are nicknamed Zebes) is a historically Jewish, presently Nonsectarian international fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi ( ΑΕΠ or AEPi) is the only international Jewish college fraternity in North America, with chapters in the Mission and creed Sigma Alpha Mu's stated mission is "to guide each undergraduate member toward a more meaningful life to prepare members for responsible fraternity and community zbt.org, aepi.org, sam.org.

Ethnic and cultural heritage festivals

One of the largest ethnic and cultural heritage festivals in Indianapolis is the Summer Celebration held by Indiana Black Expo. Indiana Black Expo is a non for-profit organization headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana that is responsible for overseeing the state's two largest cultural events This ten-day national event highlights the contributions of African-Americans to U. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa S. society and culture and provides educational, entertainment, and networking opportunities to the over 300,000 participants from around the country.

Indy's International Festival is held annually in November at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The Indiana State Fair is held in Indianapolis, the state capital usually in August Local ethnic groups, vendors and performers are featured alongside national and international performers.

Other local festivals include:

• Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church hosts the Indy Greek Festival the Friday and Saturday after Labor Day in September. The Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) is formed by several autocephalous churches The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Indianapolis Indiana hosts the Indy Greek Festival annually the Friday and Saturday after Labor Day in September Labor Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September
• The Indy Irish Festival is an annual event in the middle of every September. Those of Irish ancestry have had a strong impact on the city of Indianapolis Indiana.
• The Indy Pride Festival takes place every June. Indy Pride is an annual Indianapolis Gay Pride festival that has been held for over a decade
• The Italian Street Festival is held annually in early June at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. The Italian Street Festival is held annually in early June at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Indianapolis
• The Fiesta Indianapolis is held annually in September by La Plaza at the American Legion Mall and Veterans Memorial Park.
• The German Fest is an annual event held in October at the Rathskeller in the Athenaeum Building .
• The Middle Eastern Festival of Indianapolis takes place annually in July at St. The Middle Eastern Festival of Indianapolis takes place annually in late September at St George Orthodox Christian Church.
• The St. Nicholas Serbian Church hosts many Eastern European cultural events.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Indianapolis

Indianapolis is home to the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL, the Indiana Pacers of the NBA, the Indiana Fever of the WNBA, the Indianapolis Indians of the IL, and the Indiana Ice of the USHL. Indianapolis is the home to 10 professional sports teams The city is also the home to two National Collegiate Athletic Association collegiate teams The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis Indiana. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. The Indiana Fever is a professional women's Basketball team that plays in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis Indiana. The International League ( IL) is a Minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States. The Indiana Ice is a Tier I Ice hockey team formed in 2004 when it was purchased from the former Danville Illinois, USA, team the Danville The United States Hockey League (USHL is the top Junior ice hockey league in the United States.

In addition, the headquarters of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the main governing body for U. The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations S. collegiate sports, is in Indianapolis, as is the National Federation of State High School Associations. The National Federation of State High School Associations is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States Indianapolis is home to the national offices of USA Gymnastics, USA Diving, US Synchronized Swimming, and USA Track & Field.

The city has hosted the Men's and Women's NCAA Final Fours (the semifinals and final of the NCAA basketball tournament) several times, and as of 2006 the NCAA is scheduled to hold the Women's Final Four in Indianapolis at least once every five years. The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single elimination Tournament held each spring featuring 65 College basketball teams in the The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single elimination Tournament held each spring featuring 65 College basketball teams in the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis will host the Big Ten Tournament for five straight years (beginning in 2008) after it won the Big Ten bid over Chicago and the United Center. Conseco Fieldhouse is a sports arena in Indianapolis Indiana, United States. The Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the men's College basketball regular season Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The United Center is an indoor sports arena located in the Near West Side community area of Chicago Illinois.

Indianapolis also hosts the Indianapolis Tennis Championships, one of the many tournaments which are part of the US Open series. The Indianapolis Tennis Championships (formerly known as the RCA Championships) is an annual men's tennis tournament played in Indianapolis as part of the The US Open Tennis tournament is one of the oldest tennis championships in the world first contested in 1881

