This page will contain additional articles about Iowa, as they become available.

Iowa

For other uses, see Iowa (disambiguation).
State nickname: The Hawkeye State
Other U.S. States
Capital Des Moines
Largest city Des Moines
Governor Thomas Vilsack
Official languages English
Area 145,743 km˛ (26th)
 - Land 144,701 km˛
 - Water 1,042 km˛ (0.71%)
Population (2000)
 - Population 2,926,324 (30th)
 - Density 20.22 /km˛ (33rd)
Admission into Union
 - Date Dec 28, 1846
 - Order 29th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/DST-5
Latitude 40°36'N to 43°30'N
Longitude 89°5'W to 96°31'W
Width 320 km
Length 500 km
Elevation
 - Highest 509 m
 - Mean 335 m
 - Lowest 146 m
Abbreviations
 - USPS IA
 - ISO 3166-2 US-IA
Web site www.iowa.gov

Iowa is the 29th state of the United States, having joined the union on December 28, 1846. The official name of the state is "State of Iowa", and the U.S. Post Office abbreviation for the state is IA.

The state is named for the Native American Iowa people.

Bales of hay on a farm near Ames, Iowa.


History

Main article: History of Iowa.

Highlights:

Geography

Iowa neighbors Iowa map Iowa counties
See List of counties in Iowa, List of cities in Iowa, List of townships in Iowa and List of Iowa rivers

Iowa is bordered by Minnesota on the north, Nebraska and South Dakota on the west, Missouri on the south, and Wisconsin and Illinois on the east.

The Mississippi River forms the eastern boundary of the state. The boundary along the west is formed by the Missouri River south of Sioux City and by the Big Sioux River north of Sioux City. There are many natural lakes in the state, most notably Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa (see Iowa Great Lakes). Man-made lakes include Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, and Rathbun Lake.

The topography of the state is gently rolling plains. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state. Some of these are several hundred feet thick. In the northeast along the Mississippi River is a section of the Driftless Area, which in Iowa consists of low rugged hills covered with conifers - a landscape not usually associated with this state.

The point of lowest elevation (146 m) is Keokuk in southeast Iowa. The point of highest elevation (509 m) is Hawkeye Point, located in a feedlot north of Sibley in northwest Iowa. The mean elevation of the state is 335 m. Considering the size of the state (145,743 km˛), there is very little elevation difference.

Iowa has 99 counties. The state capital, Des Moines, is located in Polk County (#60).

National parks, etc.

Interstate highways

These are the interstate highways that go through Iowa:

US highways

These are the United States highways that go through Iowa:

Animals

These are some of the wild animals that can be found in Iowa:

Iowa is home of 49 endangered & 35 threatened animal species as well as 64 endangered & 89 threatened plant species [1] (http://www.iowadnr.com/education/wldresbs.html).

Economy

Iowa state quarter by Grant Wood

The state's total gross state product for 2003 was $103 billion. Its per capita income for 2003 was $28,340. Iowa's main agricultural outputs are hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, cattle and dairy products. Its industrial outputs are food processing, machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing and primary metals. Iowa also produces the nations largest amount of ethanol.

Demographics

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2003, Iowa's population was estimated at 2,944,062 people.

The racial makeup of the state is:

The 5 largest ancestry groups in Iowa are German (35.7%), Irish (13.5%), English (9.5%), American (6.6%), Norwegian (5.7%).

6.4% of Iowa's population were reported as under 5, 25.1% under 18, and 14.9% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.9% of the population.

"Rural flight"

Iowa, in common with five other Mid-West states (Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota), is feeling the brunt of falling populations. 89% of the total number of cities in those states have fewer than 3000 people; hundreds have fewer than 1000. Between 1996 and 2004 almost half a million people, nearly half with college degrees, left the six states. "Rural flight" as it is called has led to offers of free land and tax breaks as enticements to newcomers.

