Norwood was annexed into town of Indianapolis on Sept. 2, 1912. Its entry into town, although, was not a easy one. The precise annexation occurred solely as a result of the Indianapolis Metropolis Council overrode the choice of the then-mayor of Indianapolis. That mayor had vetoed an earlier vote by the council to annex Norwood.

Discussions concerning annexation of Norwood into Indianapolis started 10 years earlier, however these talks didn’t end in any adjustments within the standing of the group.

As development continued in subsequent years, enterprise leaders in Indianapolis noticed the alternatives in Norwood. With annexation, Prospect Avenue might be upgraded and maintained to metropolis requirements. A streetcar line might be prolonged to Norwood to extra simply carry folks to industrial institutions in Fountain Sq..

The entrance web page of the Indianapolis Star on June 4, 1912, reported that “Norwood Raps At Door Of Metropolis For Annexation.” This information article famous that “the inhabitants of Norwood is made up largely of Negroes. … In recent times, Norwood has reformed to a substantial extent and now it has proven a need to advance nonetheless additional by coming into town.”

Not everybody agreed that annexation was the most suitable choice for Norwood.

“Opposition Develops To Annexation Of Norwood” was a headline within the Indianapolis Star on June 9, 1912. These opposed targeted their consideration on “burdensome tax charges” if Norwood joined Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis Information reported on July 6, 1912, that members of town council visited Norwood to examine the territory that is perhaps annexed to Indianapolis. A couple of month later, on Aug. 2, 1912, the identical newspaper included a information article with the headline of “Might Annex Norwood.” This information article detailed that “favorable motion on an ordinance annexing Norwood and territory between that suburb and Indianapolis” was prone to be taken by the Indianapolis Metropolis Council.

“South facet enterprise males … urged that the ordinance needs to be handed to allow Norwood folks to acquire desired enhancements,” the information article said. “It was additionally thought that the truth that Norwood is reached solely by an interurban line, ends in Norwood folks going downtown to do their buying and selling, as a substitute of shopping for within the neighborhood of Fountain sq..”

A quote from a decision handed by space businessmen supporting the annexation of Norwood was included in a information article on the identical day within the Indianapolis Star: “It’s the sense of the enterprise males that mentioned territory [Norwood] be annexed to town so that its residents could have the chance to make wanted enhancements and so that the residents of town be shielded from the rowdies and ruffians who make Norwood their rendezvous, and in order that town board of well being could have authority to implement ordinances for higher sanitary circumstances, all of which we imagine will stimulate town’s development and create higher prosperity for the residents on this part of town.”

The overall supervisor of Residents Gasoline Firm cautioned the enterprise leaders pushing for the annexation of Norwood. In a information article dated Aug. 10, 1912, The Indianapolis Information printed a letter from this utility that identified difficulties with the proposed annexation. The letter famous that the enhancements of Prospect Avenue and different gadgets sought by enterprise leaders will not be potential because the property values within the space will not be adequate to cowl the prices of the urged enhancements.

On Aug. 19, 1912, the Indianapolis Metropolis Council authorized the annexation of Norwood and close by areas into town limits. In accordance with the Indianapolis Information dated Aug. 20, 1912, “the annexation consists of the territory mendacity considerably between the Michigan Highway on the north and Minnesota Avenue on the south, from the current metropolis limits at Keystone Avenue to Sherman Drive. It brings into town the property of the Residents Gasoline Firm, Fairmount Glass Works, and different priceless property.”

The then-mayor of Indianapolis disagreed with the choice of town council. He vetoed the annexation of Norwood, in response to a information article dated Aug. 21, 1912, within the Indianapolis Information. The then-mayor said that “he’s against taking any extra territory into town till town is able to present the entire fireplace and police safety, avenue lights, water and fuel, and adequate college services for town as it’s now constituted.”

The potential annexation of Norwood was wrapped up in politics for among the elected — and unelected — leaders inside Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Star reported on Aug. 23, 1912, that “with a single stroke of the pen, the mayor shut out roughly 500 voters who could be a sensible support to the administration forces within the subsequent metropolis election … Norwood residents assist swell the Republican poll bins at state and county elections, however in municipal issues, they aren’t voters. Virtually your entire inhabitants of Norwood is made up of Negro voters.”

