Polk's Indianapolis (Marion County, Ind.) city directory, 1956, Part 2

Author:
Publication date: 1956
Publisher: R.L. Polk
Number of Pages: 1588

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A little later, John, James and Samuel McCormick came, and the settlement grew.

Meeting at Corydon, the territorial capital, in southern In- diana, the first Indiana Assembly gave to Governor Jonathan Jennings and a special commission of ten men, powers to select a permanent site for the state capital, and it was Jennings who successfully urged a site as near the center of the state territory as possible. The settlement at the confluence of White River and Fall Creek was viewed, found desirable, and approved.

By a joint ballot of the House and Senate of the Indiana Assembly, a commission of three prominent men was elected to select a name for the new capital of Indiana. Several names were presented, but the name INDIANAPOLIS, suggested by Jeremiah Sullivan, Judge of the Supreme Court, was accepted with little opposition (INDIANA plus POLIS, Greek for "city").

The same year, Alexander Ralston, who assisted Major L'Enfant in laying out Washington, D. C., was appointed to lay out this new city on the Western frontier.

The plan is a combination of the "spider web" of Versailles and Thomas Jefferson's scheme of the Federal City of regular squares. As first planned, Indianapolis included what is now known as the "mile square"-that part of the city bounded by South, East, North and West streets. In the center of the plat was the Governor's Circle, now Monument Place, which was re- served for the mansion of the Governor. A brick residence was erected there in 1827, but it never was used as a residence.

INDIANA STATE HOUSE

The Indiana State House (the State's capitol building) was erected in 1878. It is of the Corinthian order of archi- tecture, and its spacious interior halls house many interesting marble statues. The halls of the General Assembly- the Senate and House of Representa- tives-and offices of the Governor and other elected State officials-are lo- cated in this building, while a number of other office buildings are required to accommodate many administrative de- partments.

INTRODUCTION

The first newspaper, the Gazette, appeared in 1822, and in 1825 the Legislature held its first session in the new Capitol. The National Road was cut through Indianapolis in 1830, and in 1836 the town was incorporated. Water power was made available with the building of the canal in 1839, and the city's industrial development began with the establishment of grist mills, woolen mills and paper mills. In February, 1847, the first steam train entered Indianapolis on the Madison Road, an event which fore- shadowed the city's development as a great railroad center. The same year a city charter was granted. The nation's first union railroad station was opened here on Sept. 20, 1853.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Indianapolis had more than 100 manufacturing concerns and rapidly was becoming an important new industrial center. Many of the earliest industries -a meat-packing plant, flour mill, saw works, etc .- continue in business and are today considered among the largest and finest of their kind in the nation.

The period from 1865 to 1873 was one of rapid growth and expansion, when the first street cars were introduced and thou- sands of new homes, many of them unusually fine, were being constructed.

In 1873 plans were made to build a belt railroad and stock yards. But it was not until 1877 that the belt railroad and stock yards, now the largest stock yards east of Chicago, opened for business.

The stock yards gave great impetus to agriculture, already enjoying a period of thriving development.

Indianapolis always has been widely known as a city of beautiful homes and extensive home-ownership.

By 1900 the city entered another period of expansion. In that year natural gas was introduced, providing cheap fuel for manu- facturing and bringing an influx of new industries. By 1900 the city's population had reached 170,000, the annual value of manu- factured products had reached $60,000,000, and the annual industrial payroll was $10,000,000. Development of interurban electric railroads at that time further contributed to the city's growth and importance.

In the first half of the century Indianapolis has had a very steady growth, not only in population, but industrially, commer- cially and culturally. Among its manufacturing establishments are several which are the largest of their kind in the world.

So has INDIANAPOLIS evolved, in less than a century and a half. into the fine and friendly and prosperous city it is today.

The largest city in Indiana, it also is the second largest state capital city, and is not only the political capital of the common- wealth, but its physical, economic and cultural capital as well.

The topography and climate of the city are ideal to continued expansion and development. Carved out of the once wooded plains, there are no natural barriers to orderly expansion of its boundaries.

Just 115 years ago-blacksmith shops, sawmills and a small and crude grist mill comprised the total of Indianapolis' industrial activity.

Today, 1956, Indianapolis has more than 1,100 firms in the industrial category, giving employment to more than 110,000 per- sons, in civilian goods production.

