Fort Benjamin Harrison Biking Tour

This tour explores the Fort Benjamin Harrison Neighborhood and State Park on Bike!

Fort Benjamin Harrison Biking Tour

Indianapolis, Indiana 46216, United States

Created By: Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis

Tour Information

WELCOME TO FORT BENJAMIN HARRISON

This tour is a part of the Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis Tour Series.

This tour is a biking tour.

Parking is most available along the Lawton Loop East Drive or in the parking lot across from the theatre.

Lawrence History

Long before the first settlers arrived in Lawrence, Native Americans such as the Delaware and Miami tribes lived along Fall Creek, just west of here. In the 1820s, pioneers began to migrate into the area, including the Reddick family who purchased land for farming in Lawrence in 1823.

So, that’s a snapshot of early Lawrence. What’s the story of the fort – how and when did it get here?

The fort is named for “Indianapolis’ own,” Benjamin Harrison, who, though born in Ohio, moved to Indianapolis in 1853 at age 20 and established a law practice in Indianapolis. Harrison had a good American pedigree; he was the grandson of the 9th President of the United States, William Henry Harrison, and the great-grandson of Benjamin Harrison the 5th, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. During the Civil War, Benjamin Harrison served in the Union Army as a colonel and was promoted in 1865 to brevet brigadier general. Harrison, a Republican, returned to his Indianapolis law practice, served for a term in the U.S. Senate, and from there was elected as the 23rd President of the United States, serving one term from 1889-1893. The Harrisons, Benjamin and W. H., are the only grandfather-grandson duo to occupy the Oval Office. Harrison died in Indianapolis in 1901.

In 1902, the federal government announced the closing of the Civil War arsenal in Indianapolis, where Arsenal Tech High School gets its name and is located today. Because of the loss of city revenue from the arsenal, Russell Harrison, Benjamin’s son and a recent Spanish-American War veteran, proposed the establishment of an infantry base in the area and worked to find a suitable location. The location selected was northeast of the city where Uncle Sam purchased land from the farmers near Lawrence, including 312 acres from the Reddick family. Towards the end of the transaction, a few of the farmers drove the price up, exceeding the budget. Local merchants stepped in to cover the difference, knowing that their shops would benefit from having the fort nearby. These merchants included L.S. Ayres and Bobbs-Merrill Company. The merchants, in a sense, saved the fort. In total, 2,417 acres were purchased for $279,000. That’s about $115 per acre.

Russell Harrison championed the naming of the new fort to then President Teddy Roosevelt rather than after his late President father. Russell did so only to further the Indiana fortunes of the Republican Party and of Teddy Roosevelt, as he had had a falling out with his father, who left him out of his will. With the land purchase finalized in 1904, construction of the fort began in 1906. President Roosevelt did honor the former Hoosier president, naming it Fort Benjamin Harrison.

When the Base Realignment and Closure Commission closed the Fort in 1991, about 1,700 acres were conveyed to the State of Indiana for the Fort Harrison State Park and Golf Course. The Fort Harrison Reuse Authority purchased the rest of the land from the Army for $9 million. A significant portion of that land was given to the City of Lawrence for parks and recreational uses. The Reuse Authority demolished over 800,000 square feet of dilapidated buildings and prepared the land for redevelopment for residential and office use. Today there are two major housing projects, outdoor art sculptures, and property values have increased. The Fort’s development is widely recognized as a success story for the reuse and redevelopment of a vacated military installation.

WANT TO LEARN MORE OR TAKE OTHER TOURS?

Our Thanks

This program has been made possible through a Historic Preservation Education Grant from Indiana Landmarks, Indiana Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Funding provided in part by Indiana Landmarks.

