History UsefulNotes / Indianapolis

* Creator/JohnGreen, author of ''AnAbundanceOfKatherines'', ''LookingForAlaska'', and ''TheFaultInOurStars'', lives in Indianapolis, and ''The Fault in Our Stars'' is set there.

** Vonnegut was extremely proud of his hometown. He happily presented Indianapolis (and Hoosiers in general) in a positive light most of the time, particularly in interviews. He never actually dismissed it, but he was critical of some of its conservative political heritage.[[note]]Indianapolis, the twelfth-largest city in the United States, is the largest to have a Republican mayor (Greg Ballard). New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, currently a political independent though he was first elected to his position as a Republican, is America's only non-Democrat to be mayor of a larger city than Indianapolis.[[/note]] Indianapolis has since created a memorial library and three-story-high mural in his honor.

In recent years the city has become known in the sports world for something besides auto racing; the Indianapolis Colts have become a well known football team after their win in Super Bowl XLI in 2007, and the city hosted Super Bowl XLVI in 2012 to mostly positive reviews. The city is also home to an NBA franchise, the Indiana Pacers, and the 2012 WNBA champion Indiana Fever, in keeping with the state's rich basketball tradition. Minor league baseball and hockey teams (the Indians and the Ice, respectively) make their homes here as well. Indianapolis is also a center of amateur athletics, styling itself as the "Amateur Sports Capital of the World" ever since the 1987 Pan American Games. As a result many significant U.S. amateur sports federations (including the National Collegiate Athletic Association and its High School equivalent) are headquartered in Indianapolis. The city retains all of the facilities necessary to hold an Olympics in miniature and the annual 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, AKA "The Mini", is one of the largest foot races in the U.S with over 35,000 participants and is just one of four full and five half marathons run in Indianapolis every year. Even such peripheral sports as marching band and drum & bugle corps were enticed into relocating to Indianapolis, along with their national associations and associated championships. Indy hosts the Circle City Classic college football invitational every year and with the opening of the new football stadium (which is also designed to become a large basketball arena) the city is guaranteed to host the NCAA "Final Four" Basketball Tournament every four years for the foreseeable future.

Ah, Indy... the city everyone forgets except for a certain Sunday in May, during which the [[{{Indycar}} Indianapolis 500-Mile Race]] (or Indy 500) occurs. This is virtually the ''only'' time it will be mentioned in fiction, despite the fact that it is the second-most populous state capital in the US (behind Phoenix) and the second largest city in the Midwest behind UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} (though other cities in the region have bigger metro areas). And the Indianapolis Motor Speedway isn't technically ''in'' Indianapolis, it's in the town of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedway,_Indiana Speedway]], a semi-independent (though wholly surrounded) suburb west of downtown[[note]]In fairness, Speedway the town was incorporated only after ''the'' Speedway was built, then promptly named after it, by the latter's main founder, Carl Fisher, who would later go on to found [[{{Miami}} Miami Beach]] in the 1920s. At the time the track was built, the area was certainly under Indianapolis jurisdiction[[/note]].

Ah, Indy... the city everyone forgets except for a certain Sunday in May, during which the [[{{Indycar}} Indianapolis 500-Mile Race]] (or Indy 500) occurs. This is virtually the ''only'' time it will be mentioned in fiction, despite the fact that it is the second-most populous state capital in the US (behind Phoenix) and the second largest city in the Midwest behind UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} (though other cities in the region have bigger metro areas). And the Indianapolis Motor Speedway isn't technically ''in'' Indianapolis, it's in the town of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedway,_Indiana Speedway]], a semi-independent (though wholly surrounded) suburb northwest of downtown.

* According to [[http://www.jilliantamaki.com/sketchbook/uploaded_images/tm4-map-annotated-756198.jpg an oft-mocked world map]] included with the Sega Saturn RPG ''TengaiMakyo IV'', Indy is in Michigan, north of Detroit, has a large waterfall to the northwest, and borders either the Atlantic Ocean or the St. Lawrence Seaway (it's difficult to tell).

Also known as the "Circle City" (the city's center is at Monument Circle, home of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, and the city is encircled by the Interstate 465 beltway) and the "Crossroads of America" (from its central location in the US Interstate Highway system), Indianapolis was founded in 1826 to serve as the capital of the newly recognized State of Indiana. Indy was an economic powerhouse by the early 20th century, especially in the automotive industry (one of the factors leading local entrepreneur Carl Fisher to create its famous Speedway), but came under the influence of the Ku Klux Klan during TheRoaringTwenties. Though the Klan effectively took over the whole State of Indiana in the 1924 elections, their power was thoroughly broken by 1931 after their leader was jailed and documents from his files resulted in the resignation of the mayor and five of the six city council members. Indy spent TheThirties as a center of American Isolationism and the city has done its best to [[OldShame forget about these periods]] ever since.

