This summer, Indiana Landmarks affinity group Indiana Automotive explores Indianapolis on an all-day automotive-themed tour featuring two exclusive private car collections and historic sites tied to the city’s racing and early auto manufacturing history. In the Riverside neighborhood, tourgoers will see the restored Boyle Racing Garage, saved from demolition and now part of a popular restaurant and brewery, Guggman Haus. On East Washington Street, get an inside look at changes underway on Indy’s stretch of the historic National Road with an exclusive “before” tour of the Cole Motor Car Company building, currently under redevelopment, and a guided tour of the former Ford Assembly Plant. A 2016 entry on Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered list, the plant reopened in 2020 as The Assembly, housing offices, a restaurant, and apartments. The day includes lunch at Guggman Haus Brewing Co. and an end-of-day reception at Ash & Elm Restaurant and Cider Bar at The Assembly.
TOUR SCHEDULE
Saturday morning, we’ll begin the day at 9 a.m. on the northeast side of Indianapolis with visits to two exclusive private collections related to the city’s automotive history, one located at a historic estate featuring racing and passenger vehicles from multiple eras, and the second at an eclectic private museum, dubbed the “Wolfsonian.” Owned by one of Indiana Automotive’s founders, Andy Wolf, the Wolfsonian includes automobiles dating from 1938 to 2011, more than 25 Chevrolets, eight Indy 500 pace cars, automotive memorabilia, and more.
Late morning, we’ll head to lunch at Guggman Haus Brewing Co., the site of the historic Boyle Racing Headquarters, and hear about the building’s history and extensive restoration after being saved from demolition by Indiana Landmarks. Indiana Automotive members formed nonprofit Boyle Racing LCC to take on the property’s restoration, salvaging as much of the original structure as possible, and partnering with Guggman Haus, a German-inspired restaurant and brewery, to envision a sustainable use for the property. Today, Boyle Racing memorabilia and the restored Boyle Diamond T 211FF Race Car Hauler on display in the space keep the Boyle Racing spirit alive.
After lunch, we’ll tour work underway at the Cole Motor Car Company building, part of a large complex that was once home to the early luxury automaker that at its height competed with Cadillac and Duesenberg. Developer 1820 Ventures took on repurposing the campus, most recently used by the city as Marion County Jail II, in 2022. The multi-million-dollar project calls for turning the site into a multi-use destination with loft-style apartments, retail, and more.
Attendees will end the day at the nearby restored 1915 Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant, a site that once turned out 300 vehicles a day. Some will remember exploring the formerly endangered landmark on Indiana Automotive’s “before” tour in 2017. We’ll enjoy a reception with heavy appetizers and cash bar hosted in The Assembly’s Ash & Elm Restaurant and Cider Bar, and guided tours of the building, courtesy of TWG Development, including a visit to the building’s rooftop deck overlooking the city.
ABOUT INDIANA AUTOMOTIVE
Indiana Automotive, an affinity group of Indiana Landmarks, welcomes members interested in the early auto visionaries and the preservation of the cars they made, their factories, showrooms, and homes, and the landscaped parkways and roadside architecture birthed by the auto age. Not a member? Learn more about Indiana Automotive at indianalandmarks.org/about/indianaautomotive
Refund requests must be received at least seven days in advance of the tour date.
