Rails to Trails: 150 Years of Zionsville, Indiana, History - A History of the Town of Zionsville from its Founding in 1852 to 2002

185 pp. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and illustrations. Zionsville is a suburban town located in the extreme southeast area of Boone County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. Zionsville promotes itself as a tourist attraction, centered on its village-styled downtown area. This area consists primarily of Main Street, paved entirely in brick, which is lined with small retail stores and restaurants. Zionsville was laid out in 1852 when the railroad was extended to that point. It was named for William Zion, a pioneer settler. Abraham Lincoln made a whistle-stop speech in Zionsville in 1861 when traveling to his inauguration. Town Hall (Castle Hall) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In the 1920s, the town was known as "The Dahlia City" due to the success of two nurseries in the area in growing the flower. Starting in 2019, the Zionsville Cultural District brought the name back to promote the city, in conjunction with giving away free flowers to grow and the painting of a mural.