Urban decay took over in the years after WorldWarTwo as the economy gradually shifted from manufacturing to warehousing, logistics and pharmaceuticals and downtown Indianapolis has only recently lost the last few decrepit, abandoned factories from its early days as an industrial center. Recently the downtown has undergone something of a renaissance as buildings that formerly housed companies like L.S. Ayres and Madame C.J. Walker's headquarters have been converted into stores, lofts, restaurants and clubs. Two whole blocks of mostly derelict buildings were converted into a large shopping mall and arts districts have grown up in the Broad Ripple and Fountain Square neighborhoods and along Massachusetts Avenue downtown. The Indianapolis Repertory Theatre is one of the best regional theatres in the Midwest, The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra has achieved an international reputation as has the Indianapolis Children's Choir, and the Children's Museum of Indianapolis is among the best in the world. The annual Indiana Black Expo (the first and largest of its kind) draws record crowds, as does [=GenCon=], an enormous gaming convention that annually attracts more than 28,000 participants.

* Indianapolis made a brief appearance in the Shia [=LeBeouf=] thriller ''EagleEye'' as one of the cities the harried protagonist is forced to visit.

* The most iconic scene of the Creator/AlfredHitchcock thriller ''NorthByNorthwest'' involves the hero getting stuck on a country road in Indianapolis and being forced to duck an attacking crop duster. You don't actually see the city here, because the entire scene takes place in a cornfield AND the movie takes place in the fifties, when the city pretty much consisted of downtown, the Speedway to the west, and not much else. Note that Indianapolis is so big (402 square miles) that there are still some cornfields within city limits, even today.

In recent years the city has become known in the sports world for something besides auto racing; the Indianapolis Colts have become a well known football team after their win in Super Bowl XLI in 2007, and the city hosted Super Bowl XLVI in 2012 to mostly positive reviews. The city is also home to an NBA franchise, the Indiana Pacers, and the 2012 WNBA champion Indiana Fever, in keeping with the state's rich basketball tradition. Minor league baseball and hockey teams (the Indians and the Ice, respectively) make their homes here as well. Indianapolis is also a center of amateur athletics, styling itself as the "Amateur Sports Capital of the World" ever since the 1987 Pan American Games. As a result many significant U.S. amateur sports federations (including the National Collegiate Athletic Association and its High School equivalent) are headquartered in Indianapolis. The city retains all of the facilities necessary to hold an Olympics in miniature and the annual 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, AKA "The Mini", is one of the largest foot races in the U.S with over 35,000 participants and is just one of four full and five half marathons run in Indianapolis every year. Even such peripheral sports as marching band, drum & bugle corps, and soap box derby were enticed into relocating to Indianapolis, along with their national associations and associated championships. Indy hosts the Circle City Classic college football invitational every year and with the opening of the new football stadium (which is also designed to become a large basketball arena) the city is guaranteed to host the NCAA "Final Four" Basketball Tournament every four years for the foreseeable future.

** While Indianapolis is indeed mentioned by name in the movie, [[CaliforniaDoubling they obviously didn't film there]]. Also, there are no tourbuses full of Japanese tourists in Indianapolis -- except on Raceday, of course.

* Famous author and Indianapolis native KurtVonnegut was equally famous for dissing his hometown, dismissing Indianapolis as "The city that woke up only one day a year."

* The NormanLear 1970s sitcom ''OneDayAtATime'' was set in Indianapolis.

* According to [[http://www.jilliantamaki.com/sketchbook/uploaded_images/tm4-map-annotated-756198.jpg an oft-mocked world map]] included with the Sega Saturn RPG ''TengaiMakyo IV'', Indy is in Vermont, has a large waterfall to the northwest, and is part of the Michigan Territories, apparently.

* In a season three episode of ''Series/CriminalMinds'', Rossi returns to an old case, where three children in Indianapolis, now adults, had found their parents murdered the day after attending a carnival on Christmas Eve. The Los Angeles dwelling writers did not do the research. Even a record high temperature in December, in Indianapolis, is going to be too cold a traveling carnival to stop by.
* Creator/JohnGreen, author of ''AnAbundanceOfKatherines'', ''LookingForAlaska'', and ''TheFaultInOurStars'', lives in Indianapolis.

Also known as the "Circle City" and the "Crossroads of America" (from its central location in the US Interstate Highway system), Indianapolis was founded in 1826 to serve as the capital of the newly recognized State of Indiana. Indy was an economic powerhouse by the early 20th century, especially in the automotive industry (one of the factors leading local entrepreneur Carl Fisher to create its famous Speedway), but came under the influence of the Ku Klux Klan during TheRoaringTwenties. Though the Klan effectively took over the whole State of Indiana in the 1924 elections, their power was thoroughly broken by 1931 after their leader was jailed and documents from his files resulted in the resignation of the mayor and five of the six city council members. Indy spent TheThirties as a center of American Isolationism and the city has done its best to [[OldShame forget about these periods]] ever since.

