Indianapolis Timeline

Ute Perkins builds the first cabin

Perkins builds the first cabin in the area along a small creek near present-day Michigan Road, now known as Pogue’s Run, but moves to Rush County. George Pogue takes over Perkins’ cabin when he comes to the area in March 1820.

Site for new state capital at White River and Fall Creek chosen

The capital selection committee convenes at John McCormick’s cabin and chooses the site at the confluence of White River and Fall Creek for Indiana’s new state capital.

Wesley Chapel becomes the first church

Reverend William Cravens organizes the first church after a Methodist gathering at Isaac Wilson’s log cabin during the summer of 1821.

Joseph C. Reed opens the first school

In the spring of 1821, Joseph C. Reed becomes the first teacher after he established a school in the small community cabin at Kentucky and Washington streets. 

Malaria epidemic strikes

Heavy rainfall creates conditions for the spread of malaria, claiming the lives of 72 residents, or 1 of 8 people living in Indianapolis. 

Population in 1822 is an estimated 500 residents

First postmaster appointed

Samuel Henderson, one of the first settlers in Indianapolis, becomes postmaster of the town’s first post office.

First Marion County election

The first election in Marion County has 336 voters (224 in Indianapolis). Votes are cast for two associate judges, a county clerk, a county recorder, and three county commissioners. 

First meeting of Marion County commissioners

The newly elected county officers meet for the first time and divide the county into 13 townships for administrative purposes.

First theatrical production

A traveling theatrical group presents the first theatrical production on New Year’s Eve, “The Doctor’s Courtship” and “Jealous Lover”. The performances take place in the dining room of Thomas Carter’s tavern, the Rosebush Tavern.

Indianapolis becomes state capital

The General Assembly makes Indianapolis the seat of the state government. The law will not become effective until January 1, 1825.

Indiana General Assembly meets in new state capital

The Indiana General Assembly has its first session in Indianapolis after officially moving from Corydon on January 1, 1825.

Indiana Journal begins publication

John Douglass and Douglass Maguire publish the first issue of the Indiana Journal with a focus on political issues.

Indiana State Library opens

The state library opens with the secretary of state acting as librarian. The General Assembly establishes it to provide library service to the legislature, state government officials, and other governmental personnel.

First volunteer fire company organizes

A volunteer fire department organizes several months after the first recorded fire. The department uses a church bell for alarms and has only ladders and buckets to fight fires. 

Indianapolis Sabbath School Union established

Three years after the first “union sunday school” takes place, Indiana Sabbath School Union, established at Charlestown, forms three branches, one of which is in Indianapolis. 

Governor’s residence erected on Governor’s Circle

Although designated as the governor’s house, no governor takes up residence there. It serves several other functions before being demolished in 1857. Governor’s Circle later become known as Monument Circle.

U.S. Congress donates ground for militia training

First used in 1822 to celebrate the city’s first Independence Day, Congress donates the land that is current day Military Park to Indiana for militia training.

Temperance Society of Marion County organizes

Indianapolis residents gather at the Methodist meetinghouse and organize the Temperance Society of Marion County. Members of the new society pledge to discontinue alcohol use unless needed medicinally.

Two women’s academies open

On the same day, both the Indianapolis Female School and Miss Hooker’s Female School open, becoming the town’s first schools for young women. Both are short-lived.

The steamboat Robert Hanna arrives from Cincinnati

The steamboat reputedly is the only one ever to ascend the White River to Indianapolis. The vessel runs aground on its return trip, dashing hopes about the navigability of the waterway.

Indianapolis incorporates as a town

The Town of Indianapolis incorporates, and the local government is placed under the direction of five trustees to be elected on September 29.

Central Christian Church organizes

John O’Kane, a Virginia evangelist and “Campbellite,” establishes the Church of Christ (Central Christian Church). Early leaders include Butler Smith, John Sanders, and Zerelda Wallace (wife of Governor David Wallace).

First Catholic Mass

Rev. Claude Francis of Logansport offers the first Catholic Mass in Indianapolis at Powers Tavern on West Washington Street.

