Tag Archives: Travel in Indiana

Travel – Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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Indy 500 logo

If you have read any of the previous Travel posts on my blog, you know that our family loves weekend car trips and when we moved to Indiana several years ago we had a list of things to see and do in our new home state.  The famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway was on that list and we decided to plan a visit.  In this post I will discuss the history of the Indianapolis 500 car race and what to see if you plan a visit to the Hall of Fall Museum that is on the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Indianapolis 500 is an annual car race which takes place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana and it is held during Memorial Day weekend, normally the last weekend in May.  The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was built in 1909, the 2.5 mile oval track and is run with 200 laps counterclockwise around the track for a total distance of 500 miles.  After several fatal accidents were caused by defects in the gravel and tar racetrack, improvements were soon made during that first year to allow for a better and move even surface for the car races and 3.2 million bricks were used to repave the racetrack (which is why the track was originally known as the Brickyard) and a concrete wall as added around the track for the safety of the race car drivers and the spectators.

1909 first Indy 500 race 1    1909 first Indy 500 race
 

1909 first winner of the Indy 500 - Ray Harroun    1909 first winner of the Indy 500 - Ray Harroun 1

The first Indianapolis 500 race was held on May 30, 1911 with 80,000 spectators in attendance and a substantial prize of $25,000 was won by Ray Harroun who drove a Marmon Model Wasp racer that was outfitted with his new invention, a rear view mirror.  This was a very controversial win and Harroun was considered a safety hazard on the track because at the time drivers rode with their mechanics in the car to check the car’s oil pressure and other car functions but most importantly they were there to constantly let the driver know about the position of the other cars on the track.  In 1912 a riding mechanic was made a race requirement, this was eventually eliminated as car safety standards improved.  By 1935, hard crash helmets were made mandatory for the race and a yellow light system was devised to caution drivers to slow down in the case of debris on the track or stopped cars or accidents.

After World War II, the Speedway was in a severe state of disrepair and in danger of possibly being sold for a housing development.  The Speedway was purchased by Tony Hulman, an Indiana businessman, in November 1945 for a reported $750,000.  After major repairs and renovations were made to the racing facility the track opened in time for the 1946 race.

DSC05456The Indianapolis 500 race continued to draw increasing larger crowds over the following years with the race events extending not only to race day but a weekend long festival that included entertainment.  For safety reasons, the race field was now limited to only 33 cars.  The cars speeds increased dramatically as the race cars were designed to be were lower to the ground and more streamlined instead of the larger and heavier roadsters used in the Speedway’s earlier races.  By 1961, the remaining brick of the old track was paved over with asphalt except a three foot wide section at the start/finish line to preserve a small part of the history of the racetrack.  In 1987, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The Hall of Fame Museum

Located on at the grounds of Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the Hall of Fame Museum featuring exhibits explaining the automotive history of the racetrack and filled with numerous cars used in the Indianapolis 500 race.  The original Hall of Fame Museum was built in 1956 where the current Speedway Administration Building is located but the museum’s collection of race memorabilia and vintage cars soon became too large and another facility was required.

A larger Hall of Fame Museum was built and opened in 1976.  The building was 96,000 square feet which had 30,000 square feet of museum display space that includes a gift shop. Be sure to check out the 20 minute film which includes rare historic footage of the Indianapolis 500 race shown in the Tony Hulman Theater.  Located adjacent to the museum are a small snack shop and nearby is the departure point for the bus tours of the 2.5 mile oval racetrack.

Listed below are some of the interesting items which are displayed at the museum –

  • Over 75 vehicles are on display including the Marmon “Wasp” which was used by Ray Harroun to win the first Indianapolis 500 race in 1911.
  • Several cars driven by A.J. Foyt Jr. including his 1977 car used to win his fourth Indianapolis 500 record-setting win.
  • The Duesenberg #12 Murphy Special, the only car used to win both the French Grand Prix at Le Mans in 1921 and the Indianapolis 500 in 1922.
  • The #8 Cummins Diesel Special used by Dale Evans in 1931, the only car to complete the Indianapolis 500 race without a pit stop.
  • The Borg-Warner Trophy, which honors the winner of each of the Indianapolis 500 race.

