INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Each week on Community Link, Carolene Mays takes a look at an organization or business that is making a positive impact on the community.
This week, Mays was joined by Eunice Trotter, a representative from Indiana Landmarks.
Founded in 1960 by civic leaders in Indianapolis, Indiana Landmarks has emerged as a leader in preserving the state’s historic and culturally significant sites.
Trotter shared with Mays the group’s history, noting its first project was saving the Morris Butler House, which faced demolition due to interstate construction. Since then, the organization has grown to become the largest statewide preservation entity in the nation, dedicated to restoring and revitalizing meaningful places.
Trotter says that restoring older buildings not only honors craftsmanship and history but also promotes environmental responsibility and community revitalization.
“When we restore one building, it inspires neighbors to maintain their properties, sparking broader neighborhood renewal,” Trotter said.
Some of the most significant restoration efforts by Indiana Landmarks include the $12 million renovation of the former Central United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, now the organization’s headquarters.
Other key projects include Lowell Station, a historically Black settlement in Gibson County now transformed into a museum, and the restoration of West Baden Springs and French Lick resorts. The Oasis Diner in Plainfield also received preservation attention.
Trotter says Indiana Landmarks is currently working to sustain St. John Missionary Baptist Church and Phillips Temple on 34th Street, making sure these sites remain integral parts of the community.
In 2022, Indiana Landmarks launched the Black Heritage Preservation Program, which Trotter says has been a cornerstone of their mission to document and safeguard Black history across the state.
It operates statewide, offering grants, internships, scholarships, and educational initiatives to build local capacity and awareness. The program recently welcomed new interns as it begins its summer cycle.
“If the sites are lost, so goes the memory of those places,” Trotter said.