The Indianapolis Star reported particulars of the veto in a brand new article dated Aug. 28, 1912. The newspaper summarized parts of the veto letter from the then-Mayor by noting “that the mayor has discovered that almost all of the residents of Norwood don’t need to come into this metropolis, that the assessed valuation of property on Prospect Avenue, the primary thoroughfare by way of the suburb, isn’t excessive sufficient to allow the advance of the road, and that the residents will probably be taxed with out receiving any advantages.”

On Sept. 3, 1912, the Indianapolis Star reported that the annexation of Norwood came about the night time earlier than following the vote of 6 to three by the Indianapolis Metropolis Council to override the veto of the then-mayor of town. The newspaper article famous this assembly included a “vigorous” dialogue of accusations of graft.

The Indianapolis Information included a information article with the headline of “Protest From Coloured Residents Of Norwood” in its version dated Sept. 4, 1912. The information article said {that a} remonstrance “in opposition to the annexation of Norwood, signed by 118 Coloured property house owners of the suburb [Norwood], has been acquired” by the then-mayor of Indianapolis. (The definitions of a “remonstrance” differ, however generally it refers to a petition or protest in opposition to an motion contemplated to happen.) The newspaper famous that the letter, written by Ada Harris, said that people in Norwood had modified their views on annexation and have been now against turning into a part of Indianapolis. The letter indicated that the property house owners couldn’t afford the extra taxes and wouldn’t profit from annexation into town.

This information article within the Indianapolis Information in addition to a information article in a second newspaper reported that this letter had not been delivered to town council previous to its vote to override the veto of the then-mayor and thereby annex Norwood into Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Star reported on Sept. 4, 1912, that “the letter from Miss Harris had been delivered to the mayor’s residence Monday [Sept. 2] morning, however didn’t attain his workplace till yesterday [Tuesday, Sept. 3].” The vote by the Indianapolis Metropolis Council to override the veto was held on the night of Sept. 2.

The phrases of Miss Harris, a famous educator and chief in Norwood, in that 1912 letter might be of curiosity to folks in 2022. Parts of her letter included the next textual content:

“The folks [of Norwood] have gained what they’ve by thrift. As a folks we don’t have fortunes or estates left us. It’s only by thrift and dogged perseverance that we have now succeeded this far.

“As a race we’re doing splendidly effectively contemplating the one factor we had after freedom that have been inventory in commerce have been a information of the English language, the Christian faith, and we knew easy methods to work.

“Handicapped as we’re, with most of the avenues of commerce closed in opposition to us, we’re nonetheless hopeful and doing our half within the nice march of civilization. Norwood stands out distinctive in that there’s not one other settlement of Coloured folks round Indianapolis the place so many personal their very own houses. And what’s the next superb than home-getting and constructing for posterity.

“Solely a small per cent of the Coloured folks listed below are illiterate. They respect their college and make it a social heart.”

Even after annexation was authorized — this second time following the veto by the then-mayor — that elected official continued his efforts to cease Norwood from turning into a part of town of Indianapolis. On Sept. 6, 1912, the Indianapolis Information reported that the then-mayor provided “to assist in any authorized struggle residents of Norwood could want to make in opposition to the annexation of that suburb to town.”

That information article then detailed the fact dealing with the folks in Norwood.

“The vast majority of the residents of Norwood are individuals of average circumstances, lots of whom are paying for his or her houses and who couldn’t, most likely, afford the extra taxes that have to be paid on account of annexation,” the brand new article famous. “Metropolis officers have already mentioned the suburb cannot anticipate any enhancements in the way in which of avenue lights, water, fuel, for a few years, as a result of most of the previous taxpayers of town are nonetheless with out these conveniences, and may, in all justice, be cared for earlier than any new territory.”

One caveat: All of Norwood seemed to be annexed by the Indianapolis Metropolis Council in 1912, however a map detailing annexations to town of Indianapolis really cut up Norwood into two sections that have been — in response to this map — individually annexed into town. Whereas that map from 1952 confirms the primary part of Norwood was annexed into Indianapolis in 1912, the map indicated that the part of Norwood close to the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Sherman Drive didn’t get annexed into Indianapolis till (perhaps) 1921. (The handwritten date on this part in that 1952 map isn’t clear.) All different maps of Indianapolis present annexation of all of Norwood on the identical time in 1912.

Do you may have questions on communities in Indianapolis? A avenue identify? A landmark? Your questions could also be utilized in a future information column. © 2022 Richard McDonough. Contact Richard McDonough at whatsinanameindy@usa.com.