DSC05336    Indy 500 trophy

For more information regarding price and hours for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum please see their website, www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com.

Indianapolis 500 information and trivia

  • The Indianapolis Speedway is an oval 2.5 mile racetrack.  The basic layout of the track has changed little since the Speedway opened in 1909.  The track has four straight sections, the front and back longer straights are 5/8th of a mile each and the shorter straights between Turns I & 2 and Turns 3 & 4 are an 1/8th of a mile each.  Each of the four turns on the oval track are 1/4th of mile long and built at a 9 degree angle.
  • After winning the 1936 race, Louis Meyer celebrated his win on Victory Lane by drinking some buttermilk.  The executive of the Milk Foundation was so happy see it that he took advantage of the moment and a photograph appeared in the sports section of the newspaper the next day.  He thought it was such a great way to advertise that, except for the period between 1947-55, the tradition of the winner of the Indianapolis 500 race drinking milk in celebration has continued ever since then.
  • Three drivers have the Indianapolis 200 races four times.  They are: A.J. Foyt in 1961, 1964, 1977.  Al Unser in 1970, 1971, 1987.  Rick Mears in 1979, 1988 1991.
  • Five drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 race two consecutive times.  They are: Wilbur Shaw in 1939 & 40, Mauri Rose in 1947 & 48, Bill Bukovich in 1953 & 54, Al Unser in 1970 & 71, Helio Castroneves in 2001 & 02.
  • The youngest winner of the Indianapolis 500 is Troy Ruttman who was 22 years old when he won on May 30, 1952.  The oldest winner is Al Unser who was 47 years old when he won on May 24, 1987.
  • In the decades following the first Indianapolis 500, female participation was discouraged and essentially banned from competition and even female reporters were not allowed into the pit area until 1971.  The female driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 race was Janet Guthrie in 1977.  Sarah Fisher has the distinction of competing eight times.  Danica Patrick led the 2005 race for 19 laps and again in 2011 for 10 laps.  In 2009, Danica finished the race in third place, the best finish for a woman.
  • Racecar drivers can be very superstitious, it is considered bad luck to enter and exit from the same side of the car and green cars are also considered bad luck.

Travel – James Dean’s Fairmount, Indiana

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Fairmount, Indiana sign

I have been a James Dean fan since I was a teenager living in Southern California.  So when we moved to the Midwest, within a couple of hours away from Fairmount, Indiana I knew we had to make a trip there.  Since reading several biographies about his life and career, it seemed strange to actually be visiting his hometown and seeing all the places I had read about but it was very exciting for this long-time James Dean fan!

So, in 2008 we took a quick drive over to Fairmount.  The town is small so it is very easy to drive to all the James Dean landmarks around the area.  A good place to start is the Fairmount Historical Museum which had a great collection of James Dean memorabilia, such as: newspaper clippings, family photos and letters, Dean’s personal clothing and items from his life in New York and Hollywood.  Next, we went to see the old Fairmount High School where Dean graduated in 1949 and as a student he excelled in drama, art and athletics.  The building is now abandoned and at the time we visited in 2009 there was a fence surrounding the building.

Fairmount Historical museum     Fairmount High School

A short drive away is the small James Dean Memorial Park.  Dedicated in 1995, 40 years after Dean’s death, the park was funded mostly by donations from his fans.  During the month of September, James Dean fans come from all over the world to this small town in Indiana for several days of local events to mark the life and death of this iconic movie actor.  The centerpiece of the park is a six foot high column with a special tribute plaque which is topped by a bronze bust of James Dean.  The story goes that shortly before his death; Dean had visited the studio of artist Kenneth Kendall because he admired a sculpture the artist had done of Marlon Brando.  Dean commissioned the artist to create his sculpture and Kendall, in a strange coincidence, began the work on the night of Dean’s death.  There is a duplicate of this statue located in Los Angeles, CA at the Griffith Observatory where Dean filmed several scenes from the movie, “Rebel Without a Cause”, including the famous knife fight scene.  The statue is located on the west side of the Observatory with a fantastic view of the Hollywood sign.

