The Henry Street Bridge is no more — at least by name.
The span of pavement and its distinctive rings will now be known as the Greenlawn Memorial Bridge.
The change, approved unanimously July 22 by the city’s Board of Public Works, will honor the site of four historic cemeteries collectively known as Greenlawn, including Indianapolis’ first public burial ground.
The name change was initially approved by the city’s community advisory group, which is made up of historians, archivists, genealogists and community representatives. That group has been meeting regularly with city officials as they learned more about the site and who may be buried there.
It was that group that “emphasized the importance of acknowledging the individuals once interred there, including settlers whose stories are often underrepresented in local narratives,” said Natalie van Dongen, the city’s director of community outreach who spoke to the board on behalf of Mayor Joe Hogsett.
Some of Indianapolis’ earliest settlers were buried at the site, including African-American settlers.
In June 2024, the city announced it would pursue a full excavation of the 1.4-acre site where the bridge project would intersect with the historic cemeteries. That work wrapped up late last year. Archaeologists uncovered more than 1,700 grave shafts, the vast majority of which contained human remains. Plans to reinter those individuals are in development.
“While many of Indianapolis’ most prominent early residents previously buried here were relocated many years ago, we remain determined to uncover the stories of Indianapolis’ least prominent early citizens,” Leon Bates, a Pan-Africanist scholar who is a member of the community group, said in a press release. “This naming acknowledges the connection to our city’s pioneers, including the presence and contributions of many early African American residents.”
The bridge itself is expected to open in early 2027.
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Emily Hopkins is a senior reporter at Mirror Indy. You can reach them by phone or Signal at 317-790-5268 or email at emily.hopkins@mirrorindy.org. Follow them on most social media @indyemapolis or on Bluesky @emilyhopkins.bsky.social.
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