Indianapolis long has been blessed with a wide diversity of

U. S. COURT HOUSE AND POST OFFICE

industries which increase the unusual economic stability of the entire area. By far the greater number are home-owned, although the city has many large and valuable plants of national corpo- rations.

Acme-Evans Co., with its predecessors, represents Indianapolis' oldest industry, operating four grain milling plants at locations where flour has been milled continuously since 1821.

In 1857, the Atkins Saw Division, Borg-Warner Corp., the world's largest manufacturer of saws, was founded. This plant has been in continuous operation on the site of its founding, although it has spread over a vast area.

In 1863, Kingan, Inc., moved its meat-packing plant to Indi- anapolis. Today this firm is one of the nation's largest and best- known packers of meats and meat products.

Water power was made available with the construction of the canal in 1839, resulting in the building of the first grain mill.

As mentioned above, the first steam train entered the town, on the Madison Road, in 1847, and prior to 1900 development of railroad lines entering the city had been remarkable.

Construction of the railroads, new highways and Kingan, Inc. pork house-largest in the nation-caused such rapid development of agriculture that in 1875 the new Exchange Stock Yards was built, supplementing Kingan's own yards.

In 1873, the Board of Trade, an outgrowth of expanding grain production, urged construction of a belt railroad and stock yards, combined. But is was not until 1877 that this huge enterprise was completed and in operation.

The twelve miles of belt railroad, linking all railroads enter- ing the city, proved to be a vital stimulant to the establishment of more industries and expansion of existing plants and mills.

Today, the Indianapolis Union Railroad has 76 miles of track connecting all railroads serving the city and hundreds of in- dustries requiring switching service.

Meat packing and processing has grown into one of the city's most important industries, with other firms establishing large and

215199-8

The Scottish Rite Cathedral was completed in 1927 at a cost of $3.500,- 000. This masterpiece of old-world architecture is located on Meridian Street between North and Walnut streets. This cathedral has gained a world-wide reputation for its exterior and interior beauty. Its tower houses an exceptionally fine, especially-de- signed carillon.

INTRODUCTION

INDIANAPOLIS TRANSIT SYSTEM, Inc.

fine plants. In 1954 more than 2,940,000 head of live stock were sold at the Indianapolis yards, grossing over $200,000.000 in sales.

However, the metal-working industry-production of parts and finished products-is the city's largest source of manufacturing employment and most important producer of industrial income.

THE CITY TODAY

Throughout the first half of the century there was a continual expansion of the city's manufacturing and processing plants. De- velopment and expansion of utilities-electric, gas and water- together with other service facilities, has kept pace. Favorable rates available here have been an important aid in development of the community's industry.

Today, the great utilities serving the community are investing many millions of dollars in new plant facilities to provide for future needs of the community.

An almost unlimited supply of steam coal is being mined within a radius of 60 to 70 miles of the city, providing inexpensive steam fuel for industrial purposes.

In addition to excellent railroad facilities, a vast network of superior highways and splendid air transportation serve the city.

The supply of labor is much more extensive than population statistics indicate. Manpower from the rural areas, small towns and urban communities within a radius of 25 to 50 miles is avail- able to local industries. Many regularly-employed workers com- mute daily by automobile and bus.

The altitude-739 feet above sea level-and temperate climate are healthful and advantageous to business and industry.

The city's location, near the exact center of the nation's population, and position between other metropolitan cities, also are helpful to industry.

Indianapolis is a metropolitan community ideally located be-

THE HEART OF INDIANAPOLIS FROM THE AIR

.4 .4

INTRODUCTION

MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

tween producers of raw materials and rich consumer markets and possessing resources and advantages which have made it one of the nation's finest and most progressive industrial and business locations.

Here, more than 110,000 workers are provided industrial em- ployment by more than 1,100 plants, widely diversified as to product.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Area

The Metropolitan Area of Indianapolis includes all Marion County and consists of approximately 402 square miles of level territory. The population, as of July, 1956, was an estimated 620,000.

The area includes Indianapolis, the largest city in the state, and 21 corporate towns. Besides being the state capital and the seat of Marion County, Indianapolis is located in the exact center of the state and covers 62.44 square miles. The July, 1956, popu- lation estimate for Indianapolis was 445,000.

