White River State Park
![]() | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2013) |
White River State Park | |
---|---|
![]() Downtown Indianapolis skyline from White River State Park | |
![]() Interactive map showing location of White River State Park | |
Type | Urban park, state park |
Location | Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, United States |
Coordinates | 39°46′00″N 86°10′11″W / 39.76667°N 86.16972°WCoordinates: 39°46′00″N 86°10′11″W / 39.76667°N 86.16972°W |
Area | 267 acres (108 ha)[1] |
Created | 1979 |
Owned by | State of Indiana |
Operated by | White River State Park Development Commission |
Visitors | about 3 to 3.5 million annually (2009)[2] |
Open | 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. |
Public transit access | ![]() ![]() |
Website | www |
White River State Park is an urban park in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. Situated along the eastern and western banks of its namesake White River, the park covers 267 acres (108 ha).[1] Initial plans for the park were conceived by civic leaders in the late-1970s to capitalize on the city's amateur sports economic development strategy.[1] Bipartisan support from state legislators and seed money from corporate partners led to the organization of a quasi-governmental commission to oversee planning and operations for the park.[1] Construction began in the 1980s with the acquisition and clearing of blighted industrial properties and realignment of Washington Street for redevelopment.[3]
Notable attractions located in the park include the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis Zoo, Medal of Honor Memorial, NCAA Hall of Champions, Victory Field, and White River Gardens.
The park and accompanying comprise one of seven designated cultural districts.
History[]
White River State Park is an urban park in Indianapolis and is not part of the 32 properties managed by the Division of State Parks, a land management team within the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Restoration on this area began in the late 1980s, when public attention fell on the Indiana Central Canal. The canal was originally engineered in the 1830s as a way to ship goods through the state of Indiana, but the project, as governed by the Indiana Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, went bankrupt and the Indianapolis section of the canal was the only section that was ever dug. Although the canal was never used for its intended purpose, recent restoration and development has allowed the area to function as a cultural center within the city. One of the proposed focal points of the park, Indiana Tower, was never constructed.
Attractions[]
- 1870 – Opened as the original water pumping station for the city of Indianapolis
- 1969 – Pumping station closed
- 1980 – Accepted for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places
- 1981 – Reopened as the park's headquarters and visitors' center after renovations
- White River State Park Visitors' Center (Dr. Frank P. Lloyd Sr. Visitors Center)[5]
- 2003 – Opened
- 1988 – Park’s first attraction established
- 1999 – Opened
- Historic Washington Street Pedestrian Bridge
- 1916 – Opened as part of the National Road
- 1994 – Historic National Road U.S. 40 previously linking the U.S. from east to west start renovations
- 1999 – Art Sculptures in the Park began[6]
- NCAA Headquarters and Hall of Champions Museum
- 1999–2000 – Relocated to Indianapolis from Kansas City
- National Federation of State High School Associations Headquarters (NFHS)
- 1999–2000 – Relocated to Indianapolis from Kansas City
- 2002 – Opened
- IMAX 3D Theatre[7]
- 1996 – Opened as Indiana's only IMAX theatre and still the largest IMAX theatre in Indiana
- 1999 – Opened
- 1822 – Site of Indianapolis's first documented 4th of July celebration
- 1852 – Site of first Indiana State Fair
- 1861 – Civil War encampment until 1865
- 1830 – Founded.
- 1999 – Current building near White River State Park opened in 1999
- Not one of the park's attractions, but located next to it and open to the public
- 1989 – Opened as the park’s second attraction
- 2005 – Opened expanded gallery space, education facility, performance/special event areas, and indoor/outdoor dining restaurant doubled the museum's size
- 1996 – Opened as home of the Indianapolis Indians
- White River State Park Concert Series[9]
- 2004 – Opened inaugural summer concert season at a temporary concert venue, the 7,500-seat "Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn"[10]
- 2007 – Doubled concert attendance with 50,000+ spectators, included 11 shows
- 2018 - Plans to replace temporary structure announced by White River State Park Development Commission[11]
- 2019 - Construction begun on $27 million "The Amphitheater at White River State Park", with 3,000 permanent seats and a general admission lawn area for 4,500, to be completed in June 2020[12][13]
- Indiana Cross Country Arena
- 2007 – White River State Park partners with the Indiana Invaders, Indy Greenways, Indianapolis Parks, the National Institute for Fitness & Sport (NIFS), local and international businesses, and community partners to revitalize the flood plain green space along the White River for education, health, and recreation opportunities.
- 2008 – Opened unofficially in August with nine meets and invitationals
- 2008 – Middle school (National Middle School Championships), high school (City of Indianapolis Championships), and youth (Indiana USA Track and Field Junior Olympics) teams compete
- 2010 – Anticipated official inaugural season in late summer
References[]
- ^ a b c d Bodenhamer, David; Barrows, Robert, eds. (1994). The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Bloomington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. pp. 1427–1428.
- ^ "White River State Park Development Commission Agency Overview" (pdf). White River State Park Development Commission. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
- ^ "Washington Rerouting To Begin". The Indianapolis News. April 27, 1984. p. 19. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Pumphouse History". White River State Park. Archived from the original on October 15, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ "Map of Park". White River State Park. Archived from the original on November 22, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ "Sculpture in the Park". White River State Park. Archived from the original on March 7, 2005. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ "IMAX Theatre at Indiana State Museum - Indianapolis - Movie Tickets Showtimes". www.imax.com.
- ^ "The Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial". IPL. Archived from the original on March 14, 2006. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ "Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park". White River State Park. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- ^ Erdody, Lindsay (September 27, 2018). "State plans $27M permanent concert venue at White River State Park". Indianapolis Business Journal. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
- ^ Lindquist, David (October 17, 2018). "How upgrades at The Lawn at White River State Park could help attract more concerts". The Indianapolis Star. Gannett Co., Inc. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
- ^ Lindquist, David (December 3, 2019). "First concert announced for new-look Amphitheater at White River State Park". The Indianapolis Star. Gannett Co., Inc. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
- ^ Lindquist, David (October 16, 2019). "White River State Park: Here's what the permanent concert stage, fixed seating looks like". The Indianapolis Star. Gannett Co., Inc. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
External links[]
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to White River State Park. |
- White River State Park
- State parks of Indiana
- Parks in Indianapolis
- Culture of Indianapolis
- Protected areas established in 1979
- 1979 establishments in Indiana
- Music venues in Indiana