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The town of Plainfield, Indiana, got its name from the early Friends (Quakers) who settled around the area and established several meetinghouses throughout the county, including the important Western Yearly Meeting of Friends in Plainfield.  The Friends were “plain” people, and thus the name Plainfield was born. Schools in the Plainfield education system continue to honor the Quakers, using their name and stylized likeness as their mascot.

A suburb on the southwest side of Indianapolis, Plainfield, Indiana has long been associated with the National Road, U.S. 40, which goes through town as “Main Street” in downtown Plainfield. One incident which brought Plainfield national attention occurred in 1842 when President Martin Van Buren was spilled purposefully from his stage coach into the thick mud of the highway.

The practical joke came as a result of Van Buren’s vetoing a bill from Congress to improve the highway, a move which angered Western settlers. When Van Buren came through Plainfield on a swing to shore up his popularity for the 1844 election, a group of perpetrators set up the incident. The elm tree whose roots caused the president’s carriage to topple became known as the Van Buren Elm.

Plainfield, Indiana is also home to Metropolis Shopping Center, the largest mall on the west side of Indy and the main source for shopping in Plainfield. There are also a number of beautiful Plainfield parks, fun Plainfield attractions like Splash Island Family Water Park, delicious Plainfield restaurants, and exciting Plainfield events for visitors to this small Indiana town to enjoy.