Love Bloomington. Feels like an all American hometown. Easy shopping and walking. Food and drink…read moreplaces are everywhere and offer a wide variety. Clean, bright and friendly. Downtown is a real gem and you feel good just being there. People are friendly and quick to talk. Ample hotels at various price point ensure you will find something to fit your taste and budget.

I did enjoy my time in Bloomington - great pizza, fabulous coffee, the art museum at IU. I found…read moresome great beers along the way. Soma Coffee House (there are a few of them) is excellent. But wow, it seemed like I caught ever single red light in this city. And it's a big city - the fourth largest outside Indianapolis. Lots of crappy roads here too including one bump that was so hard, it knocked my coffee cup out of the cupholder. Yowza! I should have circled back to take a picture. Bloomington will be the birthplace of Captain Janeway (Star Trek) in a century or two. And for now, it's the home of Indiana University. Lots of crimson all around on the university students. Hoosiers, named after the Native American term for corn. Or so some would believe. Janko's Little Zagreb for a spendy steak. Aver's Pizza (there are at least two locations). The Sinkhole for craft beers. Enjoy yourself and keep an eye on your parking meter. They are everywhere! [Review 20643 overall - 153 in Indiana - 1624 of 2023.]

Crossing Indiana from east to West, it turns out that the Clay County Courthouse in Brazil was my…read morenext stop after visiting the Putnam County Courthouse earlier this morning. Both buildings share that imposing Classical Revival presence, but Clay County's courthouse leans even harder into the style with its limestone exterior, granite columns, marble wainscotting and a stained-glass rotunda skylight. Completed in 1914 and designed by architect John W. Gaddis, it feels like a sibling to Putnam County's courthouse with similar massing, similar era, and the same sense of civic permanence. On an overcast Saturday morning with the building closed, wandering the grounds without anyone around made it easy to appreciate the symmetry and stonework without distractions. The biggest surprise is the F-86 Sabre jet sitting right on the courthouse lawn. It's a Korean War-era aircraft restored in 2023 with help from Duke Energy and loaned to the city by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It's an unexpected but striking memorial, and it creates an interesting parallel to the V-1 "Buzz Bomb" displayed at the Putnam County Courthouse. One county honors World War II with a German flying bomb and the other honors the Korean War with an American fighter jet. Both displays feel a little surreal in a courthouse setting, but they add character and give each courthouse its own distinct identity. [Review 1044 of 2026 - 248 in Indiana - 26223 overall]

So here's the verdict on Clay County Courthouse. The three story limestone building is the fifth…read morecourthouse for the county and second in Brazil. This historic Classical Revival building was designed by John W. Gaddis (Vincennes, Indiana) and construction began in 1912 and completed in 1914. The massive limestone columns and center dome are prominent features of the building's exterior. On the grounds, sit an Air Force jet and a Civil War era cannon. The interior of the building is magnificently original. The stained glass of the center dome is gorgeous. The tiled floors, marble stairs and brass light fixtures scream Art Deco. The staff is friendly. A judge welcomed us into the courtroom to take photos. The Superior Court retains its original bench seating and ornate decor. A massive mural sits in an alcove behind the judge. Historical documents and photos are proudly displayed throughout this impressive structure. A display of posters about prominent Clay County historical figures surrounds the atrium. A box of fresh tomatoes left by a local farmer with a FREE sign, reminds me that we are in the heart of farm country. I'd have to say, the Clay County Courthouse is one of my favorite courthouses in Indiana because of the conscience attempt to retain and promote its proud history. There is free street parking around the building. Handicapped accessibility is available at the west entrance of the building. The Clay County Courthouse is worthy of a visit for history, architecture and government buffs.

I did not visit the state park. This was simply a visit to check out this pretty darned cool…read moretwo-lane covered bridge that is at one entrance to the park. You don't have to enter the park to view the bridge. It was built in Putnam County in 1838 and was moved 130 miles to here Brown County in 1932. It would otherwise have been demolished to make way for a more modern bridge. This bridge is the oldest covered bridge still standing in Indiana and the only two lane covered bridge. The bridge span is 110 feet and no, it did not have clearance for my Sprinter van. If you're planning on visiting the park in an RV, you need to use the other entrance to the west. There is no pedestrian lane. [Review 20537 overall - 81 in Indiana - 1518 of 2023.]

The Brown County Library is truly special. The modern building sits atop a hill of Brown County and…read moreoffers amazing views of the rolling mountains. The building is filled with the art of renowned local artists. A magnificent Ada Shultz painting hangs over a beautiful fireplace and is the focal point of a cozy upscale reading area. A nearby display of historic Brown County Pottery tells the story of early local clay artists. An artistic stairway is adorned with more local art. Downstairs, photos and short biographies of prominent local Brown County figures hang on the walls. Two community meeting rooms are available for patrons. The library offers a good selection of books, dvds and access to online computers. We were checking into programs for our granddaughters for the summer. A friendly librarian approached me to describe the library services. The Library offers a series of reading and other programs for kids and adults. She also mentioned that historical archives describing local artists are available. The children's area of the library is whimsical and fun. Even small computer workstations are available. Outside of the library is a children's garden with a colorful and playful walkway. The library offers small food bags to those in need in the community. Donations for the food service are encouraged. A lower level parking lot offers covered parking in a garden-like setting. An EV charging station is available. Accessible parking is available near the upper level front entrance of the building. Donations to the library are encouraged. The Library is one of the finest in the State and is aligned with the art theme of Brown County. The setting is exceptional for reading, learning and researching. The staff is friendly, engaging and helpful.

