"Radially Planned Midwest Capitol City" Indianapolis by atufft

Indianapolis can be easily overlooked as a stopover on a cross-continental I-70 drive between Philadelphia and Denver. Currently, the belt freeway I-465 remains such a frustrating construction mess that one might be tempted to persist and simply drive on through and forget Indie, particularly since the famous Archway Monument at St. Louis is less than 4 hours further west. However, Indianapolis famed for the 100 year old Indie 500 Formula One and NASCAR Speedway has come of age as a domed capitol city, even as it struggles out of a twenty year period of stagnation and redevelopment downtown. While St Louis remains problematic downtown, and seeminly lacking in redevelopment focus, Indianapolis teams with industry and is almost fully restored downtown, having a number of brand new museums and so many well kept venerable old memorial monuments that only Washington, D.C. exceeds its collection in number and scale. The radial street plan is easy to comprehend and appreciate, having its origin at Monument Circle and the 284 foot tall tribute to soldiers and sailors monument. For those wanting to visit Indiana in detail, roads to all corners of the state do radiate almost directly from the center of downtown.

Jeremy and me in front of a new museum

For most Americans, Indiana state in general, with Indianapolis at its near perfect geographical center, represents the best of American patriotic, hardworking, self-reliant, traditional family values. The state's reputation for Unionist Republican politics remains legendary, even as Indianapolis itself emerges into the twenty-first century as a capitol metropolis shifting toward urbane Democratic politics long since commonplace in other midwest cities, especially Chicago, St. Louis, Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. In my case, I was fortunate enough to explore the city with Jeremy, aka VT member Vulindlela and his family, who like myself are originally from California. Jeremy did what few Californians are brave enough do; he actually moved to follow the dream of home ownership and a family oriented place to raise his children. During my visit there, Jeremy and I talked a lot about Indiana, and Indianapolis in particular, about how the society ticks. Jeremy toured me around town to get an overview of the city, and these notes are therefore indebted to his effort as well as my own.