National Register of Historic Places

Indianapolis Athletic Club

Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
Listed
December 15, 2015
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
15000887

About this property

The Indianapolis Athletic Club was founded in 1886 and quickly became a premiere private club for Indiana businessmen and society elite. It was especially active in Indiana Democratic politics. Credited with fielding one of the first football teams in Indiana and hosting many of the earliest games, it also promoted baseball and boxing matches. The IAC was a founding member of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States on January 21, 1888. The Indianapolis Athletic Club was housed in the existing building at 350 N. Meridian Street in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The historic clubhouse was designed by Robert Frost Daggett and constructed between 1922 and 1924. It is an Italian Renaissance style brick building. The club closed in 2004 and the building was converted to luxury condominiums. The club had over 2,000 members including governors, mayors, legislators, community leaders, business men, and college, professional and Olympic athletes. The building had athletic, social, and event spacs, including the Frank McHale Room, Robert V. Welch Lounge, Frank McKinney Pool, and a large ballroom. There were three floors of overnight guest rooms. The other athletic facilities included the pool, a full-court basketball gym, racquetball courts, squash courts, weight room, cardiovascular equipment, and steam room. On February 5, 1992, a fire caused by faulty refrigerator wiring killed one overnight guest and two firemen. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

Location

350 N. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
39.77250, -86.15818

Categories

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONSOCIAL HISTORYARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Questions about this property

When was Indianapolis Athletic Club listed on the National Register?

Indianapolis Athletic Club was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 15, 2015.

What type of historic resource is Indianapolis Athletic Club?

Indianapolis Athletic Club is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Indianapolis Athletic Club?

The period of significance for Indianapolis Athletic Club is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Indianapolis Athletic Club?

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