UCDA Design Summit in Indy, Pt. 3

Another Indianapolis area I wanted to revisit from when I lived there was Fountain Square. My BFF/Ray-of-Sunshine Christy drove down from Fairmount to join in the fun for the day, and the weather mirrored her personality. Fountain Square is anchored by The Fountain Square Theatre Building, a neoclassical brick and terra cotta building designed by Frank B. Hunter in 1928. When the theatre closed in 1960, it was replaced by Woolworth's. The area was revitalized back in 1993 when the Theatre underwent a restoration.



I love billboards with a sense of humor.



"Lady Spray" is the 4th fountain at the intersection of Virginia Avenue, Prospect Street, and Shelby Street. The first was a classical design with drinking places for horses and humans, surmounted by a cast iron statue of a seminude figure of the goddess Hebe, nicknamed "Lady Spray." It was erected in 1889 and paid for by Fountain Square business owners. The second fountain was commissioned in the early 1920s, and was dedicated in 1924 as a memorial to former Indiana Congressman Ralph Hill. The bronze sculpture that topped the fountain, titled "Pioneer Family," was created by Myra Reynolds Richards. The sculpture was moved to Garfield Park in 1954; public pressure secured its return in 1969. The third pedestal, base, and fountain were installed in the 1980s.



The current cast iron fountain was installed in 2009, taken from molds made from a historic fountain in Watertown, NY, and is topped by another version of Hebe.



Lunch at the Smokehouse BBQ was tasty!



Before the food arrived, I was busy taking note of all the details, vintage signs, posters, and decor that made this place feel so nostalgic and comfortable.



BBQ Pulled Pork, Sweet Potato Fries, and Cole Slaw. At this point, my "diet" had completely gone out the window.



Which is why I splurged even further and got a chocolate shake. It tasted soooooooo good, even if I felt my pants slowly tightening with each spoonful.

Spoonful…who am I kidding; I drank that thing in a nanosecond.



Upstairs is a duckpin bowling alley.



I would have played, but Christy was too busy talking on the phone. Or posing. Or both.



Shave and a haircut…2 bits! Fountain Square has a genuine old-fashioned barber shop.



Besides nostalgia, Fountain Square also has quirky art.



Murals that are colorful and twisted. This is my kind of place!



All of this walking had really helped us build an appetite.

OK. You caught me again. I'd made reservations for St. Elmo's Steakhouse, one of Indianapolis' most famous restaurants, so dinner was going to happen whether we were hungry or not.



The interior is very "old school"; dark, lots of wood, attentive waiters, and hunting photos.



No idea who this guy was, but he was all over the restaurant.



When your salad has bleu cheese and bacon, who cares about the decor?!?



I have to sign off now and loosen my belt.

See more Daveland Indianapolis Fountain Square photos on my main website.