This is a nice memorial that is located at the entrance of Sugar Creek Township Park. It is made…read morepossible by hard work of members of American Legion Post 182. It was dedicated in 2018, after years of planning. Parking here is easy, since it is located in a park with a decent sized private parking lot. The memorial is respectfully and tastefully done. At the entrance to the memorial, you will find a black marble slab with the memorial's sponsors on one side and the logos of the American Legion, above the logos of all 6 branches of service. Below all of that, on the slab's base, you will find the date the memorial was dedicated. Next to that is a sign to remind visitors to be respectful of the memorial. Which is sad that they have to do that, but I understand. Hopefully people will heed the sign. The memorial features bike racks with the logo of each respective branch of service, a walkway with pavers that are dedicated to veterans by family and friends. There is also 3 flag poles, with the center and tallest one flying the American flag, the one to its left flying the Indiana State Flag, and the one to its right flying the POW/MIA Flag. There is a nice pergola that serves as the flags' backdrop and there are two small cannons between the three flags. The memorial is in a circle/semi-circle formation. In the center is a 6 to 7 foot obelisk with inscriptions on the base of it. Words such as "INTEGRITY", "HONOR", "DUTY" and "SERVICE" and inscribed in the cement slab on the ground that leads to the obelisk from each of its 4 sides. On the outside perimeter around the obelisk. You will find black marble slabs with the logo of each respective branch of service inscribed in them. A little further past circle is a circular paved walkway and then some marble benches that were dedicated to veterans by their family and/or friends. Is it the best Veteran Memorial that I seen? No, but i am a sucker for honoring our veterans. It is a small but nice memorial and honors the County's local heroes in a fitting way. It was a team effort and took hard work from many volunteers to make this dream a reality. I understand that you would not travel to see this memorial, but it is worth a visit if you are in the area.

This Mall sits between the American Legion National headquarters and headquarters of the American…read moreLegion's Department of Indiana. The Indiana library Central branch is located across the street. It covers two blocks and on the grounds are the World War II, Korean, and Vietnam memorials. It has a sunken green grassy area when you can throw a blanket down and have a picnic or just relax. As stated on a sign that I saw in the grass there "This ground is dedicated to the illustrious dead, Fitting recognition is desired." Metered street parking is available on the street surrounding the mall. The mall is the site of some local festivals. It can be rented for special events and the cost is based on the amount of people. 1 - 1,000 people = $800 1,000 - 10,000 people = $1,800 10,000+ people = $3,000

So much room for potential and activation. As I stood there in the sunshine this morning, I…read morecouldn't help but think of all of the great events that could come to life in this centrally located space. It's peaceful. It's shaded. It's filled with beautiful statues and best of all, the backdrop of downtown buildings like Lady Victory and the Salesforce building. The park features picnic benches, a water fountain in the center and several gingko trees. In this park you'll find World War II, Korean and Vietnam memorials, as well as the American Legion's national headquarters. Fun fact: Indy is second only to DC for number of war memorials. Within a stone's throw of the American Legion Mall you'll find The Tap, Central Library, Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Monument Circle, the downtown Canal Walk, Mass Ave and restaurants like Garden Table, The Eagle and Bazbeaux Pizza (picnic, anyone?). The Mall extends from St. Clair Street to North Street between Meridian and Pennsylvania Streets.

Seated Lincoln is located just south of the Indiana War Memorial in downtown Indianapolis, an area…read morewith quite a few statues. Placed in 1935 by Henry Hering, Seated Lincoln has metered parking nearby and pretty much all around Indiana War Memorial and University Park. This is a bronze statue had been commissioned from the estate of Henry Clay Long, a Civil War veteran. It sits atop a granite base with "Abraham Lincoln" inscribed. The statue was officially dedicated on 12/27/1934 and cost a grand total of $16,000. I drive by this statue almost daily and I have to say it's one of my favorites of the war memorial statues downtown. It's well made and has aged incredibly well for a statue that is nearly 100 years old. I'm not sure why I've never reviewed these types of statues and landmarks that I see so often, but as I was driving by Abe last evening it took me down a bit of a rabbit hole in looking up the statue's history.

