Indianapolis Moved a Building (With Workers Inside)

In 1930, hundreds of people gathered around viewing platforms in downtown Indianapolis to watch something impossible: an eight-story, 11,000-ton building slowly scooting across the ground. The Indiana Bell Building was being moved—not demolished, moved—while employees continued working at their desks inside, completely unaware the floor beneath them was traveling 10 feet per day.

The architect behind this engineering marvel was Kurt Vonnegut Sr., father of the famous novelist, in what would become one of his greatest professional triumphs. Using hand-operated jacks assisted by steam power, a small army of workers cranked the massive structure 15 inches per hour across concrete rollers. Extension cords for gas, electricity, heat, and water trailed behind the building like vacuum cleaner cords, keeping the offices fully operational during the month-long journey.

But here's the twist: despite achieving the nearly impossible, Kurt Sr.'s legacy became defined not by this remarkable feat, but by his son's portrayal of him as a distant, dreamy figure in novels like Bluebeard. The movement of the Indiana Bell Building proved that even our most incredible achievements can be overshadowed by how we're remembered by the people closest to us.

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Show Notes: In This Episode:

• How Kurt Vonnegut Sr. convinced Indianapolis to move an 8-story building instead of demolishing it
• The hand-cranked jacks and steam power that moved 11,000 tons at 15 inches per hour
• Why employees working inside the building never felt it moving beneath them
• The viewing platforms that made this 1930s engineering feat downtown entertainment
• How one of history's most impressive architectural achievements became nearly forgotten
• The complicated legacy of Kurt Vonnegut Sr. through his famous son's eyes

Key Figures:

• Kurt Vonnegut Sr. - Indianapolis architect who designed and executed the building move
• Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Famous novelist who later portrayed his father as distant and dreamy
• Edith Vonnegut - Kurt Sr.'s wife who lost social status during the Great Depression
• Indiana Bell Telephone Company employees - Workers who continued operating during the move

Timeline:

• 1930: Indiana Bell Building successfully moved across downtown Indianapolis
• Less than 30 days: Total time to relocate the 11,000-ton structure
• 1944: Edith Vonnegut's death, beginning of Kurt Jr.'s difficult year
• 1944: Kurt Jr. captured at Battle of the Bulge, sent to Dresden before bombing

Tags: Indianapolis history, Indiana Bell Building, Kurt Vonnegut, 1930s architecture, engineering marvel, building relocation, local history, Indiana history, American history, forgotten history, true story, documentary history, downtown Indianapolis 1930, Kurt Vonnegut Sr architect, occupied building move

Category: History

Chapter Markers: 0:00 - Introduction: Kurt Vonnegut and the Impossible Building Move 1:55 - Setting the Scene: Indianapolis 1930 3:30 - The Indiana Bell Problem: Demolish or Move? 5:00 - Kurt Vonnegut Sr.'s Audacious Solution 7:00 - Hand-Cranking 11,000 Tons Across Downtown 9:00 - The City Watches: Viewing Platforms and Spectacle 10:30 - Family Tragedy and Forgotten Legacy 12:00 - Conclusion: How We're Remembered

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