An Indianapolis Star opinion editor is facing pushback from local residents after publishing a column arguing that Indianapolis lacks a strong cultural identity, while pointing to neighboring Beech Grove as an example of what the Circle City has lost.
“Indianapolis doesn’t have a strong identity because it’s too spread out and grew too quickly,” wrote Jacob Stewart, the newspaper’s deputy opinion editor, while promoting his October 15 column titled “Beech Grove shows what Indianapolis lost as it grew.”
Stewart argues that Indianapolis expanded too rapidly through annexations, highway construction and major developments, destroying or dividing established neighborhoods and weakening the connections residents once had to their communities.
He praises Beech Grove’s locally owned businesses, school pride, compact neighborhoods and shared traditions as examples of a stronger community identity.
But Indianapolis residents immediately challenged the comparison, with several questioning whether Stewart truly understands the city he’s writing about.
“Way to tell people you legit don’t hangout in the city,” wrote one commenter. Another pointed to the Indy 500, Colts, Pacers, Gen Con and Fountain Square, accusing Stewart of knowing little about Indianapolis culture.
Stewart wasn’t backing down. Responding to the criticism, he argued that downtown events don’t necessarily establish a cultural identity for residents living in the city’s more rural townships.
Other commenters raised deeper concerns. One criticized the column for overlooking civil rights history, while another pointed out that Beech Grove’s limited growth has also created financial challenges, including concerns about its tax base and repeated school referendums.
The debate also raises questions about Indianapolis’ own history.
From Indiana Avenue’s legendary Black music scene and the historic neighborhoods of Martindale-Brightwood and Riverside to Haughville, the east side, Fountain Square and generations of local businesses, churches and community institutions, Indianapolis has cultural traditions that extend far beyond downtown sporting events.
Still, Stewart’s broader argument is that Indianapolis’ rapid expansion weakened the shared connections between those communities, not that the city has absolutely no history or culture.
So what do you think? Does Indianapolis really lack a strong identity, or is the IndyStar columnist overlooking the culture, history and communities that made the city what it is? And is Beech Grove really the better example?
Source: Indianapolis Star, October 15, 2026; public Facebook discussion.