A Dandy Way to get Around Indianapolis: Back Then Anyway

A few days ago, I posted about my return trip from North Carolina, and mentioned passing a sign for the Dandy Trail on I-74 just west of I-465 and Indianapolis, Indiana..  I mentioned that I thought there was a probably a story with a name like that.  There was.

Buddy Denny wrote to tell me where I could find out more information on it.  Jim Grey has a blog and knows a lot about it after he started researching.  There is a 1921 map showing the Dandy Trail.  It was an early bypass around Indianapolis, though apparently, it was more for pleasure driving.  It was undertaken by the Hoosier Motor Club.

As far as the name?  It was named for the wife of the executive director of the organization's dog, a little Pomeranian named, you guessed it, Dandy.

Jim Grey also has done a new map of the trail as it exists today, most of it still existing.

I'll be in Indianapolis in a couple weeks, but not to go on the trail, but rather there is this little old race taking place there at a place with a Lincoln Highway connection.  Plus, the Dandy Trail crossed the old Michigan Road, much of it US-421, a highway I've taken from its northern terminus in Michigan City, Indiana, to its southern one by Fort Fisher, North Carolina.

I Feel a Roadtrip Coming On.  --RoadDog