INDIANAPOLIS

city, capital of Indiana, U.S., and seat (1822) of Marion county, on the White River, near the centre of the state. A planned radial city, similar to Washington, D.C., it was founded in 1821 as the state capital, which it officially became in 1825. Some impetus for growth was given by the routing of the Cumberland (or National) Road (Washington Street) across the city in 1827 and later by the arrival of the railroads. In the late 19th century the abundant supply of natural gas in the vicinity drew new industry, including automobile manufacture. In 1911 the first 500-mile (805-kilometre) automobile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (a 2.5-mile [4-kilometre] oval in the western suburb of Speedway and a by-product of the city's early auto industry) was won by a locally made Marmon. Since then, the annual Memorial Day Indianapolis 500 race has become a celebrated international event attracting crowds of 300,000. The Speedway Hall of Fame Museum exhibits racing cars dating from 1909. Indianapolis is one of the most populous cities in the world not located on navigable water, although it is a hub of road, rail, and air transportation. These facilities, and the city's position in the midst of the Corn Belt, near large coalfields and consumer markets, have combined to make it an important commercial, financial, and industrial centre. Pharmaceuticals, machinery, and transportation and electrical equipment, including telephones, are major products. It is a leading grain market. A major educational and cultural centre, it is the seat of Butler University (1855), Christian Theological Seminary (1924), Indiana Vocational Technical College (1963), Lincoln Technical Institute (1926), Marian College (1851), Martin University (1977), University of Indianapolis (1892), and Indiana UniversityPurdue University at Indianapolis, including Herron School of Art (1916) and an internationally renowned medical centre. The hub of the city is Monument Circle (1901), site of the 284.5-foot (87-metre) Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. The World War Memorial Plaza (1927) is a five-block area honouring Indiana's war dead and includes the American Legion National Headquarters building. Clowes Memorial Hall (1963) is a centre for the performing arts, and the Indianapolis Symphony has its home in the Circle Theatre. The city has a modern convention-exposition centre and museum of art. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (1925) is the largest museum of its kind in the world and is one of the most frequently visited museums in the United States. The State Capitol was constructed (187888) of Indiana limestone and has a central tower and dome 240 feet (75 m) high. A domed stadium for indoor sports events and special attractions was opened in downtown Indianapolis in May 1984 and is home of the Indiana Pacers professional basketball team. The Baltimore Colts football team, a member of the National Football League, was moved to Indianapolis in 1984. The Indiana State Fairgrounds, with more than 70 permanent buildings, including the Coliseum, is a focus of trade and social activities. The Indianapolis home (1875) of U.S. President Benjamin Harrison has been preserved. The poet James Whitcomb Riley; Charles Warren Fairbanks, vice president under Theodore Roosevelt; and the author Booth Tarkington also lived in the city, and the author Kurt Vonnegut was born there. Uni-Gov, a unique city-county metropolitan government system, was introduced in 1970. Inc. town, 1836; city, 1847. Pop. (1990) city, 731,278; Indianapolis MSA, 1,380,491; (1996 est.) city, 746,737; Indianapolis MSA, 1,492,297.