This remarkable covered bridge is a testament to excellent engineering. The history is described on…read morea plaque inside the bridge and on a historical marker outside. The bridge, designed by Robert Smith, was manufactured in Toledo Ohio and assembled over Mill Creek in 1876. The bridge has a unique structure of X shaped trusses, which is rare in Indiana. The first covered bridge at this site (an Arch Truss) was destroyed by flood. The Smith Truss was chosen as a replacement due to its ability to survive floods. The bridge is only open to pedestrian traffic now and was replaced by a modern concrete structure for traffic in 1988. The bridge was restored in 2000 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Picnic tables fill the bridge for Park visitors to enjoy a lunch. Walking across the bridge offers great views of the creek below leading to Cataract Falls. The bridge has fallen unfortunate victim to unsightly graffiti. Worth a visit if you like architecture, history and nature. The bridge is now part of Cataract Falls State Park. There was no charge to visit during our visit. A nearby parking lot holds plenty of cars. The path to the bridge is paved and an easy walk.

The Monroe County Courthouse sits on a grand square surrounded by thriving restaurants, bars and…read moreshops. There is an energy around the square that I have not seen at other county courthouses. The courthouse building, completed in 1907 is constructed of Indiana limestone (of course). There is a large copper dome on top and four large clocks around the tower. A limestone-carved Lady Liberty sits over the main entrance with a male figure sitting beside her. The building is National Registered as a Historic Place. The Courthouse is surrounded by memorials. The is a really nice Viet Nam memorial on the West side with beautifully cared for flowering plants. On the East side is a War Memorial commentating those who served in multiple wars back to the Spanish American War. Other memorials honor local public servants. This is very much a working Courthouse housing the Circuit Court. Residents can register to vote here. Landscaping is variable around the courthouse with parts needing care. Many of the statues and the exterior of the courthouse building are in need of cleaning.

Monroe County was formed by the Indiana General Assembly and Bloomington was selected as the county…read moreseat in 1818. A one-story two-room log cabin was the original. The second courthouse was built here between 1819-1826 and was two stories with brick and a stone foundation. It was expanded a couple of times but was eventually demolished for the construction of this new courthouse. The current stricture was build in 1908 and is in the Beaux Arts style. It is large, majestic and absolutely lovely. You'll want to try spotting the weather vane on the top of the dome which was saved from the original courthouse. The grounds of the courthouse have a number of memorials including a Civil War monument and a World War monument (because back then, there was only the one). There is metered street parking on all four sides of the courthouse and the square is surrounded by bars and restaurants and retail shopping. [Review 20563 overall - 101 in Indiana - 1544 of 2023.]

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.

I haven't managed to make it to Riverside Iowa for Captain Kirk's birthplace but I'm here in…read moreBloomington and I got to visit this memorial to Captain Janeway's birthplace. Yes, the Star Trek: Voyager star was born (will be born?) on May 20, 2336. The monument is located not far from the courthouse square along a rail trail. It's not hard to find and if you're at all a Star Trek fan, make the effort. [Review 20565 overall - 102 in Indiana - 1546 of 2023.]

My nerdy Star Trek dreams come true. The future birthplace of one of the most popular characters in…read morethe Star Trek universe!

Located in the center of the (city? town? village?) of Nashville, this marker points out the artist…read morethat pretty much put it on the map. There is street parking nearby and you should not miss the museum a few blocks away. The marker is on two sides with the front reading, "Photographer, artist, and newspaper columnist Frank Hohenberger moved to Nashville in 1917. Through his black and white, large format photographs, he documented the residents, artists, daily life, traditions, and natural beauty of Brown County. From 1923-1954, he wrote an Indianapolis Star column, "Down in the Hills O' Brown County" that helped popularize the area." And the reverse, "Hohenberger took over 15,000 photographs and negatives during his career, including "The Liar's Bench," one of his best-selling prints. He was commissioned for projects across Indiana and in other states and delivered many illustrated lectures on his work. His internationally popular photographs have been preserved at the Lilly Library, Indiana University." This is marker number 7.2019.1 and was erected in 2019 by the Indiana Historical Bureau, Peaceful Valley Heritage Preservation and Brown County Community Foundation. [Review 20544 overall - 85 in Indiana - 1525 of 2023.]

The Trafalgar Branch Library is pretty amazing. Even before going inside, I was struck by the…read morenatural wildflower/prairie garden that surrounds the building. A trail winds through the garden with the Kelsey Anne Devine StoryWalk for kids. (Kelsey was a local resident that passed away too young). In front of the building is a large art sun sculpture. There is also a patio with chairs to sit and read surrounded by additional garden. Inside, the library is large and open with beautiful high ceilings. Wood and stone give the building a natural feeling. The Children's Area has a small play area and a separate room dedicated to play. There are lots of books for the kids. The Teen Area has comfy seating and a chess set set up. Besides books, there is information posted about important topics for teens. The Adult Area has more comfortable seating surrounding a fireplace. Lots of natural light comes into the space from large windows that overlook the garden. This is my favorite spot to read the daily newspaper. Plenty of small tables are scattered throughout the building. A set of public computers are available near center of the library. A large community room with small kitchen near the entrance was being cleaned during my visit. Baskets of free vegetables from summer gardens for visitors to take home stand near the entrance. Outside, an emergency box with opioid antidote reminds us of the struggle with addiction in our rural communities. There is plenty of parking outside with several handicapped spaces. This library offers much more than books and I'll be back.

Beautiful library with great staff, plus it has a fireplace. Fast wifi and quick checkout!read more

Showalter Fountain is one of IU's landmark locations. It also is super close to the accessible…read moreparking for IU Auditorium, so there was no way I was going to miss it during a recent Bloomington trip. Showalter Fountain includes a sculpted work from Ralph Laurent showing the mythical goddess Venue coming out of a clamshell (it's actually called "Birth of Venue"). The fountain is named after its benefactor - Grace Montgomery Showalter. It was installed in 1961. For those who remember IU's recent football championship (everyone), you'll likely remember that IU temporarily displaced bronze fish sculptures from this fountain to ensure no major hijinks going on. Laurent was born in France. He immigrated to the U.S. at age 20 to study under painter Hamilton Easter Field. He joined the IU faculty in 1942 and stayed there until retirement in 1961. Showalter Fountain isn't necessarily the fanciest fountain around, however, it's definitely one of IU's iconic landmarks in Bloomington. It was pretty cool to get to see it, especially because I didn't really plan the extra visit. I just looked up and it was there.

Pretty landmark fountain on campus. I love the mermaid theme and the fish around her. It's really…read morenice to walk past the fountain on hot days and feel the slight spray of water as you go by.

Local artist, Michael McAuley, created this bronze statue of local music legend, Hoagy Carmichael…read more Hoagy sits at his bronze piano just outside the IU Auditorium on the IU campus. The patio is surrounded by a lush serene garden. There is no parking close to the statue and you have to walk to see the statue. It took me some time to find, as it is tucked in near a wall just outside the doors of the Auditorium. I recommend visiting when classes are not in session. IU has a lot of interesting and beautiful art scattered around the campus.

Beautiful tribute to one of America's best composers. It captures his image well and it's so…read morerefreshing to see this be a fixture at IU, given his legacy and time there. I love that the pose is of him at work with "Stardust" at his fingertips, as he penned that just a few blocks away. It's easy for me to conjure up the image of what his style of work may have been like and I can totally hear the song in my head as I go by. I'm so happy that this tribute to him exists.