Most people tend to think of Indianapolis in relation to the sporting events that take place here (the Indianapolis 500, Pacers, Colts, an increasing number of others), and tend to overlook some very interesting and historical parts of the city right in the centre. Here are a few of the more interesting spots in Indianapolis that tend to be neglected.
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One such overlooked place is Christ Church Cathedral, on the Circle (which is dominated by the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument) -- a small but grand cathedral in very American architectural style.
Indianapolis itself was first settled as a town in 1821; shortly thereafter churches began to be built. The first Christ Church Episcopal building was erected as a small wooden church in 1838; this was demolished and the present building begun in 1857. It was designated Cathedral for the diocese in 1954, and in 1973 was added to the National Register of Historic Sites.
There is a corner tower with spire which is impressive; however, it is now dwarfed by the surrounding skyscrapers. The tower contains bells that were first rung in 1860; currently there are nine bells, which have tolled every Sunday, as well as major events such as the procession for Lincoln's body to the State Capitol en route to its final resting place in Illinois. Eight ringers can stand in the fourth-level ringing room, doing an English change ringing pattern. A green copper spire tops the tower--the rain run-off has made given a greenish tint to the corners of the tower from top to base. The main doors are at the base of the tower, in the traditional Anglican red.
Inside there are many things to see. The ceiling is oak, the nave constructed with contrasting white and dark wood surfaces. The whole interior is very bright. There are twelve cloisonné, commemorating women in the history of the church. Major windows through the nave depict Sts. Michael & Gabriel, King Solomon, Amos and Isaiah, David and Moses, and other scenes from biblical and church history. The windows are intricate and each tells a story, as well as has a story of dedication and service.
This cathedral has a rood screen, across the entrance to the chancel. The chancel organ is a recent addition, having been made by Hellmuth Wolff of Laval, Quebec in 1989. It has 50 stops and 72 ranks, with 3280 pipes. This was made possible through endowments by a prominent member of Christ Church, Eli Lilly (of Lilly Pharmaceuticals fame). Lilly's endowment has as first priority the maintenance of the building and staffing of the cathedral so that it may remain a religious centre in the centre of the city.
In the sanctuary, the altar made of white marble with borders of inlaid pearl, with an onyx cross in a circle. This same altar is the one that was against the wall--it was moved out during recent renovations to allow for the modern liturgical practice of clergy facing the people during the celebration. In the sanctuary is also the cathedra, literally the 'chair' or 'throne' of the bishop, which distinguishes this church from other parishes; the diocesan crest is carved into the chair.
Little bits of history abound in this place (like the room on the second level of the tower where a student bell ringer lived, who made the reasonable sum of a $100 salary for the year in 1873.
This is a working cathedral, with daily services and an active parish drawn from all parts of the city. Make it a point to stop by sometime and peek inside at an oft-overlooked gem.
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When in Indianapolis, plan to stop by the Eiteljorg Musuem of American Indians and Western Art. What, you may be asking yourself, is such a museum doing in the relatively-eastern state of Indiana? Well, before Hollywood made the 'indians' an almost-exclusively western U.S. phenomenon, it must be remembered that they covered the entire continent. And, Indiana has been a 'western' state for much of this nation's history -- the statement 'Go West, young man!' did not refer to California in its first utterance -- it referred to Indiana and Illinois. The Eiteljorg is one of only two museums east of the Mississippi specialising in this kind of art and history.
The museum has different tours which lead through their collections, tours of Discovery, which give a brief introduction to art, history and culture of Native Americans and the West; tours of Spirited Hands intended largely to dispel myth, rumour and prejudice as well as introducing visitors to current culture of Native Americans; Touch of the West tours which include information about cowboys, mountain men, settlers as well as Native Americans. Many of these tours include a hands-on component, as well as demonstrations and live lectures and discussion groups.
Permanent collections include art, pottery, quilting, sculpture, basketry, and more from all ten Native American cultural groupings. Frequently additional pieces are brought in from the Taos artist colony, and other permanent pieces include works of O'Keefe, Fechin, Remington and Russell.
The following information comes from their website:
Museum and Store Hours: Tours - 1:00 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m . Sunday noon - 5 p.m . Open Mondays, Memorial Day through Labor Day Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
Location: 500 West Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204 Located in downtown Indianapolis, in White River State Park, within walking distance of the RCA Dome and Circle Centre mall. Free parking for Eiteljorg visitors in the White River state Park underground garage; enter from Washington Street.
Admission: Adults: $5 Senior citizens 65 and over: $4 Children 5-17 and full-time students with ID: $2 Children 4 and under: free
To visit their website, point your browser to www.eiteljorg.org. Conveniently located and an unexpected treat for when traveling to Indianapolis.
As for my own impressions, I love this museum. I must confess that my art tastes are more decidedly Old World, but I find things of extraordinary beauty in the simplicity of many of the things in this museum. I enjoyed contrasting the pottery and basketry of Native Americans with that of Syro-palestinian design (something with which, given my archaeological studies, I am much more familiar); I must confess I am not a great fan of 'cowboy art' (such as Remington) and never quite know how to take O'Keefe, as beautiful as it is--my reaction to her various flowers and objects can vary from day to day.