Religion

Iowans' responses in 2001 to the question "What is your religion, if any?" were as follows:

Important cities and towns

Education

Iowa has a strong emphasis on education, which is shown in standardized testing scores. In 2003, Iowa had the second highest average SAT scores by state, and tied for second highest average ACT scores in states where more than 20% of graduates were tested. The national office of ACT is in Iowa City, and the ITBS and ITED testing programs used in many states are provided by the University of Iowa.

An overhaul of the current education system is being planned. One of the suggested ideas is switching from 180 days to a year-round school system.

State universities

Independent colleges and universities

Community colleges

Professional business and technical colleges and universities

Law and government

Current sample Iowa license plate.

The state capital is Des Moines. The current Governor is Tom Vilsack (Democrat) and the two U.S. Senators:

The five U.S. Congressmen:

The Code of Iowa contains the statutory laws of the State of Iowa. The Iowa Legislative Service Bureau is a non-partisan governmental agency that is responsible for organizing, updating and publishing the Iowa Code. The Iowa Code is republished in full in odd years (i.e., 1999, 2001, 2003, etc..) and is supplemented in even years.

See List of Governors of Iowa, Iowa General Assembly, and Iowa State Capitol

Iowa caucus

The state gets considerable attention every four years because of its presidential caucus, a gathering of voters which, along with the New Hampshire primary a week later, has become the starting gun for choosing the two major-party candidates for U.S. president. The caucus, held in January of the election year, involves people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidate, rather than casting secret ballots, as is done in a primary election.

U.S. senators from Iowa

List of United States Senators who have represented Iowa:

Capitol in 2003 after regilding

Professional sports teams

The Minor League baseball teams are:

The Minor League hockey teams are:

The Minor League soccer teams are:


This page about Iowa includes information from a Wikipedia article.
Additional articles about Iowa
News stories about Iowa
External links for Iowa
Videos for Iowa
Wikis about Iowa
Discussion Groups about Iowa
Blogs about Iowa
Images of Iowa

The Minor League soccer teams are:. The opening credits of the show include a shot of the Pyramids, a set of distinctive office buildings located near the northern edge of the city. The Minor League hockey teams are:. Television sitcom One Day at a Time and Men Behaving Badly were situated in Indianapolis. The Minor League baseball teams are:. Indianapolis is the second most populous capital city in the United States (including Washington, DC), after Phoenix, Arizona. List of United States Senators who have represented Iowa:. Senator Dick Lugar, who served in the 1970s.

The caucus, held in January of the election year, involves people gathering in homes or public places and choosing their candidate, rather than casting secret ballots, as is done in a primary election. Past mayors include Steve Goldsmith, Peterson's predecessor, and U.S. president. The mayor of Indianapolis (as of 2005) is Bart Peterson. The state gets considerable attention every four years because of its presidential caucus, a gathering of voters which, along with the New Hampshire primary a week later, has become the starting gun for choosing the two major-party candidates for U.S. Indianapolis's Union Station, one of the busiest rail depots in its time, employed a young Thomas Edison as a telegraph operator. The Iowa Code is republished in full in odd years (i.e., 1999, 2001, 2003, etc..) and is supplemented in even years. Indianapolis is the international headquarters of the pharmaceutical corporation Eli Lilly and Company, the US headquarters of Roche Diagnostics, and the world headquarters of Dow AgroSciences.

The Iowa Legislative Service Bureau is a non-partisan governmental agency that is responsible for organizing, updating and publishing the Iowa Code. Both of the US navy ships named USS Indianapolis were named for this city. The Code of Iowa contains the statutory laws of the State of Iowa. Other nicknames include ‘Circle City’ (after Monument Circle) and ‘Naptown’ (presumably shortened from ‘IndiaNAPolis’, but often taken derogatorily to mean "sleepy" or "boring"). Congressmen:. The most common nickname for Indianapolis is ‘Indy’. The five U.S. Republicans still claim other county offices such as Prosecutor, Auditor, Clerk and Recorder.

