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Archeological evidence of human
habitation in the area that is now Indianapolis points to Native
American presence circa 9500 BC.
Documentary evidence of tribal groups begins with
journals kept during LaSalle's 1679 explorations. At that time
members of the Miami Confederacy lived in the region. On October
3, 1818 with the signing of the Treaty of St. Mary's, Ohio the
Miami relinquished 7,000,000-acres of land and retained
31,460-acres. They were allowed to live on reservations on their
land and the tribe received a yearly annuity of $15,000. Almost
immediately settlers began to move into the area.
Indiana was
admitted to the Union in 1816 as the 19th state and
US Congress proclaimed that a location must be decided upon for
a capital and public land allocated for its establishment. In
June 1820 a site was chosen and in 1821 the Supreme Court of
Indiana named the city Indianapolis,. The name joined "Indiana",
for the state, with the Greek "polis" meaning city. The site was
selected because it was in the center of the state, was situated
on the White River for transportation, Fall Creek could support
the construction of mills and it was on the National Road, an
important east-west migration route.
www.info.visitindiana.com
Alexander
Ralston, an engineer, designed the city and lots went on sale in
1821. At the center of the city was Governor's Circle, the site
of the Governor's Mansion for more than 30-years. In 1902 the
285-ft. Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument was dedicated on the
site and the name was changed to Monument Circle. The sculptural
bronze and limestone statuary memorial represents all of
Indiana's fallen soldiers who fought in the Civil War and It is
the largest Civil War monument in the country.
www.nps.gov/nr/travel/indianapolis/soldiersandsailors
Indiana
adopted the motto, "The Crossroads of America," in 1937. The
motto reflects the state's importance, and that of Indianapolis
in particular, to the transit routes, roads and conveyances that
pushed the boundaries of the United States westward and provided
a link to the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. Modern Indy
connects with 13 interstates and 12 airlines.
The vast
majority of early settlers transiting Indianapolis came as
families. They were seeking a better life and greater
opportunities for their children. The city, in keeping with that
legacy, has deemed 2014 "The Year of Family Travel" and
inaugurated two singular exhibits. Neither of these
extraordinary exhibits can be seen anywhere else in the world
and I personally guarantee they are equally exciting for all
ages.www.visitindy.com
The
Children's Museum of Indianapolis is internationally famous, so
much so that it served as a model for Egypt's Children's Museum.
The museum was founded in 1925 with the goal of enhancing the
lives of children through an introduction to the arts,
humanities and sciences in experiential galleries with creative
events. The museum, the largest in the nation of its type, is
located on 29-acres and features 472,900-sq. ft. of exhibition
space containing 11 galleries. The museum's permanent collection
began with objects as small as a single arrowhead and has grown
to 120,000 objects.
The fun
starts on the exterior of the building where your eye is drawn
to what appears to be a life-sized dinosaur breaking into the
building. The Anne Frank Peace Garden honors the legacy of Anne
Frank with a large limestone monument depicting her diary open
to a page that mentions the chestnut tree she could see from her
window n the secret annex. The actual tree died in 2010 but a
sapling from the original is planted in the Peace Garden. As you
proceed along the path you encounter limestone sculptures of the
Seven Wonders of the World meticulously carved by hand so that
no detail was overlooked.
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Bumblebee of "Transformers" fame |
The 17-ft.,
1-ton, Bumblebee of "Transformers" fame has been greeting
visitors since 2011. He presents an immediate photo-op in the
foyer. FXperts, Inc. created this autobot from Cybertron from
more than 275 pieces over several months in 2006.
In 246 BC
Zhao Zheng ascended the throne in the kingdom of Qin. He was
13-years old and would rule until his death in 210 BC. He
established the Qin Dynasty and was the first emperor of a
unified China. He began construction of the Great Wall and the
Grand Canal but one of his achievements is often overlooked, his
creation of a massive funerary complex some have deemed the
Eighth Wonder of the World. Workers discovered the 20-sq. mile
site in 1974. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
1987. www.whc.unesco.org/en/list/441
The emperor
began work on his tomb soon after taking the throne. An army of
painted terra cotta warriors, each with an individual face, and
numerous weapons, horses and other utilitarian objects were
buried in subterranean compartments to accompany him in the
afterlife. To date more than 7,800 figures have been unearthed
but they represent only a small portion of what was entombed.
The emperor's actual tomb remains unexplored.
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| One
of The Terra Cotta Warriors |
From May 10
– November 2, 2014 the Children's Museum will provide an
opportunity to view "The Terra Cotta Warriors: The Emperor's
Painted Army, directly from China's Shaanxi Province". The
exhibition emphasizes the science used to preserve and restore
the warriors and 118 additional objects displayed. Prior to
entering the world of the warrior you are introduced to the
history in a brief orientation film, followed by videos within
the galleries. Interactive activities include dressing as a
Terra Cotta Warrior, sculpting a face and creating your own
warrior. China allows only 8 figures out of the country for any
single exhibit and the Children's exhibit will be their only
appearance in the country in 2014.
www.childrensmusem.org/warriors
Once your
interest in Ancient China has been stimulated visitors are
encouraged to explore
"Take Me There:� China!",
a walk through contemporary Chinese society, culture and
traditions. The adventure begins as you enter and are met by a
flight attendant who welcomes you onboard an airliner that will
take you to China. Through the windows of the plane you catch
glimpses of the iconic Great Wall as you fly into the country.
