The Grant County Courthouse in Marion, Indiana was built in 1881 as the third Courthouse of the…read moreCounty. The granite building is surrounded by many memorials honoring those who served in wars from Grant County. The Courthouse, designed by E. E. Myers, is a replica of a structure in Elyria, Ohio. Originally, a large dome with a statue of Lady Justice topped the Courthouse. The dome structure and statue became unstable and began to fail in the 1920s and dropped debris into the streets. The dome was removed during the 1940s. The statue stood in a local park, where vandals eventually destroyed her. Today, the head has been salvaged and resides at the Marion Public Library. No mobile phones are allowed in the Courthouse, so I was unable to take interior photos. The original woodwork has been painted gray and very little original detail of the original building has been retained. All courts were in session, the Courthouse is fully operational as it has been for nearly 150 years. The deputy told me that there is some original detail in several of the courtrooms. I saw original folding seats in one courtroom had been painted. I saw no artwork in the courthouse. There is public parking around the square. The building is accessible. There is no historical information within the courthouse. Overall, not worth a visit unless you have business to conduct.

This 150 year old, red covered bridge was moved to Highland Park in 1957 by the Historical Society…read more The bridge was originally located in Vermont, Indiana and is the last bridge with Smith type #3 trusses in the State. (Robert Smith was a famous covered bridge designer from Ohio. His unique designs used less wood.) The bridge, which was built in 1875, has a sorted and interesting story of survival that is described on the City of Kokomo's website. I walked across the one-lane bridge on a hot day this week. (The bridge is only open to pedestrian traffic.) The bridge is cool inside, shaded by large sycamore trees. Modern party lights hang inside the bridge to provide light. The bridge spans a creek that runs through the park. The bridge provided a beautiful backdrop for photos. There is close free parking near the bridge. Vermont Covered Bridge is a must visit for covered bridge buffs.

A pair of bronze statues portraying the pioneering auto builders, the Apperson Brothers, can be…read morefound near the spot of their former factory at the south entrance to Kokomo Municipal Stadium. Added in 2018, artist DJ Bawden created the pieces to commemorate the pairs contribution to Kokomo's history and commerce. Just before the beginning of the 20th Century, the brothers had started their own shop and were approached by Elwood Haynes to build his first car back in 1894 which is considered to be the first working car in America! They went on to form the Haynes-Apperson Company which continued making cars until the brothers left to pursue making a more upscale and powerful type vehicle in 1902. They were known for producing a car called the Jackrabbit. In 1911, the brothers entered a car in the 1st Indy 500. The auto manufacturers continued in Kokomo until 1926. Review #2476

First, the staff is super friendly and I want to give a special shout-out to Mike and the deputy…read morethat pointed out special features if this remarkable courthouse. People that work in this building are clearly proud of the history and significance to their community. The city of Tipton is the county seat for Tipton County. You can see the bell tower of the courthouse from several miles away driving pass cornfields. The courthouse sits in a small, but immaculate square. The landscaping is lovely and the benches inviting. A Veteran's Memorial stands directly in front of the building. A historical marker indicates that the sandstone building is Romanesque Classical Revival Style and was designed by the same architect that designed the Indiana Statehouse, Adolph Scherrer. The building has served Tipton County since 1894. The basement level is filled with display cases housing Tipton County artifacts. The original clock pendulum is displayed in the basement. The deputy indicated that the pendulum fell through to the second floor years ago and was replaced by a new mechanism. The Victorian era woodwork, floors and most of the furniture is the original to the building. In the courtroom are wrought iron and oak benches that are in amazing condition. The Recorder's Office looks identical to photos taken in the 1880's with massive record books and large desks. Visiting these spaces is like taking a step back in time. In 1988, remodeling took place to update the building and it was necessary to add drop ceilings to cover new ductwork and wiring. This change covered some original artwork on the ceilings. In addition, entryways were modified to improve accessibility. There is plenty of parking around the building. Worth a visit by historians and architecture lovers.

Gas City, originally Harrisburg, got its name because of the natural gas that was found here. At…read morejust over 4.5 square miles, it is a pretty small city. It is accessible at exit #256 of I-69 north & south bound. Most of my experiences in Gas City occur along Indiana State Rd 22, probably like the rest of the non-locals, just passing through from Kokomo to I-69 and back. Most of the business are located on or just off of Indiana State Rd 22. The most exciting thing for me here is the Starbucks; believe it or not, I was thrilled when they built it because it gave me a good place to take a road trip break. Other than that, I've only ever gassed up (no pun intended) or stopped at K-mart. I like to think of it as Quiettown, America. I have yet to hear, see or experience anything negative here so Gas City is A-OK with me.

Didn't wait too long and employee was friendly and helpful. Got my business done in record time.read more

After scores of failed attempts to make a telephone appointment, ( busy signals-message box full,…read moreetc) we decided to try our luck as a walk-in and were prepared to wait. Unfortunately, they don't allow walk-ins at all. The guard was perhaps the most helpful guard I've ever met. Patient, helpful and friendly. The trick is to call, hang up, redial, hang up repeat until you get through. If it takes fifty or sixty tries so be it. Why the government should work this way is beyond my comprehension. Eventually we did get through and the person on the phone was able to take the time to fix our problem as best possible and we were able to avoid an appointment. For those that don't know. To get through on the phone, just keep calling and calling. Try early morning was what one person told us.