Military Park (Indianapolis)

Park and historic site in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

For other parks named Military Park, see Military Park.

Military Park

Military Park in 2011

Interactive map highlighting Military Park within White River State Park

Type| Urban park, state park
Location| White River State Park
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Area| 14 acres (5.7 ha)
Opened| 1852; 173 years ago (1852)
Owned by| State of Indiana
Operated by| White River State Park Development Commission
Open| Daily, 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Status| Open all year

Military Park

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. Historic district

NRHP reference No.| 69000002[1]
Added to NRHP| October 28, 1969

Military Park is the oldest urban park in Indianapolis, Indiana, covering 14 acres (6 ha). It is located in western downtown Indianapolis. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 28, 1969.

## History

[edit]

Historical marker at the park

The grounds of Military Park, originally called Military Ground, have seen various uses since the founding of Indianapolis in 1820. The first documented celebration of Independence Day in the city occurred at Military Ground on July 4, 1822. The United States Congress officially gave the land to the state of Indiana in 1827 for use in training the local militias. Prior to 1860, its greatest use for militia training was for the Black Hawk War in 1836.[2][3]

In accordance with the 1851 Indiana Constitution, the land that forms Military Park cannot be sold; only Monument Circle and half of the Indiana State Capitol grounds share this distinction.[4][5] The first Indiana State Fair was held at the park in October 1852. The site continued to be used whenever the fair was held in Indianapolis until 1860 when the fair was moved to what would later become Camp Morton during the Civil War. Stalls and exhibition halls were built on the grounds for the fair, surrounded by a large wooden fence. The state fair made one last appearance on Military Park in 1863.[2]

During the Civil War, Union soldiers were encamped at the park. Governor Oliver P. Morton renamed the park Camp Sullivan, after the 13th Indiana Infantry's Colonel Jeremiah C. Sullivan. It was the first designated camp for the Federal army in Marion County, Indiana. However, this use severely damaged the grounds, due to the different troops entering and leaving Camp Sullivan, as it was a marshaling center. Following the war, efforts by local resident George Merritt started to improve the grounds, with the addition of a fountain and a small pool with a rock foundation of considerable size. Relics from the war and playground equipment were also added, as was a pavilion that still stands.[6][7]

William Jennings Bryan was notified that he would be the Democrat nominee for the Presidency of the United States on August 7, 1900. The two-hour rally was preceded by a march by the candidates from Indianapolis's Union Station.[8]

In 1916, the park was renamed Camp Sullivan Park. Between World War I and World War II, the park began to deteriorate. On October 28, 1969, the park, again known as Military Park, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The park continued to deteriorate until 1980 when the Lilly Endowment and Krannert Charitable Trust granted funds for its improvement.[9] In 1979, it became part of White River State Park.[10]

In 2007, the park's shelter house was renovated for over $700,000.[11]

## See also

[edit]

* Indianapolis in the American Civil War
* List of parks in Indianapolis
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Center Township, Marion County, Indiana

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
2. ^ a b Bodenhamer 1008
3. ^ "Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD)" (Searchable database). Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Retrieved August 1, 2016. Note: This includes Wm. B. Barnes (September 1969). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Military Park" (PDF). Retrieved August 1, 2016. and Accompanying photographs
4. ^ Bodenhamer, David. The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis (Indiana University Press, 1994) pg.1008
5. ^ White River State Park Archived 2008-03-22 at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ Camp Sullivan (Military Park) Marker
7. ^ Bodenhamer 443, 1008, 1009
8. ^ All ready at Indianapolis; The Town Completes Arrangements For the Bryan Notification Ceremonies, New York Times, August 6, 1900
9. ^ Bodenhamer 1008, 1009
10. ^ Bodenhamer 1009
11. ^ Shelter House at Military Park Gets a Makeover – Newsroom – Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick Archived 2007-08-25 at the Wayback Machine

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Military Park (Indianapolis) at Wikimedia Commons

* v
* t
* e

Indiana in the American Civil War

People|

* William A. Bowles
* Jesse D. Bright
* Ambrose Burnside
* Harrison H. Dodd
* Alvin P. Hovey
* Andrew Humphreys
* Lambdin P. Milligan
* Oliver P. Morton
* Francis A. Shoup
* Lew Wallace
* Indiana regiments

Places|

* Camp Joe Holt
* Camp Morton
* Jefferson General Hospital
* Jeffersonville Quartermaster Depot
* Military Park
* New Albany National Cemetery

