Saturday morning with the square completely quiet gave me time to walk the perimeter and take in…read morethe full look of the Putnam County Courthouse in Greencastle. The building was completed in 1905 in an obvious Neo-Classical design. It is a four story Indiana limestone structure with a rusticated first level, Corinthian columns rising across the facade, a wide pediment with a clock and a central skyline dome. It was designed by John W. Gaddis of Vincennes, who also designed several other Indiana courthouses. Putnam County itself was created in 1821 and named for Israel Putnam, a hero of the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War. Greencastle has been the county seat since 1823. The most striking object on the grounds is a German V-1 flying bomb displayed out front. It's a World War II "buzz bomb" mounted on a limestone V-shaped base and it was dedicated in 1948. It is believed to be the only publicly displayed V‑1 in the United States. And a personal tidbit - this is the fourth Putnam County Courthouse I have reviewed after Winfield WV, Palatka FL, Cookeville TN. [Review 1038 of 2026 - 242 in Indiana - 26217 overall]

The Courthouse in Greencastle was undergoing a power wash when I arrived. Streets around the Square…read morewere being replaced and sidewalks renewed. The Square is small with war memorials on the corners and thoughtfully landscaped. The Neoclassical structure was commissioned in 1903 and designed by notable architect, John W. Gaddis of Vincennes, Indiana. The limestone building was commissioned in 1905 at a final cost of $144,997.38, according to a plaque inside. Inside, the atrium floor is tiled. Marble staircases ascend up two flights with incredible alabaster carved bannisters. The building is immaculate and well preserved with plaques memorializing the Revolutionary War and Spinach American War fallen soldiers. There are several important murasl in the building. One of Lady Justice that hangs on the second floor outside the court rooms. A leaded glass dome overhead is the centerpiece of the atrium. The highlight of my visit was seeing the mostly original 1905 courtroom. A deputy made the visit possible, as court was not in session. The courtroom was filled with original oak chairs for jurors and iron/oak benches for spectators. A powerful mural of King Solomon passing judgement on a child claimed by two women was on a front wall. An antique harp stood in the corner ready for weddings. The courtroom has been maintained incredibly. I felt like I had taken a step back in time. Two deputies, a clerk and even a judge took time out of their day to speak with me about the courthouse. There was a strong sense of pride as they described various parts of the courthouse and recommended places to see. My heart is warmed when I meet people as friendly as I met in Greencastle. The Square outside is interesting with little shops. A vacant bank on the corner was the site of John Derringer's robberies. There is street parking around the Square. The Putnam County Courthouse is well worth a visit if you like architecture, history and Midwest hospitality.

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.

Loved this theatre experience! Great popcorn! Very friendly…read morestaff and will definitely be going back!

Great popcorn, helpful staff, cool setting. Unfortunately, nothing special about the theatres…read morethemselves at all. Chairs are mid, nothing like the nice recliners many theatres have these days, and I was so uncomfortable with the temperature and the humidity in the room! Not sure if we caught them at a time when it was out or something but it felt like it was probably 78-80 degrees and very humid in there. We'll most likely be watching all future film releases at a different theatre.

Had the best time ever learning about America's 23rd president! The tour was so well done and our…read moreguide was simply amazing. Thank you for a wonderful visit, I recommend this to everyone.

My visit to the home of President Benjamin Harrison has been an unexpected highlight of my Indiana…read moreventures. We visited on a recent Saturday morning without reservations. Tickets can be purchased on line and receive a $2 discount (of $16 admission). Full price tickets can be purchased in the Welcome Center behind the Harrison home. Discounts are available for seniors and military. There is a brief film and a few artifacts in the Welcome Center along with a gift shop. We were able to join the first tour of the day, which only had three people including us. The docent-led tours start at 10:00 and run throughout the day. Gary, started our tour with a brief introduction and handed us off to docent Don S. at the front door of the Italianate Victorian home built in 1875. The beautifully restored home holds much of the original Harrison furniture. Don described the Harrison family dynamics, the history of the furniture and aspects of presidential life. We walked through rooms on three floors filled with artifacts and some of Mrs. Harrison's personal artwork. I could easily imagine the family at home during the tour. The third floor former ballroom, contains the Presidential Library (opened by appointment only, but visible to visitors). Other artifacts are also on display there. The 75 minute tour seemed to fly by as Don relayed interesting stories and anecdotes about the home and family. There is a dedicated free parking lot on the northside of the house or street parking is available. Elevators in the home are available for those who cannot climb the narrow stairs. The tour is not suitable for young children or strollers. Totally a must see for history, government and architecture buffs. The Harrison home is an Indiana treasure.

