Crossroads of America

proper noun

Indianapolis.

Meanings

proper noun
  1. USinformalIndianapolis.

    WELCOME TO INDIANAPOLIS! The Crossroads of America.

    1926, Harmon E. Snoke, “Motorist Emblem Is New Courtesy Service”, in Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce Activities, volume 41, number 4, page 28
    4 more examples

    I can't repeat it word for word, but she says that she thinks it would be helpful if the next reunion were in a more accessible spot because of the difficult of reaching Norwich by train or bus, and she suggests that Indianapolis, which is the crossroads of America, be the scene of the Ninth Huntington Family Reunion.

    1907, “Business Session (Afternoon)”, in Proceedings of the Reunion of the Huntington Family, Huntington Family Association, page 32

    Because of its location at the crossroads of America, Indianapolis is intensely aware of the tremendous problems concerning highways and vehicular traffic generally.

    1953, “Thursday, April 30, 1953”, in National Highway Study, United States Government Publishing Office, pages 169–170

    With all due respect to the guy who came up with our current city motto, The “Crossroads of America,” it's time for something a little catchier.

    [1995 December 29, “What's My Line?”, in Indianapolis Monthly, volume 19, number 5, Emmis Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 106

    The era marked the first in a long line of city initiatives to distinguish itself for its elemental sense of adaptability. Indianapolis became the “Railroad City,” and then, as those tracks began to stretch farther out and crisscross with more density, it became “The Crossroads of America.”

    [2020 August 3, Rudy Schouten, The Historic Memorial District of Downtown Indianapolis, The History Press, →ISBN
  2. USinformalIndiana.

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

Named for being the end point of several railroad lines and roughly centrally located in the United States. Coined by the National Geographic Society prior to 1925.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Crossroads of America. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Crossroads%20of%20America

MLA

“Crossroads of America.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Crossroads%20of%20America. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Crossroads of America,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Crossroads%20of%20America.

Source: Crossroads of America on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.