Completed in 1927, the Pasadena City Hall in Pasadena, California is a stunning piece of architecture. From its impressive dome to its ornately manicured courtyard, this impressive landmark is part of Pasadena's Civic Center District. In 1980 this entire district, including the Pasadena City Hall, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
This location has long been popular with filmmakers, however there are two notable examples where the Pasadena City Hall stands out in my mind. One is where it featured prominently as a backdrop in Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator (1940) and the other is as the City Hall of Pawnee, Indiana in NBC's Parks and Recreation. Given how beautiful the building is, it's easy to see why it's still such a popular location.
As my road trip took me north, I arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana on the eve of the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. With an estimated 350,000 in town to attend to the race, Indianapolis was understandably chaotic. I spent most of my time downtown that afternoon.
I knew there was no way I'd be able to get inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, nor did I want to waste the limited time I had trying, but I couldn't pass up the chance to at least see it with my own eyes. Late in the afternoon I made my way through the traffic, and found I was one of the few cars heading towards the Speedway as everyone else was leaving for the day.
I managed to find a spot to snap a few pics, and had a vintage Indy 500 postcard with me that I'd purchased earlier that day. The energy surrounding the venue was infectious, and even just wandering around Indianapolis for much of the day had me feeling connected. I was left buzzing from my brief visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but shortly after I was back on the interstate in a race of my own to reach Illinois before sundown.
