You should pass this building on your journey...
“THE GAME IS AFOOT:” An Architectural Treasure Hunt of Victorian Indianapolis
Created by the Hoosier Chapter, Victorian Society in America
For those of you unable to participate on June 19th, we offer a copy here. Simply highlight, copy and paste all that follows in this post and print at home! Enjoy!
When you are done, please email us at: hoosiervsa@gmail.com and we will email you the key/ answers.
DIRECTIONS: Beginning at the headquarters of the Hoosier Chapter, Victorian Society in America, the Morris-Butler House, you will work your way around a number of downtown locations with a question pertaining to each. If any question stumps you, try asking someone. Fill in the blanks for each question and save the “circled” letter from each answer on the bottom line to unscramble the anagram and answer the final question. The entire game may be walked, or you can drive to the first two or three stops (slightly north of downtown) and then park and walk. This should take between 2-4 hours, depending on how much time you spend at each location.
3 Helpful Definitions:
Façade - the front of the building
Column – a pillar supporting some portion of a building
Pediment – a triangular space, at the top of a structure, often used for decoration
1. 87 steep stairs lead from the Morris-Butler House's basement into its tower. From the vantage point of that tower, its three windows give a view of almost the whole city. There is no window facing which (compass) direction?
2. On April 25, 1890, President Benjamin Harrison signed the act that designated Chicago as the site of the World Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World’s Fair). In the herb garden at the Benjamin Harrison Home a sculpture that won the grand prize at the Columbian Exposition now sits. Who designed and carved this 1893 sculpture?
2. At 528 North Lockerbie Street you will find the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, where famed Hoosier author, or “The Hoosier Poet,” as he was widely known, lived for over 20 years of his life. He loved the place so much, he composed an ode to this street called “Lockerbie Fair.” How many steps did Mr. Riley have to ascend from the sidewalk to the front door?
4. The building that started its life as “Das Deutsche Haus” and is now known as the Athenaeum is located where Massachusetts Avenue and Michigan and New Jersey Streets all meet. Because the structure was built in two phases, there is an East wing (built in 1893) and West wing, built in 1897. Looking at the Eastern tower on the East wing, there is a German phrase carved in stone that translates to: “Vibrant and free; strong and loyal.” Please write out the words as they appear on the building in German:
5. There is a shop on Mass Ave (across from question 6) that has been in the same location since 1886. People always remember the exotic bird and the “Baldwin Flyer System” which shuttles their chief product back and forth. What store is this?
6. Where Massachusetts Avenue intersects at New York Street and Delaware Streets (now dwarfed by the building next to it) is one of the oldest buildings on the avenue. This three-story flatiron Italianate building was erected in 1874. You will know you are looking at the right building if you find the word Hammond at the top of the front of the building. Looking on both sides of the building, how many columns do you find in the façade?
7. Next to a bank building on the east side of Pennsylvania Street, between Ohio and New York Streets, find a limestone statuary group in a small park-like plaza. This trio of figures originally stood above the main entrance of the magnificent Indiana National Bank building and is the only known remaining piece of that building's façade. The original site is now a plaza at the corner of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Which (compass) direction is the male figure staring?
8. On Market Street between Delaware and Alabama Streets, you will find the city’s original Victorian Farmer’s Market. Standing on the West side of the Market is a brick and limestone arch. This is all that remains of Tomlinson Hall, a public venue built for concerts, political rallies and various other kinds of meetings—free to be used by all people despite prejudices of the time. Built in 1886, the Hall was destroyed by fire in January 1958. As a tribute to a place that could easily be considered the city’s social epicenter for more than 50 years, this arch is the only remaining remnant. Look at the archway’s east side, (which means you are looking west)—how many circles do you find above the doorway including those inside the pediment?
9. The first “skyscraper” in Indianapolis reaches ten stories high and was designed in 1895 for the Indiana Gas Company by the same architectural firm that designed the City Market (D. A. Bohlen & Son). This Romanesque Revival style building can be found at 47 South Pennsylvania. What is the name of the building?
10. On Washington Street, the oldest building—that was standing when Abraham Lincoln’s body passed through the city on the way to Springfield, and even earlier when he visited the city during his campaign for President—is in need of repair. “The Hanaman Building” is located, empty and forlorn, at 40 East Washington Street—with only the top portion betraying its age. How many windows can you see in the upper/ 1860’s portion of the building?
