Memory Bank: A streetcar named Expire

The last streetcar operating on a track in Indianapolis made its final run in 1953 sporting a banner that read “Streetcar named Expire.” Streetcars lasted nearly 100 years in Indianapolis. They were introduced in the 1860s, when they were pulled by mules, then electrified in the 1890s. In the 1930s, entrepreneurs also added some trackless cars, which ran until 1957. The car in this photo was on the College Avenue/Broad Ripple route, a stretch that will this year become part of a rapid-transit bus route called the Red Line. The Red Line’s northern-most stop—for now—will be on College Avenue at Broad Ripple Avenue. It’s southern-most point will be on Shelby Street at the University of Indianapolis.

Source: Indiana Historical Society

Credit: The photo is courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society and is part of the W.H. Bass Photo Co. collection. More images are available at images.indianahistory.org.