Historical Markers in
Marion County, Indiana

123 South Illinois Street 1907 Indiana Eugenics Law 28th Regiment USCT 800 North Pennsylvania Street A.J. Watson Abraham Lincoln Albert Einstein Allison Machine Shop American Legion Mall American Legion Mall American Legion Mall American Legion Mall Andrew Carnegie Anthony Wayne Athenaeum Bates-Hendricks House Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Harrison Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church Blackburn House Blackford House Boaz House Booker T. Washington Booth Tarkington Booth Tarkington Bowen-Merrill Fire / Indianapolis Fire Department Brig. General Benjamin Harrison Brookville Road Brown’s Corner Bulgarian Orthodox Church Calvin Fletcher Camp Morton Camp Sullivan (Military Park) Central Library Central State Hospital Chief Tecumseh Circle Theatre Civil War Arsenal 1861 - 1864 Civil War Training Camp Clarke House Coleman Hall Confederate Mound Crispus Attucks High School Crossing of the National and Michigan Roads Crown Hill Crown Hill Racing Legends D.P. Erwin & Company Building Deschler Building Eli Lilly and Company Emerson Hall Ernest "Ernie" Pyle Fallen Deputy Memorial Federal Field First Home of The Children’s Museum First Indiana State Meeting of the Christian Churches First Lady Caroline Harrison First Presbyterian Church of Southport Floyd "Pop" Dreyer Former U.S. Arsenal Fort Benjamin Harrison Founders Row Fox House Francis Marion, 1732-1795 Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt From Dirt & Gravel to Granite & Steel Gallaudett Station: The Town That Never Happened Garrett House General George Rogers Clark German Greenhouses and Truck Gardens German Newspapers’ Demise Glencoe Building Grace Julian Clarke Greek Orthodox Church Greenlawn Cemetery Griffith Block Hardrick House Here in 1867 Here, Abraham Lincoln Said Hibben, Hollweg & Company Building Hine Street Hinkle Fieldhouse Historic National Road Historic Ransom Place Holy Rosary - Danish Church Historic District Home of Benjamin Harrison Home of Charles Warren Fairbanks Hotel Severin In Honor of Arthur St. Clair Independent Turnverein Indiana Avenue Indiana Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs Indiana School for the Blind Indiana State Fairgrounds Mile Indiana State House Indiana Vietnam and Korean Wars Memorial Indiana Woman's Suffrage Indiana World War II Memorial Indiana World War Memorial Indiana World War Memorial Indianapolis - City of Indiana Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis Propylaeum Indianapolis Times Indiana's Main Street Indiana's Mazzini International House Isaac Blackford J. F. Darmody Company Building J.L. "Wes" Montgomery James Overall James Whitcomb James Whitcomb Riley Home John Freeman John Muir in Indianapolis John W. Murphy Building Jonas Salk Jones Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church Site Joseph W. Summers Memorial Bridge Joseph W. Summers Memorial Bridge Kile Oak L. S. Ayres & Company Department Store Building Lacy Building Lew Wallace Lincoln to the Citizens of Indiana Little Sisters of the Poor Lockerbie Square Macedonian Tribune Madame C.J. Walker Madame C.J. Walker Timeline Manufacturing for Transportation Marion County Girl Scouts Mark Twain Market Street Temple Marshall "Major" Taylor Martin Luther King Jr. Mary Bryan, Pioneer Woman Mary Cable / School No. 4 Site May Wright Sewall McCormick Cabin Site McCormick House McKee Building Merchants National Bank Building Meredith Nicholson Milestones in Nursing Mill Race Site Montgomery House Morton-Finney House New Bethel North Meridian Street Historic District North Meridian Street Historic District North Western Christian University Oliver P. Morton Oliver Perry Morton Orvis House Ovid Butler, Sr. President Abraham Lincoln President Benjamin Harrison Ransom House Ransom Place Historic District Richard Jordan Gatling Robert F. Kennedy Speech on Death of Martin L. King Robert W. Long Hospital Roberts Park United Methodist Church Rubins House Sarah T. Bolton Schnull-Rothschild Building Scottish Rite Cathedral Senate Avenue YMCA Sewall House Site of Golden Hill Totem Pole Site of the Central Canal Site of "Masonic Well" Soldiers and Sailors Monument South Meridian Street St. Elmo Steak House St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church St. Vincent’s Infirmary State Capitol Stewart House Stout House Stutz Susan B. Anthony T.C. Steele Studio and Herron Talking Wall The Central Canal The Chevrolet Brothers The College Inn Site The Columbia Club The First Methodist Church in Indianapolis Was Built on this Site The Home of Caroline Scott Harrison The House of Crane The Lilly Family The Lincoln Funeral Train The Malott Building The National Road The Old Northside The Old Northside The Plague Cemetery The Pumphouse The Rost Jewelry Company Building This Tablet Marks the Homestead of Isaac Wilson, Pioneer and Patriot. Thomas Andrews Hendricks Thomas Edison Toll House - Michigan Road Town of Meridian Hills USS Indianapolis CA-35 Vajen's Exchange Block Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Plaza Veterans Memorial Plaza Veterans Memorial Plaza Veterans Memorial Plaza Walker House Washington Irving Washington Park Baseball Washington St. Historic Buildings West Washington Street What Was the Wholesale District? Widows and Orphans Friends’ Society Wilber Shaw Memorial Hill Wilbur and Orville Wright Willard Park William Forsyth William H. Harrison Wilson House Site Woodruff Place World War II Memorial World War II Memorial WWI Aviation Repair Depot Zerelda G. Wallace “Cannon Ball” Baker “Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis Has Left the Building”
The first long-distance auto race in the United States was held in Indiana in 1911. The race, called the Indianapolis 500, is still held annually and is one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
Indiana random facts
Marion County, located in central Indiana, has a rich and varied history that dates back thousands of years. The area was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Delaware, Shawnee, and Miami. European settlement began in the late 18th century, with French traders and American settlers establishing small communities in the region. In 1821, Marion County was officially created as one of the original nine counties in Indiana, named after General Francis Marion, a hero of the American Revolutionary War.

