Abstract:
This creative project, Historic Towns & Communities of Marion County, Indiana,
consists of an exploration of various historic communities in Marion County. Many of these
communities consist of areas that were once either independent towns or unincorporated areas
that have since been annexed by the City of Indianapolis during its consolidation with Marion
County under Unigov legislation in 1970. Other communities that will be studied through this
project retain their own local governments and autonomy, having been exempted from the
aforementioned merger. Both the annexed and un-annexed communities will be visited and
documented through photographs and accompanying descriptions. The different ways in which
these communities have been impacted by urban or suburban growth and development patterns
will also be noted, with historical maps and descriptions helping to compare and contrast their
respective histories with their present circumstances. The final product should consist of a sort of
field guide to these types of communities within Marion County, including maps, written
descriptions, and photographs with captions. The resulting document should be of interest to
planners or any individual with an interest in the history of Indianapolis, as each case study of
these communities tells a small story about development patterns, growth, and the built
environment in Marion County.