First annual fair of the Marion County Agricultural Society

After forming in June, the Marion County Agriculture Society plans the first Marion County fair, which is held on October 30–31 at the Courthouse Square.

First Catholic parish organizes

Father Vincent Bacquelin organizes the town’s first Catholic parish, Holy Cross.  In November, the Diocese of Vincennes purchases land south of Military Park to build a church, which is built in 1840.

General Assembly reincorporates Indianapolis

The legislature passes a reincorporation act with a new charter that provides a town council with taxing, licensing, and legislative powers. It also increases the number of wards to six. 

Second Presbyterian Church organizes

Fifteen members who depart the “Old School” First Presbyterian Church establish the new congregation. Henry Ward Beecher becomes its first pastor.

Zion Evangelical Protestant Lutheran and Reformed Zion Church holds first meeting

German immigrants found the church, which does not offer services in English until 1928. 

Jacob and George Chapman purchase precursor to Indiana Sentinel

The newspaper is called the Indiana Democrat (1830) when the Chapmans purchase it. They rename it, and the Sentinel becomes the leading newspaper of the Indiana Democratic Party.

St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church organizes

Eighteen members meet in the home of Anton Friederich Bade to found the congregation. The first church building, considered the “mother church” by the town’s German Lutherans, is located at Alabama Street.

Marion County Library forms

The Marion County Library forms as a subscription library under the provisions of the 1816 Indiana constitution. It is housed in the basement of the county courthouse.

Flooding damages property

The city experiences intense flooding at the end of the year, as it had earlier at the beginning of the year. In both instances, the flooding damages landscape and property, sweeping away whole structures. 

Indianapolis incorporates as a city

Voters endorse a new charter by an overwhelming majority of 449 to 19, making Indianapolis an incorporated city.

Samuel Henderson becomes first mayor

Samuel Henderson, the first postmaster and president of the Town Council, wins election as the first mayor. Residents also vote for a special tax levy to fund free schools.

Smallpox scare causes City Council to secure land for hospital

With the arrival of smallpox on June 12, the city common council appoints a board of health and a committee to identify land suitable for a hospital. Although property is purchased, the idea of a hospital is abandoned when the disease subsides.

Madison and Indianapolis Railroad arrives

Madison and Indianapolis Railroad, the first steam railroad completed in Indiana, begins operations in 1847. The railroad arrives at Indianapolis in October.

Indiana Central Medical College opens

Indiana Central Medical College, the first proprietary medical school, opens in November 1849 and is located on East Washington Street. It closes in 1852, and another medical school does not appear in Indiana until 1869.

Mechanics Mutual Protection organizes

Local, skilled artisans form the Mechanics Mutual Protection, a union precursor, and call for increased wages, improved educational opportunities, and better health care.

State constitutional convention drafts proposal to prevent migration of African Americans into state

Voters statewide overwhelmingly approve the measure. Marion County votes 2,509 to 308 in favor. The measure subsequently becomes Article 13 of the 1851 state constitution.

Indianapolis Turngemeinde opens

Located on West Washington Street, the Indianapolis Turngemeinde promotes physical fitness, freethought, liberal politics, and German language and culture.

Indianapolis Board of Trade created

Thirty-six of the city’s leading businessmen and boosters form the first Indianapolis Board of Trade, the forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce.

First free schools open

Funded by tax revenues, 2 men and 12 women serve as teachers at the first free schools. Average attendance increases from 340 students in April to 700 in May.

Voters approve a new city charter

The new charter establishes a common council of 14 members elected from 7 wards and a mayor elected citywide.

First public high school opens

Indianapolis High School, the city’s first public high school, is only open for five years. It closes in 1858 when the Indiana Supreme Court declares local taxation for schools unconstitutional.

Union Station opens

Designed by architect Joseph Curzon, the country’s first union station–a central station that accommodates many independent rail lines–commences operation with five tracks. 

Paid police department established

The common council passes an ordinance establishing a new police department. The department consists of 14 officers, two from each of the city’s wards.

