Pokagon State Park, Greencastle, Martinsville, Danville, and Speedway. Quite a few visits this month.
The month started out with a trip to northeastern Indiana and Steuben County. The Indiana Municipal Managers Association annual meeting was held at Pokagon State Park. An interesting opportunity this year was a hike through the park. We hiked parts of Trails 3, 6, and 9, as well as climbed Hell’s Point. Since I missed the redbuds in southern Indiana the month before, northern Indiana had them in full bloom.
There were a couple of other fun finds while wandering in Steuben County. Trine State Recreation Area was an interesting point of interest, and just up the road was Marsh Lake Wetlands State Fish and Wildlife Area. Fremont and Clear Lake were a couple of quaint communities on my way to a place I really looked forward to visiting – the Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan common corner. (See photo). Another interesting find was the marker explaining how Indiana’s northern state border was moved further north (see photo).
On the way back home, I followed Old SR 1 and headed south. It’s always interesting to see these old roads (or railroads) and the crossroads that once might have thrived, like York, Metz, and Alvarado on this particular trip. Hamilton became the actual destination before leaving Steuben County and having dinner at Howie’s on Hamilton, which overlooks Hamilton Lake.
We are doing some work in Greencastle, and it warranted a visit. While in town, eating at Almost Home on the courthouse square is a necessity. Indiana has so many counties with courthouse squares, which can be very unique and quite an opportunity for visiting.
DePauw University has incorporated its campus toward the square, which presents another element of intrigue. No visit would be complete without a visit to the DePauw Nature Park. The scenery is quite beautiful, and there are many hiking trails. I prefer the trail along Big Walnut Creek.
I had the privilege to hike in Morgan-Monroe State Forest, at Arbuckle Acres Park in Brownsburg, and at W.S. Gibbs Park in Avon over the last month as well. Martinsville, Bloomington, and Danville were other places visited this past month. Danville was special, as we ate at Square Burgers for dinner and listened to a good cover band on the square.
The Indy 500 is upon us again for the 110th running. Speedway has a special place in my heart since that was where I relocated after leaving Evansville. The town has greatly changed over the years, the events around the 500 seem to have consistently changed, but the excitement at the track is still worth the visit!
Where are some places I can visit? Send them along, and have a great time wandering.
~ Jeff Banning
