Indiana State Motto: The Crossroads of America
Fact-checked • Updated December 2, 2025
OFFICIAL STATE SEAL
"The Crossroads of America"
The Crossroads of America
About This Motto
Indiana's state motto is The Crossroads of America. English phrase adopted March 2, 1937 by House Joint Resolution No. 6. Refers to Indiana's central location and intersecting transportation routes.
What the Motto Means
The Crossroads of America. English phrase describing geographic position. Crossroads means intersection where roads meet. America refers to United States. Together they express Indiana's central location where major routes cross.
What routes intersect here? Highways, railroads, waterways. National Road (later US 40) ran east-west through Richmond, Indianapolis, Terre Haute. US 41 ran north-south from Chicago to Miami. These two highways met in Terre Haute, creating original crossroads.
Why this phrase mattered in 1937? Transportation infrastructure dominated Indiana economy. Major interstates had not been built yet. US highways carried most traffic. Indiana sat at junction of key routes connecting different regions of country.
Indianapolis became hub for multiple interstate highways later. I-65 runs north-south, I-69 northeast-southwest, I-70 east-west, I-74 northwest-southeast. More interstate miles per square mile than any other state. Geography validated the 1937 choice.
Historical Background
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J. Roy Strickland's Campaign
Evansville Courier newspaper ran column called Paragraphy in 1930s. J. Roy Strickland wrote it. He noticed Indiana lacked official motto. Strickland started campaign asking readers for suggestions. Two to three weeks later, he received 324 submissions.
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Submitting to Legislature
Strickland compiled suggestions into folder. Removed names and addresses of senders. Forwarded complete list to Indiana General Assembly then meeting in Indianapolis. Legislature took the list seriously.
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Legislative Selection Process
Committee of five formed. Three members from House of Representatives, two from Senate. They reviewed all 324 suggestions. Selected The Crossroads of America as winner. Records don't identify who originally suggested the phrase.
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Official Adoption (1937)
House Joint Resolution No. 6 passed. Eightieth Session of General Assembly approved it March 2, 1937. Resolution designated The Crossroads of America as official state motto or slogan. No further amendments made since adoption.
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National Road History
Congress authorized National Road in 1806. President Thomas Jefferson signed the act. First contract awarded May 8, 1811 to Henry McKinley. Construction began later that year. Road reached Ohio River at Wheeling in 1818. Extended through Indiana starting 1829.
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Indiana's Transportation Role
National Road crossed central Indiana. Passed through Richmond, Indianapolis, Terre Haute. Later designated US Route 40 in 1926. US 41 created same year running north-south. Lake Michigan ports in northern Indiana connected to Great Lakes shipping. Ohio River ports in southern Indiana reached Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico.
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1930s Context
When motto adopted, automobile travel expanding rapidly. US Highway system fairly new. Federal Highway Act of 1921 established federal aid for interstate roads. 1926 brought numbered highway grid system. Indiana positioned at center of developing national network.
Meaning & Significance Today
Indiana residents see phrase constantly. License plates display it. State flag includes state seal. Road signs welcome visitors. You find it on state documents, government buildings, tourist materials.
2002 brought Indiana state quarter. United States Mint featured motto prominently. Design showed IndyCar racing car, state outline, 19 stars (Indiana became 19th state in 1816). Crossroads of America banner stretched across top.
Modern interstate system proved motto accurate. Indianapolis hosts more interstate highway junctions than most cities. I-65, I-69, I-70, I-74 all pass through Indianapolis metro area. Trucking industry uses Indiana as central hub. Distribution centers cluster near highway intersections.
Indianapolis adopted phrase as official city slogan in 1988. Noted central location at junction of four major interstate highways. City and state both claim same identity tied to transportation infrastructure and geographic centrality.
Cultural Context in Indiana
1937 Political Context
Great Depression still affecting economy. Infrastructure projects received federal funding. Roads provided jobs and economic stimulus. State motto celebrating transportation infrastructure fit political moment. Progress through highways looked promising.
Newspaper Column Influence
J. Roy Strickland's Paragraphy column had engaged readership. Community participated in motto selection. 324 suggestions showed public interest. Grassroots process gave motto legitimacy. Legislature listened to newspaper campaign.
Terre Haute's Claim
City benefited from location on National Road. US 40 followed Wabash Avenue east-west through downtown. US 41 followed Seventh Street north-south. Their intersection at Seventh and Wabash became known as Crossroads of America. Historical marker commemorates the spot today.
Indianapolis Hub Development
State capital chosen 1821 for central location. Early planners recognized geographic importance. Mile Square downtown laid out with radiating avenues. Later highway network confirmed original vision. Central position became defining characteristic.
Economic Identity
Manufacturing and agriculture relied on transportation access. Goods needed to reach markets. Raw materials arrived by rail and truck. Indiana economy depended on moving products efficiently. Crossroads identity matched economic reality.
No Codification
House Joint Resolution adopted motto. Never codified in Indiana Code. Exists only through resolution. Secretary of State maintains records. Different from states with statutory motto provisions. Simpler adoption process but same legal effect.
Current Law
House Joint Resolution No. 6 remains legal authority. Passed by Eightieth Session of Indiana General Assembly on March 2, 1937. Resolution designated The Crossroads of America as official state motto or slogan. Not documented in Indiana Code. Exists through resolution only.
Indiana Historical Bureau lists motto among official state symbols. References 1937 General Assembly resolution. No subsequent legislation changed or modified the designation. Original resolution still governs.
Interesting Facts About the Motto
Fact 1 of 12
J. Roy Strickland's newspaper column started the campaign that led to motto adoption.
Sources & References
This article has been researched using authoritative sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. All information has been fact-checked and verified against official government records.
Historical context for the phrase and its use by various cities before state adoption. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Official Indiana Historical Bureau listing of state motto and other symbols. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Historical documentation of March 2, 1937 adoption by General Assembly. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
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