IMS hosts two major races every year, the Indianapolis 500 and the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway Indiana (an Enclave of Indianapolis) in the United States, is the home of the The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, and historically known simply as "The 500" is an American The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, introduced as the Brickyard 400 in 1994, is an annual 400-mile (644 km NASCAR Sprint Cup points race Starting in 2008, the MotoGP Motorcycle series will host a weekend at the speedway for the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix. Overview A Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix was first organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM in 1949 The Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix is a motorcycling event held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway Indiana, United States as part of the As previously mentioned Indy plays hosts to many Men's and Women's Final Fours and will continue with the opening of Lucas Oil Stadium. Lucas Oil Stadium is a retractable roof stadium in Indianapolis Indiana. Lucas Oil Stadium and the city of Indianapolis made a bid to host Super Bowl XLV in 2011 but lost to Dallas and the Dallas Cowboys New Stadium by two NFL Owner votes. Super Bowl XLV will be the 45th annual edition of the Super Bowl in American football, and the 41st annual championship game of the modern-era National Football Dallas Cowboys New Stadium is the Working title of a new Stadium being built in Arlington, Texas for the NFL 's Dallas Cowboys The following is a list of current National Football League franchise owners The city was awarded the rights to host Super Bowl XLVI on May 20, 2008. Super Bowl XLVI will be the 46th annual edition of the Super Bowl in American football, and the 42nd annual championship game of the modern-era National Indianapolis also hosted the Pan American Games in 1987 and the 2002 World Basketball Championships. The 10th Pan American Games were held in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The 2002 FIBA World Championship was an international Basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation in

The Indianapolis Daredevils were a professional soccer team based in the city from 1978-79 and played in the ASL, the second tier of American soccer. The Indianapolis Daredevils was an American soccer club based in Indianapolis Indiana that was a member of the American Soccer League. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional Soccer leagues in the United States.

Indianapolis Colts

Lucas Oil Stadium nearing completion

For more details on this topic, see Indianapolis Colts. The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis Indiana. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. The American Football Conference ( AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL The RCA Dome was a Domed Stadium located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise Lucas Oil Stadium is a retractable roof stadium in Indianapolis Indiana. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Conseco Fieldhouse is a sports arena in Indianapolis Indiana, United States. The Indiana Fever is a professional women's Basketball team that plays in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m Conseco Fieldhouse is a sports arena in Indianapolis Indiana, United States. The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis Indiana. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each The International League ( IL) is a Minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States. Part of the History of baseball series Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of Professional baseball leagues in North The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Victory Field is the name of the current Minor league baseball park that is the home of the Indianapolis Indians of the International League. The Indiana Ice is a Tier I Ice hockey team formed in 2004 when it was purchased from the former Danville Illinois, USA, team the Danville Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey, is a team Sport played on Ice. The United States Hockey League (USHL is the top Junior ice hockey league in the United States. The Pepsi Coliseum is an 8200-seat multi-purpose Arena in Indianapolis Indiana. Conseco Fieldhouse is a sports arena in Indianapolis Indiana, United States. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of Rugby union in the United States of America. Lucas Oil Stadium is a retractable roof stadium in Indianapolis Indiana. The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis Indiana.

The Baltimore Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984. The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis Indiana. During the early years the Colts struggled to win. After a playoff berth in 1987, the Colts drifted back to mediocrity and worse until the mid-1990s. In 1995 the Colts made their first step towards success when they made the AFC Championship Game but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on a last-second play. The American Football Conference Championship Game, otherwise known as AFC Championship Game, is one of the two Semi-final matches of the National Football League In 1998 GM Bill Pollan drafted quarterback Peyton Manning as the number-one pick out of Tennessee. Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24 1976 is an American football Quarterback who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football The University of Tennessee (also known as UT) sometimes called the University of Tennessee Knoxville ( UT Knoxville, or UTK) is the flagship Since drafting Manning the Colts have made the playoffs in seven of nine years and won Super Bowl XLI against the Chicago Bears, 29-17. Super Bowl XLI was an American football game played on February 4 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. Lucas Oil Stadium will open before the 2008 season, replacing the RCA Dome as the new home of the Colts. Lucas Oil Stadium is a retractable roof stadium in Indianapolis Indiana. The RCA Dome was a Domed Stadium located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise

Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the Pacers & Fever

Indiana Pacers

For more details on this topic, see Indiana Pacers.

