I have to admit that my initial impression of Spades Park has always been somewhat negative. This comes courtesy of the fact that my late brother lived in this area for a while and experienced a home break-in.
It's amazing how such an experience can taint an opinion of an otherwise picturesque piece of land that provides peace and playfulness to this urban, working class area of Indy that has a remarkably rich history.
Michael Spades, an Indianapolis resident who made his fortune in real estate, donated the original six acres that became Spades Park in 1898. He also funded a shelter house and bandstand on the property. Within a short period of time, an additional two acres were added to the park.
In I907, an Indianapolis psychiatrist, Dr. Albert Stearns, developed Norways Sanatorium nearby. Patients were known to use this park as a place for renewal and restoration as part of their treatment.
The early 1900s also found the park growing in size thanks to George Edward Kessler's Parks and Boulevard system of city and neighborhood development. You can largely attribute the area's winding roadway to Kessler's belief that the journey to a park should be as pleasurable as the park itself. Speaking for myself, I love, and I mean really love, even driving in this area. It's simply a fun drive, though I'm certainly grateful Indy is finally improving the roads after years of deterioration.
Driving in this stretch of the Near-Eastside brings you to both the larger Brookside Park and this now 31-acre Spades Park. Pogue's Run Trail is a 2.3 mile pedestrian trail that winds its way from Pogue's Run through both Spades and Brookside parks.
Spades Park is a designated Bird Sanctuary maintained by Indy Parks Land Stewardship Team. The goal is to provide an optimal habitat for both local and migratory birds. Two acres are also designated as protected prairie.
Spades Park hosts a variety of events. Feast of Lanterns is likely its most known event. There's development going on in this neighborhood, which is officially known as Windsor Park, with indie cinema Kan-Kan Cinema having officially opened its doors within walking distance of Spades Park during the pandemic.
The park itself is rather simple, especially when compared to the nearby Brookside Park. This park is more about nature than activity. There's a playground here, but it's rather simple and doesn't really stand-out from the park. It blends in with the nature. Parking is primarily streetside - that makes this more of a neighborhood park than Brookside (which has tons of parking).
There's unconfirmed rumors that John Dillinger himself played in Spades Park as a child.
The park itself isn't the most wheelchair friendly. Parking can be difficult. Other than the Pogue's Run Trail, sidewalks are minimal and not so gradual inclines and declines can make even wheeling through the park difficult. The playground is not ADA. There are geocaches in Spades Park, though even accessing them is difficult in a wheelchair - I've never found all of them.
Overall, though, this is an improving area and Spades Park is a beautiful park. It'll be much more pleasant in this area as the city improves the streets around the park. The park is surrounded by homes now (the old sanatorium is long gone) and most of the homes reflect the neighborhood's rich history. read more