Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission

The Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission (IHPC) is responsible for preserving historic areas and structures in Marion County, Indiana, United States.^[1][2] It oversees the exteriors of historic landmarks, such as ensuring that walls, light fixtures, roofing, etc., are stable and appropriate. Citizens of Indianapolis can apply to have the commission review and fix historic structures by applying for a certificate of appropriateness. The commission was established in 1967. It has a collection in the Indiana University Indianapolis library of digitized images of historically significant areas.^[3] The IHPC currently oversees 13 historic districts and 5 conservation areas.^[1]

In 1967, the IHPC was established by the state of Indiana. It currently holds 9 voting members, as well as 2 non-voting members, who all decide what will and will not be protected under the commission.

• Chatham–Arch and Massachusetts Avenue collectively anchor downtown Indianapolis's northeast side. Chatham–Arch is a residential neighborhood on the National Register of Historic Places. Walking tours of the area are available.^[4][5] Massachusetts Ave. is a commercial corridor geared towards artistry, home to multiple art galleries, jazz clubs, and vintage shops. It's seen as a key cultural spot for this presence of art as well as its architectural design.^[6][7][8]
• Fletcher Place is a neighborhood named after Calvin Fletcher Sr, one of the first residents.^[9] The Fletcher Place Community Center was a key part of the neighborhood, supporting local families through assistance with education, finances, and food since the Great Depression.^[10]

  

• Fountain Square is a neighborhood near downtown, known for its art. Historically it was a business and entertainment district, with several movie theaters, and is now an active hub for vintage and antique stores, book shops, art shows and stores, and nightlife.^[11]
• Herron–Morton Place is a neighborhood whose site was originally owned by the Indiana State Board of Agriculture and served as the site of the Indiana State Fair. During the Civil War, it was used as a training grounds for Union troops and then as POW camp for Confederate soldiers. The southern portion of the area was the home to an art museum and school.^[12]
• Indiana World War Memorial Plaza contains the "Soldiers and Sailors" statue as well as a War Memorial Museum and University Park. It was originally created for WWI veterans, and has been expanded to all Indiana veterans. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1994.^[13][14]

  

• Irvington Historic District is one of the first planned suburbs in Indianapolis and has a Romantic architecture style. It was the previous site of Butler University and was known for its art, education, and vehicle access. It is now known for its large annual Halloween festival.^[15][16]
• Lockefield Gardens, located near the IU campus in downtown Indianapolis, is a former 1930s housing project, the first of Indianapolis and designed by William Earl Russ.^[17] It is an African American cultural area as well, due to it being an affordable area for Black families to move into and form communities.^[18]
• Lockerbie Square is the oldest residential neighborhood in Indianapolis.^[19] It contains the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, which preserves the architecture and furnishings of the home of local poet James Whitcomb Riley. Lockerbie was the name of Riley's dog.^[20]
• Monument Circle, also known as the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, is the center or "heart" of Circle City. Recently, a temporary park was added to provide more accessible public spaces to the city.^[21][22]

  

• Old Northside is a residential Indianapolis neighborhood that was named a historic district in 1978,The community was considered fashionable in the late 19th century, with many high-profile people living there, but from World War I to until the 1970s it saw a steady decline in people and activity.^[23][24] Efforts have been made to refurbish the houses in the neighborhood.^[25]
• St. Joseph Historic Neighborhood has a significant number of architectural styles from the Civil War era and before.^[26] The neighborhood's buildings have 15 different styles of architecture, including Italianate, Greek Revival, and Queen Anne.^[27]

  

• Wholesale District was a key distribution hub due to presence of the Indianapolis Union Station.^[28] It is named after the wholesale businesses formerly and currently located there.^[29]
• Woodruff Place is one of the original suburbs of Indianapolis, with three esplanades that separate the west, middle, and east drives of the neighborhood. It was remained an independent town until 1962, when it was annexed by the city of Indianapolis.^[30][31]

• Cottage Home Historical District was less of a neighborhood, including residential areas but also many work and shopping centers. It included a large German-American demographic as well as Irish-American and African-American.^[32]

  

• Cumberland is another district with multiple parks and hiking trails, providing natural spaces and conservation areas. It was annexed in 1968.^[33][34]
• Fayette Street Conservation Area is associated with both older black neighborhoods and the canal/white river. As such, it is considered a Water Landmark.^[35][36]
• New Augusta is a district that contains houses, shopping centers, and schools. It is a part of Pike Township, and focuses its efforts towards preserving and conserving a historic community.^[37][38]
• Ransom Place is a neighborhood that, in working with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIBI), developed a park containing native plants and trees. The Ransom Place Neighborhood Association (RPNA) was founded to support preservation.^[39][40]

• Askren House is a building originally housing the family of John Thomas Askren, of whom began building in 1828 and finished in1850. The building now houses a dinner club, called Askern House Dinner Club, run by an Indiana chef.^[41]

  

• The Church of the Holy Cross, Rectory, Gymnasium & School Building began as a school and slowly transitioned into a multi-purpose building over the years. It was built in 1896, and became fully formed by the 1980s before being shut down in 2014. Demolition has been discussed but, as of 2024, nothing has come of it.^[42][43][44]
• The Drake Apartments were luxury apartments established in 1929. In 2023, it was purchased by the State of Indianapolis from the Children's Museum of Indianapolis for 1.02 million dollars, with votes from the IHPC. The goal is/was to turn them into modern, affordable apartments for Indiana citizens.^[45][46][47]
• Oldfields-Lilly House & Gardens, or Eli Lilly House, is owned by the Newfields museum, or the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA). It was built in 1912, with expansive gardens and fountains, as well as a 22-room, 2 story manor, being 52-acres in total. The house was purchased by the Lilly family in 1932, and given to the Indianapolis Art Association in 1967.^[48][49][50]

  

• The Gramse or The Nicholson Historical Apartment, a bungalow built in 1915, was a historic apartment building, and is currently on track to become renovated, affordable housing. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.^[51][52]
• Hannah-Oehler-Elder-House is a "haunted" house located on Madison Avenue, claimed as such due to the death of the original owner, Alexander Hannah, and his wife. It was then purchased by Roman Oehler and inherited by his daughter, Romena Oehler-Elder, who got it placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. As a public property, a group called the Paranormal Meet and Greet has been meeting there since 2008.^[53][54]
• Hilbert Circle Theater is where the Indiana Symphony Orchestra performs, in monument circle in downtown Indianapolis. It is the second-oldest building in the area, having opened for business in 1916 as the Circle Theatre and renovated a few times since, in the 1930s, 1980s, and being renamed in 1996.^[55][56]
• Hollingsworth House is a historic Indiana home built in 1954
• Pierson-Griffiths House, also known as Kemper House,
• Meridian Street Methodist Episcopal Church
• Morris Butler House
• Old City Hall
• P.R. Mallory Company Factory was built in1924 and founded by namesake Philip Rogers Mallory.
• Ruskaup-Ratcliffe House and Store is a building within the Cottage Home Historical District.
• Union Station Grand Hall

• Indianapolis Cultural Districts
• Indiana Historical Society
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Marion County, Indiana