The Indiana Pacers began play in the ABA in 1967 and won three ABA championships. The American Basketball Association ( ABA) was a professional Basketball league founded in 1967, and eventually merged in part with the National In 1976 the Pacers received an invitation to join the NBA. In 1987 they drafted shooting guard Reggie Miller out of UCLA and became an instant playoff perennial. Reginald Wayne Miller (born August 24 1965 is a retired American professional Basketball player and one of the greatest NBA players of the 90s The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United In 1999 they opened their new arena, Conseco Fieldhouse, and demolished their old home court in Market Square Arena. Conseco Fieldhouse is a sports arena in Indianapolis Indiana, United States. Market Square Arena was an indoor arena located in Indianapolis Indiana, USA. The Pacers reached their first and only NBA Finals in 2000 but lost to the Lakers in six games. The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each June The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. After the 2004-2005 season Miller retired and the team has since struggled with their production on the court. After the infamous Pacers-Pistons brawl they have also wrestled with an off-court image tempered with violence and brushes with the law. The Pacers-Pistons brawl (also known as The Malice at the Palace and The Basketbrawl) was an altercation that occurred in a National Basketball Association

Indiana Fever

For more details on this topic, see Indiana Fever. The Indiana Fever is a professional women's Basketball team that plays in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA

The WNBA expanded to four new cities in 2000, including Indianapolis' Indiana Fever . The Indiana Fever is a professional women's Basketball team that plays in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA The WNBA awarded Indianapolis a team with the opening of Conseco Fieldhouse. Conseco Fieldhouse is a sports arena in Indianapolis Indiana, United States. The Fever won their first game against the Miami Sol on national television but finished the 2000 season in last place. The Miami Sol was a women's Basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA in 2000. In the 2001 WNBA Draft the Fever drafted Tennessee superstar Tamika Catchings with the third pick overall, although she was forced to sit out the 2001 season with a knee injury. 2001 WNBA Draft - 20 April 2001 On April 20 2001 the regular WNBA draft took place The Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team is one of the most prominent teams in U Tamika Devonne Catchings (born July 21, 1979 in Stratford New Jersey) is an American WNBA player who plays for the Indiana Fever Catchings won the 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year and each season has led the Fever in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. The WNBA Rookie of the Year Award is given each year to the first-year player who has had the best performance amongst first-year players league-wide

Indianapolis Indians

For more details on this topic, see Indianapolis Indians. The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis Indiana.

The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each The team, which plays in the International League, is the AAA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The International League ( IL) is a Minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States. The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis.

Founded in 1902, the Indianapolis Indians are the second-oldest minor league franchise in professional sports, behind only the Rochester Red Wings. The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

For more details on this topic, see Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway Indiana (an Enclave of Indianapolis) in the United States, is the home of the

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), located in Speedway, Indiana, is the site of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race (also known as the Indy 500), an open-wheel automobile race held each Memorial Day weekend on a 2. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway Indiana (an Enclave of Indianapolis) in the United States, is the home of the Speedway is a town in Wayne Township, Marion County, Indiana, United States. The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, and historically known simply as "The 500" is an American Open-wheel car (Often single-seater car, in UK English describes cars with the wheels outside the car's main body and in most cases one seat Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (on May in) 5 mile (4 km) oval track. The Indy 500 is the largest single-day sporting event in the world, hosting more than 257,000 permanent seats (not including the infield area).

The track is often referred to as the Brickyard, as it was paved with 3. A brickyard is a place where Bricks are made fired and stored 2 million bricks shortly after its construction in 1909. Today the track is paved in asphalt although a section of bricks remains at the start/finish line. Asphalt ( is a sticky black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude Petroleums and in some natural deposits sometimes termed asphaltum

The first 500-Mile Race (805 km), held in 1911, was won by driver Ray Harroun driving a Marmon Wasp. The 1911 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the first recorded Automobile race of such Ray Harroun ( January 12, 1879 - January 19, 1968) was an American racecar driver Marmon was an Automobile Brand name manufactured by Nordyke Marmon & Company of Indianapolis Indiana, USA, from 1902 through (Marmon, incidentally, was an Indianapolis manufacturer. ) The "500" is currently part of the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series, with the 2007 Indianapolis 500 running seeing Scotsman Dario Franchitti triumph for Andretti-Green Racing. The Indy Racing League, better known as IRL, is the sanctioning body of a predominantly American based Open-wheel racing series. The IndyCar Series is the premier series of the Indy Racing League. The 91st Indianapolis 500 ran on Sunday May 27, 2007 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dario J Franchitti (born 19 May, 1973 in Bathgate, West Lothian) is a Scottish racing driver of Italian descent Andretti Green Racing (AGR is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series.