Senators:. In 2004, Democratic power increased yet again in Marion County as the offices of Marion County Treasurer, Surveyor and Coroner swung their way, also the first time since Unigov. The current Governor is Tom Vilsack (Democrat) and the two U.S. However, Republicans lost control of the City-County Council by just 13 votes -- the first time Democrats seized control since the inception of Unigov. The state capital is Des Moines. In 1999, Democrat Bart Peterson defeated Republican Secretary of State Sue Anne Gilroy, 52 percent to 41 percent, respectively. Four years later, Peterson won in a landslide with 63 percent of the vote. One of the suggested ideas is switching from 180 days to a year-round school system. cities. For 36 years Republicans dominated city/county government, 32 of which were at the mayor's office.

An overhaul of the current education system is being planned. Until the 1990's, Indianapolis was considered to be one of the most conservative metropolitan areas in the country compared to other major U.S. In 2003, Iowa had the second highest average SAT scores by state, and tied for second highest average ACT scores in states where more than 20% of graduates were tested. The national office of ACT is in Iowa City, and the ITBS and ITED testing programs used in many states are provided by the University of Iowa. Transit. Iowa has a strong emphasis on education, which is shown in standardized testing scores. Highways. Iowans' responses in 2001 to the question "What is your religion, if any?" were as follows:. Airports.

"Rural flight" as it is called has led to offers of free land and tax breaks as enticements to newcomers. The boundaries of these districts do not exactly correspond to township (or traditional) boundaries due to political concerns and the influence of a 1971 federal court ruling which held that the Indianapolis public schools were unlawfully segregated. 89% of the total number of cities in those states have fewer than 3000 people; hundreds have fewer than 1000. Between 1996 and 2004 almost half a million people, nearly half with college degrees, left the six states. Indianapolis has eleven unified public school districts (eight township educational authorities and three legacy districts from before the unification of city and county government) each of which provides primary, secondary, and adult education services within its boundaries. Iowa, in common with five other Mid-West states (Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota), is feeling the brunt of falling populations. A merged campus created downtown in 1969 at the site of the Indiana University School of Medicine has continuously grown, with a student body today of just under 30,000, the third-largest campus in the state. Females made up approximately 50.9% of the population. The last was originally an urban conglomeration of branch campuses of the two major state universities, Indiana University in Bloomington and Purdue University in West Lafayette, created by the state legislature.

6.4% of Iowa's population were reported as under 5, 25.1% under 18, and 14.9% were 65 or older. Indianapolis is the home of Butler University, the University of Indianapolis, Marian College, and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. The 5 largest ancestry groups in Iowa are German (35.7%), Irish (13.5%), English (9.5%), American (6.6%), Norwegian (5.7%). As measured by the number of fans in attendance (estimated at close to 300,000), the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 are the two largest annual single-day sporting events in the world. The racial makeup of the state is:. Grand Prix (recently moved from September to June). Census Bureau, as of 2003, Iowa's population was estimated at 2,944,062 people. The Speedway also hosts the NASCAR Brickyard 400 stock car race (currently scheduled in August) and the Formula 1 U.S.

According to the U.S. (Marmon, incidentally, was an Indianapolis manufacturer.) The "500" is currently part of the Indy Racing League series. Iowa also produces the nations largest amount of ethanol. The first 500-Mile Race (804.7 km), held in 1911, was won by driver Ray Harroun driving a Marmon Wasp. Its industrial outputs are food processing, machinery, electric equipment, chemical products, publishing and primary metals. Today the track is paved in asphalt, yet there remains a yard of bricks at the start/finish line. Iowa's main agricultural outputs are hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, cattle and dairy products. The track is often referred to as "the Brickyard," as it was paved with 3.2 million bricks shortly after its initial construction in 1909.

Its per capita income for 2003 was $28,340. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, is the site of the Indianapolis 500, an open-wheel automobile race held each Memorial Day weekend on the 2.5 mile (4 km) oval track. The state's total gross state product for 2003 was $103 billion. In 1987 Indianapolis played host to the Pan American Games. Iowa is home of 49 endangered & 35 threatened animal species as well as 64 endangered & 89 threatened plant species [1] (http://www.iowadnr.com/education/wldresbs.html). Indianapolis has a large municipal park system, including Eagle Creek Park, one of the largest municipal parks in the nation. These are some of the wild animals that can be found in Iowa:. Indianapolis also is the home of the Champ Car World Series, formerly known as CART, an auto racing series that competes worldwide.

