Indiana War Memorial & Museum: a monumental tribute to Hoosier Heroes
Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, the Indiana War Memorial and its museum represent the second largest display of monuments to American war veterans in the United States – the nation’s capital being the largest. The memorial and museum, along with Soldiers & Sailors Monument and other nearby sites bring to life the involvement by Hoosiers in the country’s major military conflicts.
Although construction of the memorial, initially to the veterans of World War I, commenced in early 1926, it wasn’t until 1965 that the structure was finally completed. The Great Depression dramatically slowed work on the building, and even a $195,000 grant provided by the U.S. Public Works Administration in 1936 made minor progress.
The cubical structure is surrounded by Indiana limestone on a rusticated base and capped with a pyramid roof. The monument features four identical faces, each with a screen of six equal columns and accompanied by metaphorical standing figures designed by sculptor Henry Hering titled Courage, Memory, Peace, Victory, Liberty and Patriotism. Hering’s 24-foot, seven-ton Pro Patria, a male nude bronze wrapped in the American flag, stands at the south side of the building and the largest bronze statue in the world at the time.
The memorial is based upon the Mausoleum of Maussollos, previously one of the Seven Wonders of the World. At 210 feet tall it is some 75 feet taller than the original Mausoleum.
Inside the structure, a "time-line" museum of Indiana's role in the country’s military conflicts is located in the lower level. The museum honors the heroism of Hoosier warriors from the American Revolutionary War to today’s international conflicts, with an emphasis on World War I and World War II. In addition to exhibits of decades of firearm designs, the museum also showcases an Apache helicopter, a Navy Terrier missile, and the USS Indiana's commission plate. There are over 400 military flags housed in the museum, more than 300 of which are from the American Civil War.
The building and museum are free to all and open from Wednesday through Sunday during the day. Contact the Indiana War Memorials Commission to arrange in advance for group tours and any special events.
- by Jim Brown , Indianapolis Reporter for HelloMetro
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Jim Brown Jim Brown is a longtime freelance aviation, travel and destination writer and communications professional. A former reporter for Aviation Daily, Air Safety Week and World Airline News, Jim served for more than 15 years as a senior public relations executive for American Airlines, TWA and AirTran Airways.
