Phyllis Thomas - Indiana Off the Beaten Path®: Discover Your Fun

This book is dedicated to my familyKelly Rose; Mike Peters; Sean Rose; Stefanie, Will, Trey, and Arianna Scott; and Logan Peters.

A special remembrance to my husband, Bill Finch, whose spirit goes with me every step of the way through lifes journey.

All the information in this guidebook is subject to change. We recommend that you call ahead to obtain current information before traveling.

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Copyright 2012 by The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.

This Globe Pequot edition 2021

Maps by Melissa Baker

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available

ISBN 978-1-4930-5355-1 (paper : alk. paper)

ISBN 978-1-4930-5356-8 (electronic)

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

About the Author

Jackie Sheckler Finch has written about a wide array of topicsfrom birth to death, with all the joy and sorrow in between. An award-winning journalist and photographer, Jackie has done more than a dozen travel guidebooks for Globe Pequot and is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the Midwest Travel Journalists Association. She has been named the Mark Twain Travel Writer of the Year a record five times, in 1998, 2001, 2003, 2007, and 2012. She became a Hoosier more than three decades ago when she moved from Massachusetts to become city reporter for The Herald-Times in Bloomington, Indiana. One of her greatest joys is taking to the road to find the fascinating people and places that wait over the hill and around the next bend.

Contents

If I were to personally thank each person who has contributed in some way to the writing of this book, the list would be longer than the contents of the book itself. I have talked to many people during my travels throughout Indiana. They were, without exception, warm, gracious, and kind. We met as strangers and parted as friends. I am grateful to each and every one of them.

When you visit Indiana, its best to leave preconceived notions behind. Theres a lot more to the state than the Indianapolis 500 and cornfields. State highways and byways lead to some of the finest travel gems in the nation. There are natural wonders and man-made splendors, irreplaceable slices of Americana and futuristic marvels, places stately and sublime, others weird and wackya cornucopia of attractions, restaurants, and inns that for the most part lie off the well-trodden paths and are overlooked by major travel guides.

The most difficult part of writing this book was deciding not what to include but what, because of space limitations, to leave out. Therefore, what you will find within these pages is merely a sampling of all that Indiana has to offer. It is my sincere hope that this book will help awaken your sense of adventure and encourage you to seek out other such places on your own.

Indianas geography is sometimes a bit puzzling to strangers. They are often surprised to learn that South Bend is one of the northernmost cities in the state, while North Vernon is not far from the Ohio River, which forms Indianas southern boundary. Along the Ohio-Indiana border on the east lies West College Corner, while way down in the southwest corner, just across the Wabash River from Illinois, theres East Mt. Carmel. And the towns of Center, Center Square, and Centerville are about as off-center as you can get.

To further confuse the traveler, a look at the official state road map (available free from the Indiana Department of Transportation, 100 N. Senate Ave., Indianapolis 46204; 855-463-6848; in.gov/indot) reveals four Buena Vistas, three Fairviews, three Georgetowns, three Jamestowns, two Klondykes and one Klondike, three Mechanicsburgs, four Millersburgs, five Mt. Pleasants, three Needmores, and four Salems. Pairs of towns with the same name are too numerous to mention, but would you believe two Pumpkin Centers? No wonder the US Postal Service insists on zip codes!

But never mindthis book will at least put you in the right county. And if you do get lost, youre likely to meet such warm, friendly people along the way that you wont mind it a bit. Please note that state roads mentioned in this book are designated by SR and county roads are designated by CR.

If all else fails, you can call the Indiana tourism hotline for help. Dial (800) 677-9800 or (800) 289-6646 to request free printed materials that will help you plan your itinerary. The toll-free numbers are answered 24 hours a day and are accessible from anywhere in the contiguous United States. You can also visit their website at visitindiana.com or write to the Indiana Office of Tourism Development, 1 N. Capitol St., Suite 600, Indianapolis 46204; (317) 232-8860 or (800) 677-9800.

We have noted which counties are in the Central Time Zone. All others are in the Eastern Time Zone.

Happy wandering!

Indianapolis, at the hub of central Indiana, is crisscrossed by more interstate highways than any other metropolitan area in the country. I-65, I-69, I-70, and I-74 run through the heart of the city, and I-465 encircles it. More than 876,000 people live in Indianapolis (affectionately known to Hoosiers as Indy), making this the seventeenth largest city in the country.

Leave Indy behind and head in any direction, and in minutes you will find yourself in the heart of rural Indianaopen fields that seem to stretch forever, patches of scenic woodland, and charming small towns rich with local color.

Central Indiana offers a mix of the best Indiana has to offerbig-city excitement, pastoral serenity, and the friendly folks for which the Hoosier State is justly famous.

Boone County

The entire community has pitched in to help restore the glory of yesteryear to Zionsville s downtown business district, and its citizens have succeeded admirably. Now known as the Zionsville Colonial Village, its filled with interesting shops to explore. Brick-paved Main Street, in the heart of the village, is decorated with gas lamps and planters and is lined with many charming and interesting shops to explore.

Three vine-covered buildings filled with a variety of unusual items and nestled in an English garden setting at 315 N. Main St. are known collectively as Browns Antiques. Founded in 1945, Browns is the oldest antique shop in Indiana. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; call (317) 873-2284 or visit brownsantiques.com.