Riverside, Indianapolis
Encyclopedia
The Riverside neighborhood is a historical neighborhood on the near west side of Indianapolis
, Indiana
, United States. The housing consists mainly of American foursquare-type homes and bungalows built in the 1910s to 1920s. Seventy-five percent of the homes in the area were built before 1939. Riverside is named for its location beside the White River
.
Organization which targets deprived areas in Indianapolis to assist in crime reduction. Located in its boundaries is the city's only regional park.
was founded in 1903 with funding from investors from Indianapolis and Pittsburgh. It was located north of 30th Street and had a toboggan ride and concession stands. As Riverside and the surrounding area grew, the amusement park continued to expand. In 1919, under new ownership, it introduced segregation
in response to the growing African-American population in the neighborhood. On most days, the park was only available to white patrons but there were special days set aside for black patrons. The park and the neighborhood both prospered during and after World War II
but the neighborhood was affected by dramatic white flight
. By the 1960s, the racial makeup of the neighborhood had changed to such an extent that the owners of the park were forced to desegregate in an attempt to remain profitable. This failed and the park closed in 1970. The Rivers Edge is a newly built housing complex that now occupies the site.
to the east, 38th Street to the north, 16th Street to the south and the White River to the west. UNWA’s population in 1990 was 22,204. The success of this neighborhood is rooted in its grassroots neighborhood association, the Riverside Civic League, the second-oldest neighborhood association in the city.
Students in kindergarten through sixth grade in the Riverside neighborhood are zoned to Indianapolis Public Schools
42 and 44.
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, United States. The housing consists mainly of American foursquare-type homes and bungalows built in the 1910s to 1920s. Seventy-five percent of the homes in the area were built before 1939. Riverside is named for its location beside the White River
White River (Indiana)
The White River is a two-forked river that flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River. Via the west fork, considered to be the main stem of the river by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, the White River is long.-West Fork:The West Fork, long, is...
.
Overview
The boundaries of Riverside are 30th Street on the north, Fall Creek and Stadium Drive to the south, the water company canal to the east and the White River to the west. Many of the neighborhood's focus areas are situated along Harding Street.History
Riverside has fallen victim to severe challenges over the years and has become run down. As a result, a number of attempts have been made to revitalize the neighborhood in recent years. It became a member of the Indianapolis Weed and SeedIndianapolis Weed and Seed
Indianapolis Weed and Seed is the name of a federal crime control/prevention initiative that serves several Indianapolis neighborhoods. The organization was founded by the City of Indianapolis in the 1990s as a way to address the crime issues that plague inner-city areas...
Organization which targets deprived areas in Indianapolis to assist in crime reduction. Located in its boundaries is the city's only regional park.
The amusement park
The Riverside Amusement ParkRiverside Amusement Park (Indianapolis)
For other parks with the same name, see Riverside Amusement Park Not to be confused with Riverside Park , which is also known as "Riverside City Park"...
was founded in 1903 with funding from investors from Indianapolis and Pittsburgh. It was located north of 30th Street and had a toboggan ride and concession stands. As Riverside and the surrounding area grew, the amusement park continued to expand. In 1919, under new ownership, it introduced segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
in response to the growing African-American population in the neighborhood. On most days, the park was only available to white patrons but there were special days set aside for black patrons. The park and the neighborhood both prospered during and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
but the neighborhood was affected by dramatic white flight
White flight
White flight has been a term that originated in the United States, starting in the mid-20th century, and applied to the large-scale migration of whites of various European ancestries from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions. It was first seen as...
. By the 1960s, the racial makeup of the neighborhood had changed to such an extent that the owners of the park were forced to desegregate in an attempt to remain profitable. This failed and the park closed in 1970. The Rivers Edge is a newly built housing complex that now occupies the site.
Riverside now
Since 1967, Riverside has been included in the umbrella neighborhood organization known as the United Northwest Area or UNWA. This is made up of three neighborhoods, Riverside to the south, United Northwest in the center and Crown Hill to the north. The UNWA neighborhood is bounded by Meridian StreetMeridian Street (Indianapolis)
Meridian Street is the primary north-south street in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.Meridian Street was formerly aligned with US 31 for much of its length in the city of Indianapolis, before being re-routed to a segment of Interstate 465. The street delineates east addresses from west...
to the east, 38th Street to the north, 16th Street to the south and the White River to the west. UNWA’s population in 1990 was 22,204. The success of this neighborhood is rooted in its grassroots neighborhood association, the Riverside Civic League, the second-oldest neighborhood association in the city.
Students in kindergarten through sixth grade in the Riverside neighborhood are zoned to Indianapolis Public Schools
Indianapolis Public Schools
Indianapolis Public Schools, abbreviated locally as IPS, is the largest school district in Indianapolis as well as in the state of Indiana with 33,372 students enrolled in 2009-2010...
42 and 44.