James Dean Memorial Park Old Motorcycle Shop Friends Church

Other James Dean landmarks in the Fairmount area include the motorcycle shop where Dean bought his first motorcycle and the Friends Church where Dean’s funeral was held in 1955.  Every year on September 30 to mark the anniversary of Dean’s death, a memorial service is held at the church for all Dean’s devoted fans that come from around the world for the James Dean Festival.  Located just outside of Fairmount is the Park Cemetery where Dean is buried next to his mother and father, Mildred and Winton Dean.  Also buried nearby are Marcus and Ortense Winslow, Dean’s Aunt and Uncle and he lived with from the age of nine to eighteen.  I am told that the Winslow family still owns the house and farm and it is located less than a mile from the cemetery.

James Dean gravesite Winslow Farm

Visiting Fairmount, Indiana and seeing these places was very exciting for this long-time James Dean fan!

SPECIAL TRAVEL NOTE:   All the sights mentioned can be seen year-round but a great time to visit is in late spring or summer when the weather is good.  Please note that the James Dean Festival is held every year in late September and Fairmount can be very crowded with fans coming from around the world.

The Brief Life of James Dean

James Bryon Dean (Born: February 8, 1931 Died: September 30, 1955) was a Broadway, television and film actor.  He was born in Marion, Indiana but the family moved to Santa Monica, California when he was six years old.  At the age of nine, Dean’s mother died and his father sent him to live with an Aunt and Uncle Winslow who owned a small farm near Fairmount, Indiana.

Dean briefly returned to California after his high school graduation to reunite with his father and enrolled in UCLA before he realized his true desire was to pursue an acting career.  Eventually Dean went to New York to become a Broadway stage actor and he also appeared in several early television programs.  He returned to Hollywood to make movies in the early 1950s.  He starred in only three films during his brief movie career.  His first film, “East of Eden”, was based on the classic John Steinbeck novel.  His second film, “Rebel Without a Cause”, proved to be his most successful movie in which he played his most famous role as a rebellious teenager.  His final film, “Giant”, was released after he was tragically killed in a car accident in 1955.  Because of the high risk involved, Dean was prevented from participating in his favorite sport, car racing.  After “Giant” had completed filming, he had entered a race in Salinas, CA and was on his way there when a tragic accident happened and he was killed, Dean was only 24 years old.

In 1997, a wealthy Japanese business man and devoted fan erected a stainless steel James Dean memorial sculpture in Cholame, California which is about a mile from where Dean’s car accident took place.  In 2005, on the 50th anniversary of the actor’s death, at the intersection of Highway 41 and 46 in Northern California, the site of the accident was renamed by the State of California to the James Dean Memorial Junction.

Travel – Amish Acres – Nappanee, Indiana

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On a lovely fall weekend in 2011, we wanted to take a drive and maybe visit an interesting place.  We decided on a charming destination called Amish Acres located in Nappanee, Indiana.  The setting was absolutely beautiful.  As we walked around the 80 acre Amish farm and visited the 138 year old farm house if felt like time had stopped over a century ago.

To start the tour of Amish Acres, we watched a short film explaining the founding of the Amish in Europe.  The film explains their lifestyle, customs and religious beliefs.  It was interesting to hear how they integrate into the modern world, while retaining their simple way of life based on the technology of the past.

After the film, we took a tour of the apple orchards, kitchen garden, outbuildings and the highlight was the twelve room white farm house.  Later we walked around the beautiful grounds and peaked into the old barn with chickens, turkeys and roosters roaming all around.  There was even a traditional black Amish buggy in the wagon shed.  Then we took an easy walk down to the pond and past the cider & grist mill to a one room schoolhouse.

When we visited on a crisp cool fall day, they were making apple butter in a cast iron kettle over an open fire and we got to have a delicious taste.  We also took a farm wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch to pick Halloween pumpkins and roasted marshmallows over a camp fire.  (Mine were slightly burnt – but that’s how I like them!)

Amish Acres is a great place to visit.  Learning about the history and simple life of the Amish was very interesting and educational.  This area of northern Indiana was absolutely beautiful during the fall but I’m sure it is equally nice in the summer or spring.

Before planning a trip to Amish Acres in Indiana, check out their website for directions, hours and other general information.  www.amishacres.com