I was in the Franklin area for a work obligation and finally made it over to see the famed "Grave…read morein The Middle of The Road." One of the more unique graves around, this grave nearly always shows up on any list of Indiana's most unique roadside attractions. Of course, this isn't "roadside." It's in the middle of the road and serves as a sort of divider in the road. The grave is for Nancy Kerlin Barnett, married to William Barnett. Fun fact: William was the great great great grandson of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. Nancy passed away on 12/1/31. She was buried here - a place that used to be a hill overlooking Sugar Creek. Over the years, the area became a small cemetery. Eventually, a small footpath was made. Finally, they wanted to put a small county road here. While it's not certain, it's believed that most graves in the area were moved. However, Nancy's grave stuck around as one of the son's protested moving it. Eventually, they wanted to widen the road - this time around, per report, grandson Daniel showed up with a shotgun essentially saying "Over my dead body." So, she stayed again. They built the road around her and a concrete slab was placed over the grave. On August 8, 1912, a historical marker was also placed. To this day, the grave remains and is definitely considered an "attraction." Anyone who visits roadside attractions in Indiana will eventually make it here. It took me way too long. Surprisingly, it's also fairly accessible and the road is really fairly lightly traveled. It's not hard to stop and see it, though given it's a hill you do have to be a bit cautious even with slow traffic. Is this the best roadside attraction you'll ever see? Of course not. It is, however, a cool sort of cultural icon in Indiana and worth a stop for those in the area. It's definitely not what I'd call a destination attraction. Franklin is a great community to visit, however, I'd certainly not drive down just for this unless you're truly a gravesite person.

This was on a list of unusual things to do/see in Indiana so I had to check it out. The story goes…read morelike this. They were developing the road and it was going right through where the grave is. So they decided to dig the grave up, to which the grandson of the deceased said, ohh heck nawww. It ain't going down like that, and he grabbed his shotgun and threatened the powers. to be so bad that they came up with the compromise of incorporating his gam gam's grave into the new road. So, here we are. Down the center line of the road you will find a tombstone covered with pennies and an occasional flower or two. There is also a historical road marker on the side of the road as well, detailing the significance of the spot. This stop is just or brief stop or drive by. There is really no good place to pull over. I had to be creative and pray. To my favor was that the street was not very busy. An occasional car would pass by. Well now, I can check off "seeing a grave in the middle of the road" off of my bucket list. On to the next adventure.

At the heart of the Franklin College campus is a bronze of Benjamin Franklin seated on a park bench…read morelooking over the Declaration of Independence. A pair of small birds sit opposite him on the left. The bronze was produced by George Lundeen (Lundeen Sculpture) in 2004. The bronze is masterfully rendered and is maintained. The life-sized figure doesn't represent any actual moment (Can you imagine sitting on a park bench reading the most important document of our country?), but suggests the connection between Franklin and the founding of the country. Though the piece was not a unique sculpture, the quality of reproduction is excellent and fits the setting quite well. Review #1267

The Historic Artcraft Theater, where their popcorn is INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN.:)…read moreI had a delightful evening at this well-loved theater, catching Hitchcock's classic, Dial M for Murder. The theater retains its historic charm- don't expect reclining seats with cup holders and a food menu. Or the latest blockbuster. There's some preshow shenanigans instead of previews; a raffle of prizes themed to the movie, a game for the farthest traveled attendee and schticks to go with it. That popcorn line was one of them. The national anthem is played and everyone is invited to sing along, followed by a cartoon. Movies are shown via projection so expect some skips, lines and snags. I loved the nostalgia of it! The volunteers were wonderful, welcoming me as a first time attendee, giving me a quick run through of where to find the restrooms, entrances, concessions and bar. The same volunteer also caught me after the movie to ask about my experience! The bar serves beer, wine and a short list of cocktails including a drink of the night. The popcorn is locally grown and the concession prices the lowest I've seen. Free refills are offered on all popcorn sizes! I had a great night at The Historic Artcraft Theater and look forward to more shows there.

