Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis, also known as Indy or the Circle City, is the state capital and most-populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. Indy is the home to the Indianaplis Colts who play at Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Pacers, housed at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Indianapolis, Indiana

A city known for fast cars and blockbuster events has also gained acclaim for a flourishing culinary and brewing scene, thriving cultural institutions, cool neighborhoods, and so much more.

Before the area was settled, it had been the site of a Delaware Indian village and its surrounding hunting grounds. Indianapolis was founded in 1821 as the state capital, which it officially became in 1825. Some impetus for growth was given when the Cumberland (National) Road (modern Washington Street downtown) was routed across the city in 1827 and later when railroads arrived. Indianapolis had become a major rail center by the start of the American Civil War in 1861, and its importance to Union logistics spurred further growth; its population more than doubled between 1860 and 1870.

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909 in suburban Speedway as a test track for local automobile plants. The first 500-mile (800-km) auto race, held there in 1911, was won by a locally made Marmon race car. Although automobile manufacturing eventually left the city, the Indianapolis 500 (held annually in late May on the weekend preceding Memorial Day) has become one of the world’s premier auto races, attracting enormous crowds, and led to Indianapolis being the center of the World’s Greatest Spectacle in Racing!

We invite you to enjoy our legendary hospitality.

Indianapolis History

In 1816, the year Indiana gained statehood, the U.S. Congress donated four sections of federal land to establish a permanent seat of state government. Two years later, under the Treaty of St. Mary’s (1818), the Delaware relinquished title to their tribal lands in central Indiana, agreeing to leave the area by 1821. This tract of land, which was called the New Purchase, included the site selected for the new state capital in 1820. The indigenous people of the land prior to systematic removal are the Miami Nation of Indiana (Miami Nation of Oklahoma) and Indianapolis makes up part of Cession 99; the primary treaty between the indigenous population and the United States was the Treaty of St. Mary’s (1818).

The availability of new federal lands for purchase in central Indiana attracted settlers, many of them descendants of families from northwestern Europe. Although many of these first European and American settlers were Protestants, a large proportion of the early Irish and German immigrants were Catholics. Few African Americans lived in central Indiana before 1840. The first European Americans to permanently settle in the area that became Indianapolis were either the McCormick or Pogue families. The McCormicks are generally considered to be the first permanent settlers; however, some historians believe George Pogue and family may have arrived first, on March 2, 1819, and settled in a log cabin along the creek that was later called Pogue’s Run. Other historians have argued as early as 1822 that John Wesley McCormick, his family, and employees became the area’s first European American settlers, settling near the White River in February 1820.

On January 11, 1820, the Indiana General Assembly authorized a committee to select a site in central Indiana for the new state capital. The state legislature approved the site, adopting the name Indianapolis on January 6, 1821. In April, Alexander Ralston and Elias Pym Fordham were appointed to survey and design a town plan for the new settlement. Indianapolis became a seat of county government on December 31, 1821, when Marion County, was established. A combined county and town government continued until 1832 when Indianapolis was incorporated as a town. Indianapolis became an incorporated city effective March 30, 1847. Samuel Henderson, the city’s first mayor, led the new city government, which included a seven-member city council. In 1853, voters approved a new city charter that provided for an elected mayor and a fourteen-member city council. The city charter continued to be revised as Indianapolis expanded. Effective January 1, 1825, the seat of state government moved to Indianapolis from Corydon, Indiana. In addition to state government offices, a U.S. district court was established at Indianapolis in 1825.

Growth occurred with the opening of the National Road through the town in 1827, the first major federally funded highway in the United States. A small segment of the ultimately failed Indiana Central Canal was opened in 1839. The first railroad to serve Indianapolis, the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad, began operation in 1847, and subsequent railroad connections fostered growth. Indianapolis Union Station was the first of its kind in the world when it opened in 1853.

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The contemporary city

Indianapolis is one of the most populous cities in the world not located on navigable water, although it is a hub of road, rail, and air transportation. These facilities and the city’s position in the midst of the Corn Belt, near large coalfields and consumer markets, have combined to make it an important commercial, financial, and industrial centre. Pharmaceuticals and chemicals, machinery, plastics, wood and paper products, and transportation and electrical equipment (including televisions and audio equipment) are major products. It is also a regional distribution, retail, and health care centre, and tourism has grown in importance.

A major educational and cultural centre, Indianapolis is the seat of Butler University (1855), Christian Theological Seminary (1925), Ivy Tech State College (1963), Lincoln Technical Institute (1946), Marian College (1851), Martin University (1977), and the University of Indianapolis (1902). Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (1969) includes Herron School of Art (1902) and an internationally renowned medical centre.

The hub of the city, Monument Circle (1901), is the site of the 284.5-foot (87-metre) Indiana Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument. The Indiana War Memorial Plaza (1927) is a five-block area just to the north that honors the state’s war dead and includes the American Legion National Headquarters building.

The State Capitol (1878–88), just west of the circle, is constructed of Indiana limestone and has a central rotunda 234 feet (71 metres) high.

Hilbert Circle Theatre (1916), home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, is adjacent to the circle, and Clowes Memorial Hall (1963), on the Butler campus, is a center for the performing arts.

Marion County Towns & Cities

There are a number of towns in the county where Polaris Property Management is the responsible party for both residential and commercial leases.  Among those towns are Indianapolis, Speedway and Beech Grove.

Polaris Property Management

We provide property management services to Individuals and Group Owners of single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and commercial properties in Carmel, Zionsville, Noblesville, Westfield, Indianapolis, Fishers, Avon, Brownsburg, Plainfield, Greenwood, Center Grove, McCordsville, Whitestown and Whiteland, Indiana.

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With our rapid and accurate communication with owners and tenants, our reputation for excellence continues to expand amongst owners and investors. Our focus is elementary in nature but large in scope:

    • Maximize rental revenue for each property owner.
    • Minimize vacancy expense for each property owner.
    • Frequent and consistent communication with your tenants.
    • Frequent and consistent communication with owners.