I don't often review 'non restaurant' locations, but my experience at the Southwest branch of the…read moreBloomington library today left me needing to give rave reviews. It's been forever since I've been in one of the local libraries because I'm such a Kindle reader. But in order to use Libby, I needed to get a new library card and signed up online. The process was simple, and ultimately it led me to the point of needing to visit the Southwest Branch (close to my house) and show proof that I am indeed me, and that I live in Bloomington. A utility bill did the trick. First and foremost, it's a beautiful facility. I didn't spend much time there, and probably won't be there often simply because I'm a digital reader. BUT let me say I may use it as a quiet space and place to read. The woman at the desk (Cathy or Cathi sorry I can't remember) was amazing. She was super helpful, friendly, and not only made my card but laughed at one of my jokes. She went above and beyond to tell me about how to use the library, explain policies and pointed out both Libby and Hoopla. She was great. I used to work part time in a library, and hold them near and dear to my heart and she's exactly what I love about libraries in general. If you're on the south side of town, stop using the downtown branch and move your library activity to this location. They have a great facility, will take anything you reserve from other branches straight to the branch, and you can pick it up there. Kudos to our town for believing in the value of these types of spaces.

Awesome Library space, friendly staff. And there's a beautiful Labyrinth and sacred space to walk…read moreoutside.

I came here to visit the famous limestone statue of Joe Palooka that stands outside the Oolitic…read moreCity Hall on Main Street. Oolitic and nearby Bedford, Indiana were thriving communities during the early-mid 1900's due to limestone industry. The quarries in this region produce high quality limestone due to the unique geology. The statue of Joe Palooka is a product of that time. Joe Palooka was a popular comic book hero back during WWII created by Ham Fisher. The Indiana Limestone Association adopted Joe as a mascot as he was considered a "Cornerstone of Freedom" and carved his likeness into 20,000 pounds of limestone. The 10' statue was dedicated by Ham Fisher on June 14, 1948 in the town of Bedford. Over the years the statue has moved around due to vandalism and other factors. Today, he stands outside the City Hall in Oolitic. He wears a boxing cape and has the chiseled features of a 20th century superhero. The statue shows a little damage from hail and vandalism but stands tall as part of Indiana's history. The City Hall is a modest building with a welcoming front porch. Local residents can pay bills and find information here. There is street parking directly out front. The building is accessible through an entrance in the rear. I loved seeing and learning about Joe and recommend a visit.

This place is always a treat to visit. So much history of the space program located at a state park…read morein the middle of Indiana. If you're ever around Spring Mill State Park, this is worth checking out

We were in Bedford, IN recently on a 30th Anniversary outing and I was looking for something to do…read moreon our way back to Louisville, when I ran across the Virgil Grissom Memorial. This. Was. An. Easy. Sell. We're both big fans of our Space History and this is right up our alley. I didn't realize the Memorial was actually *inside* Spring Mill State Park, but no biggie. The park admission fee was $9 for non-Indiana residents. The Memorial is immediately to the right when you enter the park. The Memorial is admission-free and is well-suited for about a half hour visit. During your self-guided tour you'll see a lot of information about Grissom starting with his elementary school on up. There's a lot of memorabilia and photographs and some very done done displays. You'll learn a lot about Gus and how his passion for flight and space travel led to him being the second American in space. The highlight, of course, is the actual Gemini 3 "Molly Brown" space capsule. There's an interesting story about why this was the last space capsule to be named by its crew. At the end is film (about 7 minutes in length) with footage from Gus's career and NASA's story as it relates to him. There are a few bench seats for your viewing pleasure. The film re-starts automatically after 5 minutes. There's a small gift shop with a good variety of items to purchase related to both NASA and Grissom with all items very reasonably priced, and it's attached to what I'm going to guess is the Park's administration offices. The Virgil "Gus" Grissom Memorial was a happy find. We really enjoyed it and hopefully we'll come back to camp at the park some time and visit it again.

My wife and I visited the Grissom Monument on January 10th while we were in Mitchell. I came in…read morewith no expectations, but was thrilled to see a stone recreation of Grissom's Gemini III capsule atop its Atlas rocket. The panels tell the story of this American hero and pioneer while the brick of the retaining wall came from his childhood elementary school. A lovely tribute to a hometown hero and well worth visiting for anyone interested in the history of American space flight.

It is a very informative rocket memorial to this person that grew up there. This is in the heart of…read moretown right off of one of the main street. It's a nice monument for all to check out and I think it's a nice tribute to check out.

Excellent underground reverse engineering facility that the US Government operates for the Navy…read more(not to be confused with the similar program at Wright Patterson which operates specifically for the USAF). You'll see some basic facilities and operations on the surface but the majority of this base exists deep underground where the public will never see what they have going on.

This base is located in the hills of southern Indiana and is host to a variety of DoD related…read moreactivities. They have an excellent Combined Bachelor Quarters for transient military and civilian contractors. A decent sized conference center next door provides excellent meals as a supplement to the Base Cafeteria. This base has a nice golf course which is also accessible to the public near the Burns City gate. An Outdoor Rec area provides a campground for trailers and RVs, as well as cabins for rent. The waterfront has a variety of boats available, including canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, fishing boats and pontoon boats. A small NEX (Base Exchange) carries the basics and houses a Subway restaurant. The Base Commissary is located next door and carries items similar to a small grocery store. Also in this complex is the NEX Gas Station. Fuel can be obtained 24 hours with a credit/debit card. The credit union stands ready to assist you in financial affairs. Lots of wildlife on this military installation, including a healthy population of deer and wild turkeys.

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.]

The Monroe County Courthouse sits on a grand square surrounded by thriving restaurants, bars and…read moreshops. There is an energy around the square that I have not seen at other county courthouses. The courthouse building, completed in 1907 is constructed of Indiana limestone (of course). There is a large copper dome on top and four large clocks around the tower. A limestone-carved Lady Liberty sits over the main entrance with a male figure sitting beside her. The building is National Registered as a Historic Place. The Courthouse is surrounded by memorials. The is a really nice Viet Nam memorial on the West side with beautifully cared for flowering plants. On the East side is a War Memorial commentating those who served in multiple wars back to the Spanish American War. Other memorials honor local public servants. This is very much a working Courthouse housing the Circuit Court. Residents can register to vote here. Landscaping is variable around the courthouse with parts needing care. Many of the statues and the exterior of the courthouse building are in need of cleaning.

Monroe County was formed by the Indiana General Assembly and Bloomington was selected as the county…read moreseat in 1818. A one-story two-room log cabin was the original. The second courthouse was built here between 1819-1826 and was two stories with brick and a stone foundation. It was expanded a couple of times but was eventually demolished for the construction of this new courthouse. The current stricture was build in 1908 and is in the Beaux Arts style. It is large, majestic and absolutely lovely. You'll want to try spotting the weather vane on the top of the dome which was saved from the original courthouse. The grounds of the courthouse have a number of memorials including a Civil War monument and a World War monument (because back then, there was only the one). There is metered street parking on all four sides of the courthouse and the square is surrounded by bars and restaurants and retail shopping. [Review 20563 overall - 101 in Indiana - 1544 of 2023.]

Is the respectful, nice dedication and memorial to the veterans of Lawrence County. Is located on…read morethe outside of a golden corral