Holliday Park History
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Holliday Park History The Pergola at Holliday Park The Pergola, designed by Alexander Holliday, is the only remaining structure in the park that was here during the Holliday’s time. Holliday Park Nature Center The history of Holliday Park is deeply rooted in Holliday Park, but there is no evidence of any its unique landscape, the bounty of its flora and permanent settlements in the immediate area. fauna and the people that graced it with their The tribes also probably used the abundant lives, their families and their efforts. During seep springs as a source of fresh water. the time that Native Americans roamed the The state of Indiana was admitted to the Union land that would one day be central Indiana, it in 86, opening up the Northwest Territory was covered with a vast forest of great trees. to settlers. In 88 Governor William Henry A beech-maple forest spread across the area Harrison signed the Treaty of Saint Mary’s with that would eventually be Holliday Park and the Delaware and Miami Indians. By this treaty much of the early settlement that was to be the tribes ceded the land in the eastern half of Indianapolis. Tulip trees, some 00 feet tall, the state from the Ohio River to the Wabash grew on the higher ground and sycamores to the state of Indiana. The land, known as flourished on the banks of the rivers. The “the New Purchase,” was to be occupied by trees and brush provided dense shade and the Indians until 821, but the settlers began the ground was covered with a deep mulch of arriving as early as 89. Indianapolis was leaves. In the springtime, when light reached selected as the state capital in 821, and within the forest floor, great masses of wild flowers a few years the dense forest was transformed appeared. into a small but busy community. Animal life was plentiful in the White River Among the settlers was Jeremiah Johnson, who Valley. Waterfowl, fish, small mammals and arrived from Kentucky with three of his sons— songbirds thrived along the river, and wolves, Jeremiah Jr., Samuel and John Johnson—in the elk and deer in the forests. Because of the early spring of 821. Although this family first plentiful game and abundant freshwater fish, located about two miles north of downtown, Native Americans used the land as migratory Jeremiah Jr. and Samuel later moved farther hunting grounds. The Miami and Delaware north and were the first to own the specific tribes hunted in the vicinity of what is now acreage that makes up Holliday Park. They knew the area because of trips they took to Jeremiah Jr. and Samuel Johnson obtained the Seth Bacon’s gristmill. original patent, or deed, for the land that is now Holliday Park from the government on April 24, The Johnson family was the subject of an 823. Samuel died shortly after obtaining the account of pioneer life in early Indianapolis deed and the land passed to Jeremiah, who then kept by Oliver Johnson, grandson of Jeremiah sold it to Samuel’s son John Johnson in 87. Sr., and published by his own son, Howard John farmed the land until 842, when he sold Johnson, in A Home In the Woods. The book it to Augustus Keeler. His son Ira Keeler took relates how the 8-year-old Oliver and a possession of the land after two years, until his younger brother were sent from John Johnson’s death in 855. Because Ira died intestate, his homestead near what is now 8th and brothers and sisters and all of their heirs were Meridian streets to the gristmill to have corn entitled to a share in the estate. Ira’s brother, ground to meal. Finding most of the nearby Foster Keeler, bought the other heirs’ interests mills engaged, they rode their horses from and continued to farm the property. He what is now 8th Street and Fall Creek (near eventually sold the farm to William Bradley for the current fairgrounds) to Spring Mill (Seth $,000 in 859. William sold it in 887 to his Bacon’s Mill). This mill was located at the top son, John Bradley, who sold it to John Holliday of Crow’s Nest Hill on the west side of Mill in 89. Road, just south of what is now Holliday Park. The gristmill, which had an overshot wheel, used the old spring that flowed out of the hills. John Hampden Holliday Remnants of the mill site and a millpond are still present on property at the west side of John Hampden Holliday—newspaperman, Spring Mill Road. financier, philanthropist and civic leader— was born May 31, 86, and grew up in the John Krise, who owned most of the land young city of Indianapolis. His grandfather, directly south of the park, ran a similar mill Samuel Holliday, had settled in Indiana in from 80 to 860. This larger and more 86 before the territory became a state and elaborate mill, located on the east side of served as associate judge of the Madison Spring Mill Road at the bottom of the hill near County Circuit Court. After studying at Miami the river, was also known as Spring Mill, or University of Ohio and Princeton Theological Krise’s Mill. Although the natural springs that Seminary, John’s father, the Reverend William once flourished in the area have diminished A. Holliday, came to Indianapolis in 833 to with the development of the land, there are still serve as pastor of First Presbyterian Church. small geologic seeps in the park to remind us of He later left Indianapolis and joined the faculty the importance of this land’s past resources. of Hanover College. John Hampden Holliday Evaline Holliday John and his three siblings spent their west of Pittsburgh. During the ensuing 23 childhood in the 850s enjoying both urban years, the newspaper grew from a circulation and country life in what was by then a small of ,00 to 5,000 readers. Holliday intended city. The woods that surrounded the city his newspaper to be a family paper attractive provided squirrels, rabbits and birds to hunt to women as well as men. In the beginning he and nuts, berries and pawpaws to collect. In established policies for the paper that included: summer the boys swam and fished in the rivers making circulation numbers available to all and canals, and in the winter they sought out advertisers, refusing to print advertisements ponds on which to slide and skate. as editorial matter, and excluding all Holliday lived in Indianapolis all his life. His advertisements with objectionable content. college years were spent at Northwestern The paper was well written and well edited, Christian University (now Butler) and at and through its editorials the newspaper took a Hanover College, graduating in 86. Then stand on many causes, including support of the 8 years old, he enlisted in the 137th Indiana adoption of the city charter and the formation Volunteer Infantry shortly before graduation of the Chamber of Commerce. It opposed the and served his 00-day enlistment. After he loan of public money for the construction of was discharged, he attempted to re-enlist the Belt Railroad. It supported sound money in the 70th Infantry but was rejected by the and home rule and opposed the third term for medical examiner. the presidency. The paper was independent of political parties, unusual for a paper of that He turned to journalism as a career and in period. 869, when he was 23 years old, he established the Indianapolis News, functioning initially In 909 the federal government filed a as owner, editor and business manager. It was libel suit—related to Theodore Roosevelt’s one of the first two-cents evening newspapers involvement in dealings concerning the 5 Panama Canal—against the paper. Although Indianapolis Charity Organizations Society for the trial was scheduled for Washington, the 24 years and as a member of the State Board lawyers insisted that it be tried in Indianapolis, of Charities. He formed the Immigrant Aid where the libel was alleged to have occurred. Association and the Foreign House in an effort The judge’s ruling in favor of the newspaper to improve living conditions for immigrants stands as an early victory for freedom of the and to give them a place where they could press. attend language classes. John Holliday waged war on corruption during He was active in many civic groups: president the years that he owned the News. An advocate of the Board of Trade, a member of the of good government, he worked for the people Commercial Club (forerunner of the Chamber as a whole and not for any faction or individual. of Commerce), president of the Public Welfare Ill health forced him to sell the newspaper Loan Association, and a member of the in 89, but after his recovery a year later, University Club, the Indianapolis Literary Holliday and a group of friends founded the Club, the Sons of the American Revolution Union Trust Co, where he served as president. and the Grand Army of the Republic. He was In 899 his love of journalism led him to one of seven charter members of the local establish the short-lived Indianapolis Press. chapter of the American Red Cross, and during In 90 this paper merged with the News and World War I he was its treasurer. He was Holliday returned to the Union Trust, where he instrumental in the creation of the Juvenile continued for the remaining 6 years of his life, Court. His long experience with the Charity first as president and later as chairman of the Organizations Society had acquainted him with board.