White River State Park

White River State Park Review

This 250-acre park in the heart of downtown is a cultural and recreational campus. At its west end is the Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens and on the east are several attractions including the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. Connecting the sides across the White River is the Historic Old Washington Street Pedestrian Bridge, originally built in 1833. Gentle banks slope to the river, with groves of weeping willows and other trees that invite visitors to picnic or just enjoy the view. The Promenade, which follows the upper banks of the White River, is built from 1,272 blocks of Indiana limestone and is accented with 14 stone tablets carved with renderings of famous buildings made of Indiana limestone, including New York's Empire State Building. A focal point of the Promenade is the hand-carved Rose Window, a limestone frame measuring more than 7 feet in diameter. The park also encompasses Victory Field baseball park, an outdoor music pavilion, Military Park, River Promenade, Pumphouse Visitors Center, and Celebration Plaza.