My original review of Franklin, Indiana's 625-seat Historic Artcraft Theatre was my 1,000 Yelp…read morereview. After attending a Heartland Film Festival event here this weekend, I decided it was time for an update. The Artcraft is located directly on Main Street in downtown Franklin. It's the marquee project of Franklin Heritage, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to historic preservation and a sublime example of how you bring an old theatre to life. The Artcraft has been on town square since 1922 and is built in an art deco style. It was originally used for Vaudeville and silent movies. It was one of the first theatres in the area to offer "cool air" and operated for 75 years until shutting down due to the growth of multiplexes. The theatre had renovations in 1936 and 1948. In 2004, Franklin Heritage purchased the building and launched a $500,000 campaign for renovation. Since my original review, seating has improved and you can definitely see some updates. The building still has a full stage and orchestra pit. Heartland works collaboratively with Artcraft at various points including its "Best of Fest" events. The traditional marquee is still present. Movies here are primarily 35mm. Accessible? Don't expect perfection. The building is over 100-years-old and it won't be made perfectly accessible. Not possible. However, it's surprisingly good and there's no question a wheelchair user can attend events and enjoy the auditorium. Heck, with assistance you can even get on the stage. There's a single-user bathroom on the main floor that is accessible. The doorways are wide enough. The second-level of the building is not accessible. The auditorium reminds me a bit of Old National with a pretty serious slant. As a wheelchair user who knew what to expect, I definitely took my wheelchair with brakes. The front row is nearly flat, however! While you might be thinking "I don't want to sit on the front row," it's actually not bad due to the orchestra pit and traditional stage. It's not like a multiplex where you're looking up at the screen. I got the chance to chat with Bob Blake - whom I believe is the President (either of Artcraft or Franklin Heritage or both?). Event prices tend to lean affordable. Concessions are the same and you have some unique stuff here like candy cigarettes XXX Root Beer on tap, Norton Farms popcorn, Pepsi products, and popcorn refills are free. They note that their popcorn is popped using coconut oil and flavacol - an option butter topping is soy-based. Volunteers are friendly and there's no doubt the Artcraft skews toward family entertainment. And yes, they do the national anthem before each event. It started during the late 1980s and has been consistent since then. It's typically led by an old timey reel of the national anthem being played. You can rent the Artcraft along with an adjacent house called the Artcraft Cottage. Oh, and the traditional marquee is still there. I've noticed that they do a lot of author events with Franklin's Wild Geese Bookshop. Kate Bowler has been here once and has an event coming up here next month on her "Joyful, Anyway" tour. And yes, they do actually have a bar area - they are strict about ID. They serve beer, wine, and limited cocktails at all evening shows (after 5pm). I really love The Artcraft. Franklin really loves the Artcraft. It's an ideal one-screen cinema for a small college town with a population just over 25,000. Nearby parking is available. There's a lot across the street (it's a county lot - follow directions) and lots of street parking. While "accessible" parking isn't necessarily plentiful, it's easy to find and drop-offs are welcomed.

This mural has an interesting story. It is the work of Gordon Strain and Greg Potter and was funded…read morethrough Crowdsourcing platforms such as GoFundMe, IndieGogo, and Patreon and merchandise sales. They worked on the piece throughout 2022 and I am sure that you can still donate if you are so inclined. The mural looks like a work in progress and depicts a sloth (named Percy) in a Hawaiian shirt hanging by one arm with a tropical drink, with an umbrella, (yes, please) in the other. The phrase "Hanging out in Indiana" appears in the mural, along with a toucan and another sloth in a flower print dress laying in a flower bed and reading a book. It is on the side of Middle Davids Artisan Candles & Gifts. The mural is very detailed and the artwork is top notch. The mural is painted directly on the wall's bricks. It is in excellent shape and the colors are very vivid. I like its laid-back, chill vibe. Tropical drinks, sloths, and Hawaiian shirts, do you need anything else. This mural it is not a large consumer of time, nor a destination piece. I was just there briefly while on my way to another nearby attraction. I would say that I was there about 5 minutes. I highly recommend visiting here on your way to somewhere else or making this part of a larger itinerary. The Franklin Art Garden and Young's Creek Park are very close by,

The pictures tell it all. I know I have reviewed this before but for some reason the pictures fell…read moreoff so I wanted to add them back. I would have to say that service is the number 1 one thing you can expect from this place besides location and the jaw dropping beauty of it. All the brides I have talked to for referrals say: Bill will find a way to make your wedding dreams come true.

High end gallery some very interesting pieces. If you want to look around or are looking for…read moresomething for you our a gift. Art is of course very subjective ... what one person loves .. another might dislike but I saw a lot here that I thought was interesting.

