Still in Parke County but outside Rockville, this is another Joseph A. Britton covered bridge that…read morehe completed in 1913. It is a single-span Burr Arch structure. This is originally the site of two other bridges that had been washed away before this one, the State Sanatorium Covered Bridge, was moved to here. It is open to traffic But I opted to take the bypass with the Sprinter van. The road to the east is hard packed dirt and not a great run. Total length of 170 feed with a clearance of 12.5 feet, it would have been fine for my heavy van but I thought, let's not today. [Review 1297 of 2024 - 174 in Indiana - 22320 overall]

This Single Span Burr Arch Truss originally crossed Little Raccoon Creek on State Sanatorium…read moreproperty, about a mile downstream from its current location. It was moved in 2008 to carry County Road 100N across Little Raccoon Creek. #1 on the Parke County Covered Bridge Map and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, the bridge was built by J.A. Britton in 1913-- one of the twelve covered bridges that he constructed in the county.

It was only a matter of time. The Mug Tree was an old tree. Mugs were placed with it and that…read morebrought it alive again in our hearts. Many, many mugs. Travelers along the highway admired that old tree, adorned with mugs. It offered a silent respite in our daily lives. It offered hope, that no matter what pains we carried, there was the Mug Tree. The Mug Tree, which was created out of the generosity of hundreds of people, most likely strangers to each other, but friends with a common goal of taking an old, dead tree along a country highway and giving it purpose, once more. The Mug Tree. A local landmark, never to be recognized as a national monument. Unlike the more famous curiosities just a few miles north in Casey, this oddity stood outside of the door to fame. Yet, to those of us who passed by, it stood for years alongside that country highway, day and night. Like an old trusted friend. So, to those who read these words and never knew the Mug Tree, I am sorry for your loss. And to those thousands of travelers that passed by and noticed, if you grieve, you grieve not alone. Dear Mug Tree: So long, my friend. Thanks for all the smiles you brought to our hearts.

So... It was fun to see this tree in passing on the way to Effingham but I felt like the house on…read moretop could've been utilized for birds or something.

A beautiful park is located just west of the center of Purdue's campus. The lawn has been…read moresprinkled with some new trees and in the center, the Loeb Fountain blasts 2200 gallons per minute in an array of arcs and jets. The area around the fountain is terraced with flower gardens. To the north of the fountain, several art works can be found. Review #1132

Come to Casey and see the World's Largest Things. They're all over town and it's only a couple of…read moremiles off I-70 as you're passing between Terre Haute and Saint Louis. On the the big ones in the downtown core is this, the World's Largest Wind Chime. It is accessed through the patio area of what looks like a cute restaurant, Whitling Whimsy Cafe, which was closed on Sunday when I was here. In fact, most of the town was closed on Sunday. Still, the Things are accessible. The Wind Chime is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records and are 49 feet tall with the largest chime being 42 feet long. There is a center rope pull so that you can make the chimes sound if it's not a windy day. I like that this one is interactive. [Review 19676 overall - 131 in Illinois - 648 of 2023.]

The World's Largest Wind Chime is located right in the heart of downtown CAsey, IL, (a quaint…read morelittle town with a population of 3,000). The Wind Chime, Rocking Chair and tetter totter are all located right outside or across the street from the Whitling Whimsy Cafe. This is one of a dozen "things" offically recognized as the World's Largest: World's Largest Wind Chime World's Largest Golf Tee World's Largest Pitchfork World's Largest Rocking Chair World's Largest Wooden Shoes World's Largest Mailbox World's Largest Gavel World's Largest Truck Key World's Largest Barbershop Pole World's Largest Teeter Totter World's Largest Golf Driver World's Largest Swizzle Spoon Well worth a detour off of I-70.

Such a great experience! Extremely informative! The museum has many cool artifacts from Lew…read moreWallace's life as well as props from Ben-Hur film adaptations. The study itself is stunning. Our tour guide Tom was extremely knowledgeable and explained the history of Wallace's life and all the objects in the study in a very engaging way! This is a can't miss spot in Crawfordsville!

If you watch the 1959 movie "Ben-Hur", you will see a story about a man who lived a life that was…read morefitting to be on the big screen of Hollywood. However, if Hollywood wanted to make a movie about a real life man who accomplished a variety of great things, a movie should be made about the author of the novel, General Lew Wallace of Indiana. Born in Brookville in 1827, the man was a war hero in the Civil War, an author of seven novels, an inventor, sculptor/painter, foreign minister to the Ottoman Empire, and governor of the New Mexico Territory. And for a day job, he was a lawyer in Crawfordsville, Indiana where he settled and raised his family. Before living such an active life in service to his country, he moved to Crawfordsville and attended an event at the home of his former commander in the Mexican War, Henry S Lane. Lane's wife was one of the daughters of prominent Crawfordsville business man Isaac Elston. Another of Elston's daughters, Susan, was in attendance. Wallace met Susan which led to their eventual marriage and raising of a son, Henry Lane Wallace. Being a man of means, Wallace acquired property near the Elston family land holdings which is the site of the study and museum. He had the study built on his property that featured a 25 x 25 room with a skylight and walls filled with rows of books. In the study and beneath a large tree just west of the building, Wallace did his writing, sculpting, inventing, and painting. Truly, he was a modern day Renaissance man. If you visit the Wallace property, you can walk the grounds outside the study for free. There is parking by the carriage house or street parking outside the property on the east and west sides. However, if you want to go inside the study and learn more about the life of the man, you can take a tour for only $5. The tour begins in the carriage house with a 15-minute video about Wallace and his most famous creation, "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ". The video room is filled with movie memorabilia. From there, you see some of the property including the site of the former moat, some flower gardens, and a Wallace Statue placed where the tree he used to write under had been. And finally, you get a tour of the study and get to see many of the paintings, inventions, and books that where mentioned in the video. The place has been painstakingly preserved while restoring it and updating things like plumbing and wiring for safety reasons. The room is filled with art and details that were innovative for their time. You can spend a lot of time looking at this extensive collection. Note: there is also a side room that was set up to show some of Wallace's Civil War activities and collections. Tours are available during normal business hours and can be started whenever you arrive unless another tour has already begun. If you are a fan of history and appreciate creativity, then this is a tour you will definitely enjoy. Review #1387