* Battles
* raids

* Battle of Corydon
* Battle of Pogue's Run
* Hines' Raid
* Morgan's Raid
* Newburgh Raid

Related|

* Union Literary Institute

See also: Indianapolis in the American Civil War

* v
* t
* e

Indianapolis Cultural Trail

Cultural districts|

* Canal and White River State Park
* Fountain Square
* Indiana Avenue
* Market East
* Mass Ave
* Wholesale

Parks|

* American Legion Mall
* Hudnut Commons
* Military Park
* Richard G. Lugar Plaza
* The Idle
* White River State Park

Public art|

* Ann Dancing
* Care/Don't Care
* Chatham Passage
* E Pluribus Unum
* Glick Peace Walk
* Looking Through Windows
* Moving Forward
* Poet's Place
* Prairie Modules 1 & 2
* Swarm Street
* Talking Wall

Related|

* Gene B. Glick
* Indiana Pacers Bikeshare

Commons

* v
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* e

National Register of Historic Places in Indianapolis, Indiana

Districts|

* Brendonwood
* Camp Edwin F. Glenn
* Central Court
* Chatham–Arch
* Cottage Home
* Cumberland
* Emerson Avenue Addition
* Fletcher Place
* Forest Hills
* Fort Benjamin Harrison (Boundary Increase)
* Garfield Drive
* Golden Hill
* Haughville
* Herron–Morton Place
* Holy Rosary–Danish Church
* Homecroft
* Indiana Avenue
* Indianapolis Union Station Wholesale District
* Irvington
* Irvington Terrace
* Laurel and Prospect
* Lockerbie Square (Boundary Increase)
* Massachusetts Avenue
* Meridian Park
* New Augusta
* North Meridian Street
* North Pennsylvania Street
* Northside
* North Irvington Gardens
* Old Northside
* Oliver Johnson's Woods
* P.R. Mallory Company Factory
* Ransom Place
* Riverside Drive
* St. Joseph Neighborhood
* St.Philip Neri Parish
* Shortridge–Meridian Street Apartments
* State and Prospect
* Town of Crows Nest
* Virginia Avenue
* Washington Park
* Washington Street–Monument Circle
* Watson Park
* Woodruff Place

Houses|

* Allison Mansion
* Anderson–Thompson House
* Askren House
* Apple House
* Bals–Wocher House
* Bates–Hendricks House
* Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site
* Benton House
* Byram–Middleton House
* Campbell Mansion
* Cole House & 1925 Cole Brouette No. 70611
* Cotton–Ropkey House
* Flanner House Homes
* Fletcher House
* Glossbrenner Mansion
* Graham House
* Hannah–Oehler–Elder House
* Haverstick Farmstead
* Hill House
* Hollingsworth House
* Horner–Terrill House
* Hubbard House
* Jamieson–Bennett House
* Johnson–Denny House
* Julian–Clark House
* Kuhn House
* Levey Mansion
* Lustron House
* Mattison House
* Meier House
* Millikan House
* Moore House
* Morris–Butler House
* Nicholson–Rand House
* Oldfields
* Pierson–Griffiths House
* The Propylaeum (Schmidt House)
* Prosser House
* Recker House
* Riley House
* Schnull–Rauch House
* Sommer House
* Stewart Mansion
* Stumpf House
* Thompson House
* Tobey-Normington House
* Tomlinson House
* Wheeler–Stokely Mansion

Downtown
Apartments
and Flats|

* Alameda
* Alexandra
* Ambassador
* Baker
* Blacherne
* Burton
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* Colonial
* Dartmouth
* Delaware Court
* Delaware Flats
* Devonshire
* Emelie
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* Grover
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* Lodge
* Martens
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* Mayleeno
* McKay
* Myrtle Fern
* Oxford
* Pennsylvania
* Plaza
* Rink
* Savoy
* Shelton
* Sid-Mar
* Spink
* Sylvania
* St. Clair
* Vienna
* Wil-Fra-Mar
* Wilson
* Wyndham

Other
Apartments|

* Balmoral Court
* The Buckingham
* Coulter Flats
* Esplanade Apartments
* Gaseteria, Inc.
* The Gramse
* Linwood Colonial Apartments
* Lockefield Garden Apartments
* Manchester Apartments
* Marcy Village Apartments
* Pearson Terrace
* Saint James Court
* The Seville
* Vera and the Olga

Lodgings|

* Aston Inn
* Heier's Hotel
* Hotel Washington
* Marott Hotel
* Sheffield Inn
* Spink Arms Hotel
* YWCA Blue Triangle Residence Hall

