The northwest side of Indianapolis, including Pike Township and the area known as Traders Point, is a diverse community with dozens of neighborhoods from which to choose. This heavily wooded area of Indy is encompassed by Boone County and I-465 on the north; Township Line Road, Cooper Road and Kessler Boulevard North on its eastern border; 38th Street on the southern edge; and Hendricks County on the west.

My wife and I reside in this part of town and we’re very happy here. This is a great part of Indianapolis if you want to live in the city, but still prefer a more suburban feel. This part of Indy is relatively spread out, almost rural at its northwestern end, becoming more urban and condensed as you travel south and east. If you work downtown, you have easy access to I-65 or Michigan Road. Also, the new Indianapolis International Airport is a short drive along I-465.

The schools in this area have a strong reputation and are served by the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township including Pike High School, a powerhouse in many team sports for boys and girls. Another popular school is Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, which provides an excellent college-preparatory education.

Among this area’s greatest assets is Eagle Creek Park, the sixth largest municipal park in the nation. This sprawling park has two entrances, one at 56th Street (southern entrance) and 71st Street (northern entrance), two nature preserves, a beautiful reservoir, several ponds and streams, shelters, and dozens of hiking and biking trails. The biking trails link up to many other trails in the Indy area and Lafayette Road has bike lanes making it a popular route for biking enthusiasts.

To the south of Eagle Creek Park is the headquarters and practice facility of the Indianapolis Colts, the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Many players live in and around the area.

If your best friend happens to be of the four-legged and tail-wagging variety, the Eagle Creek Canine Companion Zone is one of the city’s three “bark parks.”

The north side of Indy’s retail scene centers on 86th Street, which essentially begins at Traders Point at the intersection of Lafayette Road. As you travel eastward along 86th and through Washington and Lawrence Townships you’ll find grocery stores, retail shops of every sort, movie theatres, strip malls, two enclosed malls and more.

The southern edge of Pike Township includes 38th Street, a major thoroughfare in Indy. This includes the Lafayette Square shopping area, Westview Hospital and is close the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Here is a partial list of subdivisions in Pike Township: Ansar Village at Guion Point, Ashworth at West 86th, Augusta Heights, Augusta Green, Augusta Way, Bailey’s Westwood, Ballinshire, Bay Colony, Bay Landing, Beechwood Heights, Bradford Meadows, Branch Creek at Pike, Bretton Wood, Brookstone at Twin Creeks, Burnetts Oak View, Candlelite Vilage, Chestnut Hills, Cheswick Place, College Park, Conrads Addition Augusta, Cooper Pointe, Crooked Creek Heights, Crooked Creek Villages, Hawthorn, Normandy Farms, The Preserve at Eagle Creek, Traders Hollow, Thoroughbred Acres and Walden Trace.

Related Links

• Pike Township Website
• Metropolitan School District of Pike Township
• Pike Township Residents Association
• Pike Branch – Indianapolis Marion County Public Library
• Eagle Creek Park
• Indianapolis Parks
• Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School
• Indianapolis Greenways and Trails
• Keep Indianapolis Beautiful

Here is a list of utility companies:

• Citizen’s Gas
• Indianapolis Power & Light
• Indianapolis Water
• Ray’s Recycling

Television – There are two cable providers in this part of Indianapolis. You can also look into Satellite providers like DISH or DirectTV. AT&T U-verse services some neighborhoods.

• Comcast
• Brighthouse