City: Indianapolis, IN

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (317) 327-7220

Address: 2345 Pagoda Dr.

Description: Once a horse-racing park, Garfield Park is the oldest park in the city. Bought by a group of local businessmen in 1874 for horse racing, the track failed and the City of Indianapolis bought the land. First named Southern Park, the site was renamed following the assassination of President James A. Garfield in 1881. The 136-acre Garfield Park still retains some of its Victorian elegance. At the turn of the century, workers added a series of winding drives in the Victorian Romantic fashion. Two of the park’s graceful concrete arch bridges date from that period. Observation towers were also a popular feature of parks during the turn of the century. In 1903 the park board built a three-tiered pagoda for sightseers and picnickers. The pagoda still offers good views of downtown Indy, some 2 miles north.In 1912 beautiful sunken gardens were added to Garfield Park. Restored in the 1990s, the sunken gardens feature spray fountains lit by colored lights and tan brick walks lining planting beds. The Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens are a wonderful place to visit any time of the year. Seasonal shows include the poinsettia show in mid-Nov to mid-Dec and a bulb show in early spring. The northwest corner of the park features a silent tribute to Marion County’s fallen World War I soldiers. Completed in 1920, the Memorial Grove offers majestic trees and is a peaceful spot for personal reflection. Other amenities at Garfield Park include an arts center, McAlister Center for the Performing Arts, a seasonal aquatic center, picnic shelters, tennis courts, a softball diamond, walking trail, horseshoe courts, an outdoor basketball court, a gym, weight room, playgrounds, and a sledding hill.