Indianapolis Street Names
Topic: Indianapolis Living
Posted: Wed, Nov 2, 2005 
Here's one of those slick tools that I wish existed out there on the internet: a database of Indianapolis street names. Indianapolis has a department of Geospatial Information Services, but their tools all seem to be mapping tools and not databases that I can browse through.
I think of this every time I've driving down Allisonville road, and I pass Periwinkle Way. I love that street name. Every time I see it, I imagine the heterosexual men who live on the street writing the address on their mail or filling out a form, and I chuckle.
Indianola Avenue is another name that makes me laugh, because I picture people addressing their mail: "Indianola Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana." How many redundant indians could you put in a single line?
Primrose Ave is another street name that catches my eye, because I think it's wrong every time I see it; it should have been Primrose Path instead. Then you could lead people down it.
There are of course, some confusing oddities in Indy street naming conventions, for example: 86th Street becomes 82nd Street east of Allisonville Road. I've never heard an explanation for that one.
And I understand the concept of the North, South, East and West Streets: they frame the "mile square" of Downtown Indianapolis that was the original plat of the city. But it's still disconcerting to me that when I'm driving on North Street, I'm headed east or west, and I take East Street and West Street south.
I live on plain old Pennsylvania, which surprisingly, people have a lot of trouble spelling.
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Comments
1. Nov 2, 05 12:41 PM | Jennifer Bortel said:
I like Dell Zell Drive, which is off of Keystone Ave a few blocks south of Kessler.
2. Nov 2, 05 01:39 PM | Brent said:
In 1821, Alexander Ralston was commissioned to survey and plat *four* square miles to create Indianapolis, not one. His opinion was that not even one square mile area would be filled, so he just stopped at that. The original square mile is bordered by the streets Steph mentioned (North, East, South, and West). Ralston also helped map Washington D.C.
Here's a little history of the sale of the initial 314 lots:
http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/ihb/publications/indy2tl.html
Here's a pic of Ralston's work:
http://static.flickr.com/24/59059578_63b4ad9adb_o.jpg
3. Nov 15, 05 09:25 PM | Keith said:
My favorite Indy street is 71st St., or is that 73rd St.? Or maybe it's Meridian Hills Blvd.? No, wait! It's Westlane Rd.! (Here is the link - http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.881355,-86.168175&spn=0.033225,0.065394&hl=en - zoom in and scroll west to see all the name changes)
BTW, 86th St. becomes 82nd and vice versa when it crosses the White River, not at Allisonville Rd.
Don't forget the always famous intersection of Fall Creek and Fall Creek! (http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=39.870025,-86.041617&spn=0.016615,0.032697&hl=en)
4. Feb 28, 06 01:49 PM | Steph Mineart said:
USAToday had report on a contest for odd street names
http://tinyurl.com/gxcf5
The contest was held by "the car Connection" website:
http://tinyurl.com/jlpcj
Doesn't look like any Indy names were nominated.
We did notice the other day that a new strange street name has appeared in Indy. Where 96th street and Westfield Boulevard intersect, 96th street jogs south a bit to avoid 465. Since the roundabout was installed at the intersection, the street sign at that little jog now says "Real Street." So if any one asks, it is a real street.
5. Feb 28, 06 04:34 PM | Jim Chalex said:
Ah yes, "Real" street. That name actually predates the roundabout. Because it just magically changes into 96th, I was thinking "surreal" might be better.
6. Jul 15, 06 12:30 AM | george newman said:
? many years ago I had relatives that lived at 4627 n. arsenal. was this street name changed to indianola at some time in the past. arsenal park is on indianola between 46th and 49th street thank you;
7. Jan 27, 07 01:34 AM | Margaret Putnam said:
I found an old war rations books from 1942 for me, age 1, weight 18 pounds and the address is 6131 Indianola Ave., Indianapolis, Indiana. Where in the world is this? Is there still a house there? My family moved to Midland, Texas when I was 3 and a half, and about all I can remember of Indianapolis is going to the Episcopal church to be baptized, and stamping tin cans flat.