Downtown Cambridge City is being transformed by a number of large historic murals painted by the…read moremother-daughter artists, Pamela Bliss and Carly Mattingly Dee. Some of the works were painted individually, while this one was a collaboration. Back in 1865, the Lincoln Funeral Train passed through Cambridge City on its way to Lincoln's final resting place in Springfield, Illinois. For the sesquicentennial of the event, Bliss was selected in 2015 to design and paint a tribute to the event. This huge mural covers the east side of a building on Main Street (US 40, the National Road). A colorful locomotive is depicted as moving from the back of the building towards the front. On the upper left, a historic building is decorated with patriotic drapings while a large black and white bust portrait of Lincoln fills the upper right. There are several other murals in town done by Bliss and Dee: "Back in Time: Cambridge City Canal" by Dee (2011); "Postcards" by Dee (2010); "Single G" (a world famous harness racing horse) by Bliss (2010); and the newest "Gen Solomon Meredith" by Bliss (2018). If you are in the area, the town is just a short drive from the interstate and the murals are within walking distance. Bonus: If the post office is open, there is a mural inside the lobby by Samuel F Hershey called "Pride of Cambridge City" painted in 1941. Review #1201

In 2017, a new statue was installed on the northeast corner of the courthouse parking lot to honor…read morethe namesake of Connersville, John Conner. The statue is generally life sized and stands upon a pedestal that has a plaque containing information about Conner and the Centennial plaques from 1913, three years before Indiana celebrated its centennial. I was unable to find information about the sculptor or even the material used. It appears to be carved from a light toned stone and depicts Conner standing with rifle in hand as the first white man to set up a fur trading post in the area. Review #1422

There's a pretty good chance that if you ever drive east on U.S. 40 that you've driven by the…read moreHuddleston Farmhouse Inn Museum in Cambridge City. I believe it's actually right on the Cambridge City/Mount Auburn line. Set up on a hill, this 1841 farmhouse was the home of Quakers John and Susannah Huddleston and their 11 children. The home also offered two "traveler's kitchens" offering a place to cook and sleep for those who traveled. In other words, this lovely porch was always busy. The lower level of the farmhouse is accessible and National Road Heritage Site exhibits offer a glimpse into travel on what is known as National Road in some cities, East Washington Street in Indy, U.S. 40 in some places, and in some smaller towns simply Main Street. This farmhouse now is host to Indiana Landmarks' Eastern Regional Office and the office of the Indiana National Road Association. The farmhouse, barn, and exhibits are available for touring by appointment. You can also rent the main level of the house, the barn, and the grounds for a variety of events. It's all quite spacious and could easily host weddings. The organization largely uses volunteers and if you volunteer at least 30 hours annually you get an Indiana Landmarks membership, free admission to Huddleston House events, and the Indiana Landmarks bi-monthly magazine. The floor level of the barn is mostly accessible, though certainly upper areas are not. While I often mark off businesses that are not accessible, when it comes to historical sites I'm certainly respectful of the inherent limitations. The home is a three-level home that was made using 125,000 bricks. The entire farm is 78 acres and includes the main house, spring kitchen, smoke house, and two barns. Research indicates there was originally another building on the grounds. Indiana Landmarks purchased the property in 1966 with funding supplied by Eli Lilly (the person, not the company). The house, barn, and other outer buildings have been restored. In addition to being able to rent it, the farm hosts a variety of period-appropriate events. I drove by this farm almost every weekend for quite some time on my way to seminary before finally stopping to check it out. It's a beautiful farm and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.