George Edward Kessler and the Indianapolis Park System : a study of its historical development during the City Beautiful era, 1895-1915

The purpose of this report was to investigate the role of George Edward Kessler and the historical events which effected the development of the Indianapolis park system. Heretofore, this area of study has received little scholarly attention. Kessler has proven to be a significant figure in landscape architecture and city planning history; his landscape and planning philosophies profoundly restructured the urban fabric of Indianapolis and numerous other cities throughout America. As a result of Kessler's involvement, Indianapolis is heir to a sophisticated network of parks and boulevards representational of City Beautiful Era planning. This park system is an historically and a culturally valuable legacy as it has shaped the city's urban character.The study focused on the Indianapolis park system's developmental period, 1895-1915. Primary and secondary source material was researched in order to document the park system's initial beginnings during the Park Movement through its maturation during the City Beautiful Era.Kessler's original plan contemplated 175 miles of parkways along the city's river and stream corridors, and an additional 175 miles of connecting boulevards. The Kessler park system included a total of 12,000 acres for the city. It should be noted that the system fell short of this grandiose scheme, however, the study concluded that Kessler played a significant role in the development of the Indianapolis park system. By the close of the 1920's, much of the groundwork for the Kessler plan had been successfully implemented.In recent years, designed landscapes have gained considerable new attention from preservationists, landscape architects and allied professions. Kessler's visionary scheme for the Indianapolis park system is a significant layer of design upon the city's physical plan.In light of this growing appreciation of the nation's historic urban greenspaces and the events which shaped them, this study was undertaken.Department of ArchitectureThesis (M.S.