I really like our local Post Office. The people who work there are always very helpful and cheery…read more I do a fair amount of shipping and they help me find the best deal on shipping, and help with figuring out the forms when something has to go overseas. When I think about what a a good deal it is compared with UPS and Fedex, there is just no comparison. The Priority is an excellent deal and their tracking and e-mail notification really help me easily let the customer know where the package is. Yay Brookston Post Office! Save your local Post Office! Send a package or a letter!

I've been visiting West Lafayette for many years but never noticed this magnificent fountain until…read moremy visit to the Courthouse in September. The fountain is amazing - my first thought was just "wow". The fountain was designed by Laredo Taft in 1887. The statue honors General Lafayette, the city namesake. His figure stands majestically over the pool below. Panels around the base also honor John Purdue (namesake of Purdue University), an artesian well beneath the fountain, early pioneers of the city, Union solders who fought in the Civil War, and William Digby (founder of Lafayette). The fountain is surrounded by beautiful landscaping. Local business workers sat around the fountain eating lunch or reading in the serene setting and the sounds of the fountain water. There is free street parking about a block away. The fountain and Courthouse are definitely worth a visit.

Famous American sculptor Lorado Taft from Illinois was selected to create the magnificent fountain…read moreon the northeast corner of the Tippecanoe County Courthouse. In 1887, the piece was erected on the site and appears to have undergone some TLC along with the courthouse. The main figure atop the fountain is that of the Marquis de Lafayette who was instrumental in helping the inexperienced and underfunded American military during the Revolutionary War. Below that life sized figure, there are four oval reliefs and below that, an octagonal shape with each of the sides bearing an ornate framing around the names of honorees with ties to the city. Honorees are quite varied and include pioneers, soldiers, John Purdue, and William Digby, the town founder. Earlier versions of the courthouse are also honored. Although the honorees may be somewhat random, the overall beauty of the work is fantastic. Review #1410

The Thorntown Public Library is a remarkable historic resource for this small town. The original…read morebrick library was a Carnegie funded project that opened its doors in 1914. The floor plan is based on one of the Carnegie plans that were prevalent for the later libraries. Much of the original furniture, woodwork and shelving remains in place and is in pristine condition. In 2004, the library expanded, adding a mirror floor plan of the original Carnegie structure connected by an entry hall. Painstaking efforts were made to create a cohesive addition that preserved the character of the original building. Karen, the librarian, spent time with us to describe the building, contents and services provided. The addition improved accessibility of the library, added an elevator, kitchen, classroom and much needed space for the e expanded offering of books, dvds, videos, puzzles, games and more. The library serves three townships. The children's books and services are located on the first floor. A kid friendly restroom is decorated by kids. There are tables for building puzzles and chairs for reading. Upstairs is a genealogy/history center located in the original Carnegie building. A young stuffed eagle collected locally and hawk are housed in the center. A teen reading room located behind the center. Karen told us that local teens completed the artwork on the ceilings. Community engagement is evident throughout the facility. An adult library is located on the south end of the library. There is comfy seating to read. A resident cat, Chance, lives in the library and welcomes patrons. There's plenty of free parking outside the building. This is a super facility with a ton of history and worth a visit or two. They are part of the Evergreen program!

