About the Village of Wanamaker
Check out how the Village of Wanamaker went from pioneer settlement to quaint, family-friendly Indianapolis suburb.
Wanamaker has always been a place where neighbors know each other and history matters.
Wanamaker’s story begins in 1825 when Reuben Adams arrived from Kentucky to clear land along what would become the historic Michigan Road. After his untimely death in 1826, his widow Mary Adams raised eleven children and shaped a community. In 1827, the family donated land for the New Bethel Baptist Church, which still stands today.
Mary platted the town of New Bethel in 1834, naming it after the church that had become the community’s heart. When the town established a post office in 1889, the name changed to Wanamaker—honoring President Benjamin Harrison’s Postmaster General—though locals debated the change for over 50 years.
Located nine miles southeast of downtown Indianapolis along Southeastern Avenue, Wanamaker joined the city through Unigov in 1970 but never lost its identity. Today, traditions like Old Settler’s Day celebrate our heritage while new development honors our small-town character.
From Mary Adams’s determination to Russell Flagle’s revitalization efforts, Wanamaker has always been defined by people who believe in community, connection, and preserving what makes this place special.