Indianapolis Widows’ and Orphans’ Asylum incorporates

The Indianapolis Widows and Orphans Friends’ Society, (later the Children’s Bureau of Indianapolis) incorporates and erects a children’s orphanage, which is later renamed the Indianapolis Orphans’ Asylum.

North Western Christian University opens

Chartered five years prior, the university finally opens its doors, becoming one of the first universities in the country to admit students regardless of race or gender.

First history of Indianapolis published

Local attorney Ignatius Brown publishes a history of the city, which appears in the 1857 city directory. It was the first historical sketch of Indianapolis.

Public schools close

Indiana Supreme Court overturns tax-supported free public education, deeming it unconstitutional. Indianapolis public schools struggle for funding and suspend operations. 

First paid fire department authorized

The Common Council votes to establish the city’s first paid fire department. The city’s volunteer fire companies are disbanded. 

Population in 1860 totals 18,611

White: 18,113

Black/African American: 498 

Street lights added to city streets

The city purchases and installs lamps along 8.5 miles of street—the first public street lighting. Property owners had paid to illuminate two city blocks seven years prior.  

Camp Morton converts to a prison for Confederate soldiers

Gov. Morton responds to the need for prisoner of war accommodations by converting Camp Morton into a prison camp. Within a month, some 3,700 prisoners-of-war arrive.

Battle of Pogue’s Run

As Democrats leave their state convention by train, armed soldiers overtake them and confiscate their weapons. The soldiers discard them into Pogue’s Run.

Täglicher Telegraph begins publication

The Democratic newspaper begins publication as a weekly but becomes the city’s first daily German-language newspaper in 1866. It merges with the Tribüne to become the independent Telegraph and Tribüne in 1907. 

Governors Circle renamed Circle Park

The City Common Council orders the Circle to be regraded, benches and sidewalks added, and renamed Circle Park.

Indianapolis Home for Friendless Women organizes

Jane Chambers McKinney Graydon and Catharine Merrill incorporate the organization in February 1867 as a place to care for orphans, homeless women, and widows. 

Two amateur baseball clubs from Indianapolis play the first baseball game in the city

Two amateur clubs from Indianapolis share a doubleheader on the Camp Burnside grounds with a team from Lafayette, as well as with the Washington Nationals. 

The Maennerchor hosts the National Saengerfest

The North American Saengerbund’s 15th National Saengerfest begins in Indianapolis. It lasts for four days and includes three concerts, a parade, a grand ball, and a picnic. 

Population in 1870 totals 48,244

White: 45,309

Black/African American: 2,931 

American Indian/Alaska Native: 4

Enos B. Reed starts publication of The People

People is a Sunday weekly dedicated to politics, literature, and society. It is the first Indianapolis newspaper to use woodcut illustrations and becomes known for sensationalized crime and scandal stories.

Town of Nora established

Swedish immigrant Peter Lawson founds the town of Nora, originally centered near current Westfield Boulevard and 86th Street.

Collection of climate data begins

The city installs the first weather instruments used to collect climate data at Blackford’s Block at the southeast corner of Washington and Meridian streets.

Water Works Company begins supplying consumers

Chartered the previous year by the city council and predecessor of Indianapolis Water Company. Drawing from two large wells, the company reports 439 customers within a year.

Indiana Reformatory Institution for Women and Girls opens

Founded in 1869,  the institution finally opens with the transfer of 17 women who are incarcerated at the Indiana State Prison in Jeffersonville. The facility is the first of its kind in the U.S.

House of the Good Shepherd opens

The Sisters of the Good Shepherd opens the House of the Good Shepherd on Raymond Street west of Meridian Street. The organization is a home for “erring” women and girls.

Indianapolis Library opens

Located in one room of the high school building at the northeast corner of Pennsylvania and Michigan streets, the library begins with 12,790 volumes ready for 500 registered borrowers.

North Western Christian University moves to Irvington

North Western Christian University moves to the newly incorporated town of Irvington. Two years later its name changes to Butler University in honor of its longtime leader and benefactor Ovid Butler.