These are the United States highways that go through Iowa:. The city has been referred to as "The Amateur Sports Capital of the World". These are the interstate highways that go through Iowa:. In addition, the headquarters of the NCAA is in Indianapolis. National parks, etc. Indianapolis is the home of the Indianapolis Indians, a minor league baseball team in the International League, the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association, the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. The state capital, Des Moines, is located in Polk County (#60). Out of the total population, 16.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Iowa has 99 counties. 11.9% of the population and 9.1% of families are below the poverty line. Considering the size of the state (145,743 km˛), there is very little elevation difference. The per capita income is $21,640. The point of highest elevation (509 m) is Hawkeye Point, located in a feedlot north of Sibley in northwest Iowa. The mean elevation of the state is 335 m. Males have a median income of $36,302 versus $27,738 for females. The point of lowest elevation (146 m) is Keokuk in southeast Iowa. The median income for a household in the balance is $40,051, and the median income for a family is $48,755.

In the northeast along the Mississippi River is a section of the Driftless Area, which in Iowa consists of low rugged hills covered with conifers - a landscape not usually associated with this state. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.2 males. Some of these are several hundred feet thick. For every 100 females there are 93.7 males. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state. The median age is 34 years. The topography of the state is gently rolling plains. The age distribution is: 25.7% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who are 65 years of age or older.

Man-made lakes include Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, and Rathbun Lake. The average household size is 2.39 and the average family size is 3.04. There are many natural lakes in the state, most notably Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa (see Iowa Great Lakes). 32.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The Mississippi River forms the eastern boundary of the state. The boundary along the west is formed by the Missouri River south of Sioux City and by the Big Sioux River north of Sioux City. There are 320,107 households out of which 29.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% are married couples living together, 15.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% are non-families. Iowa is bordered by Minnesota on the north, Nebraska and South Dakota on the west, Missouri on the south, and Wisconsin and Illinois on the east. The majority of the non-white population lives in the central and north portions of the inner-city area.

Highlights:. 3.92% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
. The racial makeup of the balance was 69.09% white, 25.50% black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.04% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. The state is named for the Native American Iowa people. There were 352,429 housing units at an average density of 376.4/km˛ (975.0/mi˛). Post Office abbreviation for the state is IA. The population density was 835.1/km˛ (2,163.0/mi˛).

The official name of the state is "State of Iowa", and the U.S. As of the census2 of 2000, there were 791,870 people, 320,107 households, and 192,704 families residing in the city, but the metropolitan population was nearing 1.5 million. Iowa is the 29th state of the United States, having joined the union on December 28, 1846. For statistical data on the portion of the governmental area that is Indianapolis only (i.e., not counting included towns), see Indianapolis (balance), Indiana. Leonard Boswell (D). Note: The statistical data in this article represents the entire consolidated Indianapolis-Marion County metropolitan government. Tom Latham (R). (The street-numbering system centers not on the Circle, but rather one block to the south, where Meridian Street intersects Washington Street — National Road.).

Steve King (R). states. Jim Nussle (R). Nearly all of the streets in the One-Mile Square are named after U.S. Jim Leach (R). (Monument Circle is depicted on the city’s flag, and is generally considered the city’s symbol.) Four diagonal streets pass through the corners of the Square but stop one to five blocks (depending on the street) before reaching the Circle. Tom Harkin (D). At the center of the Square is Monument Circle, a traffic circle at the intersection of Meridian and Market Streets, featuring the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

Chuck Grassley (R). At the center of Indianapolis is the One-Mile Square, bounded by East, West, North, and South Streets. University of Northern Iowa. The total area of the Consolidated City of Indianapolis, which does not count the four "excluded" communities, covers approximately 966.3 km˛ (373.1 mi˛). University of Iowa. These figures are bit misleading because they do not represent the entire Consolidated City of Indianapolis (all of Marion County, except the four "excluded" communities). Iowa State University. The total area is 1.81% water.