During the mid-19th century, Marion County experienced significant growth and development. The city of Indianapolis, which is the county seat, was established in 1820 and quickly became a major transportation hub due to its location at the crossroads of several important trade routes. The construction of the National Road, a major east-west highway, in the 1830s further accelerated the city's growth. Indianapolis also became the state capital in 1825, solidifying its status as a political and economic center.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw continued expansion and modernization in Marion County. The city of Indianapolis played host to the Centennial Exposition in 1897, which showcased the city's progress and brought national attention to the area. The development of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909 and the subsequent rise of the Indianapolis 500 cemented the city's reputation as the "racing capital of the world."

In the present day, Marion County is the largest county in Indiana, both in terms of population and land area. It is home to a diverse range of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, and professional services. The county also boasts a vibrant arts and culture scene, with numerous museums, theaters, and galleries. Looking toward the future, Marion County is committed to sustaining its growth through strategic planning and community partnership, ensuring that it remains a vibrant and welcoming place for residents and visitors alike.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Marion County, Indiana.

  • 1817 - Marion County is officially established as a county in the state of Indiana.
  • 1820 - The county seat is established in Indianapolis, which becomes the state capital a few years later.
  • 1821 - The first courthouse in Marion County is built.
  • 1837 - The construction of the National Road through Marion County brings increased trade and transportation to the region.
  • 1857 - The first railroad, the Bellefontaine and Indiana, is completed in Marion County.
  • 1887 - The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, now famous for the Indianapolis 500 race, is built in Speedway, a town within Marion County.
  • 1912 - The Lyric Theatre, one of the city's earliest African-American theaters, opens in Indianapolis.
  • 1941 - The Great Flood of 1941 causes significant damage in Marion County and throughout the state.
  • 1970 - The Indiana Convention Center is opened in downtown Indianapolis, boosting the city's convention and tourism industry.
  • 2006 - Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, opens in downtown Indianapolis.