Mile Square in Indianapolis in Marion County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Indiana's Main Street

Historic National Road

— The Road That Built The Nation —

Indiana's Main Street Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 20, 2019

1. Indiana's Main Street Marker

Inscription.
You are standing on Washington Street—the route of the Historic National Road in Indiana. In the early 19th century, this broad street had no sidewalks and was lined with log buildings and frame taverns that crowded near the newly constructed state capital. By the turn of the 20th century, Indianapolis was a newly prosperous city. Ladies in fine hats browsed the shop windows while horse-drawn delivery wagons, clanging streetcars, and Indiana-built automobiles such as Studebaker and Dusenberg clattered over the brick pavement.

Rapid Growth
Long before the National road reached Indiana, this area was densely wooded and homeland to the peoples of the Miami, Piplashaw, and Wey Nations. Early Hoosier settlers lived along the commercially vibrant Ohio River, close to Indiana's first capital at Coryden. In 1825, the capital was moved to Indianapolis in anticipation of the arrival of the National Road.

Between 1820 and 1840, tens of thousands of people from the East settled along the great highway in Indiana. During these two decades the population of the state exploded from 147,178 to 685,866, dramatically shifting the

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center of commerce from the Ohio River to the new road.

A Prosperous Road
By the mid-19th century, the National Road was unquestionably Indiana's Main Street. Early settlements along the highway, that grew fast and rich catering to travelers, evolved to serve the needs of the prosperous residents and businesses. Over time, rail service, streetcars, and automobiles would spur new enterprises and industries along the road and foster the development of leafy suburban enclaves and planned communities like Irvington. Today commerce, development, and growth continue to be linked to the National Road.

[Reverse:]
The Auto Age The automobile revived the National Road in the 1920s. As cars and trucks took to the road, the federal government established a nationwide network of paved, all-weather highways. The old National Road was one of the first routes designated under the new federal highway numbering system in 1926—US Route 40, a transcontinental highway from Atlantic City, NJ, to San Francisco, CA. Once again, the road gave rise to new opportunities. Like the blacksmith shops and taverns of the past, gas stations, diners, and motels

Indiana's Main Street Marker [Reverse] image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 20, 2019

2. Indiana's Main Street Marker [Reverse]

ushered in a new era of prosperity. Until the 1970s, with the completion of Interstate 70, US 40 was one of the country's primary east-west routes.

The Modern Road
The National Road has played a significant role in the development of the United States. To honor this distinction, in 2002 the US Secretary of Transportation designated the Historic National Road from Maryland to Illinois an All-American Road. Indiana is actively working to preserve its segment of the road, structures, and landscapes along this historic corridor. Today the road continues to beckon travelers like you as it has for more than 200 years. Welcome to Indiana!

Erected by Indiana National Road Association.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the The Historic National Road series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1825.

Location. 39° 46.02′ N, 86° 9.512′ W. Marker has been reported damaged. Marker is in Indianapolis, Indiana, in Marion County. It is in Mile Square. It is on West Washington Street west of North Meridian Street,

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 20, 2019

3. Indiana's Main Street Marker

on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 West Washington Street, Indianapolis IN 46204, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Indiana.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Bowen-Merrill Fire / Indianapolis Fire Department (within shouting distance of this marker); L. S. Ayres & Company Department Store Building (within shouting distance of this marker); West Washington Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Griffith Block (within shouting distance of this marker); Merchants National Bank Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Eli Lilly and Company (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Here in 1867 (about 300 feet away); a different marker also named Eli Lilly and Company

Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 14, 2023

4. Indiana's Main Street Marker

Looking west on East Washington Street

(about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Indianapolis.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 26, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 410 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 26, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 4. submitted on September 18, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.