Indianapolis fields its own professional baseball team

The Indianapolis Blues forms in summer 1876. The team joins the organized International League the next season. 

Indianapolis celebrates the nation’s centennial

The community celebrates the occasion with a large parade, elaborate floats, staged tableaux, commemorative speeches, and balloon lifts.

Indianapolis Literary Club organizes to advance social, literary, and aesthetic culture

Six men establish the Indianapolis Literary Club . They model the club after the Chicago and Cincinnati men’s literary clubs and the Indianapolis Woman’s Club.

First telephones installed

The state’s first telephone company, Indiana District Telephone Company, organizes in Indianapolis. Wales & Company, a coal supply firm, becomes the first location to have telephones installed. 

American United Life Insurance established

The Knights of Pythias lodge creates an insurance program, which becomes American United Life Insurance, to serve its current members and to attract new members. 

Stockyards open

The stockyards, located along Kentucky Avenue and the Belt Line Railroad just west of the White River, include 12 acres. Before its establishment, meatpackers and retail butchers traded livestock through private yards.

Indianapolis Matinee Musicale founded

Nine young women gather in a parlor to spend a musical afternoon together. They establish the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale, an organization for the study and performance of music.

Indianapolis Equal Suffrage Society established

Local women May Wright Sewall, Laura Donnan, and Zerelda Wallace form their own suffrage association. The society would later be extended into a statewide organization. 

Indiana Tribüne begins publication

Louis D. Hild establishes a Republican, German-language newspaper.  The four-page weekly has a circulation of 800.

The Indianapolis Bar Assocation founded

Forty prominent Indianapolis attorneys, including future U.S. President Benjamin Harrison and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks create the organization. Napolean B. Taylor serves as its first president

First telephone exchange established

E. T. and James Gilliland, local manufacturers of telephone equipment, establish Indiana’s first telephone exchange in Indianapolis in March 1879 under the Bell patents.

Population in 1880 totals 75,056

White: 68,538

Black/African American: 6,504

American Indian/Alaska Native: 1

Asian/Pacific Islander: 13

English Opera House opens

Hamlet is the theater’s premiere production. The first section of the hotel, constructed around the theater, follows in 1884 and a second section in 1896. 

Daughters of Charity of the St. Vincent de Paul Society comes to Indianapolis

Bishop Francis Silas Chartard invites the religious order to Indianapolis to establish a hospital. Four sisters set up St. Vincent Infirmary in a three-story house next to St. Joseph Church.

Electric service comes to Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Brush Electric and Power Company, the forerunner to Indianapolis Power and Light Company, becomes the first company to bring electric service to the city. 

First nurse training program

Flower Mission Training School for Nurses supplies nursing care for the Indianapolis City Hospital and provides nursing care for the community through a system of district nursing starting in June 1883.

Art Association of Indianapolis mounts its first exhibition

Shortly after the organization is incorporated in October, the association holds an exhibition of 453 works by 137 artists. It runs for three weeks at the English Opera House and establishes the Art Association on the city’s cultural scene.

Indiana’s first intercollegiate football game

Butler and DePauw play against each other in the state’s first football game between universities which is held at the 7th Street Baseball Grounds. Butler wins four goals to one.

Saenger chor created

German tradesmen form the society, dedicated to the labor reform movement. The society draws members together in private homes to sing songs of solidarity and justice for the working classes.

First Labor Day parade and celebration

The Knights of Labor collaborate with independent trade unions to hold the city’s first Labor Day parade. An estimated 4,000 residents participate.

The General Assembly begins its first session in the new State House

Designed by architects Edwin May and Adolph Scherrer, the new building consists of a central dome and rotunda, flanked by four-story wings within an enlarged State House grounds. Construction is completed by October 1888.

Jonathon W. Laughner opens Boston Confectionery

Laughner’s confectionery is later remodeled and renamed Laughner’s Dairy Lunch, becoming one of the first cafeteria-style restaurants in the Midwest.

Indianapolis Commercial Club established

Col. Eli Lilly, William Fortune, and other businessmen found the Indianapolis Commercial Club, later the Chamber of Commerce. Lilly serves as the first president.

