INDIANAPOLIS — A bipartisan commission was formed recently that will lead the planning, programming, and initiatives surrounding Indianapolis’ bicentennial celebration in 2020 and 2021. The commission is also tasked with engaging community organizations and fundraising for city events and projects tied to the bicentennial. The nine-member body includes two former mayors and will meet regularly leading up to this major milestone.
The history of Indianapolis can be traced back to the spring of 1820 when dozens of families built cabins along the riverbank in a settlement named Fall Creek. Commissioners hand-picked by the Indiana legislature were mandated to locate the new capital as near as possible to the center of the state, to take advantage of western migration. The legislature approved the site as the capital of the state in early 1821, and the name Indianapolis was chosen as a combination of Indiana, plus the Greek word “polis” for city.
Celebration events will kick off in June of 2020, and continue through the summer of 2021. Former Mayors Bart Peterson and Greg Ballard will serve as honorary co-chairs of the Indianapolis Bicentennial Commission. The seven additional co-chairs are longtime community leaders whose vision and contributions have helped shaped the progress and continued vitality of our city. Keira Amstutz, Yvonne Shaheen, Yvonne Shaheen, Justice Theodore “Ted” Boehm, John Krauss, Steve Campbell, Shannon Williams, and Molly Chavers round out the board.