It is considered America’s only urban cultural state park and the state of Indiana's only urban cultural state park.citation needed
Restoration on this area began in the late 1980s, based around the Indiana Central Canal. The Canal was originally engineered in the 1830s as a way to ship goods through the state of Indiana, but the project went bankrupt and the Indianapolis section of the Canal was the only section that was ever dug. Although the Canal was never used for what it was built for, recent restoration and development have changed the area and it is currently functioning as a cultural center within the city of Indianapolis. The focal point of the park, Indiana Tower, was never constructed.
Key dates
The following listing shows key points of interest and founding dates surrounding White River State Park and Central Canal Cultural District:
Present day - Home to many charity events, festivals, outdoor concerts, etc.
Trivia - The land known as Military Park is one of only three pieces of property that is forbidden by the Indiana Constitution to be sold – the other two are Monument Circle and half of the State Capitol building.