If I didn’t know where this shot was taken, I’d swear it was the real thing. There are some things on display at ISM that will make you stop and think. Something about seeing where you’ve been as a people, a collective recapitulation of sorts, that helps you appreciate the journey and understand your part in it a little better.

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If you’ve never been there or if it’s been a while, you might consider taking a couple minutes sometime to go inside the Old State House building downtown at the corner of Capital and Washington Streets. The architecture and features inside are truly remarkable. This view is from the interior of the south wing, the part of the building that has the enormous skylight…which seems ahead of it’s time for 1888 when it was built. The marble columns, incredibly detailed woodwork and period light fixtures are amazing. You feel like you’ve gone back in time the moment you step inside. Funny how a building can actually do that.

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The James Whitcomb Riley Home and museum sits quietly, wintering just another January day like it’s done for the last 135+ years at 528 Lockerbie Street. The street itself now is kind of an updated version of the original cobblestone one. It has a unique and unmistakable sound and feel when driving on it. Gazing down the street, one can easily imagine horse-drawn carriages there instead of automobiles.

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An evening shot of the State Capital building looking west on Market Street taken very recently from high on the steps of the Monument a couple blocks away. I thought the Dome looked especially interesting, all lit-up for the season…and the lights on Market Street give things a nice glow.

Here’s another view below taken in May earlier this year. Obviously a little closer and from a different angle taken from street level. A great looking building huh?
 

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Anyone want to join me here for a Big Chief, french fries and a cherry Coke? If we only could. OK…I’m dating myself by posting this but I knew a few people will get a kick out of it. It’s the only photo on this site that I haven’t take myself…so far at least…but I thought it was worth it. A friend of mine gave it to me last year. Of course it’s the famous Tee Pee restaurant that operated from the 1940′s through the 1970′s at the NW corner of 38th Street and Fall Creek Boulevard. The building I’m told was finally demolished in 1988. From the look of the cars, I think this photo was taken around 1970…or close to then.

I’m unsure of the reason why the owners felt compelled to leave that location. I’m sure it was probably a good reason that made sense at the time. But I’m fairly confident that if the Tee Pee were still there now, it would be doing a brisk business still…like it always did. It’s such a strategic corner location with an incredible amount of drive-by traffic. Sometimes change brings needed improvements and a fresh perspective. But in this case, what was gained? More parking spots that no one will ever use in the far corner of the State Fairgrounds parking lot?  Here’s a shot below of this same location as it appears today. Looks kind of lonely now don’t you think?

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Have you been downtown around the Circle lately? There’s some interesting things going on there now at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. The crew was hard at work today working on what I am told is some needed repairs, updates and face lifting. There’s a huge, tall crane with a cable that is supporting this yellow bucket with two workers inside. It was kind of fun to watch them swing the crane to adjust their position on the outside of the Monument. What I didn’t notice till after I looked at this photo later, but you can also see the hardhats of other workers through the windows of the observation room.

When you think of landmarks that symbolize Indianapolis, a short list comes to mind. Included might be the Indy 500 Speedway, or the Colt’s Lucas Oil Stadium, or maybe the Arts Garden and Circle Centre, or the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and some others of course too. Still, I think this is the one that is at the top of the list. The Monument. It’s been around since the mid 1860′s… long before any of the others were even a dream. Nice to see they are taking care of it.

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I was downtown a couple days ago visting a bookstore really close to the Madam Walker Building, and grabbed an opportunity to snap this photo. I wish I had a photo to show of the Madam Walker Theater inside too. It’s really beautifully done.

The real Madam Walker who this theater is named for, was truly a pioneer for successful women in business, women as political activists and African-Americans. Her success and involvement in the early 19th century in Indianapolis forever has left a legacy that will never be forgotten.

The theater located at the corner of Indiana Ave and Martin Luther King Blvd just northwest of center of downtown has been a landmark for many decades, and now hosts a varied lineup of interesting cultural events. The site is now a national historic landmark and is registered on both the state and national registers of historic places. After an immense amount of work restoring and improving the building beginning in the 1980′s, it has been transformed into a magnificent facility for the performing arts and other events.

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So I got to thinking…the Civil War was the most tumultuous of times in our history as a country. What could be more traumatic for a nation than people fighting their fellow countrymen. Hard for me to imagine something like that now, but that’s what was happening then. They wanted us to remember the importance of that time in our history. So the bronze relief that adorns the state house has completed it’s mission on me at least on this occasion.

Then it dawned on me, especially as it is July 3rd…the only thing that could be equal or possibly even more traumatic as a nation would be fighting your fellow countrymen from England for independence beginning in 1776. We live today in a world shaped by wars that others have fought before us. We do so without much thought to those that have given their lives so that we could live ours. We set off a few firecrackers, light some sparklers and shoot off a roman candle or two in celebration, but the reason why we do it falls by the wayside. And that’s OK usually. I’m sure they would want us to be enjoying ourselves and having the freedom to live how we want, including choosing what we want to remember.

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As if you didn’t know already…this is Oldfields Mansion, the previous home of J.K. Lilly, which is adjacent to the Indianapolis Museum of Art on west 38th Street.  Nice place huh?

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Quite a few people have come and gone through these portals for over a hundred twenty-five years. Just looking at this, I bet there’s only one thing that has changed and not original. One thing here that the earliest visitors may not have used. The doorbell button. That had to be an addition at some point. I’m not going to fault them for that though.  Anyway…hope you enjoy.

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