On Vermont St at Meridian stands a distinctive old building. It  used to be the Indianapolis Athletic Club built in 1924! And turned into condominiums in 2004!! It is so noteworthy, in fact, it is  even listed in the National Register of Historic Places..

Seems huge, impressive health clubs run deep in the Indianapolis blood. As well as its politics. The Athletic Club used to be for Democrats, while  the Columbia Club, three blocks away at Monument Circle,  for Republicans.

The Columbia Club (its present incarnation was built in 1925) was formed  in 1888 as a clubhouse to get  Indianapolis lawyer, Benjamin Harrison, elected as US President. It was then that the Harrison Marching Society also coined the acronym GOP for the Grand Old Party.

 

 

Other posts about Indianapolis history Martin Krieg created as he wrote "How Indianapolis Built America" are at this link HERE