1% "Evangelical". 936.2 km˛ (361.5 mi˛) of it is land and 17.3 km˛ (6.7 mi˛) of it is water. 1% "Assemblies of God". According to the United States Census Bureau, "the balance" (that part of Marion County not part of another municipality) has a total area of 953.5 km˛ (368.2 mi˛). 1% "Non Denominational". After a very contentious and partisan debate, the Assembly passed an extremely watered-down version off the original bill; the final enacted legislation consolidates budgetary functions of the City and County, permits the Indianapolis City-County Council to vote to consolidate the Indianapolis Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff's Department, and theoretically permits consolidation of the Indianapolis Fire Department with township fire departments based upon approval of all affected parties. 1% "Church of Christ". Initially proposed by the current Mayor, Bart Peterson, a bill was introduced in the 2005 legislative session of the General Assembly which would have further consolidated local government in the City of Indianapolis and Marion County.

2% "Congregational/UCC". Further consolidation of city and county services and functions would require passage of new legislation by the Indiana General Assembly. 2% "Pentecostal". Currently, Indianapolis is undergoing serious internal debate over how much, or whether, more of local taxation, government, and services should be further integrated. 2% "Protestant". However, the mayor of Indianapolis is also the mayor of all of Marion County, and the City-County Council sits as the legislative body for all of Marion County. 3% "Presbyterian". Additionally, throughout Marion County certain local services such as schools, fire and police remain unconsolidated.

5% "Christian". The 11 "included towns" elected to retain their "town status" under Unigov as defined according to the Indiana Constitution (there were originally 14, but 3 later dissolved), but the Indiana Constitution does not define "town status." These "included towns" are fully subject to the laws and control of the Consolidated City of Indianapolis, but some still impose a separate property tax and provide police and other services under contract with township or county government or the City of Indianapolis. 5% "Baptist". 4(a)(2), which states that the Consolidated City of Indianapolis includes the entire area of Marion County, except the four previously mentioned "excluded" communities. 5% "Refused". Also, 11 other communities (called "included towns") are legally included in the Consolidated City of Indianapolis under Unigov, per Indiana Code 36-3-1-4 sec. 6% "Other". Four communities within Marion County (Beech Grove, Lawrence, Southport and Speedway) are partially outside of the Unigov arrangement.

13% "Methodist". For the most part, this resulted in a unification of Indianapolis with its immediate suburbs. 13% "No religion". As the result of a 1970 consolidation between city and county government (known as "Unigov"), the city of Indianapolis merged most government services with those of the county. 16% "Lutheran". While rioting broke out in cities across the United States following the news of King's assassination, Indianapolis was the only major city where rioting did not occur. 23% "Catholic". Kennedy would deliver an impromptu speech on race reconciliation to a mostly African-American crowd in a poor inner-city Indianapolis neighborhood.

1.1% mixed race. earlier that day. 0.3% American Indian. Kennedy would learn of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. 1.3% Asian. On April 4, 1968, while on route to a presidential campaign rally in Indianapolis, Robert F. 2.8% Hispanic. Years later, Indianapolis would witness an historic moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

2.1% Black. The Klan continued to dwindle in popularity in Indiana and nationwide, and the national organization officially disbanded in 1944. 92.6% White non-Hispanic. Governor Jackson was indicted on charges of bribery, but he was acquitted in 1928 because the statute of limitations had run out; he completed his term in disgrace. 6, 18, 20, 30, 34, 52, 59, 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, 75, 77, 136, 151, 169, 218, 275. The Mayor of Indianapolis and several local officials were convicted of bribery and jailed. 29, 35, 74, 80, 129, 235, 280, 380, 480, 680. When Governor Jackson refused to pardon Stephenson, he retaliated by going public with information of corruption which brought down several politicians throughout Indiana.