IMS also hosts the NASCAR Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (originally the "Brickyard 400"). The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, introduced as the Brickyard 400 in 1994, is an annual 400-mile (644 km NASCAR Sprint Cup points race The first running of the Brickyard 400 was in 1994, and is currently NASCAR's highest attended event. Driver Jeff Gordon was the first to cross the finish line in the 1994 race. Jeffery Michael Gordon Gordon has since added three more 400 wins, tying Rick Mears, A. J. Foyt and Al Unser for the most victories at the track. Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951 in Wichita Kansas) is a retired American race car driver Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr (born January 16, 1935, in Houston, Texas) is a retired American Automobile racing driver Alfred Unser (born May 29, 1939 in Albuquerque New Mexico) is a former American automobile racing driver the younger brother of Bobby Tony Stewart is the most recent winner of the 400 as of 2007. Anthony Wayne Stewart (born May 20, 1971 in Columbus Indiana) is an American race car driver/car owner/entrepreneur in NASCAR 's The 2007 Allstate 400 at The Brickyard was the twentieth race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season and the first race under the ESPN/ABC

In 1998, IMS began expanding the original track to include a Formula One road course, utilizing the traditional brick start-finish line and adding a new infield road course inside the surrounding oval. Road racing can be a term involving Road running, road bicycle races, or Automobile races

From 2000 to 2007, IMS hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix (USGP). The United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908 when it was known as the American Grand Prize. Driver Michael Schumacher took the first finish. Michael Schumacher (German pronunciation;) (born January 3, 1969, in Hürth-Hermülheim, Germany) is a former Formula The last US Grand Prix run at IMS, in 2007, was notable for firsts. Lewis Hamilton took the checkered flag, and in doing so became the first rookie to win a Grand Prix at Indianapolis, as well as the first black driver to win any Speedway race. Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born Stevenage, 7 January 1985 The term black people usually refers to a racial group of Humans with dark Skin color, but the term has also been used to categorise a number of diverse During the summer of 2007, contract negotiations between the IMS and Formula One resulted in a discontinuation of the USGP at Indianapolis (at least for the foreseeable future). Formula One has currently not scheduled a USGP venue for the 2008 season.

The Speedway is scheduled to host its first MotoGP, with the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix taking place in September 2008. Overview A Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix was first organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM in 1949 Red Bull is an energy drink on the market and is sold by Red Bull GmbH.

Other series host races at nearby O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis; it is also the site of the annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the most prestigious drag-racing meet of the year for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) . O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, known as Indianapolis Raceway Park until the 2006 purchase of Naming rights by O'Reilly Auto Parts, is a multipurpose The Mac Tools US Nationals is an NHRA -sanctioned Drag racing event "NHRA" redirects here For other uses see NHRA (disambiguation.

OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

For more details on this topic, see OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, which takes place in Indianapolis Indiana, is the largest half- Marathon in the United States, and the eighth-largest

Indianapolis is home to the largest mini-marathon (and eighth-largest running event) in America. This year (2007) is the 30th anniversary of the Mini, and run in the first weekend in May every year. This event is part of the 500 Festival, now its 50th year running. The race starts on Washington Street just off Monument Circle and ends on New York Street back downtown. The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a 284-feet tall neoclassical oolitic Limestone and Bronze Monument in the center of The Mini has been sold out every year, with well over 35,000 runners participating.

Recreation

Parks

For more details on this topic, see List of parks in Indianapolis. Parks in Indianapolis are operated by the City of Indianapolis Department of Parks and Recreation also known as Indy Parks.

Indianapolis has an extensive municipal park system with nearly 200 parks occupying over 10,000 acres (40 km²). An urban park, also known as a municipal park (North America or a public park or open space (United Kingdom is a Park in cities and other The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U The flagship Eagle Creek Park is the largest municipal park in the city, and ranks among the largest urban parks in the United States. Eagle Creek Park is the largest park in Indianapolis, and one of the largest municipal parks in the United States. ^[26]

Other major Indianapolis Regional parks include:

• Garfield Park (established in 1881 and the oldest park in Indianapolis. Located on the Near South Side)
• Riverside Park (Near West Side)
• Sahm Park (Northeast side)
• Southeastway Park (Franklin Township, Marion County)
• Southwestway Park (Decatur Township, Marion County)

Additionally, Indianapolis has an urban forestry program that has garnered several Tree City USA awards from the National Arbor Day Foundation. The Arbor Day Foundation is the world's oldest and largest tree-planting organization

Indianapolis Zoo

For more details on this topic, see Indianapolis Zoo. The Indianapolis Zoo in Indianapolis Indiana, United States, first opened to the public in 1964

Opened in 1988, the Indianapolis Zoo is the largest zoo in the state and is just west of downtown. The Indianapolis Zoo in Indianapolis Indiana, United States, first opened to the public in 1964 It has 360 species of animals and is best known for its dolphin exhibit which includes the only underwater viewing dome in the Midwest. Dolphins are Marine mammals that are closely related to Whales and Porpoises There are almost forty species of dolphin in seventeen genera.