Address numbering system adjusted to cope with continued growth

The city now uses Meridian and Washington streets as the dividing lines. It also eliminates all duplicate street names and erects street name signs. 

Population in 1890 totals 105,436

White: 96, 282

Black/African American: 9,133

American Indian/Alaska Native: 10

Asian/Pacific Islander: 11

City approves a new charter that serves until 1970

A nine-member, public-private committee drafts a new city charter. It grants unprecedented powers of appointment to the mayor and provides for a board of public works. 

Indianapolis Country Club opens

Country clubs become popular social centers for the cultural elite. Indianapolis gets its own country club when the Indianapolis Country Club is established.  Membership is restricted to white people only. 

American Nonconformist newspaper moves to Indianapolis

The Populist Party newspaper arranges the move to Indianapolis after the Indiana branch of the People’s Party is organized in July 1891.

First basketball game played in Indianapolis occurs at the Illinois Street YMCA

Reverend Nicholas McKay, an associate of Dr. James Naismith, basketball’s inventor, introduces the game to the Crawfordsville YMCA in 1893. The Indianapolis YMCA adopts the game soon thereafter. 

The city annexes several towns

The city of Indianapolis annexes West Indianapolis, Brightwood, Haughville, Mount Jackson, Stringtown, and Eastside Terrace.

The Daily Echo begins publication

The publication, the first and longest-running student newspaper in the nation, begins its 72-year existence at Shortridge High School.

John Hook and Edward F. Roesch found first Hook’s Drugstore

The first Hook’s Drug Store opens in October 1900 at 1101 S. East Street in Indianapolis’ German community. The firm eventually grows into the largest drugstore chain in the state.

Population in 1900 totals 169,164

White: 153,201

Black/African American:  15,931

Asian/Pacific Islander: 32

Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis begins providing day care

Founded in 1899 by the Kings Daughters Society, the organization converts a one-room center near Monument Circle for childcare, becoming the city’s first childcare center.

Socialist Party of America founded

Led by Eugene Debs and leaders of the Social Democratic Party, over 100 men and women meet in the Indianapolis Masonic Hall to found the Socialist Party of America. 

Indianapolis Star debuts

The Indianapolis Star debuts as a daily newspaper, the brainchild of Muncie industrialist George McCulloch. In the first two days, the Star distributes 50,000 free copies of the one-cent newspaper.

Concentrated Acetylene Company organizes

Partners Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, and P. C. Avery form Concentrated Acetylene Company to assemble and fill acetylene cylinders used in automobile headlights. The company later becomes Prest-O-Lite Company.

Max Emmerich becomes the first Olympic gold medal winner from Indianapolis

One of four athletes affiliated with the Socialer Turnverein who participated in the St. Louis Summer Olympic Games, Emmerich wins his gold medal for his participation in the triathlon, consisting of the 100-yard dash, long jump, and shot put. 

Publication of The House of a Thousand Candles

Indianapolis author Meredith Nicholson publishes the national bestseller and his most famous novel. The novel is set in Indiana.

Indianapolis Humane Society founded

Nine concerned citizens found the Humane Society of Indianapolis to prevent cruelty to women, children, animals, and other sentient beings.

New York Central Railroad purchases land for repair facility

The New York Central Railroad purchases 640 acres in Beech Grove to construct $5 million locomotive shop and equipment plant. It is touted as the “largest locomotive hospital in the world.”

Acme-Evans Milling Company forms

Acme-Evans Milling Company forms with the merger of the city’s oldest milling companies, Evans Milling Company, founded in the 1820s, and Acme Milling Company, established in 1840. 

The General Assemby authorizes Indiana University to conduct a medical school in Marion County

The authorization officially ends the controversy that began with establishment of a Purdue medical school in 1905. It allows IU to operate its school of medicine legally in Indianapolis for the first time. 

First municipal Christmas tree

Following the practice begun by New York City, Indianapolis erects its first municipal Christmas tree in University Park.

