This place is a DISASTER!! AVOID AT ALL COSTS. No self service kiosk. Slowest patrons and workers…read moreof any town in indiana. Seriously will wait in line till you have to stand outside.

A local librarian told me I had to visit the historic post office in town, and I'm glad I did. The…read morebrick building was built in 1935, constructed with New Deal funds, and is still mostly in original state. It's like taking a step back in time. A mural by Alan Tompkins entitled "Arrival of the Mail" is the first thing I noticed. The 1937 mural depicts people excited and anxiously awaiting the distribution of mail at a time before postal delivery. The mural was commissioned by President Roosevelt to support artists. Tompkins was an art instructor at Herron in Indianapolis. He lived to 100 and painted prolifically during his career. The mural has water damage and was restored by A. Raemaekers in 1974. The post office's lovely oak trim and brass postal boxes are original. Framed local postal history and a heartwarming story of "Tiger, the postal dog" hang above the post boxes. Photos of the building's construction hang on the wall. An addition to the facility was added in 1974 to the south side of the building. Today, the building is part of the Martinsville Historic District. The building is accessible, a ramp has been added. There is limited parking in front. If you're in Martinsville, a visit is recommended.

We attended a court hearing in the Morgan County Circuit Court today. I know there are a total of…read moresix courtrooms. Circuit Court is on the second floor. It looks like civil and litigation matters are handled on the second floor's three courtrooms. I didn't go up to the third floor but I'm guessing that is where the criminal proceedings are heard. The first floor is where county offices like tax assessor and elections are located. The parking lot seems adequate as there were many spaces available. The building opened in July of this year and is impressive! Lots of space and waiting areas with plenty of seating. The restrooms are very nice, clean, with automatic flushing capabilities. Again, lots of adequate space. A justice center residents of Morgan County can be proud of.

if you traveled down to nashville, indiana through morgantown, you've probably passed by this…read morefamous ginkgo tree. the ginkgo tree in morgantown has a notable and touching history dating back to the civil war. the tree was planted by a former pow from the civil war, ruben c. griffith. according to griffith, he watched a tiny ginkgo tree grow through a crack outside his prison. he found inspiration in the tree. after his release, he returned home and became a prominent physician. he planted a ginkgo tree outside the home he built in 1894, where the tree has thrived for over 100 years. the tree was placed on the national registry in 2006. a plaque stands next to the inspirational tree. the plaque reads: the legend of the ghinko tree ruben c. griffith was born in a log cabin on this lot in 1845. at the age of 17 he enlisted with the union army only to be captured one year later and incarcerated in the legendary andersonville prison in georgia. from his small prison window he watched a tiny tree grow out of a dry crack in the earth. it gave him hope that he too might survive. having seen the dire need for physicians during the war, upon his release he returned home and became a prominent morganton physician. in 1894 he tore down the family cabin & built this house to use as his residence & office. in 1908, the governor of indiana commissioned him to return to andersonville to erect a memorial for the 630 indiana soldiers who died at andersonville. upon his return he carried with him a ghinko sapling which he planted in this spot. unfortunately in 1910 while observing fireworks from an upstairs window dr griffith fell to his death. this house and tree was added to the national registry in 2006. i can't help but love these small town stories that give insights into our history. the tree is inspirational and maybe the best reason to visit morgantown. there is free street parking near the tree.

The Brown County Court House is located in the county seat of Nashville, Indiana. The Court House…read moreis home to the Circuit Court. Unlike other counties in Indiana, there is no grand square with a domed top building. The Court House is a colonial red brick, older building that stands surrounded by beautiful trees and inviting park benches. The current 2-story building was built in 1874 by McCormack and Sweeney of Columbus, Indiana at the cost of $9000. The building replaced an earlier structure that was destroyed by fire at the same location. The court room and jury rooms are on the second floor and general offices are on the first floor. The Court House is part of a series of historic buildings that tourists can visit. A historic log-cabin jail and historic society are among the buildings. A modern addition was added to the back of the courthouse and serves as the new entry, which enables accessibility. In front of the Courthouse is a small war memorial to recognize those from the area that served.

My spouse and I went on the Columbus architecture tour. The Miller House and Garden is the focal…read morepart of the architecture of Columbus. The architect Saarinen developed plans for only three houses all for the Miller's. Almost all the doorways are handicapped accessible and the house is one level. Although built in the 1950s many of the design concepts are still seen today. if you are going for the architecture tour, this is a must

loved the aesthetic of this house. first saw it on Kogonada's film Columbus and just had to go see…read moreit. the one thing though is the movie makes it seem like you can walk freely through the house, you cannot. it's an informative guided tour. and you're only allowed to take pictures on this particular rug. I'm fine without getting anymore photos, but I would have loved to spend some more time outside exploring the grounds. also I saw pictures of the couch with red cushions, it was definitely more eye catching with those. (big thing: read your confirmation email and show up at the visitor center first)

This amazing building in downtown Columbus was designed by architect Don Hisaka in 1990 (with an…read moreaddition by RQAW on 2008). At first glance, I thought the modern building was a museum with a beautiful entrance and domed courtyard. But it is the county jail. Because this is a detention center, only visitors that are visiting inmates are allowed inside. Architect buffs must enjoy from the exterior only. If I go to jail, this is where I want to be. My rating is based on ascetics.

The year was 1826 (200 years ago). Indiana had become the 19th state in 1816. Edinburg settlers,…read moreJames Thompson and Issac Collier built the first flour mill at this site on the Big Blue River. Twenty five years later, they built a larger four story brick mill. The mill became an important source of flour for Union Troops during the Civil War. Thompson used Indiana limestone to build the first stone dam in the Midwest across the Blue River. The site is marked by a historic marker and a former mill wheel now holds flowers. The nearby bridge offers views of the river and stone wall remnants from the dame and mill. Some years, I find the site is picturesque and filled with flowers. This year, nearby road construction has delayed the planting and left an unsightly mess. There is a small parking lot and picnic table near the historical marker where I parked. There are warning signs telling people to stay clear of the dangerous embankment and waters. Some years the falls over the Big Blue River is spectacular- during my visit the falls were quiet. This historic area needs a facelift and some love.

Morgan County Public Library has a cool library system that extends outside their county to…read moresurrounding counties for resources and books. I go online to their website to find and reserve a book I like and the search brings you to the Evergreen Indiana Library Consortium. This consortium project of over 100 public libraries is supported by the Indiana State Library. I find the book I want, place a "hold" on it and it will be delivered to the library nearest you or the library of your choice in just a few days. Then you will be notified via email, or text that it is ready to be picked up. After your initial check out time of three weeks is up, it is automatically renewed for three more weeks, two more times. So you get a total of nine weeks to read your book. I have a Kindle and I have read books using it but I like hard bound books better. Morgan County Public Library does offer eBooks if you prefer. They even offer a free app if you like reading a book via your phone. So, want to read a $30 hard bound book for free? Check out your local library.