Landscape Information
Originally known as Obelisk Square, this relatively flat plaza comprises the third city block (from south to north) within the Indiana War Memorials Historic District and serves as its midpoint. Completed in 1930, its design was primarily an open expanse of asphalt accented with a few trees, a small strip of lawn, and the central, circular monument – an obelisk surrounded by a two-tiered fountain basin.
The plaza’s primary feature is the 100-foot-tall obelisk composed of Berwick black granite and topped with gold leaf, situated on axis with the American Legion Mall and Indiana World War Memorial. Two concentric fountains of pink Georgia marble and terrazzo flooring surround the obelisk, the lower of which is a perfect circle while the upper, smaller fountain consists of four bays. A series of low spray jets accented by four higher jets animate the fountain on both levels. The lowest segment of the four-sided obelisk features four-by-eight-foot bas-relief panels designed by Henry Hering that represent Law, Science, Education and Religion. As part of the rehabilitation efforts in 1975, asphalt expanses were replaced with turf, additional trees were planted at the site’s edge, and radiating paths were added. In 2004 Assistant State Architect Jason Larrison introduced additional lawn panels north and south of the obelisk and concrete areas to the east and west with bronze flag poles containing the flags of all 50 states. The plaza was included in the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza Historic District when it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1989, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994.
