8/17: Indianapolis' Capitol & RFK & MLK

When the Indiana Territory was established in 1800, the capital was Vincennes. The seat of government was moved in 1813 to the city of Corydon and it became the first state capital three years later when Indiana gained statehood. As settlers moved to the central part of the state, the state capital was moved yet again, this time to Indianapolis from Corydon. 

By the 1860s, the first statehouse had deteriorated so badly that the limestone foundation had failed, the stucco had chipped off, and one of the ceilings had collapsed. That resulted in the old statehouse being demolished in 1877 and the new capitol was built in the same location. The current statehouse was completed in 1888 and featured a central copper dome.

After President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, his funeral was held at the White House on April 19, 1865. His funeral train left two days later for Springfield, Illinois (a capital city we visited at almost the very end of this trip!) with stops en route to allow mourners to pay tribute. When the train reached Indianapolis at 7am on April 30th with Governor Oliver Morton on board, city buildings were draped in black. 

Lincoln's coffin was escorted in the rain along crowded city streets lined with soldiers to the old State House that was located here. According to reports, 50,000 people viewed the open casket in the rotunda. His coffin was returned through streets lit by bonfires and torches to Union Depot where the train departed at midnight.

Time Flow was commissioned to honor the Bicentennial of the State of Indiana. "The stainless steel ring represents a portal for the viewer to move from one point in time to another."

Not only is the statehouse the official meeting place for the state's elected officials, but it has also been the focal point for parades, private social gatherings, and protests, and to commemorate the deaths of notable Hoosiers, i.e. the residents of Indiana.

Even though renovations were going on to the state capitol's exterior when we visited last August, the interior was open for self-guided tours. We began in the stunning second-floor Rotunda that was designed in the Italian Renaissance style befitting a Roman palazzo. 

It was only just, therefore, that eight Carrara marble statues, each symbolizing "the attributes of a civilized society," surrounded the rotunda.

The beautiful 72-foot in diameter, stained-glass dome that rose 105 feet above the floor was original to the building. When the dome glass was last cleaned in 1984 the glass had to be removed piece by piece and cleaned by hand. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be responsible for cleaning it and possibly breaking a piece!

The current Indiana state seal wasn't made official until 1963. It had a representation of Indiana's territorial past including a woodsman cutting down a tree to 'civilize' the territory and a bison running freely. Note the sun shining on the new frontier. On the outer ring was a tulip leaf from the state tree. 

The state seal was even molded into many dorknobs, including the governor's office door!

The old-style phone booths allowed for privacy when making cell phone calls - what a great idea in this age when we all overhear far too many 'private' calls!

Views from the third floor:

We could only peer through a window to see the Senate Chamber. I read that Indiana has a part-time legislature that is only convened from January-March or April every other year. The carpeting had motifs with a large star in the center surrounded by 18 smaller ones, indicating the state was the 19th to be admitted to the country. There are likewise 19 stars in the state flag.

The most striking room on the third floor was the Indiana Supreme Court which was largely unchanged from the way it looked in 1888. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time as a guard allowed me in to take a few photos before ushering us out! 

Too bad this was the best shot I got of the chandelier as it was a beautiful piece and weighed 1,500 pounds. Both it and the wall sconces displayed the original gas jet candles. 

By now if you've been following this blog, you know that Steven and I have traveled to quite a few state capitols. However, this was the first time we'd seen a Chair of Honor for prisoners of war and those missing in action so they wouldn't be forgotten. 

We weren't so lucky when we reached the House of Representatives as nobody opened up the august chamber for us! We learned that Indiana was one of just seven states in the country to have all three branches of government located under one roof. I could only catch a reflection of the chandelier that was lit by 100 bulbs, representing the 100 members of the House. The only larger chandelier was in the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC!

We were sure getting our steps in climbing to the fourth floor!

All the brass chandeliers on the fourth floor were original. Interestingly, all light fixtures had both gas and electric capabilities when the building was completed in 1888. The down-turned lights like this one meant it had been wired for electricity. Pretty spiff, wouldn't you say!

Restoration of the capitol in the 1980s included hand stenciling of more than four acres of walls and ceilings to reflect the original colors and designs.

Abe, named by Indiana 4th graders, was the official mascot of the state's Bicentennial Celebration in 2016, also known as the bison-tennial!

Leaving the gorgeous capitol, we happened to look down the street and caught sight of a very impressive monument a few blocks away and, of course, wanted to view it up close. The Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument was a 284-ft-tall neoclassical monument carved from solid Indiana limestone on Monument Circle. We read that since its public dedication in 1902, the monument has become an iconic symbol of Indianapolis and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

One sculpture, known as The Living Monuments, celebrated the courage of living US veterans, nearly 400,000 of whom lived in Indiana. 

The monument's original purpose was to honor Hoosiers who were veterans of the American Civil War; however, it is also a tribute to Indiana's soldiers who served during the American Revolutionary War, territorial conflicts that partially led to the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Spanish-American War. The monument is the first in the United States to be dedicated to the common soldier. 

This historic building was adjacent to Monument Circle.

From downtown Indy, we made our way to the Landmark for Peace Memorial. On the evening of April 4th, 1968, Senator Robert Kennedy had come to this space to address a large crowd of mostly Black Americans in his bid to be the Democratic Party candidate for the US president. Instead, he gave an impromptu speech announcing that Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., had been assassinated that day in Memphis, Tennessee. 

The words Kennedy spoke that night are as timeless for me now almost 53 years later:

What we need in the United States is not division. What we need in the United States is not hatred. What we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country. 

This panel marked the spot where Kennedy spoke and included part of his speech. 

On April 4th, 2018, crowds again gathered in the same area to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Senator Kennedy's speech on Dr. King's assassination. Congressman John Lewis, RFK's daughter Kerry Kennedy, and state and local leaders participated in the 50th commemoration events.

How tragic that two such great men were taken from us. I wonder how the course of this country's history might have changed if their lives weren't cut so short by assassin's bullets.

The entire text of Kennedy's speech that sad evening is well worth reading. Just click on the photo to make it more legible. 

What great fun it would be to take Max and Clara, our then almost newborn granddaughters, to the Indy Children's Museum someday as these photos were as close as we got! Notice the big mask on the dinosaur as a sign of the pandemic.

We passed Crown Hill Cemetery, one of the largest in the country, for about two miles on one of the city's major arteries. I had no idea why Indy would have such a large cemetery even though it was the final resting place for such notables as John Dillinger, President Benjamin, and three vice-presidents. 

When traveling to new cities, Steven and I always like to search out city parks for walks and just get a sense of the city. Broad Ripple Park was pleasant enough and had a pretty view of the White River. 

Nearby Broad Ripple, supposedly one of the city's artsy neighborhoods with lots of galleries and trendy shops according to our AAA tour guide, was totally empty at 5 pm even though several blocks along the street had been closed off to traffic to allow for dining. The free-spirited vibe and laid-back cafes were dead as a doornail the day we were there. How sad that even with the traffic department's cooperation to divert traffic people in the midst of Covid-19 still didn't feel safe having a drink or eating outside. 

Next post: The National Museum of the Air Force near Dayton, Ohio.

Posted on January 31st, 2021, an almost springlike day here in Denver with bright blue skies and temperatures in the mid-50s that made it perfect for a walk in the morning with a friend and then in the afternoon with Steven. We are so blessed, if not spoiled, with the often mild Denver winters!