Fort Harrison State Park Inn

We loved this hotel and would stay again when we’re back in the area. It feels like stepping back in time, and the front desk attendant had a great time talking about its history with us. The room was very clean, the bed was comfy, and we liked having our own doorway to the outside porch. We were in room 220. Overnight, we heard some odd noises in the room and experienced a few strange things we couldn’t explain. With the place’s history, we wondered if there were ghostly guests.

We were driving from Virginia to Iowa and chose the Kendall Inn (Fort Harrison State Park Inn) because we enjoy historic hotels. The building has a fascinating past: it’s in Fort Harrison state park, on the former Fort Benjamin Harrison grounds. The Army fort opened in 1906 as an infantry training group and held prisoners of war during World War I. Between the World Wars it became a CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp. In World War II, it reached its peak capacity as the country’s largest draft inductee and reception center, processing millions of soldiers. The inn building kept operating as a large army hospital, Billings General Hospital, and also housed prisoners of war. In the early 1950s it served as fort headquarters. After the fort closed in 1991, the building was sold and run as a private hotel before the state of Indiana bought it and reopened it as the Fort Harrison Inn. Our room suited the history, with large wooden furniture, plenty of space, a big ensuite bathroom, and a small sitting area. The bed was comfortable and came with lots of pillows. There was also a small refrigerator with a freezer compartment, plus a desk and chair. One elevator is long and narrow, just right for a hospital stretcher. Breakfast was included, with standard hotel food like yogurt, a couple of hot entrees, and muffins, served in a really nice breakfast room. Park admission came with our stay. The park has 14 miles of hiking trails, seven miles of mountain biking trails, picnic areas, and a golf course with separate fees. There are also several other historic buildings from the fort era. We’d happily stay again and would recommend it to anyone passing through Indianapolis.

This won’t suit everyone, but if you like this kind of place, you’ll really like it. We found the furnishings, rooms, and location just right. It’s not high end, which is part of the appeal. The stay was quiet and cozy, and we’ll make it our regular choice in the area.

We’re considering the inn and nearby gazebo for a wedding, and stopped by to ask for details. Eleni, the sales director, happened to be working and was incredibly helpful and lovely to talk with. We chose a different venue, but we’ll definitely come back to stay because of her.