Indianapolis Renames Streets After American Olympic Gold Medal Winning Swimmers

35 streets around downtown Indianapolis have been honorarily renamed after legendary American swimmers.

The city has chosen Olympic medalists from across the generations, beginning with 1912 and 1920 triple gold medalist Duke Kahahamoku (Drive) and all the way to more recent stars like Missy Franklin WayAllison Schmitt StreetElizabeth Beisel Way, and Michael Phelps Place.

The list includes Mark Spitz, who once held the record for most gold medals in a single Olympic Games (7), the oldest swimmer to ever compete for the US at the Olympics Dara Torres, and America’s youngest Olympic swimmers Donna de Varona and Amanda Beard.

The scheme is part of a near-total overhaul of the city in preparation for the Trials that will feature a public ‘main street’ block party event on Georgia Street (now known as Ryan Lochte Way, Missy Franklin Way, Mary Wayte Drive, Matt Biondi Street, Aaron Peirsol Parkway, and Michael Phelps Place).

Street Sign Map

Key:

Street Assignment Athelete Name
5 Amy Van Dyken Drive
10 Whiteney Hedgepeth Drive
11 Johnny Weissmuller Way
13 Janet Evans Avenue
15 Jason Lezak Lane
17 Donna de Varona Avenue
20 Natalie Coughlin Lane
21 Don Schollander Street
22 Tom Jager Street
23 Dara Torres Place
24 Jill Sterkel Lane
25 Nathan Adrian Avenue
32 Maritza Correia Street
33 Duke Kahahamoku Drive
34 Lenny Krayzelburg
35 Elizabeth Beisel Way
37 Tom Dolan Street
38 Allison Schmitt Street
39 Cullen Jones Avenue
44 Rowdy Gaines Drive
45 Jenny Thompson Avenue
46 Dana Vollmer Street
47 Shirley Babashoff Street
48 Ryan Lochte Lane
49 Missy Franklin Way
50 Mary Wayte Drive
51 Matt Biondi Street
52 Amanda Beard Avenue
54 Aaron Peirsol Parkway
55  Michael Phelps Place
56 Tracy Caulkins Way
65 Gary Hall, Jr. Drive
73 Mary T Meagher Street
74 Mark Spitz Avenue
75 John Naber Lane

[pdf-embedder url=”https://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240422085427596.pdf”] [pdf-embedder url=”https://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Street-Signs-FINAL.pdf” title=”Street Signs – FINAL”]

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Where’s the breaststroke love
6 months ago

NO MIKE BARROWMAN BLVD!?!

Ryan
6 months ago

Not having Katie Hoff is crazy, I remember winning 5 events at trials in 2008

Qqq
6 months ago

I hear when you walk down Rowdy Gaines drive random people will yell at you in an incoherent and uninformed manner

Scooby Snak
Reply to  Qqq
6 months ago

“I DON’T THINK HE’S GONNA MAKE IT”

As you try to cross the street

612
Reply to  Scooby Snak
6 months ago

THAT TURN REALLY COST HIM!

Tea rex
Reply to  Qqq
6 months ago

He only looked to the right, HE CAN’T SEE THE CAR APPROACHING!!!

Disappointing
6 months ago

Too bad there are no Paralympic swimmers included, in the street renaming or at the trials.

Cheryl Cichocki
Reply to  Disappointing
6 months ago

I fully agree and don’t understand the negative votes on your comment.

Joel
Reply to  Disappointing
6 months ago

Australia is having the trials combined. Pretty common here.

JVW
6 months ago

No love for Buster Crabbe, the only American male to break the Japanese domination of the 1932 Olympic swimming by winning a gold in the 400 free? Crabbe Alley would be a great name for one of those streets.

Last edited 6 months ago by JVW
JVW
Reply to  JVW
6 months ago

Or, better yet, Helene Madison who won three golds for the U.S. women at the ’32 Los Angeles games.

Coach
6 months ago

Seems a shame that Matt Vogel, a swimmer from Indiana, who won a Gold Medal in the 100m fly, in Montreal in 1976, was not named or maybe even considered. Trials in Indiana and no Indiana grown Olympians (there are others also)??

SuperSwimmer 2000
Reply to  Coach
6 months ago

Lindsay Mintenko, Blake Pieroni and Lilly King are all native Hoosiers. Why no love in Indy for them?

KeithM
Reply to  SuperSwimmer 2000
6 months ago

Active swimmers weren’t considered.

SuperSwimmer 2000
Reply to  KeithM
6 months ago

Ok. But Mintenko isn’t an active swimmer.

swimapologist
Reply to  Coach
6 months ago

Didn’t write a big enough check or make enough appearances on behalf of USA Swimming.

gary hall sr
Reply to  Coach
6 months ago

My son, Gary Jr, lived in Indy from 1979-1982 and joined his first swim team at the Jordan YMCA. So he has a little bit of Hoosier in him.

Beads
Reply to  gary hall sr
6 months ago

Sr and jr should have a street

Seth
6 months ago

I can’t wait to see this when I visit for Masters nationals and trials!

whitmanflygirl
6 months ago

MA Way would fall off a cliff at the 3/4 mile mark

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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