Herbert Hoover National Historical Site. Following Stephenson's conviction, the Klan suffered a tremendous blow and quickly lost influence. Effigy Mounds National Monument. However, the power of the Klan would quickly begin to crumble after Stephenson was convicted at the end of 1925 for the rape and murder of a young Indianapolis woman, Madge Oberholtzer. Iowa is also a major producer of ethanol. Through the Klan, Stephenson ruled over the State of Indiana, leading a powerful national movement set on gaining control of the United States Congress and the White House. Although Iowa's primary industry is agriculture, it also produces refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products that are shipped around the world. Klan-backed candidates took over the City Council, the Board of School Commissioners, and the Board of County Commissioners.

The Farm Crisis of the 1980's saw a major decline of family farms in Iowa and around the midwest, and was marked by a sharp drop in the state's rural population. By then, more than 40 percent of the native-born white males in Indianapolis claimed membership in the Klan. Iowa had been a large supporter of alcohol prohibition. The elections allowed the Klan to seize control of the Indiana General Assembly and place the corrupt Governor Edward Jackson in office. Total recovery didn't happen until the 1940s. The Klan continued to solidify its stronghold on the state, taking over the Indiana Republican Party and using its new political might to establish a Klan-backed slate of candidates which swept state elections in 1924. These hardships were the result of the removal of war-time farm subsidies. The Klan became the most powerful political and social organization in the city during the period from 1921 through 1928.

Iowa saw a large increase in farming of beef, corn, and pork during World War I, but farmers saw economic hardships after the war. Stephenson was appointed the Klan Grand Dragon of Indiana and 22 other states; he promptly moved the Indiana Klan's headquarters to Indianapolis, which was already coming under the Klan's influence. The Iowa General Assembly passed a women's suffrage amendment in 1870. C. Iowa had a higher percentage of soldiers serve in the Civil War, per capita, than any other state in the Union, with nearly 60% of eligible males serving. In 1922, D. A small battle fought at Athens, MO in 1861 resulted in a few shots finding Iowa soil; a raid into Davis and Van Buren counties by Confederate guerrillas was stopped by Home Guards in October 1864. The Indiana chapter of the Klan was founded in 1920 and quickly became the most powerful Klan organization in the United States.

During the American Civil War, more than 75,000 Iowans participated in the war, 13,001 of whom died. A darker period of Indianapolis history began with the rise of the second Ku Klux Klan movement in the United States. The completion of five major railroads across Iowa brough major economic changes as well as travel opportunities. However, the natural gas deposits were depleted by 1915, and this contributed to an abrupt end of the golden era. Council Bluffs was designated the eastern terminus for the Union Pacific railroad. This led to a sharp increase in industries such as glass and automobile manufacturing. The Chicago and Northwestern railroad reached Council Bluffs in 1867. The state government offered a free supply of natural gas to factories that were built there.

Iowa became the 29th state in the union on December 28, 1846. Much of this was due to the discovery of a large natural gas deposit in central Indiana in the 1890s. Primarily, they were families from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia. Indianapolis entered a period of great prosperity at the beginning of the 20th century, and during this time the city witnessed great economic, social, and cultural progress. The first white settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833. The city is a major trucking center, and the extensive network of highways has allowed Indianapolis to enjoy a relatively low amount of traffic congestion for a city its size. Today, only the Mesquaki tribe is left in Iowa and live in Tama County. Today, four interstate roads intersect in Indianapolis: routes 65, 69, 70, and 74.

Iowa has been home to approximately 17 different tribes. Louis. They described Iowa as lush, green, and fertile. With roads as the spokes of a wheel, Indianapolis was on its way to becoming a major "hub" of regional transport connecting to Chicago, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus and St. French explorers Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette are believed to be the first Europeans to visit Iowa. With automobile companies as Duesenburg, Marmon, National, and Stutz, Indianapolis was a center of production rivaling Detroit, at least for a few years. The population soared from just over 8,000 in 1850 to more than 169,000 by 1900. Later, the automobile, as in most American cities, caused a suburban explosion.

