I stumbled across the Elwood Haynes Museum while traveling on my recent Tenderness Tour in the…read moreKokomo area. While I'd heard about the museum before, I knew very little about it and I can honestly say that visiting it wasn't on my itinerary for my Kokomo visit until we happened to drive by it while searching for our evening dining location. The Elwood Haynes Museum is located in the mansion owned by Elwood Haynes, a Kokomo-based inventor credited with multiple firsts including being the first to produce cars commercially back in 1894. He lived in Kokomo until his death in 1925. Haynes also invented stainless steel. Seriously. Being that the Elwood Haynes Museum was actually a residence, you might guess that wheelchair access is kind of an issue. It definitely is kind of an issue, though kudos must be given for efforts to make the mansion as accessible as possible. You go up a rather narrow, somewhat steep driveway and park in the back of the house. If you have a high vehicle or an RV type vehicle, the odds you're going to achieve this are slim to none. There's only a few parking spots, a likely indicator that visits to the museum tend to be in smaller groups. The guide who was present for our visit acknowledged that the vast majority of visitors are out of towners rather than locals, though they do host local student groups. They've concocted a rather large, wooden ramp designed to provide wheelchair access. It likely meets ADA requirements in terms of grade, though be aware the wood itself feels a little flimsy. For those with limited range of motion or upper body strength, it may be advised to have a companion or assistant with you. You then enter via a side door that leads to your standard residential hallway. As this was a turn of the 19th century house, you can easily guess that hallways are rather narrow. I had zero issues moving into each room on the first floor - a bathroom on the first floor is largely wheelchair friendly with appropriate rails. The second floor would not be accessible to a wheelchair user, while the third floor, a small area, is not open to the public. They also have a basement area that is not open to the public. There's also an attached carriage house that had three of Haynes's vehicles within it along with a safe that had been created from the materials he invented. The Elwood Haynes Museum really is rather fascinating, though it's a rather quick view with a maximum of 1-2 hours needed to enjoy the entire museum. Admission is free, though donations are welcomed and somewhat encouraged in a low pressure sort of way. The exhibit, in addition to the vehicles, includes a wealth of photos, documents, inventions and other items related to Haynes, a figure who contributed greatly to modern motoring yet remains relatively unknown when compared to many others. The volunteer who was present was friendly and knowledgeable about Haynes's history and worked at a comfortable pace in explaining the museum. This was definitely an unexpected gem during my time in Kokomo.

For history buffs, or car buffs, or fans of invention, this is a "must stop" place to visit while…read morein Kokomo. The home of Elwood Haynes is partly a time capsule showing the Haynes residence and all those wonderful antiques you might expect. The other part of the building is the museum tribute to Mr Haynes and some of the other famous inventors/inventions of Kokomo. I hadn't done any research before going, so I was surprised to learn how many incredible inventions were created/discovered by Haynes. What is most commonly related to is that Haynes designed, funded the building of, and drove the first commercially built auto in the country! Local inventors (The Apperson Brothers) owned a shop and were paid by Haynes to build the frame and moving parts of the first auto after Haynes had bought a one horsepower engine that ran on gasoline. At that time, gasoline was considered a waste product from natural gas production and it was another of Haynes' inventions that made gasoline more usable as a fuel. On July 4, 1994, Haynes successfully drove his vehicle for an hour, covering about six miles. But that was just some of what this man accomplished. He discovered a means for making brass at the age of 15. He also invented the small thermostat that is used to regulate home temperature. He also created numerous alloys, including stainless steel and Stellite (used in blading small turbines and numerous other tools/equipment that should not rust.) The museum shows photos throughout the building from Haynes' life. Upstairs, the rooms are not maintained as living spaces, but rather, as tributes to the other inventors and "firsts" that Kokomo is known for. You will see exhibits about the Appersons, the first pneumatic rubber tire, first carburetor, lots of Delco radio inventions, and even some canning innovations. And of course, there are lots of exhibits about alloys and their uses. The staff is friendly and goes the extra mile to make sure you have all the information you desire. Note: Although the garage is off limits, you can still see three of the first cars produced in Kokomo through the windows. Review #2486

A sweet little gem of a museum. Pressed glass was made in and near Greentown all around the turn of…read morethe century in 1900 and this museum highlights the indiana Goblet and Glass Company. Many fine and very rare examples of pressed glass as well as artifacts from the factory are on display. The docent is very knowledgable about glass in general and Greentown's factory in particular. As of October 2012 the museum is open in the afternoons. Worth the short drive from Kokomo for antique pressed glass admirers because of the collection and the background information on manufactoring.

The Kokomo Art Association seems to be doing quite well. I stopped into the Artworks Gallery to…read morecheck out what they were showing. The space is beautifully arranged and the walls were covered with artwork that appeared to be local in origin. A competition of sorts had been held since I saw numerous ribbons next to paintings, sketchings, and photographs. I recall seeing that the prices on items that were for sale as being quite reasonable too. Not only is the showroom downstairs filled with art, but there is more space beyond the counter and even more, though not as much space, upstairs. The location is great too because the Artist Alley is next door and the IU-Kokomo art gallery is just about a block to the south, so for anyone who is interested in art, this is a convenient way to check out what the area has to offer. Note: Check out my review of the Sculpture Trail in Kokomo that is just a couple blocks to the west and south to see the current exhibit on display until 2021. There are also numerous murals downtown to see and more sculpture down on the IU-Kokomo campus. Kokomo is embracing the arts and as long as they do, I will keep returning to check out what is new. Review #2484

From the owner: The Kokomo Art Association's Artworks Gallery is a place for our artists to exhibit and sell their…read morework. Local artists displaying and selling original artwork. Acrylics, watercolors, beadwork, photography, pebble art, pottery, textured paintings, porcelain. 4 artist's studios. Soon to be an artist communal area where artists work on their individual art projects while interacting with other artists.

The Indiana Women's Legacy Memorial is the largest memorial in the state of Indiana that honors…read morewomen. The statue stands on the northeast corner of the courthouse square in Howard's County. Three bronze sculptures depicting women soldiers and a "Rosie Riveter-type" figure stand on pedestals. The words Honor, Duty and Faith are carved on the pedestals. A placard on the State of Indiana says "This memorial is dedicated to Hoosier Daughters for their time in service to our state and nation during war and peace. May their deeds not be forgotten." The memorial was designed by Jerry Paul, President of the Howard County Veteran's Memorial Corporation. The bronze sculptures were created by artist, Benjamin Matthew Victor. The memorial was dedicated on August 6, 2021. This memorial speaks to me because my mother served as an Air Force nurse. During my visit a number of other visitors took photos, posing with the figures. A nice park benches sit adjacent to the memorial and a lovely flower garden surrounds the area. There is plenty of free parking on the square and the memorial is ADA accessible.