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1948 Map of Indianapolis West

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Indianapolis West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Indianapolis in the late 1940s is captured here as a dense urban core radiating outward into developing suburbs and industrial sectors. The landscape is defined by the winding course of the White River and Fall Creek, around which significant public institutions and landmarks are situated. Central to the city's identity at this time are massive facilities like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway City and the sprawling Crown Hill Cemetery.

Transit and infrastructure play a dominant role, with a web of rail lines including the New York Central and Penna RR converging at Union Station. The map illustrates a city in a period of institutional growth, featuring the Indiana Univ Medical Center, the State School for Deaf, and the Central State Hospital. Numerous neighborhood parks and golf courses, such as Taggart Riverside Park, provide a green contrast to the grid-iron street patterns of historic districts like Woodruff Place and Fountain Square.