Southeastern Indianapolis Government History Group

About Indianapolis

Indianapolis ( IN-dee-ə-NAP-ə-lis), colloquially known as Indy, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. Located in Central Indiana, the city lies along the White River's West Fork near its confluence with Fall Creek. At the 2020 census, the balance population was 887,642. Indianapolis is the 16th-most populous city in the U.S., the third-most populous city in the Midwest after Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, and the fourth-most populous state capital after Phoenix, Arizona, Austin, Texas, and Columbus. The Indianapolis metropolitan area is the 34th-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., home to 2.1 million residents. With a population of more than 2.6 million, the combined statistical area ranks 27th. Indianapolis proper covers 368 square miles (950 km2), making it the 18th-most extensive city by land area in the country. Indigenous peoples inhabited the area dating to as early as 10,000 BC. In 1818, the Lenape relinquished their tribal lands in the Treaty of St. Mary's. In 1821, Indianapolis was founded as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government.