It's likely not surprising once you become aware that I'm a minister that I find myself…read moreparticularly fond of exploring churches and unique chapels. While Central Indiana is host to several very cool churches, for some reason the POW Chapel at Camp Atterbury has never really gotten the attention it deserves. This is further evidenced, much to my surprise, by this being the first review for this chapel that has been in existence since World War II in Edinburgh, Indiana. After the U.S. entered World War II, Camp Atterbury became the destination for 10-15,000 Italian and German POWs (Prisoners of War). In 1943, a group of Italian POWs were granted permission to build a small Roman Catholic chapel on a corner of the camp. They primarily used leftover brick and stucco and were able to construct an 11' x 16' chapel. The chapel included paintings of Mother Mary, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit depicted as a dove. Rumor has it that some of the painting and staining was completed by using berries and other items from the nearby woods along with their own blood. While Camp Atterbury remains an active base, the chapel itself fell into disrepair until the late 1980's and early 90's when the land containing the chapel was returned to Johnson County and the chapel became part of Johnson County Park. It received a significant renovation, with support from the Indiana Italian Heritage Society, in an attempt to restore it to something resembling its former life. From everything I've read, while it was a POW camp the treatment in the camp was largely humane. Only one person ever tried to escape, reportedly, and that was because he was going to be sent back. The POWs enjoyed quite a few privileges and some even worked on area farms. This is a chapel that can be visited. In fact, it's really the only thing remaining of the POW camp. At one point, someone protesting the government's involvement in the David Koresh/Waco fire attempted to burn this chapel down but they were unsuccessful in doing so. This is a fascinating part of Indiana history of which few people know. Even during the war, the fact that the U.S. had quite a few POW camps was kept fairly low profile. This chapel can still be visited, though signage to get to it isn't the greatest. While I usually doc exhibits that aren't completely accessible, the truth is the chapel has been maintained fairly faithfully to its original state and I can't bring myself to reduce a rating as this is too valuable a part of our history and I'm thankful it has been preserved.

Some call this a mural, while others call this a sculpture. Most importantly, the town considers…read morethis piece a sculpture, and thus exempting it from ordinances that regulate size and type and frequency of signage, whether commercial or artistic (cue the controversy). However, it is considered a mural as it is part of the 2016 "Color the County" mural program. It was painted in conjunction with the 25th Anniversary of the Johnson County Community Foundation. The mural was sponsored by and is the brainchild of the Johnson County Community Foundation [JCCF]. I will just call it a mulpture. It is a very attractive mural that attracts your attention. This was a community project, with members of the local community coming together to put the piece together under the direction of Gordon Strain. It is painted on the west wall of the Johnson County Court Annex Building and overlooks some free street parking and a free parking lot from across a road. So, that makes stopping to get a closer look relatively easy. I was able to park on the street and hop out to get a closer look at the piece. The piece is made of aluminum panels cut to represent children blowing a bunch bubble of varying size. It actually depicts the outline of Strain's daughters, Lexi and Josephine, as they are playing among a bunch of bubbles. I love the use of blended colors in the piece. If bubbles actually had a real color, that would be it. It is very attractive and well done. It is as complex as it is simple, allowing for the members of the community of varying artistic abilities to participate in the project. This piece is definitely a must see, but I am sure that it is not a large consumer of time, nor a destination piece. I was just there briefly. I would say about 5 minutes. I highly recommend visiting here on your way to somewhere else or making this part of a larger itinerary. The Franklin Art Garden and Young's Creek Park are very close by.

In the 25th year of the Johnson County Community Foundation (JCCF), it was decided to try something…read morenew to celebrate the sense of community and cause. So, in 2016, the first annual mural program, "Color the County" began. One of the inaugural murals was placed on the west side of the Courthouse Annex building in Franklin. Titled "Summer Days", the playful mural of kids blowing bubbles in the wind was done by Gordon Strain. Strain is an instructor/artist at Franklin College. He has been a "TED Talk" lecturer. The mural appears to contain silhouettes of bubbles of various sizes floating on the wind. The people and bubbles are cutouts attached to the brick background and are the color that one often sees when oil floats on water, or the colors when a bubble floats passed the sun. The placement of the mural/building is elevated from the street with a patch of green lawn suggesting the mural is at the top of a hill. It lends a sense of scale as the bubbles float skyward and hopefully, will bring a smile to all who see it. Review #1259