Indianapolis Facts and Trivia

• Indianapolis is the 12th largest city in the US with a population of 876,804 and the capital city of Indiana. The Indianapolis metropolitan area ranks 29th in US with a population of 1,666,032.

The downtown canal at night

• The city hosts many large conferences and events but is perhaps most famous for the annual Indianapolis 500, known as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." (One of our favorite local events to attend!) The attendance at the Indianapolis 500 and the Allstate 400 makes them the two largest single day sporting events in the world, with well over 250,000 fans in attendance at each.

• The city is second only to Washington, D.C. for number of monuments inside city limits. One of the most notable monument, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the heart of the downtown circle, doubles as a 242 foot tall Christmas tree each year, complete with 4,784 lights and 52 garland strands!

• Indianapolis is home to numerous sports teams including the Indianapolis Colts, the Indiana Pacers, WNBA’s Fever and the Indianapolis Indians, the AAA baseball team currently affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Indians play downtown at Victory Field in one of the top rated AAA baseball stadiums in the nation.

• Indianapolis is also home to the nearly completed Lucas Oil Stadium, which will serve as the home stadium for the Indianapolis Colts. The stadium features a retractable roof movable window wall and will have seating capacity of 63,000. The new stadium was the focal point of Indianapolis' winning Super Bowl proposal. Indy is poised and ready to host the Super Bowl in 2012 and other events such as the NCAA Final Four in 2010 as a result of the stadium.

• Hinkle Fieldhouse, located on the campus of our dear Butler University was built in 1928, making it the sixth-oldest college basketball facility in the nation. When it was originally built, it was the largest basketball arena in the United States, and it retained this title until the late 1950's. It is the former host of the Indiana High School Athletic Association Basketball Tournament, has hosted six United States presidents, and even served as Air Force and Navy barracks during World War II. It might be most famous for its appearance in the movie "Hoosiers," based on the real-life story of Milan High School's Cinderella basketball season. A staple for Saturday afternoons in winter, Butler Men's Basketball games are some of our favorite events to attend.