Old Speedway City is one of Indianapolis’s historic neighborhoods.

WELCOME TO OLD SPEEDWAY CITY

This tour is part of the Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis Tour Series. It is endorsed by the Indianapolis Bicentennial Commission as an 'Official Indy Bicentennial Community Project.'

This tour takes approximately 90 minutes to walk.

Parking is most available on North Main Street.

Neighborhood History

I’ll discuss the founding of Speedway in a moment, but first I’d like to point out the newer construction/new businesses that we’re walking past.

In autumn 1908, Carl Fisher and his friend Lem Trotter drove from Indianapolis to Dayton, Ohio, in an automobile. It was a tough trip, as the rough roads required numerous stops to repair punctured tires. Frustrated, Fisher insisted that his proposed track would help solve the problems of low-quality tires and automobiles.

A day or two later, Trotter and Fisher went for another automobile ride from Indianapolis, this time about 5 miles northwest of the city into the countryside. They arrived at the corner of the Crawfordsville Pike and a little cart track that eventually became Georgetown Road and saw four adjoining 80-acre tracts that were for sale.

Lemon H. (Lem) Trotter operated the Lem H. Trotter Real Estate and Insurance Company of Indianapolis, and the Speedway Realty Company. In 1908 he selected the site of the future Indianapolis Motor Speedway on behalf of friends Carl Fisher, James Allison, A. C. Newby, and Frank Wheeler. He chose the site because it was “nearly level” and suited the purpose of testing automobiles. In 1912 Trotter purchased 350 acres of land surrounding the track, and platted the town of Speedway.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built in the spring of 1909, the result of a creative vision of Carl G. Fisher and his three partners in the venture, James Allison, Arthur Newby and Frank Wheeler.

Old Speedway City was deliberately built with the needs of auto testing in mind. The city combines residential houses, commercial businesses, and auto-related industries into the original plan for the city. Factory managers lived in larger houses on 15th and 14th Streets. Workers lived in smaller houses on 11th through 13th Streets, closer to the factory on 10th Street.

New Developments

To ensure Speedway’s growth and future prosperity, the Speedway Town Council was given the authority by the Indiana Legislature to form and appoint the Speedway Redevelopment Commission (SRC) in 2005.

The SRC was charged with addressing the Town of Speedway’s stagnant growth and eliminating industrial blight by building upon Speedway’s close identification with racing and encouraging business growth related to motorsports technology.

Since Speedway is landlocked and cannot grow through annexation, the town concluded it must turn to redevelopment and reuse as a means of ensuring its future economic viability. Using input from the entire community, the commission began developing a plan to revitalize a total of 700 acres. As a part of the redevelopment plan, the SRC identified two areas of redevelopment, and the initial phase focused on the redevelopment of Main St.

New developments include the Community Westview Health Center, Sara Fisher’s Karting facility and 1911 Grill, Daredevil Brewery, Dallara Factory, Ed Carpenter Racing facility. SE corner development at the intersection of 16th and Main St. will comprise a combination of Apartments, Condos, Hotel and Retail.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Not on this tour, but worth a visit, are the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Museum. These are located just north of the area this tour covers.

• https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/at-the-track/museum
• 4750 W 16th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana

WANT TO LEARN MORE OR TAKE OTHER TOURS?

• Visit Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis Tours at: tours.HUNIIndy.org
• Visit Historic Urban Neighborhoods of Indianapolis at: HUNIndy.org
• Visit the Old Speedway City Neighborhood Association at: https://oldspeedwayneighbor.wixsite.com/oscna

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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