Museums

• Children's Museum of Indianapolis (the largest children's museum in the world)
• Indianapolis Museum of Art
• Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum
• Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians & Western Art
• Indiana State Museum
• NCAA Hall of Champions (Hall of Fame for college athletics)
• James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
• Conner Prairie (A living history museum)

Other places of interest

• Butler University
• Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
• Indianapolis Zoo
• Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens
• Heslar Naval Armory
• Holcomb Gardens
• Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library
• Irvington Historic District
• Slippery Noodle Inn
• White River Gardens

Local media

Main article: Media in Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis is served by local, regional, and national media. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the world's largest Children's museum, is located in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States The Indianapolis Museum of Art is an art museum in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a 284-feet tall neoclassical oolitic Limestone and Bronze Monument in the center of The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, and houses an extensive collection of Native American The Indiana State Museum is a Museum located within White River State Park in Indianapolis Indiana. NCAA Hall of Champions is a Museum, exhibition center and Conference center located adjacent to the NCAA National Office in Indianapolis 's The James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, one of two homes known as the James Whitcomb Riley House on the National Register of Historic Places, is a historic building The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway Indiana (an Enclave of Indianapolis) in the United States, is the home of the Conner Prairie is a living history Museum in Fishers Indiana, USA, that preserves the historic William Conner home and recreates part of Butler University is a private Liberal arts University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis ( IUPUI) is an urban shared campus of Indiana University and Purdue University located The Indianapolis Zoo in Indianapolis Indiana, United States, first opened to the public in 1964 For the conservatory with the same name in Chicago Illinois see Garfield Park Conservatory The Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens are Heslar Naval Armory (formerly Indianapolis Naval Reserve Armory was constructed in 1936 in Indianapolis Indiana, USA, on the shore of White River Holcomb Gardens (20 acres are located on the Butler University campus at 4600 Sunset Avenue Indianapolis Indiana. The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library (IMCPL is the Public library system that serves the citizens of Marion County, Indiana, United Historic Irvington Founded in 1870, Irvington was originally created as a suburban town of Indianapolis Indiana. The Slippery Noodle Inn is a large Blues bar and restaurant with two performance stages in downtown Indianapolis Indiana. The White River Gardens (33 acres are Botanical gardens located adjacent to the Indianapolis Zoo at 1200 West Washington Street Indianapolis Indiana

Economy

Companies

Indianapolis is the international headquarters of the pharmaceutical corporation Eli Lilly and Company, wireless distribution & logistics provider Brightpoint, health insurance provider Wellpoint, insurance company American United Life, airline Republic Airways,consisting of Republic Airlines, Chautauqua Airlines and Shuttle America real estate companies Simon Property Group & Hunt Construction Group, Finish Line, Inc., Duke Realty Corp. Eli Lilly and Company ( is a global Pharmaceutical company and one of the world's largest corporations Brightpoint Inc ( is a leading global communications technology firm that specializes in the distribution of Wireless devices and in providing customized Logistics WellPoint Inc is a large US based health insurance company and the largest member of the BlueCross BlueShield Association Republic Airways Holdings Inc ( is an Aviation holding corporation based in Indianapolis Indiana, which owns three Regional airlines operating Republic Airline Inc, operates as Republic Airlines is a Regional airline Subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings that operates service as Chautauqua Airlines Inc is a regional Airline and a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Shuttle America Corporation is a Regional airline based in Indianapolis Indiana, USA. Simon Property Group Inc ( an S&P 500 company headquartered in Indianapolis Indiana, is the largest developer of Shopping malls in the United and Teleservices Direct. Career Horizons Inc (also doing business as TeleServices Direct) is an American telemarketing company which employs more than 1300 people The U. S. headquarters of Roche Diagnostics, Thomson SA, Conseco, Interactive Intelligence, First Internet Bank of Indiana, Peerless Pump Company, CP Morgan and Dow AgroSciences are also located in Indianapolis. Roche Diagnostics Division is a subsidiary of Hoffmann-La Roche which manufactures equipment and reagents for research and medical diagnostic applications Thomson SA (,) formerly known as Thomson Multimedia is an international provider of solutions for the creation management delivery and access of video for the Conseco ( originally Security Life of Indiana, is a financial services organization based in Carmel Indiana. First Internet Bank of Indiana, sometimes called First Internet Bank or First IB, is one of the first state-chartered FDIC -insured institutions to Peerless Pump Company is a Manufacturer of Centrifugal pumps and systems for Liquid applications CP Morgan is a family-owned homebuilding company based in the United States. Dow AgroSciences LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Dow Chemical Company specializing in not only Agricultural chemicals such as Pesticides Other major Indianapolis area employers include Clarian Health, Sallie Mae, Cook Group, Rolls Royce, and General Motors. Clarian Health is the largest and most comprehensive health care system in the state of Indiana SLM Corporation, commonly known as Sallie Mae, is the United States ' largest college student loan company managing more than $126 The Cook Group, founded in 1963 in the spare bedroom of Bill and Gayle Cook is a supplier of Medical devices and equipment. Rolls-Royce North America is a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce plc involved principally in the manufacture of gas turbine engines and other propulsion systems General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States.