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| A Chinese opera costume |
This
10,000-sq. ft. exhibition is comprised of 5 entirely interactive
thematic areas. Galleries include such experiences as
participating in a tea ceremony, learning calligraphy, dressing
in an opera costume, preparing a meal in a Chinese restaurant
and playing a traditional instrument. Live performances are
presented daily with one of the most popular being Shaolin Kung
Fu demonstrations. An even more spectacular highlight of a visit
to the special Chinese exhibits is an opportunity for visitors
to slide down the Great Wall of China until August 10th.
There are
many other don't miss exhibits in the museum. "The Power of
Children" features sound and light shows that relate the stories
of Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges and Ryan White. "Dinosphere: Now
You're in THEIR World," immerses you in the 4D world of the
Cretaceous Era. The male diva of this exhibition is "Leonardo:
The Mummified Dinosaur." He was a little old, 77-million years,
and a little juvenile, around 4-years old when he died, but he
is the most complete
brachylophosaurus dinosaurs ever unearthed. Plan to spend
the day. There is a cafeteria, with healthy options, and a gift
shop.
www.childrensmusem.org
Paul Simon
wrote," Someone told me
It's
all happening at the
zoo," and in Indianapolis that is absolutely true! The city can
boast about being the setting of the first facility in the
nation to be certified as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden
and creating many of the most innovative events and programs
presented at any zoo in the country. Every program advances
their stated goals of educating, informing and inspiring
visitors on issues surrounding wildlife conservancy.
The word
"zoo" is derived from the Greek word "z�ion" meaning animal. The
concept of displaying exotic animals is documented as far back
as Ancient Egypt but the word, an abbreviation of zoological,
came into use in the mid-1800s. Planning began on the
establishment of Indianapolis' zoo in the 1940s and in 1964 it
opened on a 20-acre site. In 1988 a $64-million complex opened
in White River State Park.
The 64-acre
Zoo has five major habitats, with 250 animal, 1,700 plant
species and the White River Gardens that include the Hilbert
Conservatory, home to the "Butterfly Kaleidoscope" until
September 2, 2014. Also on the grounds are a 4-D Theater, Train
Ride, Splash Park, Carousel, Tots Treehouse, Dolphin Show and
numerous immersive activities that require reservations.
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The Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center |
The
$26-million Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center, the
only one of its kind in the world, opened to the public on May
24, 2014. Visitors have an opportunity to get up close and
personal with the orangutans inside the Efroymson Family
Exploration Hub and the R.B. Annis Atrium. They are the largest
arboreal animals on earth and the second largest of the 350
species of primates. Each has an individual personality and
Rocky, a juvenile, is emerging as a crowd pleaser. He loves
multi-layered clothing, shiny baubles and, like any youngster,
colorful tattoos.
Two or
three times daily guests are invited to watch the orangutans as
they participate in educational tests. The administrator asks
them to match symbols using a computer. The short-term goal is
90% accuracy before they move on to the next level. The
long-term goal is to understand how they learn and the data will
be published.
A 150-ft.
Beacon of Hope lights up Indy's skyline nightly with colors
programmed by the orangutans. Of the 4 Great Ape species
orangutans are on
the conservation
critical list because they have the greatest chance of becoming
extinct within the next 50 years. The beacon represents a ray of
hope and a call to action to prevent their extinction.
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| Rocky swinging in the air |
Adjacent to
the tower is the Myrta Pulliam Hutan Trail. This spectacular
aerial highway will allow the animals to simulate their natural
treetop routine. Because visitors can't make the climb the zoo
has installed a 1,200-ft., 50-ft. high, Skyline. The gondolas
offer a panoramic view of the Center and the Zoo.
www.indianapoliszoo.com
Scotty
Brewhouse is a perfect choice for any visitor but it gets
especially high marks for families. The menu has a gluten-free
children's menu, kids eat free days and good food in large
portions. Seating is available indoors and outdoors and the
staff gets kudos for making you feel welcome. As an extra perk
children get to choose a toy from a treasure chest presented
with appropriate fanfare. www.scottysbrewhouse.com
Conveniently located within walking distance of all the
attractions is Indianapolis' number one hotel, the J. W.
Marriott, the largest Marriott on the continent and in the
world. The 375-ft. tall hotel is affectionately referred to as
"Big Blue" in deference to the 14-miles of blue glass that
appear to encase the building. This luxury hotel takes
hospitality to a new level and offers every service one could
desire.
High
Velocity, the city's number one restaurant is located on the
property. Chef Rino Baglio was named "Global Master Chef'. He is
the only individual to hold the title in this hemisphere. The
Marriott offers special packages and promotions. All information
is available online.
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/indjw-jw-marriott-indianapolis
Make Indy
your next family destination for a one-of-a-kind adventure.
www.visitindy.com
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