Whilst we tried to focus on the downtown area yesterday, we planned to visit some sites outside the metropolis area.
First on the list – Crown Hill Cemetery, established in 1863 and overlooking the city from the north.
The gravesite of Hoosier Poet James Whitcomb Riley lies on the highest point, “The Crown”
The 23rd US President Benjamin Harrison also rests here
Many old and grant mausoleums are part of the vast cemetery
the military portion
The Chapel
And apparently some of our unknown ancestors
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, the 555 acres of privately owned grounds are a definite must see in our minds. Thanks to its 25 miles of paved roads, the sites are easily visited as there is even a map, showing who rests where.
Next on the list were brief stops at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to the famous Indianapolis 500 automobile race.
Lucas Oil Field, home of the Indianapolis Colts
and of course the obligatory visits to the German Sites,
Claus’ German Sausage where the butcher is not only from Germany, but a master in the meats he sells. Good that we brought the cooler
Our last stop was the Rathskeller for some late lunch of Rouladen
The Restaurant (the oldest in Indianapolis) and meeting facilities are in the basement of the Athenaeum. Build in 1894 as the “German Haus”, it housed the major German organizations of immigrants that came to the area after the 1848 Revolutions in parts of Europe.
Anti-German sentiments during World War I made the society rename the building the Athenaeum, the name it carries today. It still houses a lot of German Groups, but is also the Home of the local YMCA.
OK, so we cheated a bit, as this is just outside the downtown area. But in conclusion we enjoyed the 2 days in Indianapolis, IN and were glad we had decided to stop on the way back.