Before Detroit came to dominate the American automobile industry, Indianapolis was also home to a number of carmakers, including American Motor Car Company, Parry Auto Company,^[27] and Premier Motor Manufacturing. The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design development manufacture marketing and sale of Motor vehicles In 2007 more than 73 million motor vehicles The American Motor Car Company was a short-lived company in the Automotive industry founded in 1906 lasting until 1913 The Parry (1910 and New Parry (1911-1912 were both Brass Era cars built in Indianapolis Indiana by the Parry Auto Company. Premier Motor Manufacturing Company was a manufacturer of Automobiles in Indianapolis Indiana, USA, between 1903 and 1926 ^[28] In addition, Indianapolis hosted auto parts companies such as Prest-O-Lite, which provided acetylene generators for brass era headlights and acetylene gas starters. Acetylene ( IUPAC name ethyne), C2H2 is a Hydrocarbon belonging to the group of Alkynes It is the simplest of all alkynes The automotive Brass Era is the first period of automotive manufacturing named for the prominent Brass Fittings used during this time for such things as lights and ^[29]

Business climate and real estate

Recently, the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo ranked Indianapolis the most affordable major housing market in the U. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB is one of the largest trade associations in the United States. Wells Fargo & Co ( is a diversified Financial services company headquartered in San Francisco California, United States with operations around the S. for the fourth quarter of 2006,^[30] and Forbes magazine ranked it the sixth-best city for jobs in 2008, based on a combined graded balance of perceived median household incomes, lack of unemployment, income growth, cost of living and job growth. Forbes is an American Publishing and media company Its flagship publication Forbes magazine is published bi-weekly Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. Cost of living is the Cost of maintaining a certain Standard of living. ^[31] However, in 2008, Indiana ranked 12th nationally in total home foreclosures and Indianapolis led the state within this. ^[32]

Transportation

New Midfield Terminal under construction

Airports

Indianapolis International Airport, identified as IND, is the largest airport in Indiana and serves the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area. Indianapolis International Airport is a public Airport located seven miles (11 km) southwest of the Central business district of Indianapolis In addition to a recently completed air traffic control tower, the airport is currently undertaking the building of two large concourses, a new airfield, two new parking garages, and apron improvements. The new terminal is being built with the intent of easing passenger access, and is being constructed between the two existing runways. The old terminal will be demolished after the new terminal opens. The current project is slated for completion in late 2008.

Many air services utilize Indianapolis International. FedEx, an Air Freight company, is currently expanding its largest domestic hub, located at Indianapolis International. FedEx Corporation ( is a Logistics services company based in the United States. Cargo airlines (or airfreight carriers, and derivatives of these names are Airlines dedicated to the Transport of Cargo. Indianapolis is also a focus city for Northwest Airlines. In the Airline industry a focus city is a location that is not a hub, but from which the airline has non-stop flights to several destinations other than its hubs Northwest Airlines Inc (often abbreviated NWA) is the principal subsidiary

