Garfield Park (Indianapolis) facts for kids

Garfield Park is a large, 128-acre city park in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It's the oldest park in Indianapolis, started way back in the late 1800s! It's even listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a really important historical spot.

The park is located where two creeks, Pleasant Run and Bean Creek, meet. A special part of the park is the 10,000 square foot (930 m²) Conservatory and Sunken Gardens. These beautiful gardens were designed by a famous landscape architect named George Edward Kessler. He also planned many other parts of the park as part of his big idea for Indianapolis's parks and boulevards.

Quick facts for kids Garfield Park
Conservatory building in Garfield Park
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Type	City Park
Location	2345 Pagoda Dr. Conservatory:   2505 Conservatory Dr. Arts Center:   2432 Conservatory Dr. Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Area	128 acres (52 ha)
Created	1881 (1881)
Operated by	Indy Parks and Recreation
Open	All year
Website	Garfield Park
Garfield Park
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Part of	Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System (ID03000149)
Added to NRHP	March 28, 2003

Park Geography

Garfield Park is surrounded by streets like Raymond Street to the north and Southern Avenue to the south. Emmerich Manual High School is just west of the park, across some railroad tracks.

The park has many rolling fields because it's located where Pleasant Run and Bean Creeks meet. Pleasant Run flows into the park from the north, and Bean Creek enters from the south. They join together before leaving the park to the west. There are seven bridges crossing these creeks, and three of them are just for people walking. Some of the oldest bridges are made of strong limestone.

Garfield Park is a key part of the Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System designed by George Kessler. The Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive goes through the park, following the creek. The Pleasant Run Trail also runs north from Garfield Park, connecting to other parks. This trail has a cool boardwalk that goes under the Raymond Street bridge. There's a big hill near the trail that's perfect for sledding in the winter!

Long ago, a dam where the two creeks met created a pond. People used to go ice skating there in the winter. The dam is gone now, but you can still see parts of it. In 1992, a tornado sadly destroyed many of the park's trees. But lots of large trees, like oaks, maples, and sycamores, still provide shade throughout the park.

Park History

Early Years: 1800s

In 1871, a railroad company sold 98 acres (40 ha) of land, originally called Bradley Woods, to a group that wanted to build a horse racetrack. This racetrack, called Southern Riding Park, didn't do well because it was hard for people to get to. After some financial trouble, the land was sold to the city of Indianapolis in 1874.

The city opened what was first named Southern Park in 1876. It was the very first park owned by the city itself! Other older parks in Indianapolis were owned by the state. The park was renamed Garfield Park in 1881, after President James A. Garfield was sadly assassinated. For its first 20 years, not many people visited the park because it was far from the city and didn't have many things to do. People even suggested using the land for other things, like a dairy farm or a cemetery!

In 1888, the City Council decided to spend $10,000 to make the park better, including building a bridge over Pleasant Run. By 1895, a streetcar line was extended to the park, making it much easier for people to visit. A special group called the Board of Park Commissioners was created in 1895 to plan and improve the park properly.

Over the next 20 years, many improvements were made almost every year! These included a bicycle path in 1901, the Pagoda in 1903, and bigger greenhouses in 1904. They even added cages for bears, monkeys, and small animals in 1905, along with tennis courts and fancy stone entrance posts. In 1910, two swimming beaches were opened on Bean Creek, one for boys and one for girls.

The park also grew bigger over time. More land was bought between 1893 and 1915, increasing Garfield Park's size to 128 acres (52 ha).

The 1900s and Beyond

In 1908, the city hired famous landscape architect George Edward Kessler to create a big plan for all the parks and boulevards in Indianapolis. He made a detailed master plan just for Garfield Park in 1912. He wanted to use the good things already in the park and add new features like the beautiful Sunken Gardens and new bridges.

On July 14, 1919, a difficult event occurred in the park, leading to a disturbance that continued at a nearby house. Several people were injured during this time.

During the Great Depression and World War II, the city faced money problems, so major improvements to the park stopped. After the wars, keeping the park in good shape was still a challenge. Sadly, there was more vandalism and crime, so the city started closing the park at night. Some park roads were even closed to reduce traffic, hoping it would also reduce crime.

Some park buildings started to fall apart. For example, the Pagoda was almost torn down in the 1970s! But the community fought to save it and raised money for its restoration. Other parts of the park were also fixed up. The Sunken Gardens were renovated several times, in the 1970s and again in 1998. A new Family Center and outdoor Aquatic Center opened in 1996, replacing the old pool. In 2006, the Community House was updated to become the Arts Center.

In 1995, a new plan was made to guide future restoration of the park. In 1998, a group called "Friends of Garfield Park" was formed to help protect and maintain the park. They even created a special fund to help pay for these efforts.

Conservatory, Sunken Gardens, and Blake's Garden

The first conservatory building in Garfield Park was built in 1915. It got old, so a new one was built in 1954. This 10,000 square foot (930 m²) Conservatory is made of aluminum and glass, and it was the first of its kind in the United States! It was updated in 1997 and is located at 2505 Conservatory Drive.

