Friday, en route to Chicago in pouring rain, I whipped off the freeway to look at the Eiteljorg Museum in downtown Indianapolis, considered among the top 10 Native American museums in the USA. This museum swells out of the ground organically. Indian flute music welcomes you. The collection focuses on Native American and Western art…a wide assortment of Frederick Remington and Charles Russell bronzes and paintings, a stunning variety of baskets and pottery, and many other beautiful works of art and Native spirit. I have wanted to see this place for years, especially to see how it stacks up with Phoenix’ Heard, the LA’s Autry and D.C.’s American Indian Museum–and it more than holds its own.
Note:. The name is pronounced: eye-tull-jorg. The j is a gh sound like John. Mr. Eiteljorg loved the Southwest, especially Santa Fe. His collection and appreciative eye are a credit to Indy.
Leaving Indianapolis, I found a jazz station on FM radio. Indy’s annual Jazzfest was just starting. Jazz and Indianapolis never occurred to me before, but it all fit perfectly that day. Hour by hour on my way to start Route 66-ing, I learn something new about America.