The first railroad to service Indianapolis, the Madison & Indianapolis, began operation on October 1, 1847, and subsequent railroad connections enlarged the town. At the time, the 24 mile (39 km) portion of the Indianapolis section of the canal was dug and filled, but only an 8.29 mile (13.34 km) portion connecting downtown Indianapolis with the village of Broad Ripple to the north was ever operational. Construction of the Central Canal commenced in 1836, but Indiana went bankrupt in 1839 from the loans taken out under the aforementioned bill and all work on the project ceased. The Central Canal was planned to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the Ohio River, completing a link between Lake Erie in the State of Ohio with the portion of the Ohio River flowing through southern Indiana in order to promote trade and commerce along its length.

The Central Canal was one of eight major infrastructure projects authorized by the state's Mammoth Improvement Bill of 1835. The Central Canal was intended to run 296 miles (476 km) from near Logansport, through Indianapolis, and to Evansville. Through the mid-1800s, a horse-drawn barge canal by-passed the river bringing goods into the city. Indianapolis was founded on the White River under the incorrect assumption that the river would serve as a major transportation artery; however, the waterway was too sandy for trade. While the city lies on the old east-west National Road, the portion of that road that crosses Indiana was not completed until a decade after the city's founding.

Later, Governor's Circle became Monument Circle after the impressive 284-feet tall neoclassical limestone and bronze State Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz, was completed on the site in 1901. Sulgrove, 1884). (See HISTORY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND MARION COUNTY INDIANA by B.R. The Governor's mansion was finally demolished in 1857.

Although an expensive Governor's mansion was finally constructed in 1827, no Governor ever lived in the house at Governor's Circle, as the site in the city center lacked any privacy. It was used as a market commons for over six years. Under Ralston's plan, at the center of the city was placed the Governor's Circle, a large circular commons, which was to be the site of the Governor's mansion. Ralston's original plan for Indianapolis called for a city of only 1 square mile.

Ralston was an apprentice to the French architect Pierre L'Enfant, and he helped L'Enfant plan Washington, DC. The state commissioned Alexander Ralston to design the new capital city. The first white settler is generally believed to be George Pogue, who on March 2, 1819 settled in a double log cabin along the White River in what is now White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. Prior to its official founding, Indianapolis was a sparsely settled swampy area.

Indianapolis was founded as the state capital in 1821 by an act of the Indiana General Assembly. As of 2003, Marion County's population is 863,216. It is the county seat of Marion County. As of the census of 2000, its population is 791,926, also making it Indiana's most populous city.

state of Indiana. Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. Kurt Vonnegut, novelist. Booth Tarkington, Novelist author of many books, including The Magnificent Ambersons.

Marc Summers, game show host. Ted Stevens, U.S. Senator from Alaska. Oscar Robertson, Basketball Hall of Famer (born in Tennessee, but grew up in Indianapolis). James Whitcomb Riley, writer (born in nearby Greenfield).

vice president. Dan Quayle, former U.S. Jane Pauley, television personality. Wes Montgomery, jazz guitarist.

Jake Lloyd, actor (resident),. David Letterman, talk show host. president (born in North Bend, Ohio). Benjamin Harrison, U.S.

Michael Graves, architect. Fox, actress. Vivica A. Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, R&B music producer and performer.

John Dillinger, bank robber. Joyce DeWitt, comedy actress (born in West Virginia, but grew up in the suburb of Speedway). Senator from Washington. Maria Cantwell, U.S.

Philip Warren Anderson, theoretical physicist and 1977 Nobel Prize winner. Margaret Caroline Anderson, founder and editor of The Little Review. Central Indiana Commuter Services (CICS) funded by IndyGo to reduce pollution serves Indianapolis and surrounding counties. Six Major Interstates serve the Indianapolis area including I-70, I-74, I-65, I-69, I-465 Beltway, and I-865 Connector.

Indianapolis International Airport serves Indianapolis and Marion County.