I don't think I will ever get the images of the Rotary Jail out of my mind. The Rotary Jail is both…read morefascinating and horrifying piece of local history. This is the last rotary jail that is functional in the United States. Like many Midwest towns, the sheriff's home also served as a jail for short term stays. The rotary cell system was designed to minimize the number of guards required to secure thirty or more inmates. The birdcage shaped contraption, is made up of two layers of small wedge shaped cells. There is a single door that cells must rotate towards to add or release people. Benjamin Haugh and William Brown of Indianapolis built the system and installed many throughout the US. Unfortunately, the rotation of the cells proved to be extremely dangerous for inmates and most rotating jails were condemned within a few years. The jail in Crawfordsville became functional in 1882 and operated through 1973. Modifications were made to the jail in the 1930s to improve safety. The building was restored and preserved as a museum in 1975. The museum also has several displays describing the local sheriffs and their equipment. Several pieces of period furniture and housewares are on display. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. The tour guide was amazingly knowledgable and realistic about the dangers of the rotary system. She demonstrated the rotary action of the cells for us. We are allowed to walk into the cells. Admission is $8 per person and small kids are free. I didn't see ADA access and there are a lot of up and down steps, so it would be difficult to maneuver a wheel chair or stroller. There are no public restrooms either. We parked downtown and walked two blocks. There is a small gift shop in the rear of the house selling sheriff themed and other trinkets. I highly recommend a visit if you like history, architecture and engineering.

Most interesting museum we've ever been in! We've traveled the US and several countries and I must…read moresay, this is the one that we stumbled on that will forever be remembered! Who knew a rotary jail was a thing? Not us! The guided tour takes you through the sheriff's residence which has several original furnishings and household items. There's plenty of history to read on the walls and other time period items to learn about but the main attraction is of course the jail! Our tour guide was a bit odd and he was pretty short in his stories and explanations but the gal that toured the jail and basement was perfect! She explained everything in detail and embellished with some tales of the jail! The jail rotates! Literally spins around with one door in and one door out! Well, that was the way it was built originally and operated until 1933, then they said no more rotating, too many prisoner injuries! It still rotates though, the only one in existence so definitely a must see!

Beautiful spot to take a scroll for free and enjoy nature. This arboretum is very well maintained,…read morespacious, and has plenty of parking. In addition to the ponds and gardens, do make a visit to Japan House if you get an opportunity when they're open.

The University of Illinois Arboretum was a nice surprise to. This was a great oasis from a busy…read morecollege campus. My husband and I went on a Saturday afternoon, and while there people there, it was not crowded. There was a nice mixture of trees, lakes, and trails. It is a great place to rest and relax. Be sure to go when the Japan House when it's open.

Almost hidden in the little town of Williamsport is an amazing geological feature millions of years…read morein the making. The Williamsport Falls at 90 feet high is the longest falls in Indiana. We knew it was there somewhere, but Eric at the Hot Dog Station said it's right out back and sure enough, there it was. There is a small parking area and maps of hiking trails where you can walk along the creek, descend and watch the waterfall. You can observe the top of the falls right from the parking lot. There was no water flowing due to lack of rain during our visit, but you could see amazing crevasses created by water rushing over the falls. For a small observation deck, you can see the shear drop of the falls. The fall foliage was just starting to change making the view spectacular. There is no charge to enter the park, which is dog friendly. There are several trails.

A great place for a walk and a swim to cool off afterwards! The path is newly updated for easier…read morewalking and the area is all cleaned up and nice!

Bridgeport honors the local men who served in the Civil War with this elaborate monument in Seaside…read morePark https://www.yelp.com/biz/seaside-park-bridgeport?hrid=VuI9YRr0wFJzrDzQoIr4BA. The monument features a large, granite base with several decorative elements that narrows into a shaft topped by a bronze allegorical figure representing the United States. The monument's side feature bronze statues depicting an infantry soldier and a sailor. The plaque on the southeast face reads, "Dedicated to the memory of the heroic men of Bridgeport who fell in the late war for the preservation of the Union. July 1876." The plaque also features the conclusion of the Gettysburg Address. Plaques on the other faces list approximately 180 local residents killed in the war, along with their unit, as well as their date and place of death. [Review 15155 overall, 657 of 2021, number 12 in Connecticut.]

With my family and I were doing on North East trip we stopped in Bridgeport Connecticut and we saw…read morethis wonderful monument for soldiers and sailors. I've noticed that a lot of cities that I've visited have the same soldiers and sailors monument on this trip. It looks a little different but it's always titled soldiers and sailors so curious might look that up. But anyway there's a nice looking Memorial monument and it just really represents the respect and love for soldiers and sailors and people that have fought for our country and have passed away it's just a nice tribute