Man oh man, I love a library. In particular, I love this library. The Brown County Library was my…read morelittle place of respite when I was visiting Nashville during the work week. I was in town for an exploratory trip, but I also needed to jump on a Zoom meeting at one point, and also connect to wifi to check emails and do some work. This library delivered! I was able to find a little corner to myself in the downstairs area, where I could work quietly. This library is two stories. (Stories! Get it?) The bottom floor is mostly conference rooms and offices, but there are a couple of tables and couches down there at which to sit. That's where I posted up for a couple of hours. The downstairs is a nice, quiet place to steal some private time, if you need to. Upstairs is everything else: books for children and adults, magazines (lots of magazines, which makes me happy), a cute kids' area, a quiet reading area, and stacks of public historical records. The restrooms are located in the children's area, and there are two. Each restroom is a "family restroom," so you lock it behind you, and you basically have an entire restroom to yourself, not just a stall. If you go outside and walk around to the back of the library and follow the rainbow-colored path, you'll see a children's garden, with some places to sit among the flowers, and signs displaying popular children's books. Around the front of the library, there's a Little Free Pantry full of food. Is there anything this library doesn't provide for the community?

I Love That Library It Has All Kinds Of Books, Movies,…read moreGames, And Music! I Would Love Go To Back Sometimes And Borrow More 9/10

My afternoon "office" for a few hours, I spent my time here pounding out emails and (quietly)…read moredialed in to a Zoom bridge or two. A comfortable work space in the corner where my laptops and phone plugged in and charged. The library is quite large and spacious. Lots of interesting spaces, tons of stacks of books, I thought the shelf of role playing game kits was a unique offering. You do not need to be a local resident in order to use the library, only to borrow materials. [Review 20560 overall - 98 in Indiana - 1541 of 2023.]

I'll admit that I just saw the pin and figured I would check this out but as I do my research to…read morewrite the review, these aren't just pretty gates. The concept of a gateway to mark the entrance to the campus dates back to 1932 but they didn't actually get installed until 1987. And ever since, they are the most iconic spot on campus. IU grads know what I'm talking about. So I'll just respectfully stop here and tell you that if you're visiting or perhaps you're an alumni, get your selfie or portrait right here. Every IU graduate know of here. [Review 20571 overall - 108 in Indiana - 1552 of 2023.]

I don't get down to Bloomington nearly as often as I used to, though when I do I nearly always find…read moremyself near the area of the iconic Sample Gates. Sample Gates mark the entrance to Indiana University in Bloomington, an already beautiful campus. I spent one lovely semester here and I spent quite a bit of time here back in those days because even after I left I continued dating an IU student. The Sample Gates were donated by Edson Sample, who was named director of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships while still an IU graduate student back in 1968. He obtained his M.S. in 1971. The gates are named for his parents, Louise Waite Sample and Kimsey Ownbey Sample Sr. Both were present at the dedication ceremony on June 13, 1987. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Education in 2017; in 2020, Sample received one of IU's most prestigious honors--the Bicentennial Medal--in recognition of his service and longstanding support of the university. The gates are always open. They are constructed of Indiana Limestone. The two pillars are at the edge of Old Crescent - the historic site of IU's first campus buildings built between1884-1908. If you visit IU, you'll see Sample Gates. Still beautiful. Still iconic. And, I must say, super amazing at night with a light rain in the area.

The Cedar Ford Covered Bridge comes from Shelby County Indiana and now spans the Beanblossom Creek…read morein Washington County, connecting North and Old Maple Groves Roads. The bridge was originally built by the Kennedy Brothers in 1885 but was dismantled and stored. It has since been rehabilitated and recovered. It replaces the Smith Truss Covered Bridge that was built on this spot in 1871 but destroyed by arson in 1976 and never rebuilt. The arsonists were eventually caught. This is an active vehicle bridge and the signs indicate a ten foot clearance with a weight limit of ten tons. My Sprinter van is just under ten feet and well under ten tons so I drove across with caution and had no issues. Very cool to be able to drive a covered bridge, a technology that is just more fun and more awesome than any concrete monstrosity out there. It's a bit of an adventure to get here with some dirt and gravel roads. But it's well worth it! [Review 20572 overall - 109 in Indiana - 1553 of 2023.]

Showalter Fountain is one of IU's landmark locations. It also is super close to the accessible…read moreparking for IU Auditorium, so there was no way I was going to miss it during a recent Bloomington trip. Showalter Fountain includes a sculpted work from Ralph Laurent showing the mythical goddess Venue coming out of a clamshell (it's actually called "Birth of Venue"). The fountain is named after its benefactor - Grace Montgomery Showalter. It was installed in 1961. For those who remember IU's recent football championship (everyone), you'll likely remember that IU temporarily displaced bronze fish sculptures from this fountain to ensure no major hijinks going on. Laurent was born in France. He immigrated to the U.S. at age 20 to study under painter Hamilton Easter Field. He joined the IU faculty in 1942 and stayed there until retirement in 1961. Showalter Fountain isn't necessarily the fanciest fountain around, however, it's definitely one of IU's iconic landmarks in Bloomington. It was pretty cool to get to see it, especially because I didn't really plan the extra visit. I just looked up and it was there.

Pretty landmark fountain on campus. I love the mermaid theme and the fish around her. It's really…read morenice to walk past the fountain on hot days and feel the slight spray of water as you go by.