* The seventh episode of ''CriminalMindsSuspectBehavior'' was set in Indianapolis. At least some establishing shots were legitimately filmed there, as there's a very recognizable Monument Circle in the teaser.

* In a season three episode of ''CriminalMinds'', Rossi returns to an old case, where three children in Indianapolis, now adults, had found their parents murdered the day after attending a carnival on Christmas eve. The Los Angeles dwelling writers did not do the research. Even a record high temperature in December, in Indianapolis, is going to be too cold a traveling carnival to stop by.

Though it lacks a major university of its own, Indianapolis is still a regional center for education and medicine, with a large satellite campus for the two major state universities, Indiana University and Purdue University (IUPUI, [[InherentlyFunnyWords "oo-ee-poo-ee"]]), located in the heart of downtown; the campus hosts, among others, the IU School of Informatics and a branch campus of the IU Medical School. The city also boasts several smaller private colleges and universities (Butler University and the University of Indianapolis foremost amongst them), pharmaceutical powerhouse Eli Lilly, and several major medical centers -- including Methodist Hospital, noted for their ability to put busted racecar drivers back together.

Ah, Indy... the city everyone forgets except for a certain Sunday in May, during which the [[{{Indycar}} Indianapolis 500-Mile Race]] occurs. This is virtually the ''only'' time it will be mentioned in fiction, despite the fact that it is the second-most populous state capital in the US (behind Phoenix) and the second largest city in the Midwest behind UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} (though other cities in the region have bigger metro areas). And the Indianapolis Motor Speedway isn't technically ''in'' Indianapolis, it's in the town of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedway,_Indiana Speedway]], a semi-independent (though wholly surrounded) suburb northwest of downtown.

Though it lacks a major university of its own, Indianapolis is still a regional center for education and medicine, with a large satellite campus for the two major state universities, Indiana University and Purdue University, located in the heart of downtown; nicknamed IUPUI, the campus hosts, among others, the IU School of Informatics and a branch campus of the IU Medical School. The city also boasts several smaller private colleges and universities (Butler University and the University of Indianapolis foremost amongst them), pharmaceutical powerhouse Eli Lilly, and several major medical centers -- including Methodist Hospital, noted for their ability to put busted racecar drivers back together.

Ah, Indy... the city everyone forgets except for a certain Sunday in May, during which the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race occurs. This is virtually the ''only'' time it will be mentioned in fiction, despite the fact that it is the second-most populous state capital in the US (behind Phoenix) and the second largest city in the Midwest behind UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} (though other cities in the region have bigger metro areas). And the Indianapolis Motor Speedway isn't technically ''in'' Indianapolis, it's in the town of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedway,_Indiana Speedway]], a semi-independent (though wholly surrounded) suburb northwest of downtown.

Ah, Indy... the city everyone forgets except for a certain Sunday in May, during which the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race occurs. This is virtually the ''only'' time it will be mentioned in fiction, despite the fact that it is the second-most populous state capital in the US (behind Phoenix) and the second largest city in the Midwest behind [[TheWindyCity Chicago]] (though other cities in the region have bigger metro areas). And the Indianapolis Motor Speedway isn't technically ''in'' Indianapolis, it's in the town of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedway,_Indiana Speedway]], a semi-independent (though wholly surrounded) suburb northwest of downtown.

Indianapolis' relatively low population density and relatively large geographical area (one-tenth the population of New York over a much larger area) makes for a very green and leafy city, and rural features like cornfields and horse farms can still be found within city limits. (There aren't many other major metropolitan areas that actually have horse farms within four miles of downtown.) The downtown area along the Canal hosts several museums and is quite attractive to pedestrians, with lovely walkways and paddle-boats for rent. Indy also stays close to its agricultural roots by hosting the annual Indiana State Fair, a huge 21 day agricultural and industrial expedition. Like all Midwestern state fairs the Indiana State Fair is SeriousBusiness, particularly for Future Farmers of America and 4-H, with the largest livestock and produce show of the year along with historical displays and the usual Midway attractions (including the typical selection of delicious fatty fried fair foods). Some of the biggest names in {{Pop}} and CountryMusic have graced the main stage, though the horrific stage collapse in 2011 that killed seven and injured dozens of fans waiting to see country band Sugarland has put a damper on live performances for the immediate future. The State Fairgrounds and the newly expanded Indiana Convention Center are also home to numerous conventions, trade shows and exhibitions, taking advantage of Indy's central location and position at the hub of the interstate highway system.

