Martindale-Brightwood is a neighborhood situated on the near northeast side of Indianapolis, Indiana bounded by 30th Street, Massachusetts Avenue, 21st Street, Sherman Drive, and the Northfolk Southern Railroad tracks.
This area encompasses two previously independent settlements. Brightwood, the eastern section of the neighborhood, was first platted in 1872 and amended in 1874. Railroad workers on the “Bee Line” were the first to settle the Brightwood suburb which soon became the railroad center of Indianapolis. The town of Brightwood was incorporated in 1876 and remained autonomous until 1897 when it was annexed by Indianapolis. The Martindale area was settled in 1874, also by railroad workers who found employment in machine shops and manufacturing. Industrial growth in Martindale was supported by the nearby railroad lines and the area quickly became a working-class suburb.
The blue-collar population of Martindale-Brightwood before the turn of the century included a mix of African Americans and a growing proportion of foreign-born or first-generation European Americans.
African Americans began to settle in residential areas around Beeler Street (later Martindale Avenue and still later Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue), the industrial center of Martindale at that time, and began building their churches along the avenue. In contrast, Brightwood continued to attract white residents who were skilled and unskilled workers; the 1880 census reports that about forty percent of the adult men were foreign-born or first-generation, predominantly of German, Irish, and British ancestry. Bed Bug Exterminator Indianapolis
Brightwood developed as a small town before its annexation by Indianapolis. The town provided its residents with a high school located in the northeast part of Brightwood, private waterworks installed in 1894, and operated two volunteer fire departments: the “Wide-a-Wakes” and the “Alerts.” Station Street, located in the southeastern section of Brightwood became the town center. Station Street was developed as the business district and continued to be the commercial center of the neighborhood until the 1960s. The beginning of the twentieth century continued to see Brightwood prosper as a result of thriving railroads and increased industrialization. Laycock Manufacturing Company, Topp Hygienic Milk and Ice Company, George F. Neher & Sons, and the Big Four Railroads (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis) were among the larger employers in the region.
Attractions
- Indianapolis Canal Walk is located at Canal Walk, Indianapolis, IN
- 9/11 Memorial is located at 421 W Ohio St, Indianapolis, IN
- Central Canal
Restaurants and Pubs
- Eat To Live Café is located at 2248 E 38th St B, Indianapolis, IN
- G Q’s Grill is located at 3373 Forest Manor Ave, Indianapolis, IN
- Grand is located at 5462 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, IN
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