Highways

Interstates around Indianapolis

Five major interstates serve the Indianapolis area, including I-70 with transportation to St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio; I-74 to Cincinnati and Danville, Illinois, I-65 to Chicago and Louisville, I-69 to Fort Wayne, and the I-465 Beltway. Interstate 70 (I-70 is an Interstate highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort Utah, to a Park and Ride Columbus is the Capital and the largest city of the US state of Ohio. Interstate 74 (abbreviated I-74) is an Interstate highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Danville is a City in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. Interstate 65 (I-65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Interstate 69 (I-69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. Fort Wayne is a City in northeastern Indiana, United States and the County seat of Allen Interstate 465 (I-465 is the Beltway circling Indianapolis Indiana, United States. The I-865 Connector contains part of U. Interstate 865 (I-865 is an east-west connector northwest of Indianapolis Indiana. S. Route 52 and connects I-65 to I-465, on the northwest side of Indianapolis. US Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Interstate 65 (I-65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. Interstate 465 (I-465 is the Beltway circling Indianapolis Indiana, United States. Future interstate plans include extending I-69 southwest to Evansville, Indiana, continuing through Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and terminating on the Texas / Mexico border. Interstate 69 (I-69 is an Interstate Highway in the United States. Evansville (ˈɛvənzˌvɪl is the third-largest city in the U The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America.

Major U. S. highways serving the region include U. S. Routes 31, 40, 52, 36, 136, and 421. US Route 31 is a long north-south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with termini at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City US Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. US Route 36 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 1414 miles (2276 km from Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado to Uhrichsville US Highway 136 is a spur of US Highway 36. It runs from Edison Nebraska at U US Route 421 is a spur of US 21. It runs for 941 miles (1514 km from Michigan City Indiana, at U

Mass transit

Indianapolis's transit provider is the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, also known as IndyGo. The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, commonly known as IndyGo, operates the public transit system for the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation was established in 1975 after the city of Indianapolis took over the city's transit system. Before 1997, IndyGo was called Metro. Central Indiana Commuter Services (CICS), funded by IndyGo to reduce pollution, serves Indianapolis and surrounding counties.

In 1953, the last streetcars ran in Indianapolis. Trolleybuses made their last run in the city four years later in 1957. Since 1957 Indianapolis has had an all-bus transit system. However, an impressive collection of area business leaders have formed Downtown Indianapolis Streetcar Corp. , a not-for-profit organization, to investigate the building of a streetcar line in Downtown Indianapolis. Possible destinations include among others: IUPUI, White River State Park, Indianapolis Zoo, Conseco Fieldhouse, Lucas Oil Stadium, Circle Centre Mall, the Indiana State House and a future development at the MSA site. ^[33] The streetcar line would provide a convenient way for locals as well as tourists in downtown for conventions and sports events to move around the various destinations.

People mover

The public use Clarian people mover connects the Indiana University School of Medicine, Riley Hospital for Children, Wishard Hospital and IUPUI & Indiana University School of Medicine facilities at the north end of the Downtown Canal with Methodist Hospital. For the private automobile see People carrier A people mover or automated people mover (APM is a fully automated grade-separated The Indiana University School of Medicine is the Medical school of Indiana University, part of the Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis The James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children is a Children's hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. Wishard Memorial Hospital, located in Indianapolis Indiana, USA, is one of Indianapolis' oldest Hospitals The hospital was founded in 1855 in response width="280px" style="margin-left 05em"> Plans for a larger system are being considered that would operate throughout downtown Indianapolis. The existing people mover is sometimes inaccurately described as a monorail, but in fact rides on dual concrete beams with the guideway as wide as the vehicle. A monorail is a transportation system based on a single beam The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system or the vehicles travelling on such a beam or Concrete is a construction material composed of Cement (commonly Portland cement) as well as other cementitious materials such as Fly ash and Slag

Intercity Rail Transportation

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Indianapolis at the Indianapolis Union Station. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 Indianapolis is an Amtrak station in Indianapolis Indiana, served by the Cardinal and Hoosier State. Amtrak provides a thrice-weekly service of the Cardinal to Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. and the daily Hoosier State to Chicago. The Cardinal is a 1147-mile (1844 km Passenger train route operated by Amtrak, connecting New York Penn Station with Chicago Union Station Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The City of New York Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The Hoosier State is a passenger train that provides service on a 196-mile (315 km route from Chicago to Indianapolis

Transportation issues

Although Indianapolis has managed to sustain a relatively low amount of traffic congestion for a city of its population, this is mostly due to the fact that the city covers 365 square miles,^[34] an area much larger than most cities with roughly 785,000 people. Indianapolis' low population density might also be the reason the city has yet to further develop its mass transit bus system or a heavy or light rail network. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems. As the 13th-largest city in the U. S. , Indianapolis has repeatedly been ranked below 40th in mass transit availability.

