54 Facts About Indianapolis IN

1.

Indianapolis IN covers 368 square miles, making it the 18th largest city by land area in the US.

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2.

In 1821, Indianapolis IN was founded as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government.

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3.

The indigenous people of the land prior to systematic removal are the Miami Nation of Indiana and Indianapolis IN makes up part of Cession 99; the primary treaty between the indigenous population and the United States was the Treaty of St Mary's.

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4.

Indianapolis IN became a seat of county government on December 31,1821, when Marion County, was established.

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5.

Indianapolis IN became a major logistics hub during the war, establishing the city as a crucial military base.

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6.

An estimated 4,000 men from Indianapolis IN served in 39 regiments, and an estimated 700 died during the war.

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7.

On May 20,1863, Union soldiers attempted to disrupt a statewide Democratic convention at Indianapolis IN, forcing the proceedings to be adjourned, sarcastically referred to as the Battle of Pogue's Run.

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8.

In 1880, Indianapolis IN was the world's third largest pork packing city, after Chicago and Cincinnati, and the second largest railroad center in the United States by 1888.

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9.

Once home to 60 automakers, Indianapolis IN rivaled Detroit as a center of automobile manufacturing.

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10.

Indianapolis IN was one of the hardest hit cities in the Great Flood of 1913, resulting in five known deaths and the displacement of 7,000 families.

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11.

Indianapolis IN is located in the East North Central region of the Midwestern United States, about 14 miles south-southeast of Indiana's geographic center.

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12.

Indianapolis IN is located within a physiographic province known as the Tipton Till Plain, a flat, gently rolling terrain underlain by glacial deposits known as till.

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13.

Indianapolis IN is located in the West Fork White River drainage basin, part of the larger Mississippi River watershed via the Wabash and Ohio rivers.

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14.

Indianapolis IN is situated in the Southern Great Lakes forests ecoregion which in turn is located within the larger temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome, as defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature.

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15.

Several invasive species are common in Indianapolis IN, including tree of heaven, wintercreeper, Amur honeysuckle, and Callery or Bradford pear.

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16.

Urban wildlife common to the Indianapolis IN area include mammals such as the white-tailed deer, eastern chipmunk, eastern cottontail, and the eastern grey and American red squirrels.

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17.

Some federally-designated endangered and threatened species are native to the Indianapolis IN area, including several species of freshwater mussels, the rusty patched bumble bee, Indiana bat, northern long-eared bat, and the running buffalo clover.

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18.

Indiana limestone is the signature building material in Indianapolis IN, widely included in the city's many monuments, churches, academic, government, and civic buildings.

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19.

Since the 2000s, downtown Indianapolis IN and surrounding neighborhoods have seen increased reinvestment mirroring nationwide market trends, driven by empty nesters and millennials.

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20.

Indianapolis IN maintains 212 public parks covering 11,258 acres of green space, representing about 5.

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21.

Indianapolis IN is situated within the Great Lakes Megalopolis, the largest of 11 megaregions in the US.

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22.

In 2015, Brookings characterized the Indianapolis IN metropolitan area as a minor-emerging immigrant gateway with a foreign-born population of 126,767, or 6.

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23.

Indianapolis IN is home to one of the largest concentrations of Chin people outside of Myanmar, with an estimated population ranging from 17,000 to 24,000.

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24.

Indianapolis IN is a hub for academic medicine and health sciences research, home to such institutions as the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and School of Dentistry; Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine; and the American College of Sports Medicine.

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25.

Indianapolis IN is typically considered part of the Rust Belt, a region of the Northeastern and Midwestern US beleaguered by industrial and population decline.

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26.

Once home to 60 automakers, Indianapolis IN rivaled Detroit as a center of automobile manufacturing and design in the early-20th century.

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27.

Indianapolis IN was home to several luxury car companies, including Duesenberg, Marmon, and Stutz Motor Company; however, the automakers did not survive the Great Depression of the 1930s.

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28.

Indianapolis IN is home to Allison Transmission's headquarters and manufacturing facilities, employing 2,500 in design and production of automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems.

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29.

Indianapolis IN has long been a sports tourism destination, but has more recently relied on conventions.

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30.

Downtown Indianapolis IN is home to several of the city's earliest performing arts venues and organizations.

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31.

Indianapolis IN is home to a variety of national professional musical organizations, including the American Pianists Association, Bands of America, Drum Corps International, and the Percussive Arts Society.

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32.

The quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis IN is considered among the most prestigious of its kind in the world.

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33.

Indianapolis IN was at the center of the Golden Age of Indiana Literature from 1870 to 1920.

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34.

Indianapolis IN is home to bestselling young adult fiction writer John Green, known for his critically acclaimed 2012 novel The Fault in Our Stars, set in the city.

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35.

Outside of Washington, DC, Indianapolis IN contains the largest collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and war casualties in the nation.

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36.

Indianapolis IN is home to dozens of annual festivals and events showcasing local culture.

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37.

Indianapolis IN has an emerging food scene as well as established eateries.

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38.

The beef Manhattan, invented in Indianapolis IN, can be found on restaurant menus throughout the city and region.

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39.

Some time, Indianapolis IN was known as the "100 Percent American City" for its racial and ethnic homogeneity.

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40.

Indianapolis IN natives have left a mark on the entertainment industry, most notably during the Classical Hollywood cinema era.

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41.

The city's largest contribution to popular culture, the Indianapolis IN 500, has influenced entertainment for decades, referenced in film, television, video games, and other media.

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42.

The Colts' tenure in Indianapolis IN has produced 11 division championships, two conference championships, and two Super Bowl appearances.

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43.

Indianapolis IN has been called the "Amateur Sports Capital of the World".

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44.

The University of Indianapolis IN is a D-II school; the Greyhounds compete in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

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45.

Indianapolis IN is a regular host of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

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46.

Indianapolis IN is a metonym for auto racing, having inspired the name "Indy car, " used for both the competition and type of car used in it.

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47.

Since its move from Corydon in 1825, Indianapolis IN has served as the capital and seat of Indiana's state government.

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48.

Until fairly recently, Indianapolis IN was considered one of the most conservative major cities in the US According to 2014 research published in the American Political Science Review, the city's policy preferences are less conservative than the national mean when compared with other large US cities.

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49.

The Indianapolis IN News was the city's daily evening newspaper and oldest print media, published from 1869 to 1999.

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50.

Absent a comprehensive regional public transit system in combination with urban sprawl, Indianapolis IN residents drive more vehicle miles per capita than any other US city.

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51.

Indianapolis IN is designated a "Bronze Level" Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.

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52.

Intercity bus service to Indianapolis IN is provided by Barons Bus Lines, Burlington Trailways, FlixBus, Greyhound Lines, and Miller Transportation, among other private carriers.

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53.

Indianapolis IN is a hub for CSX Transportation, home to its division headquarters, an intermodal terminal, and classification yard in the suburb of Avon.

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54.

Ten foreign consulates are based in Indianapolis IN, serving Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Switzerland.

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