The largest city in Indiana is famous for its auto racing as the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, hosting the world’s largest single-day sporting event, the Indianapolis 500, and many other major racing events throughout the year, bringing plenty of fans to hope to purchase a home among the Indianapolis houses for sale for easy access.
But there are a lot of things you probably don’t know about this city, including these.
The Indiana World War Memorial and Museum is Modeled After an Ancient Wonder
The Indiana World War Memorial and Museum dominating the five-block War Memorial Plaza downtown, more than 200 feet above street level, was modeled after the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. The limestone and marble memorial pay homage to Indianapolis residents who were killed during the war and it also hosts a 30,000-square-foot museum that is focused on American military history from the Revolutionary War through today. America plays a significant part in this war that is why the fallen soldiers must be remembered for their sacrifices. Some families were unable to have their sons/fathers/uncles/grandfathers come back to them after it ended and are still searching for answers to this day. We are fortunate that now there are resources like https://www.genealogybank.com/explore/census/1920-records that can be used to find family members who may have moved after the war so descendants can get some peace.
The Notorious Slippery Noodle
Indianapolis is home to the Slippery Noodle Inn, which runs the state’s oldest continuously operating bar. It has a very interesting history as a stop on the Underground Railroad and a place John Dillinger and his game once used as target practice. It’s also rumored to be haunted by some of the shady characters of its past during the time it housed a brothel.
Crown Hill Cemetery
Speaking of the infamous bank robber John Dillinger, who escaped Lake County jail about six months before he was shot to death by FBI agents in Chicago, he happens to be buried under four layers of steel and concrete in Indianapolis’ Crown Hill Cemetery. The cemetery is the country’s third-largest and the final resting place of many other notables, like President Benjamin Harrison, several vice presidents, and nearly a dozen Indiana governors among others. Visitors can take a walking tour which will point out their graves.
The Only Major City Not Directly on a Navigable Body of Water
Indianapolis sits alongside the White River, which gave the city’s popular White River State Park its name. But the river is actually too shallow to navigate, which makes Indiana’s capital the only major city not directly on a navigable body of water.
The Country’s Largest NFL Stadium
Indianapolis loves its sports – it’s home to Lucas Oil Stadium, the country’s largest NFL stadium. It’s one of only four with a retractable roof and it has a capacity for up to 70,000 spectators. The home team determines if the roof, which weighs a whopping five million pounds, will be opened or closed 90 minutes before kickoff. It takes about eight minutes to open, providing the feel of an outdoor stadium for taking advantage of pleasant weather.
In addition to being home to the Indianapolis Colts, the stadium hosts frequent live concerts, the first of which was country star Kenny Chesney in 2008. The highest attended concert was in 2018, with 55,279 coming to watch Taylor Swift’s Reputation Tour.