Indianapolis, Indiana

I realized that I have yet to post any postcards from Indiana, so here they are. with my apologies for neglecting this state.

I notice that Indianapolis has some very interesting names for its high schools. Broad Ripple High School was originally in the town of Broad Ripple before it became part of Indianapolis, so that's where that name originated. Crispus Attucks High School was named after a black laborer, killed at the Boston Massacre in 1770 and regarded as a revolutionary hero. Arsenal Technical High School campus still has many of the early building from the days when it was originally a U.S. Civil War arsenal.

There is also some very imposing Art Deco architecture. The coliseum, now known as the Pepsi Coliseum, was built in 1939 replacing an earlier building from 1907.  In 1960, John F. Kennedy spoke to a capacity crowd here.  In 1963, it was the scene of a horrific explosion when a propane tank ignited during the opening night of the Holiday on Ice show, killing 74 spectators. In 1964, you could have attended the Beatles concert at the Coliseum for $5.

And then there's the Cadle Tabernacle, built in 1921 by revivalist Howard Cadle, who redeemed himself from a life of gambling and drinking to preach a message of fire and brimstone. He based the building design for the tabernacle on the Alamo.  The tabernacle and Cadle's radio show were successful enough that they enabled him to have a Cadillac and an airplane during the Depression, when most people were just barely getting by. After Cadle's death in 1942, the tabernacle quickly fell into decline and was rented out for events such as Shortridge High School graduations and Klu Klux Klan rallies.

The tabernacle was eventually razed in 1968.  Now, the Firehouse Square Condos stand in its place.