If there's one curse I associate with being a wheelchair user, it's the fact that I tend to fall in…read morelove with historic houses that are far from wheelchair friendly. Such is the case with the Irvington area's "The Benton House," a home built in 1873 and intended to be one of the homes to set the architectural flavor of the Irvington area. Alas, the home's construction was shortly followed by an economic downtown and many of the surrounding homes were built on smaller lots and were a bit more modest in size. This 10-room home served as home from former Butler University President Dr. Allan Benton (Fun Fact: His wife was named Silence, which I personally think is an incredibly cool name). By 1907, it had changed hands and stayed in the Miller family until 1966 when it was sold to the Irvington Historic Landmarks Foundation. There are items from Dr. Benton still located in the home. The home recently underwent renovations and is available for club meetings, weddings, private parties, and retreats. As it is a historic home and noted as a historic landmark, it is not wheelchair friendly. Getting around the yard is fairly easy, though there are steps into the home. Geocachers will be interested to note that there's a geocache located within close proximity of the home - this is actually how I originally discovered the home myself. It remains a nicely wooded lot and is quite often decorated seasonally. You can actually become a "member" of The Benton House - $25 for individuals annually and $50 for families and/or organizations. There are benefits associated with membership, though the greatest benefit is supporting a really beautiful and historic Irvington home. As a wheelchair user, I love homes like this even though they are far from wheelchair friendly. My own home is a 1955 California ranch that, quite fortunately, is on one level. However, I've long felt like if I ever obtained the ability to walk or increase mobility one of my first actions would be to buy a home such as this incredible beauty.

The Benton House will be in my fondest memories for decades to come... granted I might be a little…read morebiased since we had our rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception here. Working with Linda was a breeze. She is so sweet and accommodating. The preferred tent company is a little exhausting, but I kind of think the whole formal wedding process is a little exhausting, so that might just be personal preference. I can't handle talking about table cloth colors for two hours without feeling like I'm losing my mind a little. My husband and I couldn't have been happier with the weekend, and it seems like our guests had a great time, as well. If you're looking at renting The Benton House for any type of indoor event under 100 people, or outdoor event under 150, I 100% recommend it.

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

I never knew this was here. It was dedicated in 2019 and was funded 100% through donations…read more Brownsburg has a very tasteful and powerful 9/11 memorial right by Arbuckle Park located at Arbuckle Commons. The highlight of the monument is a 1500-pound beam that was recovered from the World Trade Center. It is positioned the same as it would have been in the World Trade Center and is pointing in the direction of New York. The area is small, but powerful. There is a tall flag pole with an American Flag blowing in the wind. There is also a bench facing the beam that you can sit and reflect and an informational placard in front of the flag pole explaining the events of 9/11. This memorial is so surreal and peaceful (even though it is right off of one of Brownsburg's main drags). It is well put together and maintained. The memorial is well groomed and still looks new. I enjoyed my visit here and recommend checking out this place if you are in the area.

Local artist, Michael McAuley, created this bronze statue of local music legend, Hoagy Carmichael…read more Hoagy sits at his bronze piano just outside the IU Auditorium on the IU campus. The patio is surrounded by a lush serene garden. There is no parking close to the statue and you have to walk to see the statue. It took me some time to find, as it is tucked in near a wall just outside the doors of the Auditorium. I recommend visiting when classes are not in session. IU has a lot of interesting and beautiful art scattered around the campus.

Beautiful tribute to one of America's best composers. It captures his image well and it's so…read morerefreshing to see this be a fixture at IU, given his legacy and time there. I love that the pose is of him at work with "Stardust" at his fingertips, as he penned that just a few blocks away. It's easy for me to conjure up the image of what his style of work may have been like and I can totally hear the song in my head as I go by. I'm so happy that this tribute to him exists.

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!