The seated Lincoln in University Park is a great little downtown stop. It's not the same pose as…read morethe famous Lincoln Memorial in Washington. This one shows Lincoln sitting more casually, almost mid-thought, with his coat open and one hand resting on papers. The sculptor was Henry Hering, and it was unveiled in 1930 as part of Indianapolis's long tradition of Lincoln memorials. It's here because Lincoln spoke in Indianapolis several times, and the city leaned into that history when designing the park. The whole setting is worth a walk as the statue sits among fountain, shade trees and other early 20th-century monuments that make the park feel like a small outdoor museum. [Review 1026 of 2026 - 232 in Indiana - 26205 overall]

A friend of mine was raised in Fortville, Indiana and this has given me the opportunity to visit…read morethe small town just Northeast of Indy quite a few times since my move from Pike Township to Lawrence Township a few years ago. Established in 1865, the Town of Fortville is in Hancock County. It's a fairly easy drive for anyone who lives on the Northeast side of Indy and quite a few Yelpers can be found in Fortville, Indiana either at Taxman Brewery or Foxgardin Kitchen & Ale. There's a main strip in Fortville that has some awesome public art. Pinkie the Elephant is a beloved Fortville icon and frequent spot for selfies - it also should be noted as being a geocache spot. Noteworthy restaurants include the aforementioned places - Taxman Brewery and Foxgardin Kitchen & Ale plus places like Broadway Diner, 305 Wine Garage, Cortona's Italian Cuisine and Wine Bar, Los Maguelles, and Libby's Ice Cream & Gifts. There's a Mozzi's Pizza in Fortville, a Lincoln Square (one of my favorite locations), and also a Pizza King. There's also a Dairy Queen on the main drag. Fortville has a couple parks. It has a neat location right by a train track and it's not uncommon to see trains while in the Fortville area. Fortville can pose a bit of a challenge in terms of accessibility. Because it's an older town, some of the buildings are truly quite a bit older and not particularly accessible. For example, Taxman has decent accessibility but Foxgardin does not. Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Sunrise Bakery is an awesome bakery in the area. I'd almost consider it a destination bakery. Super friendly and awesome baked goods. I once judged a chili cook-off here at the VFW in Fortville! In terms of the community, Fortville has a dog park, a library, and kids go to Mount Vernon Schools. 4 of 6 Town Council members are women. Currently, the population is just under 4,000. Nearby Greenfield is the county seat, but it would be hard not to love this small town with friendly people and just enough amenities to give you both the peace and quiet of a small town with the "stuff" that makes daily life a bit more comfortable.

Located next to Fishers and home to popular destinations like Taxman Brewery and FoxGardin Kitchen…read more& Ale, Fortville is a cute little town with an increasing number of great shops, entertainment, and restaurants. I attended the Fortville Winterfest recently and had a blast. It was well-advertised and very well organized, particularly for a small-town event. It was a great time to walk down Main Street and check out all of the new places that have opened in the past year or so, as well as take advantage of special one-day-only discounts and goodies in nearly all of the downtown shops. If you're in the Indy area, Fortville is definitely worth checking out if you're interested in trying out a new restaurant or bar, or just looking to get away from the bigger cities and enjoy a night out without the usual crowds and parking nightmares. You can follow Fortville Action Inc. on social media to see upcoming events.

I was looking at a map of the Meridian Hills area and saw "Second Presbyterian Church Labyrinth" as…read moreone of the landmarks. Say what? A labyrinth in Indianapolis? My interest was piqued and I set off to check it out. Turns out, my good Yelp buddy Richard P. has already visited this labyrinth and wrote a way better review of it than this one I'm writing right now. So read his review. Then, go and visit this labyrinth. You'll find it easily when you enter the church parking lot -- just follow the signs for "Children's Circle." I'll have to come back with my children, because I think they'd have fun walking on the labyrinth and getting to the center. It's a nice little spot with some boulders to climb on, and some benches to sit on, if you wish. It's located right off the church parking lot, but tucked into a little nook with trees, so it's definitely a place where you could find peace and quiet. It's really neat that there's a free place in Indy where you can mediate while walking on a labyrinth, and find a little time to yourself outdoors.

By now, it's no secret that I love labyrinths. I visit them regularly and the labyrinth at Second…read morePresbyterian Church is among my favorites in the state of Indiana. A relatively new labyrinth, this labyrinth was developed in 2013 as part of the over 180-year-old church's 175th anniversary celebration. This is an outdoor labyrinth built in concrete within one of Second Church's grassy areas. It's publicly accessible and other than during events held at the labyrinth is open for use. Rev. Gracie Payne, a former Lake Fellow at the church and now Director of Young Adults, led the development of a prayer guide for the labyrinth that is available on the church's website. The outdoor labyrinth is designed in the classic tradition similar to that of the one at Chartres Cathedral in France. While it's just a touch too narrow for full-on wheelchair use, the labyrinth is easily wheelchair accessible with a pathway that is smooth. I've had no difficulty following the labyrinth's paths - I simply go a bit outside the lines (which pretty much sums up my life anyway). This labyrinth is in an inspired location. It's easily accessible within the city, there's plenty of parking, it's a generally safe area (in fact, I often see police cars in the parking lot), and yet it's a fairly wooded lot offering a peaceful place for prayer and meditation. Second Church does periodically hold labyrinth-based events and the website is a great place to look for those. Currently, they are asking labyrinth users to wear a mask if 2 or more are using the labyrinth. There's also a bench where you can sit and reflect here, as well. Otherwise, this is a simple yet beautiful labyrinth and definitely one of my favorites.