Indianapolis Boy Scout Council organizes

The Indianapolis council organizes and charters a Boy Scout troop with a membership of 100 boys. F. O. Belzer is the first scout executive leader. 

Three local trust companies create the Indianapolis Foundation

Fletcher Savings and Trust Company, Indiana Trust Company, and Union Trust Company adopt a joint resolution of trust to form the Indianapolis Foundation.

Population in 1920 totals 314,194

White: 279,411

Black/African American: 34,678

American Indian/Alaska Native: 8

Asian/Pacific Islander: 97

Community Chest organizes

The precursor to the United Way of Central Indiana, the Community Chest forms to unite fundraising efforts. It also coordinates activities of 40 different community service organizations. 

League of Women Voters established

After the 19th Amendment ensures women’s right to vote, the Indianapolis Branch of the Woman’s Franchise League of Indiana disbands and establishes a League of Women Voters of Indianapolis in its place.

First radio station launches

Francis F. Hamilton begins broadcast of 9ZJ, later WLK, from his garage at 2011 North Alabama Street.

First city in Indiana to pass zoning legislation

The Common Council creates a City Plan Commission and passes the city’s first zoning ordinance. This ordinance establishes five types of use districts: residential, apartment, business, and two industrial districts. 

Second radio station begins broadcasting

Noble B. Watson begins WOH with a sponsorship by the Hatfield Electronics Company. It is the first station to broadcast the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. 

Indianapolis Times wins Pulitzer Prize for exposé on Ku Klux Klan

The Times receives the Pulitzer Prize for its 1927 series exposing Ku Klux Klan activities in Indiana and helping to break the strength of that organization in the state.   

Population in 1930 totals 364,161

White: 320,064

Black/African American: 43,967

Hispanic/Latino (of any race): 36

American Indian/Alaska Native: 20

Asian/Pacific Islander: 74

The Indiana Birth Control League organizes

The league initially serves only married women with two or more children who are referred by a physician or a social service agency. It later becomes Planned Parenthood of Central Indiana

Major strike occurs at the Real Silk Hosiery Mills

Approximately 800 Real Silk workers go on strike, seeking union-scale wages and the abolition of bonus and penalty systems. The strike is one of the city’s most violent labor strikes and lasts until May 24. 

WFBM-TV signs on as the first commercial television station in Indianapolis

Transmitting from a 228-foot tower atop the Merchants National Bank Building, WFBM-TV first airs at 10 A.M. with “Crucible of Speed,” a half-hour history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Population in 1950 totals 427,173

White: 363,082

Black/African American: 63,867

American Indian/Alaska Native: 42

Asian/Pacific Islander: 129

WAJC becomes first nonprofit educational radio station

Licensed to the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music, WAJC goes on the air from studios on the third floor of the Lyman Ayres home on Delaware Street.

Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County established

The Health and Hospital Corporation is formed through the consolidation of the Indianapolis Health and Hospital Board, the Marion County Health Board, and the board of managers of Sunnyside. 

Clowes Fund established

Gifts from Edith and George Clowes and their son, Allen Whitehill Clowes, establish the private foundation. It focuses on a range of issues from education to social services.

First Noble School opens

Founded by parents of children with developmental disabilities, the school provides formal education and career services for children with disabilities who cannot attend regular schools.

Indianapolis Produce Terminal opens on northeast side

Touted as a “model for the nation,” the terminal is a 23-acre center for the wholesale purchase and sale of produce at a reported rate of 500 tons of fruits and vegetables every day. Designed for speed and efficiency, the terminal prevents large amounts of food waste.

Federal government signs license for Eli Lilly and Company to begin Salk polio vaccine distribution

Lilly becomes the first company to manufacture and distribute the Salk Polio vaccine globally.

Joint police and fire alarm telephone system begins operation

The new telephone system replaces the alarm system that had been in place since the early 20th century. Telephone boxes are located throughout the city.  Residents simply lift the phone receiver to contact the fire department or police.  

WFMS begins broadcasting

Martin R. Williams begins broadcasting Indianapolis’ first commercial FM station. Choosing the call letters WFMS, the station broadcasts classical and popular concert music from the Antlers Hotel. 