Schools and
Libraries|

* Administration Building, Indiana Central University
* Arthur Jordan Memorial Hall
* Central Library
* Crispus Attucks High School
* East Washington Library
* Hawthorne Branch Library
* IPS 13
* IPS 33
* IPS 36
* IPS 58
* IPS 66
* IPS 82
* IPS 84
* IPS 97
* Indiana School for the Deaf
* Indiana State Library
* Riverside Branch Library
* Old Southport High School
* Spades Park Library
* Shortridge High School

Government|

* Federal Building
* Indiana Statehouse
* Indianapolis Fire Headquarters and Municipal Garage
* Indianapolis Veterans Administration Hospital
* Old Indianapolis City Hall
* Old Pathology Building
* U.S. Arsenal (Arsenal Technical High School)
* U.S. Courthouse and Post Office

Commercial|

* Architects and Builders Building
* L.S. Ayres Annex Warehouse
* City Market
* Fame Laundry
* Fidelity Trust Building
* Hammond Block
* Indianapolis News Building
* Jackson Buildings
* Kahn Tailoring Company Building
* Lombard Building
* Majestic Building
* Marott's Shoes Building
* Merchants National Bank and Annex
* Morrison Block
* Reserve Loan Life Insurance Company
* Rink's Womens Apparel Store
* Selig's Dry Goods Company Building
* Taylor Carpet Company Building
* Tee Pee Restaurant
* Test Building
* H. P. Wasson and Company Building
* William Buschmann Block

Industrial|

* Cole Motor Car Company
* Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant
* Gibson Company Building
* H. Lauter Company Complex
* Indianapolis Chair Manufacturing Company
* H. C. S. Motor Car Company
* Indiana Oxygen Company
* Stutz Motor Car Company
* West Washington Street Pumping Station
* Wheeler–Schebler Carburetor Company

Transportation|

* Fort Harrison Terminal Station
* Indianapolis Union Station
* Marion County Bridge 0501F
* Michigan Road Toll House
* P.C.C. & St. L. Railroad Freight Depot
* Stout Field Administration Building and Hangar

Art and
Theater|

* Circle Theater
* Foster Hall
* Indiana Theatre
* Madam C. J. Walker Building
* Rivoli Theater

Sport and
Recreation|

* Broad Ripple Park Carousel
* Bush Stadium
* Highland Golf and Country Club
* Butler Fieldhouse
* Hillcrest Country club
* Indianapolis Motor Speedway
* Woodstock Country Club

Religious|

* Bethel A.M.E. Church
* Beth-El Zedeck Temple
* Big Run Baptist Church and Cemetery
* Christ Church Cathedral
* Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church
* Our Savior Lutheran Church
* Roberts Park Methodist Episcopal Church
* St. John's Church and Rectory
* St. Mary's Catholic Church
* St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church

Private and
Civic Groups|

* Athenaeum
* Christamore House
* Colored Knights of Pythias Castle Hall
* Columbia Club
* General German Protestant Orphans Home
* Independent Turnverein
* Indiana State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
* Indianapolis Athletic Club
* Indianapolis Masonic Temple
* Maennerchor Building
* Oriental Lodge No. 500
* Scottish Rite Cathedral
* South Side Turnverein Hall
* University Club

Outdoor
Spaces|

* Archeological Sites 12Ma648 and 12Ma649
* Caleb Blood Smith Historic Site
* Crown Hill Cemetery
* Crown Hill National Cemetery
* Indiana World War Memorial Plaza
* Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System
* McCormick Cabin Site
* Military Park
* Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park
* State Soldiers and Sailors Monument
* University Park

National Register of Historic Places in Indianapolis
Entries in italics have been removed from the registry

* v
* t
* e

Parks in Indianapolis

Parks|

* ARTSPARK
* Ball Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park
* Brookside Park
* Cancer Survivors Park
* Eagle Creek Park
* Ellenberger Park
* Fort Harrison State Park
* Garfield Park
* The Idle
* Indianapolis World Sports Park
* Lentz Park
* Military Park
* Oldfields
* Riverside Park
* Skiles Test Nature Park
* Southeastway Park
* Southwestway Park
* Town Run Trail Park
* University Park
* Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres
* White River Gardens
* White River State Park

Trails|

* Fall Creek Greenway
* Indianapolis Cultural Trail
* Monon Trail
* Pleasant Run Greenway
* Pogue's Run Greenway

Related|

* Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System
* Lilly ARBOR Project

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