Fluorescent frogs is a very cool and unwise display of public art located inside the intech park…read morearea of Indianapolis Indiana. My family and I discovered this cool piece while entering a round a bout on the way to our hotel while in town for a weekend get away from Lousiville. Int he center of the round a bout is a small pond. On Thai pond is some constructed Lilly pads with each containing a frog statue on them. At night these frogs glow a beautiful fluorescent light. Very pretty and unique thing to view. I'm not quite sure I've ever seen anything like this before. What a cool and creative way to spruce up a round about for intech park.

While I was pleased to see the October 20, 2025 re-opening of Hazel Landing Park in Carmel, I was…read moreeven more excited with the debut of the new Bur Oak Bridge. While I've had my issues with Carmel, the truth is this is a city that does its landmarks well and that includes bridges. The Bur Oak Bridge spans 500 feet across the White River. It's 14-feet wide and is designed for both pedestrians and cyclists (or, in my case, wheelchairs). What's cool here? The Bur Oak Bridge connects Carmel and Fishers by also connecting Hazel Landing Park (Carmel) and Heritage Park (Fishers). It also serves as a connector for Monon, Nickel Plate, and Big 4 Trails. This thing is honestly beautiful to look at, constructed very nicely, and super friendly to users. The Bur Oak Bridge was reportedly named after input from Native American tribes and reflects the nearby presence of several bur oak trees. The bridge was an $11 million project. It was a collaborative effort between Clay Township, Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation, Hamilton County, Delaware Township, and the City of Fishers. While I'd seen it a couple times before the recent snowy weather hit, I had the chance to stop by this week and check it out even in the snow (and people were still using it). Beautiful bridge and I can't wait to use it again once the weather improves.

If there's one curse I associate with being a wheelchair user, it's the fact that I tend to fall in…read morelove with historic houses that are far from wheelchair friendly. Such is the case with the Irvington area's "The Benton House," a home built in 1873 and intended to be one of the homes to set the architectural flavor of the Irvington area. Alas, the home's construction was shortly followed by an economic downtown and many of the surrounding homes were built on smaller lots and were a bit more modest in size. This 10-room home served as home from former Butler University President Dr. Allan Benton (Fun Fact: His wife was named Silence, which I personally think is an incredibly cool name). By 1907, it had changed hands and stayed in the Miller family until 1966 when it was sold to the Irvington Historic Landmarks Foundation. There are items from Dr. Benton still located in the home. The home recently underwent renovations and is available for club meetings, weddings, private parties, and retreats. As it is a historic home and noted as a historic landmark, it is not wheelchair friendly. Getting around the yard is fairly easy, though there are steps into the home. Geocachers will be interested to note that there's a geocache located within close proximity of the home - this is actually how I originally discovered the home myself. It remains a nicely wooded lot and is quite often decorated seasonally. You can actually become a "member" of The Benton House - $25 for individuals annually and $50 for families and/or organizations. There are benefits associated with membership, though the greatest benefit is supporting a really beautiful and historic Irvington home. As a wheelchair user, I love homes like this even though they are far from wheelchair friendly. My own home is a 1955 California ranch that, quite fortunately, is on one level. However, I've long felt like if I ever obtained the ability to walk or increase mobility one of my first actions would be to buy a home such as this incredible beauty.

The Benton House will be in my fondest memories for decades to come... granted I might be a little…read morebiased since we had our rehearsal dinner, wedding ceremony, and reception here. Working with Linda was a breeze. She is so sweet and accommodating. The preferred tent company is a little exhausting, but I kind of think the whole formal wedding process is a little exhausting, so that might just be personal preference. I can't handle talking about table cloth colors for two hours without feeling like I'm losing my mind a little. My husband and I couldn't have been happier with the weekend, and it seems like our guests had a great time, as well. If you're looking at renting The Benton House for any type of indoor event under 100 people, or outdoor event under 150, I 100% recommend it.