The topography and climate of the city are ideal for continued expansion and development. There are no natural barriers to the orderly expansion of the city's boundaries and to the development

of existing resources. The altitude-739 feet above sea level- and temperate climate are healthful and advantageous to business and industry.

Business activities are divided between diversified manufactur- ing, trade and agriculture. Transportation facilities of major railways, motor freight and passenger bus lines, transcontinental air transport lines and national highways make it a strong com- mercial and distribution center, likewise.

The Indianapolis Union Railroad has 76 miles of track con- necting all railroads entering the city, thus serving the city and hundreds of industries requiring switching service. This service has proved to be a vital stimulant to the establishment of more industries and expansion of existing plants and mills.

Although the Indianapolis area is substantially a manufac- turing center, employment in industry is 36% of the total.

Diversified Industries

Unlike many other cities, Indianapolis is not dependent on any single industry or group of related industries, but enjoys the advantage of wide diversification of industrial resouces. This is shown by the fact that there are more than 1,200 industrial plants

AMERICAN LEGION NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

The American Legion National Headquarters is located at 750 N. Penn- sylvania Strect, and was erected and presented to the American Legion as its permanent national home. It was built at a cost of $2.500.000 and was dedicated in Angust, 1950. It augments a similar building, less than half this size, given to the Legion by the people of Indiana shortly after World War I. Both buildings are of Grecian archi- tecture, four stories high and faced with Indiana limestone.

XII

INTRODUCTION

THE INDIANA BELL TELEPHONE CO.'S ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AT INDIANAPOLIS

in the city, some of them the largest of their kind in the world, which produce around 1,200 different commodities.

Among the items produced here on a large scale are airplane and truck engines; pharmaceuticals and biologicals; ferrous and non-ferrous castings; phonograph records; radio and television sets; sound, electronic and electrical equipment; food products; canning and meat packing; power transmission devices; rubber products; road building and earth moving machinery; truck bodies; saws; wood products; heating and ventilating equipment; paper products; transportation equipment; trolley cars; trucks; buses; clothing; and many others.

The Indianapolis Industrial Exposition, located in the Union Railway Station, displays the products of more than 85 of Indi- anapolis' major industries. Opened in 1946, it is the only perma- nent industrial exposition of its kind in the nation. Up to 10,000 persons view the exhibits daily.

Indianapolis Industries

Among the larger home-owned industries in Indianapolis are:

Acme Evans Co., Inc., American Art Clay Co., American Foun- dry Co., Inc., Hugh J. Baker & Co., Barbasol Co., Beveridge Paper Co., Bookwalter Co., Inc., Bowes "Seal Fast" Corp., Wm. B. Burford Printing Co., Continental Optical Co., Electric Steel Castings Co., Engineering Metal Products Corp., Fairmount Glass Works, Inc., Freeman Store Equipment Co., Inc., Geiger & Peters, Inc., J. I. Holcomb Mfg. Co., Holcomb & Hoke Mfg. Co., Inc., Inland Con- tainer Corp., Insley Mfg. Co., Eli Lilly & Co., Lilly Varnish Co., P. R. Mallory & Co., Inc., Marmon-Herrington Co., Inc., Merz En- gineering, Inc., Paper Art Co., Inc., Paper Package Co., Peerless Furnace & Foundry, Inc., Republic Creosoting Co., Stokely-Van

Camp, Inc., Stark-Wetzel & Co., Inc., U. S. Corrugated-Fibre Box Co., and Mme. C. J. Walker Mfg. Co.

Among the important manufacturing plants which are part of national organizations are:

