River Destinations

Perhaps the most beautiful historic bridge in Central Indiana, the 30th Street bridge links both sides of Riverside Park in Indianapolis. It was built in 1907 after a series of floods destroyed many of the original bridges across the river. It was state-of-the-art for its time, consisting of concrete and steel arches faced with Indiana limestone, and included scenic overlooks and grand staircases down to the river. The bridge today is in serious disrepair but is slated for significant rehabilitation beginning in late 2021.

During the era of segregated public parks and swimming pools, Black residents found a naturally-sandy but heavily-polluted section of the White River just south of 16th Street in Indy as one of the few places they could access water recreation. During times of low water you’ll still find a sandy beach beneath the ruins of the Emrichsville Dam, and residents of the Haughville neighborhood are working to honor the site’s history.

Travel through history on the banks of the White River and experience life at the home of pioneer settler William Connor, in a Lenape Indian camp, in a pioneer village, and during the Civil War at this immersive museum, one of the most visited of its kind in the nation.