This museum has provided for me an opening into a culture and world which, given my euro-centric education and upbringing, was remote and dusty. The tours (I've been on each of the three I mention above by name) have given me insights and sensitivity to the hopes, dreams, and tragedies of the history of the western USA.
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For fine dining in Indianapolis (something of which I am familiar, but alas, not familiar enough for my tastes!), there are two restaurants that I can highly recommend. Beware, these are expensive restaurants.
--The Restaurant in the Canterbury Hotel-- This restaurant has a wonderfully romantic atmosphere. It is in a dark-paneled, relatively small room off the lobby of a quaint old hotel (old by American standards, anyway). There aren't more than dozen or so tables in the entire restaurant, so be sure to make a reservation. It has been the traditional place for me to take a small group of friends each year for Christmas; I always request (and get) the round table near the front. There is a small bar facing the street, so that you may see the horse and carriage traffic in front as they depart on their tour of the circle.
Their wine list has unfortunately slipped in the past few years, but this is a small mark on an otherwise wonderful place. The portions are generous (including the cocktails -- one friend remarked that he likes the Canterbury so that he may order his usual 'bowl of martini'). The chef prepares quite a number of interesting dishes, my favourite being the lobster and veal tivoli, followed by their city-wide-famous dessert, the dessert souffle, which one orders in advance with any number of added ingredients (I often opt for raspberry, chocolate, and Grand Marnier). My friend Jim always likes the antelope (yes, antelope).
With a decent wine we usually escape at just about $100 per person.
--The Glass Chimney-- This great restaurant is off the path a bit, being in Carmel, a northern suburb of Indianapolis. It is in a nice old building, with a bar and a chimney (which isn't glass--oh well). A very wide ranging menu greets you, heavily influenced on the German side, due to the chef (Deiter)--this is the place for Viennese and Bavarian specialities, as well as standard fare. I often opt for a duck or filet mignon; last month one friend chose baby-back ribs, which he proclaimed the best he's ever had. Appetizers include clams on the half-shell, shrimp cocktail with a subtle-yet-spicy sauce, and a host of other inventive nibbly things.
This is the place for wine -- the list (book, actually) is very extensive, at least twenty pages of wines of every variety. Here you can go from Beringer White Zinfandel to the $1200 Chateau Margaux. (We opted for the $500 Margaux on our last visit). Everything is presented with a subtle flair, and a dinner here is one to remember.
This year's new year's festivities ran about $200 per person.
Both of these restaurants have become 'regular' places for us to go on festive occasions, but neither our wallets nor our waistlines permit any more regular outtings. But, for a real treat in Indianapolis, do visit these restaurants.
--Rick's Cafe Boatyard-- This is a fun and festive place on the north-west side of town, near the end of 38th Street. The restaurant is situated on one of the Eagle Creek lakes, which is how it gets its name. In the warmer weather, there is outdoor dining as well as indoor; they have a wonderful large space that has huge windows that look out on the lake so that one may get a sense of the being on the water even while inside. The restaurant also includes a bar and conference/banqueting facilities for personal or business events. Also offered is valet parking (although parking is not a problem, so this nice touch isn't something you must use).
The wine list is good and varied, but not extensive. However, I've been able to find several of my favourite wines on the list regularly (the Franciscan is always there). They have all the basics (steak, chicken, seafood) done in expected ways as well as wonderful specials, and they feature large lobsters on a routine basis (3.5 lbs is not uncommon here).
However, the desserts are the best thing. Fortunately at the moment, they have chefs competing with each other to outdo the other--every day features a new cheesecake (last week we had creme caramel chocolate swirl cheesecake that made me rethink my theology of sacrament!) Other desserts include imaginative daily creations with fruit, chocolate, pastries and pies. Save room (which is hard after a 3.5 lbs. lobster!).
For low-key elegance or upscale casual, this is the place, but make reservations for weekends or busy periods. My usual cheque comes to about $50-$60 per person, including several courses, wine, and dessert.
--Circle Centre Mall-- There are several restaurants is located in the Circle Centre Mall in the heart of Indianapolis. Circle Centre was the brainchild of developers and politicians to revitalise the downtown, and thus far it has done a good job. The shops are 'upscale'--Nordstroms and Parisians, etc. So, don't let the word mall deceive you.
There is an Arts Garden (an innovative, mostly-glass creation that is suspended across a major intersection). The decor is modern, and thus matches the rest of Circle Centre well; there is a bar and a section of open seating on the promenade of the mall, as well as more private dining room in the rear. Modern art graces the walls, and the furnishings are tastefully modern (and for a traditionalist to be saying this, that is something!).
Friends and I went there just last week to celebrate birthdays. There are good basic American (Palomino's), Italian (Bertolini's), and Chinese (P.F. Chang's) cuisine restaurants. Across the road from Circle Centre is the Hyatt Regency with The Eagle's Next, a revolving restaurant which affords spectacular views of the city.
These is a good place to go when shopping downtown, for office gatherings, for tourists staying downtown, and for the occasional festive evening (make reservations, as the mall traffic will fill up the seats).
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There is much more in Indianapolis -- four universities and several other colleges, more museums, monuments, and points of culture, as well as a lot of fun places, like the zoo and the parks.
I hope you'll consider Indianapolis as a holiday destination sometime. It is particularly good for weekend get-aways.
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