Western Indiana,
An extra-long weekend full of fun.
By
Sally Campbell Grout
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It's not as old as the Old West, or as wild as the Wild West. Still, Western
Indiana offers adventures that range from rugged and rustic to peaceful and
educational to throw-your-head-back-and-laugh fun. And with attractions located
just a short drive apart, you can stuff a lot of fun into a few days.
Crawfordsville, Indiana was not the place to get arrested after1882. If you
did, you might have served time in the building that's now the Old Jail Museum
(Phone 765 362 5222). The rotary jail, the first of seven built in the United States,
featured a unique turning cellblock. The jailer would simply rotate the
mechanism to the one and only opening, and put prisoners in or let them out.
Eventually condemned for being unsafe and unsanitary, the jail was closed. It
reopened as a museum in 1975. Exhibits include local Indian and pioneer
artifacts, period costumes, tools, toys and household furnishings, along with
items relating to the Old Jail.
 If you're still
thinking of wolves as little pig chasing grandmother eaters, you've obviously
never gotten to know a real wolf. Here's your chance. Wolf Park
in Battle Ground
(Phone 765 567 2265), a nonprofit education and research facility, allows
visitors to see wolves at close range in their 6.75-acre naturalistic enclosed
home. Wolf Park research focuses on wolves' social and reproductive behavior,
some predator-prey interaction studies, and development of handling techniques
for human-wolf interaction. Saturday night visitors (weather permitting) can
hear a lecture on wolf communication and join in the "wolf howl."
("Howls" also take place on Friday nights, but only from May through
November).
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Can't get to a coral reef in the Atlantic or Pacific? Then see one in the
heart of the Midwest. Inland Aquatics in
Terre Haute
(Phone 812 232 9000), a 13,000
square foot facility housing thousands of gallons of saltwater production tanks,
features America's largest public coral reef on display. Open since 1995, this
unique facility is dedicated to the research and commercial reproduction of
ornamental marine fish, hard and soft coral, live rock, live sand, algae and
other invertebrates. "Residents" include Dwarf Angels, Anthias,
Basslets, Blennies, Clowns, Gobies and Shrimp.
Cataract Falls in the Cagles Mill Lake/Lieber State Recreation Area
(Phone 765 795 4576) is probably one of the most appropriately named "falls"
you'll ever see. Why? It's actually two waterfalls in one. Water tumbles down
onto a limestone bed, rolls along and then tumbles down a second fall. Walk
behind the water (yes, you can!) for a really great view. Pack a lunch and some
sunscreen -- definitely leave the cell phone in the car -- and prepare to have a
perfectly peaceful day.
Call it a parting gift from the last glacier to pass through Indiana. When
Fall Creek ran into some resistant sandstone that big block of ice deposited on
its trip through the Hoosier state, the creek chose (if creeks can choose, that
is) to roll across a ledge that's now not far from Williamsport's downtown
courthouse. Williamsport Falls is one of Indiana's highest waterfalls.
Western Indiana is home to two more ideal areas for taking in some fresh air
and sunshine. Both located along Sugar Creek, Shades State Park
(Phone 765 435 2810)
and Turkey Run State Park (Phone 765 597 2635) offer different types of days outdoors.
A favorite for hikers and canoeists, Shades is known for its sandstone cliffs
and shady ravines. Turkey Run's famous hiking trails take visitors past natural
geologic sites, stands of aged forests, and scenic views along Sugar Creek.
Ernie Pyle may not have been a war hero in the traditional sense. He didn't
lead troops; he didn't plan air strikes. But as a journalist, he reported the
real story of life on the front during World War II. Soldiers respected him for
his true accounts and for his willingness to put himself right in the action,
often digging foxholes as he lived shoulder-to-shoulder with the men he covered.
Americans at home appreciated the connection to their fathers, husbands,
brothers and sons and for true accounts of their actions and emotions. Even
Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower and
Omar Bradley read Pyle's columns to monitor
troops' morale. When Pyle was killed by a Japanese sniper's bullet in 1945,
America grieved. Today, the life and words of the Indiana native are preserved
at the Ernie Pyle State Historic Site in Dana (Phone 765 665 3633).
The home where he
was born, along with two Quonset huts, display thousands of pieces of
memorabilia, including the shovel he used to dig foxholes, a typewriter he used
early in his career, and a jacket he wore while covering the troops. A library
of Pyle's columns is also located at the site.
Ready to hit some campus bookstores? Western Indiana is home to several
world-renowned colleges, each tucked into an inviting town. Lafayette, home to
Purdue University, has the cultural amenities you'd expect in a big school's
home--museums, a symphony orchestra, and the Triple XXX Family Restaurant. (It's
not what you think! It's Indiana's first drive-in restaurant.) The Terre Haute
area boasts three fine schools, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (on every
future engineer's "A-list") Indiana State University (still basking in
Larry Bird afterglow) and, just five miles north of town, Saint
Mary-of-the-Woods College and its 67-acre wooded campus. Nearby Greencastle
Indiana is home to Dan Quayle's alma mater, the picturesque DePauw University.
DePauw's rival in the annual "Monon Bell" football game is Wabash
College, an independent liberal arts college for men, in Crawfordsville.
Whatever kind of summer fun you prefer, you're sure to find it and Indiana
Beach in Monticello (Phone 574 583 4141). Ride the 26 adult rides in the amusement
park-and let the kids try the nine children's rides. Play miniature golf on two
courses. Build a castle and take a dip at the sand beach. Cool off on the six
water slides in the water park. Shop on the boardwalk. Watch the water ski show
spectacular. Fish in the well-stocked lake. Unwind at the Skyroom Restaurant and
Roof Lounge. Can't fit it all into one day? No problem. Indiana Beach has tent
and RV campsites, cabins, an inn, motels and cottages.
You may want to check an Indiana Festival Guide before you plan that Western
Indiana excursion. The calendar is filled with fun festivals throughout the area
all year long. Some favorites: Billie Creek's Civil War Days, Indiana's largest
Civil War Event, in June; Clay City Lions' Club Pottery Festival, complete with
hand-turning demonstrations, also in June; and Carroll County Old Settler's
Rendezvous, an 1830's gathering, in August. Two favorites that draw statewide
attention in October are the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival (Phone 765 569
5226)
and the Feast of the Hunters' Moon (Phone 765 476 8402) in West Lafayette.
The 10-day
Covered Bridge Festival celebrates Parke County's 30 plus historic covered
bridges with crafts, food, tours, dancing, wagon rides and other fun. The
two-day Feast of the Hunter's Moon at Fort Ouiatenon is a re-enactment of life
at a French outpost during the 1700s featuring food, authentic costumes,
historic activities and unique shopping.
To find more fun in Western Indiana
(and throughout the state) visit enjoyindiana.com.
All of our articles are hand picked for content and style. If you have
appreciated this one, please book mark this page because you will love the rest
of them. * Front Page * Weekend getaways in Western Indiana
* Northern Indiana * Indiana Waterways * Eastern Indiana *
Indiana and Basketball * Explore Indiana's Underground Railroad * MORE
articles along these lines are wanted. What kind of stories do you
have? Other States *
If you are in sales, and most of us are in one form or another, this book can mean the difference between feast and famine. With the economy like it is there are a lot of people wishing they could sell better and feast more often. Making more when others are making less is a great feeling, I can tell you.