Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens - Geography

Geography

Garfield Park is bounded by Raymond Street on the north; South Garfield Drive, East Garfield Drive, and Shelby Street on the east; Southern Avenue on the south; and the Louisville and Indiana Railroad tracks on the west. Emmerich Manual High School lies directly to the west on the other side of the railroad track embankment.

Much of the park is rolling fields, due at least in part to its location at the confluence of Pleasant Run and Bean creeks. Pleasant Run enters the park from the north and flows southwest before existing on the west. Bean Creek enters from the south near Shelby Street and flows northwest until joining Pleasant Run. Seven bridges span the streams within the park; three of them are for pedestrians only. The oldest of these bridges are constructed of limestone.

Garfield Park is an integral component of the Indianapolis Park and Boulevard System designed by George Kessler. Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive passes through the park as it follows the stream from the east side of Indianapolis toward the White River. The Pleasant Run Trail runs north from Garfield Park to Christian Park and Ellenberger Park, also following the creek; it enters the park on a boardwalk that passes beneath the Raymond Street bridge over the creek. The trail connects with a number of paths within the park. A large hill between the trail and South Garfield Drive is used for sledding during the winter.

A dam located where the two creeks meet at one time created a pond that was used for ice skating during the winter. That dam has since been removed, but remnants of it can still be seen near the Pagoda Drive bridge. A 1992 tornado destroyed twenty percent of Garfield Park's trees, but a number of large trees, including oaks, maples, sycamores, ginkgoes, and catalpas, still shade the park.