Mayor Hogsett Celebrates Recent Improvements near Benjamin Harris Presidential center

Indianapolis officials celebrated Wednesday the completion of recent improvements on the intersection of Talbott and 12th streets in the city’s Old Northside Neighborhood.

The project was one of 10 that received funding from the Indianapolis Department of Public Works through the 2019 Indianapolis Neighborhood Infrastructure Partnership program. The aim of the work was to enhance visitors’ ability to access the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site.

“While this update to Talbott and 12th streets will greatly improve access for the families of King Park, it is also an improvement of the tens of thousands of visitors to the Benjamin Harrison Presidential site," Mayor Joe Hogsett said. "For students on a field trip, for traveling history buffs and for many other visitors. This home serves as the introduction to our city. Today, that introduction becomes even better.”

Not only will this improvement connect travelers with the surrounding downtown communities, but to City-County Council President Vop Osili these improvements to the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site provides access to visitors at just the right time for them to engage in current conversations.

“But these historical sites, fascinating as they may be, are not able to be appreciated by those in our city and our nation, if they are not broadly and appropriately accessible to students and visitors. And that access is coming at just the right time," Osili said.

President Harrison advocated for civil rights at a time when many of them existed on paper, but not in practice.

"And through improvements we celebrate today, we can look forward to inviting ever-increasing students and visitors into that candid and calm consecration. And that is truly a cause for celebration," Osili said.