11. Built in 1893, the structure formerly known as the Lombard Building is at 22 East Washington Street. Its current name relates to the organization sponsoring this event and is on the front of the building. What is it called?
12. The building next door to the previous question has a façade made of Terra Cotta (fired and glazed clay). But there are some other interesting elements on the building, such as the figures of Knights. How many knights are on the building?
13. In the 100 block of South Meridian, near Nordstrom, you will find the majority of the “Vajen Exchange Block” façade, which was dismantled from its former location, now a parking garage, and integrated into the exterior façade of the Circle Center Mall. There is a plaque (facing south) that tells about this 1872 building and its history. On what street was this building originally located?
14. Before modern steel was invented, cast iron played a prominent role in architecture. In the 200 block of South Meridian Street there are multiple buildings with cast iron in their façades. You will notice they sound and feel different when you knock on them, but if you use a magnet, you will know for sure. How many are there (both sides of street)? *Previous participants came up with a variety of answers for this one, so don't feel bad if you disagree with the answer*
15. Indianapolis opened the first “Union Station” in the country in 1853 on Jackson Place between Meridian and Illinois Streets. A union station is a building in which several different private railroads share a common train station. The current station was constructed in 1888 and is Romanesque Revival architecture composed of granite and brick. The north side of the building features a large round stained glass window and a tower. What feature on the tower moves?
16. 127 South Illinois street is one of the most famous and well-loved restaurants in Indianapolis. (They are best known for their fiery horseradish-laden shrimp cocktail sauce). In carved stone at the top of the façade, you will find the original name of the building. What is it?
17. At the junction of Market Street and Capitol Avenue is the East side of the State Capitol building. At the bottom of the stairs is a statue of Governor Oliver P. Morton, Indiana’s Civil War era governor. The walls on either side of the stairway have bronze panels with depictions of figures. On the southern staircase is a bronze depiction that features women working during the Civil War. What is the occupation of those featured women?
18. The oldest structure on Monument Circle even pre-dates the Soldiers & Sailors Monument. What is its name? (hint: it’s in the northeast quadrant)
19. There is only one other thing on Monument Circle older than the Soldiers & Sailors Monument. It is a statue of a governor in a different version than the statue of the same governor facing the Circle from in front of the Capitol. Who is featured in this statue?
20. There are two years repeated (once each) atop the Soldiers & Sailors Monument. The dates refer to the beginning and end of what nationally significant event?
21. There are a number of different animals featured in the sculptures on the Soldiers & Sailors Monument and its surrounding grounds. There are panthers, eagles, buffalos, snakes and these four-legged animals:
22. Stand in front of or inside the big window of the South Bend Chocolate Company. Imagine you are standing there 100 years ago. If you looked to the northwest quadrant of the circle, what hotel would you have seen? (If you need a hint: Look for a photograph of it inside the shop.)
23. The official crest of the Columbia Club on Monument Circle was originally designed by a company known in Victorian times for the beautiful stained glass designs of Louis C; today they are better known for expensive jewelry wrapped in a robin’s egg blue box. (The name started as a last and is now more commonly a first.)
ANSWER 1. __ __ __ __
ANSWER 2. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ - __. - __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 3. __ __ __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 4. __ __ __ __ __ __ - ____ - __ __ __ __;__ __ __ __ __ - __ __ __
__ __ __ __
ANSWER 5. __ __ __ __’ __ - __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 6. __ __ __ __
ANSWER 7. __ __ __
ANSWER 8. __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 9. __ __ __ - ____ __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 10. __ __
ANSWER 11. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 12. __ __
ANSWER 13. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 14. __ __ __ __
ANSWER 15. __ __ __ __
ANSWER 16. __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 17. __ __ __ __
ANSWER 18. __ __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 19. __ __ __ __ __ __ - __. - __ __ __ __ __
ANSWER 20. __ __ __ - ____ __ __ - __ __ __
ANSWER 21. __ __ __ __ __ (plural)
ANSWER 22. __ __ __ __ __ __’ __
ANSWER 23. __ __ __ ____ __ - & - __ __ __ __ __ __ __
Letters collected from all circles:
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
By unscrambling the letters you have collected from all your answers, please answer the following question:
In the year 2016, the state of Indiana will celebrate what occasion:
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ -- __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __**
**The blog will not allow division of the spaces provided for your lettering, so we have inserted dashes where normally would appear spaces.