The Conservatory is filled with amazing tropical plants, including a mini Amazon River rainforest. You can see a huge collection of bromeliads, orchids, and other plants that grow on trees. A main attraction is the indoor 15-foot-tall (4.6 m) granite waterfall. You can walk around and explore the conservatory on your own.

The Sunken Gardens (3 acres (1.2 ha)) were designed by George E. Kessler and opened in 1916. They are formal European-style gardens with three fountains, brick walkways, and benches. The gardens are replanted three times a year with different flowers: tulips in spring, colorful annuals in summer, and chrysanthemums in autumn. These fountains and flower displays have been famous in the American Midwest since they opened.

The fountains were designed by F. W. Darlington and are known for their colored lights and music that play together. They've been updated several times, including a big makeover in 2013 that added 61 LED lights and 2,500 water jet nozzles, all controlled by computers!

Both the Conservatory and Gardens are open seven days a week during business hours. During the Christmas season, the Conservatory has its Annual Holiday Poinsettia Show. In the summer, the Sunken Gardens host concerts called Music in the Garden. You can also have weddings at the gardens.

The garden space just east of the Conservatory was once called the Children’s Garden. In 2019, it was renovated and renamed Blake's Garden. It's named after Blake Bowell, who loved Garfield Park and passed away at age 25. This garden includes "Fran’s Place," an educational area. You'll also find the "Divine Light" sculpture by Indiana artist Kenzie Funk. Blake's Garden has won several awards for its beautiful design!

Park Facilities

Besides the Conservatory and Sunken Gardens, Garfield Park has many other public facilities.

Pagoda

The Pagoda gets its name from its roof, which looks like it has a strong Asian influence with its curved copper design. This picnic shelter was built in 1903. It was originally meant for people to enjoy opera performances. It also used to have the superintendent's office and restrooms. The Pagoda was last renovated in 1995 to make it accessible for everyone. There's a playground and parking lot nearby.

Garfield Park Arts Center

The Community House, also known as the Shelter House, was built in 1922. It's located in the middle of the park on a hillside. It was designed to look like a picnic shelter with walls, high ceilings, and fireplaces. For one year in 1926, it was even home to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis! The basement used to be a children's playroom. In 1930, an outdoor swimming pool was built nearby, and the basement became locker rooms. The main floor was also used as a small basketball court. The old pool was removed in the late 1990s and replaced by the Aquatic Center. In 2006, the Community House was renovated and expanded to become the Garfield Park Arts Center. This 8,000 square foot (740 m²) building now has a space for performances, an exhibition hall, art classrooms, a recording studio, a library for literary arts, and a rehearsal room.

MacAllister Center for the Performing Arts

The MacAllister Center for the Performing Arts, originally called the Amphitheatre, was built in the mid-1920s. It's southeast of the Arts Center and has a covered stage with outdoor seating on benches and the lawn. Many musical and theatrical shows have been held here, including the first Starlight Musicals in 1944. Local Shakespeare groups often perform here. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra regularly holds one of its "Symphony in the Parks" events here each summer. The annual "America We Remember" music and fireworks show is also very popular.

Burrello Family Center and Aquatic Center

The Burrello Family Center and Aquatic Center opened in 1998. It replaced the old pool and basketball court at the Community House. This facility is located at 2345 Pagoda Drive, near where Bean Creek joins Pleasant Run. The outdoor Aquatic Center is open during the summer months. The Family Center has fitness and other fun recreational facilities, plus a gymnasium.

Other Park Facilities

Other things you can find in Garfield Park include tennis courts in the southeast corner, ball fields in the west, and horseshoe pits across Bean Creek from the Burrello Family Center.

Two other public buildings have also been built within the park. The Garfield Park Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library is on the eastern edge of the park at 2502 Shelby Street, right next to the Conservatory and Sunken Gardens. This 6,400 square foot (590 m²) building opened in 1965 and was extensively renovated in 2011. Fire Station 29 of the Indianapolis Fire Department is located at 602 E. Pleasant Run Parkway, North Drive, near the Grove of Remembrance in the northern part of the park. It opened in 1991.

Park Memorials

North face of the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument

Statue of Henry Ware Lawton near the Garfield Park Conservatory

There are three memorials located within Garfield Park.

• The Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a tall granite stone dedicated to the 1,616 Confederate soldiers who died at the Camp Morton prison camp during the American Civil War. The monument was originally put up in 1912 where the soldiers were buried. Later, their remains were moved to Crown Hill Cemetery. The monument was moved to Garfield Park to be more visible to the public. On June 4, 2020, the Mayor announced plans to take down and remove the monument. This decision came during nationwide protests.
• The Grove of Remembrance was created in 1920. It's in the northwestern part of the park and honors the soldiers from Indianapolis who died in World War I. Originally, a tree was planted for each of the 387 soldiers.
• A statue of Major General Henry Ware Lawton from Fort Wayne was created by sculptor Andrew O'Connor. Lawton fought in the American Civil War, helped capture the Apache warrior Geronimo, and died in the Philippines during the Spanish–American War. The statue is located just north of the Conservatory. It was moved to Garfield Park in 1915 from its original spot at the old Marion County Courthouse.

Points of Interest