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Tour Map

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What You'll See on the Tour

Year Built: Circa 1970s Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Spire Fanlight over Door Small Panes in Double Hung Windows Constructed in the 1970s to serve as a chapel on the Fort. After the Fort was decommissioned, the chapel ... Read more
Here on the west side of the loop and parade grounds we see the original 18 officers’ homes varying in size and design based on rank, from lieutenant to captain, to major. There are 14 duplex homes, and 4 single-family homes. Although thi... Read more
Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Large Central Pediment with Entablature Wrap Porch with Column Supports Lights Above Door This is the largest house on the fort, designed for the regimental commander and h... Read more
To the north and directly in front of us is the 35-acre parade field or “The Loop” as it is referred to these days. This was the center of fort activities for much of its history, from physical training in the mornings, to military fiel... Read more
Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Double Level Porch Twin Gable Front Wings Segmental Arched Windows and Doors This smaller barracks building is the old regimental band barracks, where soldiers of the regi... Read more
Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Stockade Bars Large Central Dormer Segmental Arched Doors and Windows This building is the military police building, also known as the stockade. Notice the bars on the wind... Read more
Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Double Level Porch with Column Supports Pedimented Dormers Symmetrical Aesthetic The building to our left was the original officer’s mess, club and visiting/bachelor offi... Read more
Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Central Pediment Decorative Masonry Segmental Arched Windows This is the old post exchange, where soldiers could purchase small items and snacks to make army life a little ... Read more
Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Double Level Porch Two Entrances Segmental Arched Windows and Doors A great example of adaptive reuse, this building has been converted to hold several small businesses inc... Read more
Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Double Level Porch Two Entrances Segmental Arched Windows and Doors The Village of Merici This former Alpha Company barracks of the 11th Infantry Regiment is now the home o... Read more
Year Built: 1929 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Symmetrical Facade Fully Arched Windows Small Paned in Windows  The theater was built in 1929. It showed movies and hosted band performances for soldiers and their familie... Read more
(The cemetery is across the street) This is the old pioneer cemetery predates the fort. It was originally named the Thomas Silvey Cemetery. In 1903, the cemetery was included within the area the federal government acquired for the const... Read more
Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Water Tower Narrow Arched Windows Brick Construction (The studios are across the street) The original water pump house housed three pump engines capable of pumping 1 milli... Read more
Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Symmetrical Facade Double Level Porch with Column Supports Segmental Arched Windows (The Inn is across the street) The Fort Harrison State Park Inn was once the old post ho... Read more
At Fort Harrison, landscape and history blend together at this unique setting on the north-east side of Indianapolis. This was once the maneuvers area and firing range for the fort; now, this 1,700-acre park features walking and jogging tra... Read more
Year Built: 1929 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Symmetrical Facade Column Supported Pediment Entranceway Multi Paned Duble Hung Windows We are just off Shafter Rd (which is also E. 59th street), in front of four officer ... Read more
Year Built: Circa 1940s Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Pedimented Dormers Windows with Fanlights Light Stone Siding We’ll now continue our tour around to the “new” officers’ mess and club, built in the early 194... Read more
Year Built: 1929 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Elaborate Door Surround Narrow Windows Parapets Across the street are two barracks built in 1929, accommodating approximately 15 men in the smaller one and 350 men in the l... Read more
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. ... Read more
Year Built: 1953 Architecture Style: Contemporary Key Features: Winged Cover over Entrance Banded Windows Flat Roof (Finance building is across the street) Today, the military maintains a strong presence at the Fort with about 10% of the ba... Read more
Camp Glenn was a training area for Fort Ben soldiers, and later served as a site for the post-World War I Civilian Military Training Corps (CMTC) program. This program which was instituted to train a corps of ready army officers ran each su... Read more
On our right are the camp’s showers and latrines for the cadets, now rentable space through the state park for gatherings and activities.
In this area are the horse stables once used for cavalry training as well as mess hall facilities for soldiers and later the POWs.  Now, the stables provide horseback riding for park guests. 
This is the Museum of 20th Century Warfare, operated by volunteers and open to the public and free with admission to the park. There are period themed combat displays, a warfare library, and other items related to Indiana’s involvement in... Read more
Interurban Station / La Hacienda Year Built: 1908 Architecture Style: Colonial Revival Key Features: Wide Eaves with Brackets Multi-Paned Windows Metal Roof Just in front of us, on this side of 56th street is the Mexican restaurant La Hacie... Read more

 

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