Unigov consolidation expanded city boundaries creating enclaves

The 1970 Unigov consolidation merged the City of Indianapolis with most of Marion County government, substantially enlarging Indianapolis's municipal boundaries. The law left several municipalities (for example, Beech Grove, Lawrence and Speedway) with separate governments, producing a patchwork of incorporated enclaves and consolidated areas. This jurisdictional arrangement created an unusually large city footprint and a complex municipal geography observable at the City-County Building.