Tomlinson Hall burns

The hall burns down allegedly after a pigeon drops a lit cigarette on the roof of the building. A single doorway arch stands in the market’s courtyard as a monument to the hall.

John Birch Society established

The John Birch Society is founded by Robert H. W. Welch Jr. and 11 other men. It is a national organization that dedicates itself to protecting the U.S. against communism.

Woodruff Place accepts annexation by the city

Indianapolis has attempted to annex the town since the 1890s. Woodruff successfully resists  annexation in numerous court suits until losing to the City of Indianapolis in the Indiana Supreme Court. 

St. Vincent Hospital opens first coronary care and first intensive care units

Nearly a decade after Dr. Arthur Richter opens St. Vincent’s first heart clinic, the hospital opens its coronary care and intensive care units. The two units are the first of their kind in Indianapolis.

Eli Lilly and Company develops world’s first cephalosporin antibiotic

Cephalosporin compounds have been around since the late 1940s. Eli Lilly and Company modifies it to be potent enough for use as an antibiotic, thus introducing a whole new class of drugs.

Mayor John J. Barton creates the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee

Democratic Mayor John J. Barton appoints an advisory committee of business and civic leaders that functions as an advisory arm to the mayor’s office. The committee soon becomes known by its acronym, GIPC.

The General Assembly creates the Capital Improvement Board

The public agency finances, constructs, operates, and maintains any capital facilities/improvements that serve the commercial, industrial, and cultural interests of Indiana. One of its first projects is to build and maintain an Indianapolis convention and exhibition center.

Indianapolis Times ceases publication

Unable to compete with its two rivals, the Indianapolis Star and Indianapolis News, the paper ceases publication. Its daily circulation of 89,374 ranked third among the city’s newspapers.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) created

The trustees of Indiana University and Purdue University merge operations of their Indianapolis extensions to create the urban university. The new university has an enrollment of 13,000 in its first year. 

Population in 1970 totals 744,624*

White: 607,902

Black/African American: 134,320

American Indian/Alaska Native: 549

Asian/Pacific Islander: 1,097

*Reflects Unigov consolidation

Amateur Athletic Union moves to Indianapolis

Desiring to be more centrally located in the United States, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) becomes first national amateur sports governing body to locate its national headquarters in Indianapolis.

Sunshine Promotions founded

Dave Lucas and Joe Halderman establish Sunshine Promotions to promote local rock concerts in Indiana. The company later builds Deer Creek Music Center, now Ruoff Music Center, a 20,000-capacity amphitheater in Hamilton County.

Indianapolis native sets the women’s marathon world record

Cheryl Pedlow Bridges sets the women’s marathon world record at the Western Hemisphere Marathon in Culver City, California. Her time of 2:49:40 stands for almost two years.

Fire destroys the Pendleton Pike Drive-in

The drive-in theatre is the first in the nation to have individual speakers  and a wide screen. The fire, likely due to an electrical short, does nearly $100,000 in damage and destroys the theater’s screen.

Indianapolis/Scarborough Peace Games organize

Indianapolis and Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, agree to conduct an annual amateur athletic competition, the Indianapolis/Scarborough Peace Games, named in honor of the Vietnam Peace Treaty which is signed the same day.

Propane explosions on East Washington Street create a disaster downtown

Two propane tanks in the W. T. Grant building explode causing a rapidly spreading fire. The explosion causes over $15 million in damages to seven nearby buildings and injures seven people. 

Boehringer Mannheim Corporation begins its Indianapolis operations

Boehringer acquires the Indianapolis-based Bio-Dynamics and moves its headquarters to Indianapolis in 1975. Boehringer Mannheim Corporation is part of an international group of privately held Boehringer Mannheim companies. It later becomes Roche Diagnostics GmbH.

Eastside Community Investments becomes the city’s first community development corporation

The Near East Side Community Organization founds the organization to refurbish homes in the blighted eastside neighborhood near downtown Indianapolis. It seeks to revitalize the area.