This is a small, but well done tribute to Gold Star families that is among many other memorials in…read morethe Tippecanoe War Memorial (a sub-section of Colombian Park). It was dedicated in May 2015 and honors the families of servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives while serving in the military. It costed about $60,000 to build. It is in a very picturesque and located on a man made lagoon island, that is nicknamed memorial Island. The memorial is primarily a sculpture. It is an abbreviated version of more recent one, has 2 granite slab panels, and was made by the Louisville-based Woody Williams Foundation. The two panels form a cutout silhouette of a solder rendering a hand salute, along with the gold-etched words, "Gold Star Families, a tribute to Mothers, Fathers and family members who sacrificed a Loved One for our Freedom" with a large gold star above it on the first panel and "PATRIOT Honoring All Men and Women who served Our Country" below an image of the Iwo Jima flag raining on the second panel. The seals of the 5 branches of service are long the base of the sculpture. The memorial has a little bench in front of and facing it that you can sit and reflect and there is a nice flower garden that surrounds it. This is a nice place to reflect and pay respects to those members of the Armed Forces that made the ultimate sacrifice. There are not many memorials or monuments dedicated to Gold Star families, but that number is growing every month. Currently, there are less than 120 nationwide. The Woody Williams foundation has made these monuments in all 50 states and Guam. Indiana has 2 of them, the other two being in Fishers and Indianapolis. The front of each monument is the same, but some of them are personalized on the reverse side to suit each respective community. This one, in Lafayette does not have anything on the back.

The town of Kirklin has become a charming antique destination. I counted at least four independent…read moreantique stores which are open Friday, Saturdays and Sundays. A wonderful coffee shop and a nearby pub are opened daily for meals. A new bakery is on the corner, but I haven't had the chance to visit as it has odd hours. Also, I saw a distillery that is opened later in the day. The town also has an original Carnegie library that is worth visiting and only a block from the center of town. The library is a good place to take a restroom break as most of the shops do not have public restrooms. I also love the little post office and find the service exceptional. The town just received a $600,000 grant to revitalize the downtown area. I will be interested to see what new attractions will come. The town is a perfect little day trip for antique lovers or girl's day out. The ride through Indiana farmland land is lovely. During good weather, the town hosts a flea market on the second Saturdays. There is plenty of free street parking but you have to be careful crossing the street because the traffic moves quickly in 421.

Interesting factoid: Carroll County was named after Charles Carroll, who was the last surviving…read moresigner of the Declaration of Independence. The Carroll County Courthouse sits on a square in Delphi, which is the county seat. I like the simplicity of the Courthouse Square. At the southeast corner of the Square is a huge memorial honoring those that fought in the Civil War with the Courthouse behind. Small local businesses and restaurants surround the Square with most architecture original. This is the second courthouse in Delphi. The first courthouse (Victorian Style) was built in 1841 and served the community until 1917. A photo of the original courthouse hangs in the current courthouse. The current Neoclassical Courthouse was designed by the architects of Elmer E. Dunlap Co., Indianapolis. A. E. Kenner completed construction for the opening. The interior of the building is breathtaking. The center atrium is crowned by a magnificent stained glass dome. A beautiful mosaic tiled floor sits beneath the dome. Spiral marble staircases with decorative iron bannisters ascend to the second and third floors. Blue trim sets off the interior. Elmer did a fabulous job. Most of the building is original, including offices and the Circuit Courtroom. The bell from the first courthouse is on display in the lobby. A war honor roll is on the wall. Staff and people I met in the Courthouse were friendly and knowledgeable about the building. The Courthouse is fully operational. The local heath department was handing out free medical supplies. Court was in session. Clerks were available to take various payments. I think there is a museum in the basement, but I missed going down. There's plenty of free parking around the Square. This is a fabulous Courthouse, well worth the drive to Delphi.

I was on my way to visit the Clinton County Courthouse today and noticed local officials were…read morehaving a ceremony commemorating Memorial Day. The event was moving with local veterans giving a 21 gun salute after placing wreaths by the War Memorial on the grounds of the Courthouse. Frankfort, Indiana is the county seat for Clinton County. The current courthouse is the third courthouse to serve the county. Construction on the Second Empire style building began in 1884 under the design of George W. Bunting. The three story building was constructed of Indiana limestone and features a domed tower with clock. A statue of Blind Liberty stands near the west entrance. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1978. The building houses courtrooms and related judicial offices for Clinton County.

Brookston's water just won an award for being the best tasting in the whole state of Indiana!…read moreBrookston's electric utility is consistently the best price of any of the neighboring communities. They do a great job delivering our utilities going for us with professionalism and caring.