Alexander Ralston had to make compromises due to the stream's location within the congressional donation lands given for the future Indianapolis.

Before the state government could be moved to Indianapolis from Corydon, fifty dollars was spent to rid swampy Pogue's Run of the mosquitoes that made it a "source of pestilence".

Action was finally taken when the various railroads that passed through the city wanted to elevate the tracks downtown to eliminate conflicts with other forms of transportation, which would require lowering Pogue's Run so surface roads could cross it.

On November 26, 1913, the city's Board of Public Works adopted plans for the project and advertised for bids with the due date being less than two weeks away on December 8.

The new mayor-elect, Joseph E. Bell, filed a lawsuit to prevent the contracts from being awarded, stating that the process was unduly hasty and the request for bids had been advertised in only one commercial newspaper that was not widely circulated even in the city.

On June 5, 1916, the Board of Public Works reported the project was "practically finished", but construction continued until November of that year.

[6] Indy Parks established the Pogue's Run Trail alongside the creek bed on the section northeast of downtown.

[14][15] The blue line's location shows that Pogue's Run now lies under both Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

[citation needed] The movie Twice Under (1987) about a Vietnam veteran "tunnel rat" terrorizing a city was partially shot in the underground portion of Pogue's Run between New York and Washington streets.