Some complaints include^[35]:

• the bus-only city mass transit system; the absence of rapid transit and light rail. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems.
• the undue emphasis on automobile travel in city planning; the lack of sidewalks and bike paths. A sidewalk (chiefly North American English) pavement ( British English and Philadelphia dialect) footpath ( Australian English Segregated cycle facilities are Roads tracks paths or marked lanes designated for use by Cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded
• excessive automobile usage resulting in environmental degradation (specifically air pollution), as evidenced in the city's often poor air quality
• the lack of cross-town bus routes, forcing bus riders to travel downtown to cross from one side of the city to another, often doubling or tripling what the trip distance would have been with a direct route. Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as Air, Water and Soil; the destruction Air pollution is the human introduction into the atmosphere of Chemicals Particulate matter, or Biological materials that cause harm or discomfort The Air Quality Index ( AQI) is a standardized indicator of the Air Quality in a given location
• the "lack of vision" in building a transportation network based entirely on non-renewable resources and old technology
• the paucity of scheduled bus routes, often forcing riders to choose between arriving at a destination extremely early, or late. A natural resource qualifies as a renewable resource if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate comparable or faster than its rate of consumption by humans or other users Technology is a broad concept that deals with a Species ' usage and knowledge of Tools and Crafts and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt
• the lack of night bus services, which forces those who work late shifts to find other ways to get around. These can be much more expensive.
• the fiscal costs of building (for instance liens), repairing, and replacing roads

There are other concerns over a lack of safe walking paths in many areas of the city. In Law, a lien is a form of Security interest granted over an item of Property to secure the payment of a Debt or performance of some other Many suburbs which were incorporated in the 1960s and 1970s are now relatively near the center of the city, and don’t have sidewalks. South San Jose (cropjpg||thumb|A suburban development in San Jose California. A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to cities, counties, Towns This often forces pedestrians to navigate a narrow road shoulder near high-speed automobile traffic. A pedestrian is a person travelling on foot whether Walking or Running. A hard shoulder, or simply shoulder, is a reserved area by the verge of a Road or Motorway.

Indianapolis in popular media

The city of Indianapolis is referred to twelve times in the movie Uncle Buck. Uncle Buck is a 1989 Comedy-drama starring John Candy, Amy Madigan, Jean Louisa Kelly and Gaby Hoffmann

The television sitcom One Day at a Time was set in Indianapolis. For the song of the same name see One Day at a Time (song One Day at a Time was a long-running American Situation The opening credits of the show include a shot of the Pyramids, a set of three distinctive office buildings located near the northwestern edge of the city. The first seasons of Good Morning Miss Bliss (later to become Saved by the Bell) and Thunder Alley were set in Indianapolis. Good Morning Miss Bliss is an American teen sitcom that aired from 1988 to 1989 (and later in syndication as part of the Saved by the Bell Saved by the Bell is an American sitcom that originally aired between 1989 and 1993 Thunder Alley was an American television program a Situation comedy which ran for a season and a half (from 9 March 1994 until 4 July 1995 on the ABC Television The American version of Men Behaving Badly and CBS's 2005 drama Close to Home were also set in Indianapolis. Men Behaving Badly is a British comedy --created and written by Simon Nye--that follows the lives of beer-guzzling flatmates Gary Strang and Tony Smart CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. Close to Home is an American Crime - Drama Television series co-produced by Warner Bros In a darker view, in the television show Jericho, Indianapolis is one of twenty-three American cities destroyed by nuclear weapons, a fate which also befalls the city in the Worldwar series of novels by Harry Turtledove. Jericho is an American Serial drama Worldwar is a series of four Alternate history Science fiction novels by Harry Turtledove. Harry Norman Turtledove (born June 14 1949) is an American historian and novelist who has written Historical fiction, Fantasy, and

See also

• History of Indianapolis
• Downtown Indianapolis

Gallery

Sister cities

Indianapolis has five sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):

• - Cologne (Germany)
• - Monza (Italy)
• - Piran (Slovenia)
• - Taipei (Taiwan)
• - Scarborough (Canada)

References

External links

• Indianapolis travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikimapia Location
• City Data for Indianapolis
• IndyGov.Org Official city government website
• Official Tourist Information
• Indianapolis, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
• IndyIndiana.com Indianapolis Business Directory
• Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
• Indianapolis, Indiana at the Open Directory Project

• Indianapolis, Indiana is at coordinates 39°47′27″N 86°08′52″W / 39.790942, -86.147685 (Indianapolis, Indiana)Coordinates: 39°47′27″N 86°08′52″W / 39.790942, -86.147685 (Indianapolis, Indiana)