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1957 Map of Indianapolis

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Indianapolis
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The radiating rail lines of the Pennsylvania, New York Central, and Monon railroads define the mid-century landscape of Central Indiana. At the heart of the sheet, Indianapolis serves as a massive transit hub, with the enclave of Speedway and the industrial suburb of Beech Grove visible on its periphery. To the south and west, the map documents the transition from the flat glacial plains to the dissected topography of the White River valley and the high ridges of Brown County State Park.

Heavy industry and military preparation are evident in the sprawling grounds of Fort Benjamin Harrison and Camp Atterbury, the latter including the Atterbury AFB landing strip. In the western reaches near the Wabash River, numerous Strip mine operations reflect the region's carbon economy. Cultural landmarks like Turkey Run State Park and Morgan-Monroe State Forest preserve the natural character amidst the growing network of federal highways such as U.S. 40 and U.S. 52.