Geography Indianapolis

1 geography

1.1 cityscape
1.2 neighborhoods
1.3 climate

geography

satellite image of indianapolis metropolitan area.

indianapolis located in east north central region of midwestern united states, in central indiana. according u.s. census bureau, indianapolis (balance) encompasses total area of 368.2 square miles (954 km), of 361.5 square miles (936 km) land , 6.7 square miles (17 km) water. consolidated city boundaries coterminous marion county, exception of autonomous municipalities of beech grove, lawrence, southport, , speedway. indianapolis 16th largest city land area in u.s.

indianapolis situated within tipton till plain, flat gently sloping terrain underlain glacial deposits known till. lowest point in city 650 feet (198 m) above mean sea level, highest natural elevation @ 900 feet (274 m) above sea level. few hills or short ridges, known kames, rise 100 feet (30 m) 130 feet (40 m) above surrounding terrain. city lies north of indiana uplands, region characterized rolling hills , high limestone content. city situated within epa s eastern corn belt plains ecoregion, area of u.s. known fertile agricultural land.

topographic relief slopes gently toward white river , 2 primary tributaries, fall , eagle creeks. in total, there 35 streams in city, including indian creek , pogue s run. major bodies of water include indian lake, geist reservoir, , eagle creek reservoir.

cityscape



panorama of downtown indianapolis skyline in 2016.



alexander ralston s plat of town of indianapolis, today known mile square.

indianapolis planned city. on january 11, 1820, indiana general assembly authorized committee select site in central indiana new state capital, appointing alexander ralston , elias pym fordham survey , design town plan indianapolis. ralston had been surveyor french architect pierre l enfant, assisting him plan washington, d.c. ralston s original plan indianapolis called town of 1 square mile (2.6 km), near confluence of white river , fall creek.

the plan, known mile square, bounded east, west, north, , south streets, centered on traffic circle, called monument circle (originally governor s circle), indianapolis circle city nickname originated. 4 diagonal streets radiated block monument circle: massachusetts, virginia, kentucky, , indiana avenues. city s address numbering system begins @ intersection of washington , meridian streets. before submersion sanitary tunnel, pogue s run included plan, disrupting rectilinear street grid southeast.

downtown indianapolis indiana world war memorial plaza historic district. landmarks include american legion (left) , scottish rite cathedral (right).

noted 1 of finest examples of city beautiful movement design in united states, seven-block indiana world war memorial plaza historic district began construction in 1921 in downtown indianapolis. national historic landmark includes neoclassical american legion , central library buildings, depew memorial fountain, several sculptures , memorials, , open space, hosting many annual civic events.

after completion of soldiers , sailors monument, ordinance passed in 1905 restricting building heights on traffic circle 86 ft (26 m) protect views of 284 ft (87 m) monument. ordinance revised in 1922, permitting buildings rise 108 ft (33 m), additional 42 ft (13 m) allowable series of setbacks. citywide height restriction ordinance instituted in 1912, barring structures on 200 ft (61 m). completed in 1962, city-county building first skyscraper in city, surpassing soldiers , sailors monument in height 100 ft (30 m). building boom, lasting 1982 1990, saw construction of 6 of city s ten tallest buildings. tallest salesforce tower, completed in 1990 @ 811 ft (247 m). indiana limestone signature building material in indianapolis, included in city s many monuments, churches, academic, government, , civic buildings.

compared similar-sized american cities, indianapolis unique in contains 200 farms covering thousands of acres of agricultural land within municipal boundaries. horse farms , corn , soybean fields interspersed suburban development commonplace on city s periphery, in franklin township. stark contrast between indianapolis urban neighborhoods , rural villages result of 1970 city-county consolidation, expanded city s incorporated boundary coterminous marion county.

neighborhoods

the city divided 99 community areas statistical purposes, though many smaller neighborhoods exist within these areas. indianapolis neighborhoods difficult define because city lacks historical ethnic divisions, in chicago, or physical boundaries, seen in pittsburgh , cincinnati. instead, neighborhoods subtle in distinctions. indianapolis historic preservation commission recognizes several neighborhoods historic districts, including: central court, chatham arch, golden hill, herron-morton place, lockerbie square, old northside, , oliver johnson s woods. expansion of interurban system @ turn of 20th century facilitated growth of several streetcar suburbs, including broad ripple, irvington, university heights, , woodruff place.

the post–world war ii economic expansion , subsequent suburbanization had profound impact on physical development of city s neighborhoods. 1950 1970, 97,000 housing units built in marion county. of new construction occurred outside center township, expediting out-migration city s urban neighborhoods suburban areas, such castleton, eagledale, , nora. between 1950 , 1990, on 155,000 residents left center township, resulting in urban blight , disinvestment. since 2000s, downtown indianapolis , surrounding neighborhoods have seen increased reinvestment attributed nationwide demographic trends, driven empty nesters , millennials. 2020, downtown projected have 30,000 residential units, compared 18,300 in 2010.

renewed interest in urban living has been met dispute regarding gentrification , affordable housing. according center community progress report, neighborhoods cottage home , fall creek place have experienced measurable gentrification since 2000. north meridian street historic district among affluent urban neighborhoods in u.s., mean household income of $102,599 in 2017.

climate

indianapolis in humid continental climate zone (köppen: dfa) using 0 °c (32 °f) isotherm, experiencing 4 distinct seasons. city in usda hardiness zone 6a.

typically, summers hot, humid , wet. winters cold moderate snowfall. july daily average temperature 75.4 °f (24.1 °c). high temperatures reach or exceed 90 °f (32 °c) average of 18 days each year, , exceed 95 °f (35 °c). spring , autumn pleasant, if @ times unpredictable; midday temperature drops exceeding 30 °f or 17 °c common during march , april, , instances of warm days (80 °f or 27 °c) followed within 36 hours snowfall not unusual during these months. winters cold, average january temperature of 28.1 °f (−2.2 °c). temperatures dip 0 °f (−18 °c) or below average of 4.7 nights per year.

the rainiest months occur in spring , summer, higher averages during may, june, , july. may typically wettest, average of 5.05 inches (12.8 cm) of precipitation. rain derived thunderstorm activity; there no distinct dry season, although occasional droughts occur. severe weather not uncommon, particularly in spring , summer months; city experiences average of 20 thunderstorm days annually.

the city s average annual precipitation 42.4 inches (108 cm), snowfall averaging 25.9 inches (66 cm) per season. official temperature extremes range 106 °f (41 °c), set on july 14, 1936, −27 °f (−33 °c), set on january 19, 1994.

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