| Tips and photos of unusual, out-of-the-way Indiana attractions, posted by real travelers and locals. Map |
 | Indiana Off the Beaten Path | Tips 1 - 10 of 55 |  |
 The Four Freedoms Monument,
Evansville, Indiana by deecat
Evansville is located on the southwestern tip of the state beside the Ohio River. Today, it's the largest industrial & trade center in southern Indiana. It began as a ferry crossing on the Ohio River in the early 1800's.
Evansville Museum of Arts & Sciences has an exhibit called Rivertown, a re-creation of the late 19 & early 20th century. See the chest made by Abe Lincoln & the engine, lounge car, & caboose of a train representing Evansville's railroad era.
I enjoyed Reitz Home Museum which showcases a restored 1871 mansion of John Augustus Reitz. Also see The Four Freedoms Monument. You have to climb 13 steps leading up to a circular concrete base. The steps represent the 13 original states.
In the center are 4 ionic columns made of limestone. 50 pedestals placed at the edge of the circular floor surround the four columns. The 4 columns represent 4 of our nation's freedoms: speech, religion, fear, & oppression. The circular base symbolizes a "circle of unity". Each of the 50 pedestals contains the name of 1 of the fifty states & a graphic of that state's contribution to individual freedom.
For outdoor enthusiasts, there are hiking trails in the 200-acre park & adjacent 200-acre Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve with its virgin hardwood forest. Evansville also has a good zoo & Botonic garden with a Discovery center, a butterfly house, paddle boats, & train.
My favorite thing about Evansvillle is The Angel Mounds State Historic Site. Here on a broad expanse of the Ohio River are 11 large earthen structures. One is 40 feet high; others occupy as much as 4 acres! These are NOT burial chambers; they were used as dwellings.
The village site is surrounded by about 300 acres of woodlands. There's a good interpretive center which displays exhibits & artifacts from an archeological dig. Leave a Comment Other Contact: I-64 & highways 62 & 66
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 Wyandotte Cave in Indiana by deecat
The bedrock is limestone, and that is why south-central Indiana is called "limestone country". In this same region, there are caves and caverns. Over a long period of time, the natural acids in the snow and the rain dissolved the limestone which created hollowed-out caves with underground streams. At or near the southern reaches of Hoosier National Forest are underground, winding passageways. Near Bedford is the Bluespring Cavern that is one of the ten largest caves in the world! And, in the far south of the state, there are two other caves called Wyandotte and Marengo. I've only seen one, Wyandotte. I know that Marengo has a room called the Crystal Palace, which is supposed to be beautiful.
Wyandotte Cave is near Leavenworth. A huge chamber in Wyandotte is called Rothrock Cathedral. Inside Rothrock Cathedral is a limestone mountain that is 135 feet high! It also contains the world's largest stalagmite pillar.
Tours are available from 1/2 hour up to an entire day. Our tour lasted over an hour. But, some people who are good at cave exploration said that they had to go through extremely narrow, low passageways, squeezing their bodies just to move through the passageways.
If I go back to that area, I would love to see Bluespring Cavern. Leave a Comment
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 George Rogers Clark Statue
Vincennes by deecat
During the 18th century, Vincennes was almost entirely populated by descendants of the French who built Fort Vincennes. The French turned it over to the British in the late 1700s, and 20 years later, George Rogers Clark took it from them. Vincennes became the first town in Indiana. It developed into a farming, business, and industrial center.
Today, it's the county seat of Knox County and is noted for the growing of melons and the raising of lifestock as well as for its fishing/boating on the Wabash River.
Of interest to visitors would be the Visitor's Center, the George Rogers Historical Park, Historical Museum, the Indiana Military Museum. Also, there's the Indiana Territorial Site, which is a two-story capitol building (1811, the seat of government of a territory of five of the present-day Midwestern states!)
I enjoyed the replica of the first newspaper shop in Indiana where Elihu Stout published the Indiana Gazette.
Grouseland is in Vincennes. It is the home of the first Indiana territory governor who became the 9th President of the United States, William Henry Harrison.
Also near Vincennes is the Sonotabac Mounds, which are worth a look-see.
So, you can see that I missed a great deal while growing up near Vincennes not even knowing that all these wonderful sites existed.
You can reach Vincennes by car or bus on US41, US50 or Highway 67 Leave a Comment
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 Abraham Lincoln's Restored
Boyhood Home by deecat
Brown County State Park near Belmont.This is a lovely area, and thousands of people go there during the fall to see the changing of the leaves. I can see why with the tree-strewn hills. I've heard it's mighty crowded then. When I visited, it was in the early summer.
