New Homes on Wheeler Road

To our right are new homes being built where other military barracks once stood, as well as dozens of horse and mule stables that used to be here, back when the army needed thousands of mules and horses to pull supply wagons and artillery. In 1934, more than 350 Army mules were eliminated at Fort Ben pursuant to a new Army policy that artillery and infantry units were to be motorized.

Today, Triton Brewery and other local businesses now occupy some of those old stables which were so critical up to World War II for maintaining the army’s supply lines.

To our left is a former 100-acre barracks area that in 1987 during the Pan Am Games hosted in Indianapolis, was used as the “Athletes Village” to securely house, feed and entertain over 6,000 game participants. This area is now occupied by the Benjamin Court Retirement Home and the Fort Ben YMCA.

We’ll be turning right and shortly passing the old blacksmith shop, which is now Cafe Audrey, passing through the old Army Quartermaster section of the post – which now houses multiple businesses and restaurants.