| West Indianapolis is an older, working class
neighborhood with residential living mixed with heavy industry.
Located on the near southwest side of the city center, the West
Indianapolis neighborhood is bound by the White River on the
east, Raymond Street on the south, Holt Road on the west, and
the Conrail railroad tracks on the north. These boundaries cover
the area of the former Town of West Indianapolis annexed into
the City of Indianapolis more than 100 years ago. In 2000,
the neighborhood had 10,075 residents, but a daytime population
of nearly twice that number. Like much of the near south and
west sides of Indianapolis, West Indianapolis has always been a
working neighborhood where modest homes were constructed for
recent immigrants. The homes were immediately adjacent to
factories and shops in which the immigrants worked. This
frugality is evident in the small size and simple design of the
homes. Waves of immigrants from Germany, Italy, Eastern Europe,
and Appalachia settled in the area. The density, affordability,
and proximity to employment and transportation continue to
attract new immigrants – evidenced by the recent substantial
influx of Hispanic residents. One appeal of West Indianapolis is
that it is a “small town within a big city.” |
