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B−History
History · Speedway

Speedway dates to 1912, and 12% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 52% of U.S. towns · #370 of 593 in Indiana. What drives it

2 places in town are on the National Register, among them the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a National Historic Landmark, and two historic districts with 308 buildings between them. Below: maps from 1953 on and the census since 1930.

1912founded
2on the National Register
12%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Speedway began

When was Speedway founded?

1912

Speedway dates its founding to 1912 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1930.

First census: 1,420 in 19302020 census: 13,952114 years

How historic is Speedway?

B−

More historic than 52% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Speedway’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Speedway is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #370 of 593 in Indiana. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Speedway’s overall grade.
Founding era1912, from Wikipedia: founded 1900–1944, an older era than 9% of U.S. townsDHomes built before 194011.5% of homes (±2.4) · typical IN town 14.4% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register2 listings, 308 historic buildings, 221 per 10,000 residents · typical IN town 7.9 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 52%
NewerOlder
Indiana towns of 2,500+ (593)Ahead of 38%

Indiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Indiana town has 7.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Speedway’s 221 sits above most of its state (89% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 308 historic buildings outnumber those of 95% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to A−. The pre-1940 share (±2.4 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1912.

Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Speedway’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A historic districtThe Speedway Historic District takes in 304 historic buildings.A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Speedway are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.A National Historic Landmark2 places on the National Register, including Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a National Historic Landmark.Old housesHalf of Speedway’s homes were built before 1963.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

2 listings protect 308 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. One is a National Historic Landmark, the highest tier.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmark
1
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
historic buildings protected
308
each building in a district counts
first listed
1975
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Speedway Historic DistrictIndianapolis Motor Speedway, built 1909★
Districts★ landmark

Architectural styles listings

Bungalow/Craftsman1
American Foursquare1
★ Landmark
Indianapolis Motor SpeedwayBuilt 1909
Speedway Historic DistrictBungalow/Craftsman

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Help out

Start Speedway’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Speedway’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Speedway came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Speedway.

Read it all →

Speedway was laid out in 1912 as a residential suburb. It took its name from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, constructed three years earlier. It is an early example of a residential community planned for the industrial plants located nearby. Carl G. Fisher, James A. Allison, Frank Wheeler, and Arthur Newby, founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, planned the suburb of Speedway west of the track. Fisher and Allison owned plants that needed workers, the Prest-O-Lite factory and Allison Engine Company. The investors' goal was to create a city without horses, where residents would drive automobiles, as well as participate in creating mechanical parts for new modes of transportation.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Speedway, 1909 to 1994

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 20th century
  2. 1909BuiltIndianapolis Motor Speedway is built
  3. 1912
    FoundingSpeedway is established
  4. 1953On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 1967Born hereStevie Reeves is born here
  6. 1987LandmarkIndianapolis Motor Speedway named a National Historic Landmark
  7. 1994Born hereMason Jobst is born here
By decade

Speedway, decade by decade

Today25 recent
Speedway - May 2024 - Sarah Stierch2024Speedway - May 2024 - Sarah StierchBorg-Warner Trophy - May 2024 - Sarah Stierch 022024Borg-Warner Trophy - May 2024 - Sarah Stierch 02Borg-Warner Trophy - May 2024 - Sarah Stierch 012024Borg-Warner Trophy - May 2024 - Sarah Stierch 01Parking sign in Speedway - November 2023 - Sarah Stierch2023Parking sign in Speedway - November 2023 - Sarah Stie…Speedway water tower - May 2022 - Sarah Stierch2022Speedway water tower - May 2022 - Sarah StierchIndianapolis Neighborhood Areas2022Indianapolis Neighborhood AreasMemorial view2019Memorial viewMemorial View 32019Memorial View 3Ed Carpenter Racing headquarters in 20172017Ed Carpenter Racing headquarters in 2017Dallara IndyCar Factory in 20172017Dallara IndyCar Factory in 2017Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the host track of the venerable Indianapolis 500 auto race, held every …2016Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the h…Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host track of the venerable Indianapolis 500 auto race, held every Memo…2016Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host …Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host track of the venerable Indianapolis 500 auto race, held every Memo…2016Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host …Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host track of the venerable Indianapolis 500 auto race, held every Memo…2016Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host …Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host track of the venerable Indianapolis 500 auto race, held every Memo…2016Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host …Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host track of the venerable Indianapolis 500 auto race, held every Memo…2016Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host …Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host track of the venerable Indianapolis 500 auto race, held every Memo…2016Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host …Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host track of the venerable Indianapolis 500 auto race, held every Memo…2016Aerial view of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, host …Speedway, Indiana - March 2016 - Adam Moss2016Speedway, Indiana - March 2016 - Adam MossSpeedway Historic District2011Speedway Historic District2008 Indy 50020112008 Indy 500Former Pizza Hut, 5570 Crawfordsville Rd, Indianapolis, IN2009Former Pizza Hut, 5570 Crawfordsville Rd, Indianapoli…C4272-An-inquisitive-squirrel2007C4272-An-inquisitive-squirrelC4268-An-inquisitive-squirrel2007C4268-An-inquisitive-squirrelTraffic signals in2006Traffic signals in
On the map

Speedway on the map, 1953 to 1998

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Speedway. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Speedway on the 1953 USGS mapSpeedway on the 1967 USGS mapSpeedway on the 1980 USGS mapSpeedway on the 1998 USGS map1953Clermont sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Speedway.

People over time

Speedway, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00016,00019401960198020002020Peak: 14,523

Between 1,420 and 14,523 people in every census since 1930.

10 censuses, 1930–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Speedway’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Speedway

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
S
Stevie ReevesAmerican racing driver · b. 1967
Mason JobstAmerican ice hockey player · b. 1994

Questions about Speedway’s history

What year was Speedway founded?

In 1912, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1930 counted 1,420 people here.

How does Speedway rank for history?

Speedway is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns, #370 of 593 in Indiana. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Speedway?

Two places: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (listed 1975) and the Speedway Historic District (2005).

How old are the homes in Speedway?

12% of Speedway’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.4 points), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 1963.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (17), the Library of Congress (8), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.