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Indianapolis has plenty of hidden history, just like we all do, memories from the past that start to fade as we continue to grow. Some of these memories, ironically, begin to turn into visions of our future, representations of history that has yet to be made.
The ruins that rest within Holliday Park in Indianapolis once held up one of New York City's very first skyscrapers, the St. Paul Building, located at the intersection of Broadway and Ann. The building was completed in 1898 and stood over 25 stories tall before being demolished in 1952.
After Indianapolis won a contest to receive the facade, The Ruins would soon make their way to the Midwest. The three men supporting the building are a part of a sculpture, The Races of Man, the most noticeable of the remaining structure that calls Holliday Park home.
HollidayPark.org - On this façade were three massive statues made of Indiana limestone. The statues, called “the Races of Man” represented the African-American, Asian and Caucasian races laboring together as they appeared to hold the skyscraper on their backs.
120 years have come and gone since the St. Paul Building went up in New York City, and our country is still carried by our unparalleled diversity. The more we look for ways to divide us, the easier it becomes for the building to fall.
It's so easy to hide behind the facades of racism, sexism, classism, etc., while neglecting the ways in which we can support one another. Over these past few months I have grown an even greater appreciation for the many views that I have been exposed to over my lifetime. I've noticed that the more perspectives I hear, the stronger my own foundation becomes.
As I begin to rediscover the history that is begging to be found, I realize that it's rarely even history at all, just a prediction of what's to come in the future.
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Holliday Park is located at 6363 Spring Mill Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46260.