BRICK OF THE MONTH: John V. Barnett
Walking around the Circle
When John Barnett Jr. heard about the “sidewalk hall of fame” planned for Monument Circle, he knew immediately that his father, John V. Barnett, deserved to be a part of it; Barnett also knew that he wanted to be the one to give his father that gift. “He worked downtown Indianapolis his whole life, first for the state and then when he retired he was the president of the Chamber of Commerce,” says Barnett.
Barnett, a lobbyist with Bose Public Affairs Group, works downtown and treks across the bricks from his office to the State House often. Barnett Sr. has since passed on, but Barnett says his father knew exactly where the John V. Barnett brick was placed: in the heart of the city which he loved and served for the majority of his life.
“There are a bunch of great leaders from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s on that sidewalk, and it sure made sense to me that he be included in that list. He was a good, hard-working businessman. I haven’t seen the John V. Barnett brick in a few years, but I’ll just have to walk past there today.”
Know a particularly compelling story about one of the bricks? Contact Elyse Causey at ecausey@indymonthly.emmis.com.
