Broad Ripple History.com - Pictures - Waterways

Broad Ripple Canal

Broad Ripple History

Pictures, Stories, Maps, and more

Brought to you by Broad Ripple Publishing

Everything Broad Ripple Home

Broad Ripple History Home

Canal

Central Canal The central canal was built in 1822 and created Broad Ripple. The canal runs eight miles to downtown Indianapolis and supplies 60% of the drinking water for the city.


click images for larger photos
Monon Bridge over canal for trail 2001	College Avenue bridge over canal 2004
Central Canal History Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The Central Canal But Were Afraid To Ask a series of articles from the Broad Ripple Gazette

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19
Canal Parking Deck To alleviate the parking woes in Broad Ripple Village a parking deck was built over the canal, west of the Guilford "Rainbow" Bridge, in 1958 and was torn out in 1999. Plans to remove it in 1997 were halted while a study was conducted to find new parking spots to make up the loss. Eventually sinkholes formed and the structure deteriorated. It was then removed. Here is a series of aerials showing when it came and went. This one is when it appeared (there was no 1958 or 1959 aerial). You can hit NEXT until it starts to vanish in 1999. https://www.broadripplehistory.org/images/pictures_waterways/album_page_24.htm This is when the BR Art Fair was held on it: https://www.randomripplings.com/issues/2022/20220901/rr_13.htm Another aerial and a photo of it coming down: https://www.randomripplings.com/issues/2016/20160219/rr_1.htm


click images for larger photos
The canal deck being removed in 1999 1999