Even as a young girl, I loved historic buildings, so I really enjoyed the nearby town of Nashville which has done much to keep the 1870-1920s era alive.
One time I stayed in the Spring Mill State Park area near Mitchell. I was overwhelmed by the amount to do here. The park itself is wonderful with its restored pioneer village, many caverns, and a memorial to Gus Grissom, astronaut. At Twin Caves, we took a boat ride in the subterranean river. It really made an impression on me.
It's really a must to see the Hoosier National Forest near Bedford. It's huge (about 150,000 acres. Besides the large, beautiful forested hills, there are lakes for boating and streams for wading and for fishing.
I still remember vividly seeing Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Lincoln City. I was a little peeved at the time because I thought that Abraham Lincoln belonged only to Illinois! But, I did enjoy the recreated 19th-century farm that surrounds a replica of the log cabin where Abe Lincoln spent his youth.
If you are in Indiana and near any of these sites, I suggest you visit them. Leave a Comment
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 Turkey Run State Park by deecat
My most vivid memory is of the Narrows Covered Bridge (1882 that spans the Sugar Creek. On the north Portal is a sign that reads: "$5.00 fine for driving or riding over this bridge faster than a walk"!
On a hill north of the bridge is a brick house built by Salmon Rusk (1841) who was given the land via a land grant for his military service.
This park is famous for its scenic hikes through beautiful sandstone canyons. If I recall, there are about ten hiking trails that range from easy to rugged. More importantly, however, are the deep rock-walled prehistoric canyons and the shallow winding streams that twist through solid rock. I also enjoyed the cliffs, the forest, and the spooky suspension bridge.
I remember they had a nice swimming pool, picknick tables, a Nature Center, a bird observation room, a planetarium, and a saddle barn.
It's funny, but I sometimes have flashbacks of wading through those shallow creeks at Turkey Run State Park after all these years! Leave a Comment
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 Brigeton Covered Bridge and
Waterfall by Stephen-KarenConn
Next to the bridge is Bridgeton Mill, established in 1823, the oldest working grist mill west of the Allegheny mountains. The mill and the first two blocks of Bridgeton are on the National Register of Historic Places. After walking across the bridge and exploring the mill, we bought fresh ground cornmeal and a refrigerator magnet for our collection.
Bridgeton is ten miles south of Rockville on Park County Hwy. 21. Leave a Comment
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 Clifty Falls by Stephen-KarenConn
This gem is well worth seeking out for anyone who enjoys a beautiful outdoor getaway with all the comforts and ammenities of a fine resort. Leave a Comment
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 Lower Cataract Falls by Stephen-KarenConn
The Upper and Lower Cataract Falls, the largest in Indiana, are .8 mile apart, and are connected by a hiking trail. Each of the falls may also be reached by automobile, and a parking lot is adjacent to each. At the lower falls a short trail also leads to Little Sister Falls, on a tributary to Mill Creek. Just above the Upper Falls is a 140-foot Smith Type 3 covered bridge, which was undergoing restoration when we visited in July, 2004.
Immediately below the Lower Falls, Mill Creek empties into Cagles Mill Lake, the lower portion of which is bordered by Lieber State Recreaton Area. In the larger Lieber S.R.A. is a Visitor's Center, Campground, Aquatic Center, Marina, Picnic Shelters, and other recreational ammenities. Just .4 mile south of the turnoff to the falls is Cataract General Store, which will be in interest to those who might enjoy exploring a quaint old-fashioned village store. Leave a Comment Phone: 765-795-4576
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 Charles Major Statue,
Shelbyville, IN by Stephen-KarenConn
On the square in the center of Shelbyville, 30 miles southeast of Indianapolis, stands a statue of a young man holding aloft two bear cubs. A plaque on the fence surrounding the statue reads: Charles Major, native son, Author of The Bears of Blue River.
Major was actually born in Indianapolis, but moved to Shelbyville with his family when he was thirteen. The Bears of Blue River, one of his better known novels, is set in the early 19th century in Shelby County on the banks of the Big Blue River. To learn more about Majors and his writings click the web site below. Leave a Comment
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 by traveldave
The Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area is located within the boundaries of Hoosier National Forest, and protects 13,000 acres (5,261 hectares) from any sort of development.
The picture was taken from the top of the 110-foot (34-meter) Hickory Ridge Lookout Tower on the edge of the Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area near Bloomington. Leave a Comment
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