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Wanamaker, Indiana

Wanamaker, Indiana
New Bethel
Wanamaker, Indiana is located in Indiana
Wanamaker, Indiana
Wanamaker, Indiana
Location of Wanamaker in the state of Indiana
Coordinates: 39°42′15.9114″N 86°00′34.668″W / 39.704419833°N 86.00963000°W / 39.704419833; -86.00963000
Country United States
State Indiana
County Marion
City Indianapolis
Founded 1834
Named for John Wanamaker
Government
 • Senate Patricia Miller (R)
 • House Michael Speedy (R)
Elevation 840 ft (260 m)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 46239
Area code(s) 317
GNIS feature ID 440019

Wanamaker is a community of Indianapolis located in southeastern Marion County, Indiana. It is situated 9 miles (14 km) southeast of downtown Indianapolis in north central Franklin Township. The community is concentrated near the intersection of Southeastern Avenue and Northeastern Avenue. The town was built along the historic Michigan Road.

In 1825, Reuben Adams came from New Liberty, Kentucky to settle the land in the newly established State of Indiana. Adams cleared a plot of land, planted crop, and built a log cabin, after which he returned to Kentucky to bring his family to Indiana. Not long after the move to his new home Reuben became sick and died in 1826, leaving his widow, Mary Adams to raise eleven children in the Indiana wilderness. In 1834, Mary Adams had John H. Messinger lay out the town of New Bethel (the original name of Wanamaker) from a portion of her farmland. The town plat was recorded on March 24, 1834. The source of the name New Bethel came from the local New Bethel Baptist Church.

The Gallaudet post office was established on January 30, 1854. For many years mail was brought by carrier from Gallaudet to New Bethel. In 1889, a post office was established in Sutherland's Store in New Bethel. The office was named Wanamaker instead of New Bethel because there was already a post office in Indiana called Bethel. The post office was named after John Wanamaker, who was United States Postmaster General at the time. The name Wanamaker over time became synonymous with the town of New Bethel. In 1914, after the store burned, the post office was moved across the street to a general store and an interurban ticket office. In 1920, the post office once again moved to a new building at the location were the Sutherland Store had burned. On July 1, 1943, the post office advanced to Third Class office, and on July 1, 1952, it advanced to Second Class office. On May 1, 1960, it was made a branch of the Indianapolis Post Office. A new postal facility was built in 1965 with the dedication ceremony held March 13, 1965.


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