J. D. Adams Division, Le Tourneau-Westinghouse Co .; Allison Division, General Motors Corp .; American Can Co .; Atkins Saw Division, Borg-Warner Corp., Basea Mfg. Co., Division of Huyler's; Bemis Bro. Bag Co .; Bridgeport Brass Co .; Bryant Division, Car- rier Corp .; Chevrolet-Indianapolis Division, General Motors Corp .; Chrysler Corp .; Cold Metal Products Co .; Continental Baking Corp .; Cornell-Dubilier Electric Co .; Diamond Chain Co .; Glidden Co .; Heppenstall Steel Co .; W. J. Holliday Co., Division of Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp .; International Harvester Co .; Kingan Division, Hygrade Food Products Corp .; Linde Air Prod- ucts Co. (two plants); Link Belt Co. (two plants); McQuay-Norris Mfg. Co .; National Malleable & Steel Castings Co .; National Lead Co .; National Starch Products, Inc .; New York Central Rail- road; Omar, Inc .; Oval & Koster Division of Messenger Corp .; Peerless Pump Division, Food Machinery & Chemical Corp .; Pennsylvania Railroad; Pitman-Moore Division of Allied Labora- tories; Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co .; R.C.A .- Victor Division, Radio Corp. of America; Richardson Co .; Smith Agricultural Chemical Co .; Standard Brands, Inc. (Margarine & Salad Dressing Divi- sion) ; South Wind Division, Stewart-Warner Corp .; United States Envelope Co .; U. S. Rubber Co .; Western Electric Co .; Zenite Metal Corp.

Trade

Indianapolis is justly proud of its fine retail and wholesale districts. The city's stores and shops are outstanding. In ap- pointments, selection, variety and quality of merchandise and in

XIII

INTRODUCTION

BUTLER UNIVERSITY

service given to their patrons, the city's retail estabilshments rank among the finest to be found in any large city.

Department stores in the downtown area are considered by national retail authorities to be among the nation's best.

Here is located the second largest "exclusively-shoes" store in the U. S.

Products sold at wholesale are greatly diversified, and the extensive wholesale district now serves a vast area extending 70 miles or more in every direction. The population of the wholesale trade area is nearly 2,000,000.

Since the end of World War II, the city's three largest de- partment stores have been extensively enlarged and modernized through new building programs.

During the same period a very large part of the down- town shopping and financial district has undergone a vast im- provement program through modernization of scores of store fronts, building exteriors, and store and office building interiors.

The aggressive Merchants Association and Better Business Bureau, enjoying the co-operation of a large number of the community's business firms, works constantly to insure for those who live and trade here, fair dealing, reasonable prices, and goods that fulfill all advertised promises.

Those who may attempt unfair trade practices in Indianapolis will soon find that they are unwelcome. The stores and shops which value their good reputations, developed from excellent customer relations, thrive and expand, while any who will not conform to good business practices find the spotlight of unfavor- able notoriety focused upon them.

Education

INDIANAPOLIS, as a cominunity, offers splendid educational advantages in all of the usual and many special fields.

Here, beautiful grounds and fine buildings with superior train- ing facilities enhance the pleasure and satisfaction of pursuit of knowledge in fields of letters, sciences, arts, professions and voca- tions. And opportunities for education from the pre-school age through the university are practically unlimited.

This fine system of schools, libraries and other educational institutions, both public and private, brings all levels of education within the reach of Indianapolis residents.

In this progressive city, public school management is relatively free from any undesirable political influences. A Citizens' Non- Partisan School Committee has elevated selection of members of the public school board above all such considerations.

JOIIN HERRON ART INSTITUTE

The John Herron Art Institute, ad- ministered by the Art Association of Indianapolis, is the largest organiza- tion of its kind in the state, and recognized throughout the country for the importance of its art collection and the quality of its instruction. It is supported by memberships, endowment, special gifts and municipal funds. The Art Association was organized in 1883. Through the bequest of John Herron, the present site was purchased and buildings were erected in 1906. The collection of paintings, sculpture, pot- tery. etc., has grown steadily, and now includes items from all parts of the world. It is located at 16th and Penn- sylvania streets.

XIV

INTRODUCTION

THE INDIANA WORLD WAR I MEMORIAL SHRINE BUILDING

The Indiana World War I Memorial Shrine Building, in the center of the World War I Memorial Plaza (in Indianapolis), is the main building in the plaza. The base of the shrine building, alone, is 230 feet wide and 400 feet long. The halls and corridor of the basement and first floor provide space for a large museum and an auditorium seating approximately 600 persons. Above the auditorium is located the shrine room, declared by many architects and artists to be one of the most stately and beautiful halls ever created by man. In it are hung oil paintings of all the great Allied military and naval officers of World War I, and around these are massed the battle flags of the Allies. The corner- stone of the shrine building was laid July 4, 1927, by General Jolin J. Pershing, on the 151st anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. In the right foreground is the obelisk, erected of black Berwick granite which rests in a pink Moose-a-bec granite base and rises to a height of 100 feet. The fountain base of the shaft is built of pink Georgia marble and the floor is paved with terrazzo. At night the fountain sprays (not shown in this picture) are illuminated with multi-color lights.

