On my day of exploring Grant County, my first stop was in Gas City to check out their local park…read morewhich is also known as "Eugene Beaner Linn Memorial Park". So glad I did! It was one of the nicest parks I found all day! The park serves as a spot for everyone. There is a pond as well as having the river run by the west side of the park. There are baseball fields. There is a really nice playground with plenty of parking, shade, restrooms, and a series of swings that are fully accessible for kids with physical challenges. There is an amphitheater on the hill for entertainment. All in all, it is a really nice park for a town of about 6000 people. Review #2234

In downtown Upland, there is a well kept park that is filled with historical information and…read moreobjects from the days when the railroads made and broke towns. Upland was believed to be the highest point between Chicago and Columbus so a depot was erected here. The park has a curved wall that has plaques with information about Upland. There is also a gazebo on the west end, a caboose in the middle, and a wooden play train large enough for smaller kids to play in. Unfortunately, the depot and caboose don't allow visitors to go inside. That would be cool if they could be restored and allow tours at certain times. Review #2550

On the west end of downtown Upland is a nice park that features baseball, basketball, a playground,…read morea shelter, and picnic tables. The courts and ballfield look like they are in good condition. The playground area has a mulch base and a variety of pieces to swing, climb, and slide on. There is also a gazebo and additional picnic tables in the mature shady tree area. My only negative was parking. I saw several vehicles pulled onto the grass to get out of the single lane drives through the park. If there is additional parking by the playground, it must be somewhere not obvious to most of the park visitors. Review #2552

Tucked away on the south side of Jonesboro is the community park that serves as the place for…read morerecreation and Old Settler's Day events. There is a cabin from 1834 that belonged to Obadiah Jones, whom the town was named after. The park also has basketball, shelters, two playgrounds, disc golf, and some baseball fields on the southern end. There is a gravel parking lot on the north end of the park along with one of the shelters close by. But neither are in the best shape. Some TLC would help the park return to a better appearance, and of course, funding would help a lot. Still, lots of space and a variety of things to do here. Review #2235

The other day we spent an afternoon at this waterpark and the kids had a blast, they are already…read moreasking again to go! It's been hot here and everything water related sounds good! Our favorites were the wave pool and the lazy river. We didn't have little ones so we didn't use the kid's area. There is plenty of lounging chairs but if it's super busy these may fill up pretty fast. Luckily you can also set your stuff up in the grassy area too. These are my tips for visiting: 1. Best hours are between after lunch and close. 2. You gotta keep your water bottles, drinks, and snacks in the car. So pack a cooler for breaks or purchase from their snack bar (affordable prices & had 1/2 food after 5pm!). You can also bring in empty bottles to fill up. 3. Stay with your little ones in the wave pool. While our older kids loved the high wave hours, it can been rough for little guys. 4. Check Groupon, they were admission packs available! 5. The "toilet plunge" waterslide is a little rough for little kids, and kids must be 48" or taller for the water slides so they are great for older kids. And there is a specific kid area for the smaller kids! 6. Pack your own beach towels, sunscreen. 7. They aren't really any shaded area, so bring something, like a shade tent, to set up in the grassy areas if preferred.

Very Affordable, the wave pool is bomb, but the slides are meh and the toilet bowl looking one…read morehurts your back.

it amazing it just the park part it needs to be fixed i like the wood the paio is great is like a…read moreshelter

This park has a lot of potential. There is a lot of wooded space that would allow for a nice…read morewalking trail. They already have a basketball goal, a shelter, and a small, but decent playground. Parking is gravel based on the southeast side of the park, but there is also street parking available on the side streets. What makes this place different is that there are posted plans that the park will be upgraded to include a splash park and an improved playground. There should be an amphitheater too! Unfortunately, the sign didn't have a target date that I noticed, so it may take a while to be realized. It also didn't say if the parks department is making the upgrade or if the neighborhood is raising funds. Either way, it is a decent park now, and could become one of the best in the city! Review #2238

I like the idea of this park, just not the reality. It could be a really nice place to visit…read more There are gazebos and a fountain, a couple small walking loops, a playground, plenty of paved parking, and a paved area that looks like it is intended for activities and possibly could be used for a festival/farmer's market. The reality is that the gazebos are in dire need of repainting (poor paint selection as it is peeling badly!), trees have been broken off at the base and need replaced, and the activity area looks unfinished. There are markings for a pickleball court, but no supports for a net and no holes in the concrete to place poles. The shuffle board area only works if you have a place to rent/borrow the equipment (who has those things at home?). There is a long stretch of an astroturf-type material that has slightly raised walls surrounding it. The website says this is a bocce ball court, but are visitors supposed to bring their own? It looks that way. And sadly, the vandalism on the restroom has taken over the side away from the street and facing the playground. Who wants to take kids to a park that has profanity painted on the walls? The good news is that things aren't so far gone that they can't be corrected. The park is also right next to the Cardinal Greenway and would make a nice stopping point for a break for visitors if this was restored. Review #2259

Located on the outside of the bend in the river near downtown is a small park that is connected to…read morethe Riverwalk. The park has a mini parking lot for easy access. There is a small playground, a shelter and with the shelter are restrooms. The park is wooded with mature trees. There is an overlook deck built along the water's edge, but it was closed awaiting repair work. It looks like it would be a great place to relax and enjoy the view of the water. Review #2252

James Dean is an Indiana legend who captured hearts and was taken too young. This small memorial…read morecommemorates the site of an apartment (now gone) in which he was born in Marion, Indiana. I happened upon the memorial while looking for a place to eat. There is a large sign pointing to the memorial and a historical marker at the memorial. A large granite monument with impressions of Dean is surrounded by benches to sit. Dean died in an automobile accident at the age of 24. He is bury in Fairmont, Indiana, where he grew up. He had made three movies depicting life in the early 1950's. While he died before I was born, I remember watching reruns of his movies with my mother. I think of her as I see the memorial. There is limited street parking near the memorial and no amenities.

What a nice tribute to James Dean! I was so excited to see that Marion, IN, gave quite the upgrade…read moreto their memorial in honor of Dean's birthplace. This is a small but nice park with a gorgeous memorial. Lots of free parking right next to it.

The Grant County Courthouse in Marion, Indiana was built in 1881 as the third Courthouse of the…read moreCounty. The granite building is surrounded by many memorials honoring those who served in wars from Grant County. The Courthouse, designed by E. E. Myers, is a replica of a structure in Elyria, Ohio. Originally, a large dome with a statue of Lady Justice topped the Courthouse. The dome structure and statue became unstable and began to fail in the 1920s and dropped debris into the streets. The dome was removed during the 1940s. The statue stood in a local park, where vandals eventually destroyed her. Today, the head has been salvaged and resides at the Marion Public Library. No mobile phones are allowed in the Courthouse, so I was unable to take interior photos. The original woodwork has been painted gray and very little original detail of the original building has been retained. All courts were in session, the Courthouse is fully operational as it has been for nearly 150 years. The deputy told me that there is some original detail in several of the courtrooms. I saw original folding seats in one courtroom had been painted. I saw no artwork in the courthouse. There is public parking around the square. The building is accessible. There is no historical information within the courthouse. Overall, not worth a visit unless you have business to conduct.