** Vonnegut was extremely proud of his hometown. He happily presented Indianapolis (and Hoosiers in general) in a positive light most of the time, particularly in interviews. He never actually dismissed it, but he was critical of some of its conservative political heritage. Indianapolis has since created a memorial library and 3-story-high mural in his honor.
-->“Indianapolis, Indiana is the first place in the United States of America where a white man was hanged for the murder of an Indian. The kind of people who'll hang a white man for murdering an Indian--that's the kind of people for me.”

* In one of the episodes of ''[[{{MASH}} M*A*S*H]]'', Klinger names the city (or more accurately, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway) when Winchester demands he drastically increase their jeep's speed.

Indy is also a rail hub, with a significant percentage of the U.S.'s transcontinental train traffic passing through downtown daily on the Norfolk Southern main line, making the sentence "We got stuck behind a train" -- i.e. got stuck at a railroad crossing waiting for an extremely long freight train to rumble past -- a legitimate excuse for being late to school. Finally, to complete the transportation triumvirate, Indianapolis has a large and modern airport largely given over to extensive air freight facilities, which, combined with Indianapolis' position near the center of both the road and rail networks, has led to the the city becoming the regional freight, logistics, and warehousing center. Though international passenger flights are limited to Canada and Mexico, with major overseas routes departing from nearby O'Hare and Detroit, the Indianapolis International Airport is also a regional passenger hub for domestic flights.

* Indianapolis is one of the cities destroyed in the nuclear attack that occurs at the beginning of the television series ''{{Jericho}}''.

In recent years the city has become known in the sports world for something besides auto racing; the Indianapolis Colts have become a well known football team after their win in Super Bowl XLI in 2007, and the city hosted Super Bowl XLVI in 2012 to mostly positive reviews. The city is also home to an NBA franchise, the Indiana Pacers, in keeping with the state's rich basketball tradition, and to minor league baseball and hockey teams (the Indians and the Ice, respectively) Indianapolis is also a center of amateur athletics, styling itself as the "Amateur Sports Capital of the World" ever since the 1987 Pan American Games. As a result many significant U.S. amateur sports federations (including the National Collegiate Athletic Association and its High School equivalent) are headquartered in Indianapolis. The city retains all of the facilities necessary to hold an Olympics in miniature and the annual 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, AKA "The Mini", is one of the largest foot races in the U.S with over 35,000 participants and is just one of four full and five half marathons run in Indianapolis every year. Even such peripheral sports as marching band, drum & bugle corps, and soap box derby were enticed into relocating to Indianapolis, along with their national associations and associated championships. Indy hosts the Circle City Classic college football invitational every year and with the opening of the new football stadium (which is also designed to become a large basketball arena) the city is guaranteed to host the NCAA "Final Four" Basketball Tournament every four years for the foreseeable future.

Though it lacks a major university of its own, Indianapolis is still a regional center for education and medicine, with a large satellite campus for the two major state universities, Indiana University and Purdue University, located in the heart of downtown; nicknamed IUPUI, the campus hosts, among others, the IU School of Informatics and a branch campus of the IU Medical School. The city also boasts several smaller private colleges and universities (Butler College and the University of Indianapolis foremost amongst them), pharmaceutical powerhouse Eli Lilly, and several major medical centers -- including Methodist Hospital, noted for their ability to put busted racecar drivers back together.

Indy is also a rail hub, with a significant percentage of the U.S.'s transcontinental train traffic passing through downtown daily on the Norfolk Southern main line, making the sentence "We got stuck behind a train" -- e.g. got stuck at a railroad crossing waiting for an extremely long freight train to rumble past -- a legitimate excuse for being late to school. Finally, to complete the transportation triumvirate, Indianapolis has a large and modern airport largely given over to extensive air freight facilities, which, combined with Indianapolis' position near the center of both the road and rail networks, has led to the the city becoming the regional freight, logistics, and warehousing center. Though international passenger flights are limited to Canada and Mexico, with major overseas routes departing from nearby O'Hare and Detroit, the Indianapolis International Airport is also a regional passenger hub for domestic flights.

* ''ParksAndRecreation'' doesn't show us much of Indianapolis, but since the characters work in municipal government in small-town Indiana, "Indianapolis" is often mentioned with connotations of both "the Big City" and "the Powerful State Government," with all that implies. "Indianapolis" shows up most obviously when two representatives of the State Auditor's office, Chris Traeger and Ben Wyatt, appear; they end up liking Pawnee so much they become its City Manager and Deputy Manager, respectively.[[note]]Which counts as either an AcceptableBreakFromReality or an honest mistake, since in Indiana the Auditor of State does the accounting and the State Board of Accounts does the auditing. Which says a lot, really.[[/note]]