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

Ball Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 6, 2023

1. Ball Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park Marker

Inscription. A prime example of a therapeutic greenspace designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park were part of a 1930 medical campus master plan devised by Percival Gallagher, a partner in the firm. Located behind the Ball Residence Hall for nursing students and named in honor of George and Frank Ball in recognition of their generous gift to Indiana University, the grounds served nursing staff, patients, and their families as a place of respite and renewal. The garden featured a fountain with a bronze figure of Eve by Indianapolis sculptor Robert Davidson. After the statue made its debut at the Chicago World's Fair, it was installed in the garden in 1934, where it soon became a focal point for ceremonies, leading students to rechristen her “Flo.” In 1996, the garden and park were listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the university restored many features of the original design in 2016.

Erected 2020 by Indiana University.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1930.

Location. 39° 46.584′ N, 86° 10.909′ W. Marker is in Indianapolis, Indiana, in Marion County.

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It is in Downtown. Marker is on Riley Hospital Drive, 0.1 miles north of West Michigan Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 575 Riley Hospital Dr, Indianapolis IN, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Coleman Hall (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Robert W. Long Hospital (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wilson House Site (approx. 0.2 miles away); Blackford House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Boaz House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Garrett House (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Plague Cemetery (approx. 0.2 miles away); This Tablet Marks the Homestead of Isaac Wilson, Pioneer and Patriot. (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Indianapolis.

Regarding Ball Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park. Excerpt from the National Register of Historic Places nomination for the park and garden:

The design for the Indianapolis campus open space by Percival Gallagher is one of two projects by Olmsted Brothers, implemented in Indianapolis between 1920 and 1937. The third Olmsted Brothers' project in the City is the master plan for Indiana Central University (today, the University of Indianapolis), a project that was not planned by Gallagher and was never implemented by the University. The Garden and Park at Indiana University Medical Center is the work of a
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, August 6, 2023

2. Ball Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park Marker
master landscape architect, a principal in the premier landscape architecture firm in the nation. At the time the project was implemented, the Olmsted Brothers firm was at its zenith. Between 1857 and 1950, the firm produced plans for more than 5800 projects in every state in the nation and seven foreign countries.

Also see . . .
1. Ball Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park. Gallagher’s design divided the site into three major areas: the formal Nurses' Residence Lawn and Sunken Garden, the pastoral Convalescent Park, and the elliptical turf panel or forecourt for the Rotary Convalescent Hospital. (The Cultural Landscape Foundation) (Submitted on August 28, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Nurses' Sunken Garden & Convalescent Park. National Register nomination (PDF) and photographs (separate PDF) submitted for the garden and park, which was listed in 1996. (National Park Service) (Submitted on August 28, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Fountain in Ball Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park image. Click for full size.

IndyTaylor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), July 30, 2022

3. Fountain in Ball Nurses' Sunken Garden and Convalescent Park

The “Eve” statue, created by Indianapolis sculptor Robert Davidson, has become a campus landmark.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 28, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 60 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 28, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.