Here, 91 free kindergartens, well located, provide pre-school age training. There are 88 elementary public schools, two public special schools, 36 parochial elementary schools, eight public high schools and seven parochial high schools.

More than 58,100 students are enrolled in the public ele- mentary schools. Parochial elementary schools provide for 14,000 more. Of the latter, 12,850 attend the 36 Catholic grade schools. Others are enrolled in Lutheran and the Seventh Day Adventist schools.

More than 16,000 students attend public high schools, with 2,300 more in parochial high schools.

Outside the city limits, the 49 grade and high schools which constitute the Marion County School System have an enrollment of more than 25,500 students.

Two other incorporated towns in the Metropolitan area, Beech Grove and Speedway, have their own city school systems. Beech Grove has approximately 800 enrolled in the grade and high schools, while the Speedway schools are attended by more than 900.

Indianapolis schools are widely and favorably known for the operation of an extensive program of adult education, largely in the night classes and in on-the-job training programs.

Through the Indianapolis Goodwill Industries and other serv- ice organizations co-operating with the city, state and federal educational programs, an extensive service in training physically handicapped in vocational fields is carried on.

Improved teaching methods, high standards for selection of teachers, careful supervision and the alert and active parent- teacher organizations have aided in keeping efficiency of the schools on a very high level.

The library system is operated by the city school administra- tion. It includes a central library and 21 conveniently located branches. A state library, in Indianapolis, houses an abundance of historical and reference material.

A children's museum, one of the first in the U. S., which through distribution of many educational exhibits and mainte- nance of a large museum building, serves as a valuable adjunct of the educational system.

The Indianapolis public school system employs 2,800 licensed persons, and has an annual payroll of approximately $15,000,000 and an educational plant valued at $48,000,000.

BUTLER UNIVERSITY, established here in 1855 as the Northwestern Christian University, moved to a beautiful, 246-acre wooded tract in 1928. Today, Butler is an integral part of the community. It occupies four stately and modern educational , buildings, the J. I. Holcomb Botanical Gardens and new Garden House, and possesses an exceptional athletic plant, a field house seating 15,000 and a stadium capable of seating 35,000.

A fine new men's dormitory was completed on the Butler campus in 1955.

During recent years, Butler University has recorded an aver- age enrollment of approximately 5,500 students. Instruction is offered in colleges of liberal arts and sciences, education, business administration, pharmacy and school of religion as well as the professional fields. Forty-seven members of the Butler faculty are named in Who's Who in American Education, and in American Men of Science.

Today, Butler University's educational plant is valued at nearly $6,000,000. Plans are under way, at this time, for addi- tional facilities to be constructed at an early date.

INDIANA CENTRAL COLLEGE, incorporated in 1902, is man- aged by a board representing the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, of the six conferences comprising churches in Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. The college is recognized by the Indiana State Board of Education as an accredited school. A liberal arts college, it has strong departments in teacher training, music, arts, speech, business, home economics and religion, as well as pre-professional courses. Its physical properties are ideal, and a faculty of approximately 35 provides fine leadership in maintain- ing high social and moral standards. Since 1945 the college has engaged in an extensive expansion program.

MARIAN COLLEGE, a co-educational liberal arts college, is one of the nation's outstanding schools of its type. Conducted by the Sisters of St. Francis, it is primarily a Catholic college, but it welcomes non-Catholic students. The curriculum of the school is divided into main division groups as: Religion and philosophy,

INTRODUCTION

MARION COUNTY COURT HOUSE

language and literature, natural sciences, social sciences and fine arts. The college confers degrees of bachelor of arts and bachelor of science.

Marian College became a co-educational school in 1954.

The school is located on a 63-acre campus of great beauty, surrounding a private lake, at the edge of Indianapolis.

Indianapolis has numerous preparatory and private schools, and important branches of Indiana's two State-owned univer- sities.

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Polk's Indianapolis (Marion County, Ind.) city directory, 1956, Part 2

Author: Publication date: 1956 Publisher: R.L. Polk Number of Pages: 1588

Author:
Publication date: 1956
Publisher: R.L. Polk
Number of Pages: 1588