123 year old monument to Civil War veterans. Incredible little piece of history that still stands…read moretoday.

To look at the Soldiers & Sailors Monument now, you might think it looks a lot like the monument in…read moreIndy. The reason is that back in 1903, sculptor Rudolf Schwarz created the five bronzes for this monument after having completed many of the bronzes down in Indy. You might also think that this monument must have been here for over a hundred years. But it wasn't. It was originally located on the south east corner of the courthouse and was dismantled in 1967. After sitting in storage for five years, the monument was reconstructed at this location and dedicated in 1973. The bronzes that you see include a 10' flag bearer on top, and statues of Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, and Navy on a lower ring. When this monument was reconstructed, it displaced the miniature bronze Statue of Liberty that was built in 1951 as part of a Boy Scouts of America program. There are six of these mini statues around northern Indiana. The South Bend mini was moved to the east side of the courthouse. This is one of many stylish memorials erected over 100 years ago that commemorates those who fought to save the Union. South Bend's is in remarkable condition and is worth visiting the next time you are downtown. Review #3108

Rode the Pumpkinvine Trail from Goshen to Shipshewana and back to Goshen. We stopped for lunch in…read moreMiddlebury and hit the bakery in Shipshewana for a snack. Several interesting food options in Middlebury and lots of Amish shops in Shipshewana. The trail is well maintained and smooth with a mix of crushed stone and paved sections. It's largely wooded, shady, and shielded from the wind. It's mostly flat. I was there on a Saturday and there was plenty of traffic on the trail, but no congestion. Lots of Amish and Mennonites on the trail on a nice late summer day.

I traveled the Pumpkinvine Trail as part of my 25th Anniversary Tenderness Tour, a wheelchair tour…read moreof Northern Indiana raising awareness and funds on behalf of organizations working to break the cycle of child abuse/domestic violence. Among the several trails that I traveled over the course of my 13 days, the Pumpkinvine was perhaps my favorite as it weaved together an absolutely beautiful trail, cultural relevance, friendly people, and the great diversity of nature. Depending upon whom you speak with, the Pumpkinvine either starts in Elkhart's Ox Bow Park Goshen's Abshire Park. However, the Pumpkinvine website (http://pumpkinvine.org) documents the trail beginning in Elkhart and a sign at the end of the trail at County Road 850 (just about .6 miles from Shipshewana) documents your distance at 26.3 miles for completing the entire trail. If you've caught on that the trail is in the heart of Elkhart County and moves on into the edges of LaGrange County, then it shouldn't be a surprise that the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail is frequented by members of the area's Amish community who mostly use the trail utilizing bicycles as horses are forbidden on the trail. As I wheeled the entire trail from Elkhart to the end near Shipshewana, I repeatedly encountered members of the Amish community who were likely out enjoying one of the area's last decent days before the Fall chills arrive. The trail is certainly not exclusive to the Amish community and this happened to be one of the few trails where I encountered people from beginning to end even on a day that it drizzled or rained pretty much all day (including a very brief period of snow). The entire trail is paved asphalt with the exception of a 1.75 mile section that includes some country road travel that is comprised of packed limestone. This particular section, as well, is the only section that might prove to be a bit of a challenge for some folks with a mobility impairment. It's lightly traveled by vehicles, but it's a little more uneven and vehicles and buggies do travel on it. That said, my very minor concerns about it aren't enough for me to dock the Pumpkinvine a star (NOTE: IF a 1/2 star were an option, I might go 4.5). For those familiar with the trail's history, it's noteworthy that the beauty of the trail doesn't quite reveal how controversial it was when it was first being developed and how much certain landowners fought the planned usage and, to this day, hang out their "no trespassing signs" along the path to ensure no one stumbles off the trail onto their land. While I encountered no negativity along the route, there was no question that this impacted the ambience just a slight bit. The trail also has brochures that will tell you about various historical places along the trail including information regarding Chief Shipshewana and nearby Amish landmarks including a schoolhouse right off the trail. While the Amish on the whole can be a bit distant, you probably would be too if you were treated as a tourist attraction, I found them to be friendly and personable throughout my 26 mile ride and their presence adds a uniqueness to this trail you simply don't find anywhere else. Motorized vehicles, with the exception of motorized wheelchairs, aren't allowed on the trail. Bicycles, walkers, runners, and wheelers are encouraged. The trail holds events at various times throughout the year and I believe there's even a season for cross-country skiing being allowed. That's probably not in the Summer, eh? There are places to park along the trail especially as you reach the towns of Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. Being in a wheelchair, it is definitely worth noting that I ran over a TON of cherry pits. While this didn't do any damage to the chair, it may be possible during the Fall season that hitting a pit the wrong way could potentially slice a tire. It's a fairly light risk, but it's worth noting. Among the many beautiful trails I've traveled over the past couple weeks, it's pretty hard to top Elkhart/LaGrange County's beautiful and well kept Pumpkinvine Nature Trail.

During a weekend visit to Indiana Dunes we wanted to get a really good hike in. We stopped by the…read moreIndiana Dunes Visitor Center and we were thankful we did. It seems if you know nothing about the area, you can be easily confused and lost. The State park actually is in the National Park boundary. The volunteer at the visit center gave us many hiking options. We ended up choosing the Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm. Both for the history aspect of it and the great hiking trails. It had three loops, a smaller one about .63 mile, a larger one about a mile, and the big loop approximately 2.4 miles with runs into the Calumet Trail. All are pretty easy walks. If your looking for a great hike in the Dunes area definitely give the Bailly Homestead a look. It has a decent size parking lot and restrooms. I'd also highly suggest stopping by the National Park Visitor Center as it is very close by.

This is one of the better hikes in the Indiana Dunes NP. Better yet, it's perfect for anyone as…read moreit's little more than a walk in the woods. And it's full of history. There's a parking lot, picnic tables, restrooms and other park facilities at the trailhead. Check out the map of the trails-and take a pic for reference on your phone. There are a few different trails and spurs that you can take. I like the loop that takes you through the Chellberg Farm, to the Bailey Cemetery and then have a beer or snack at the Homestead. That's about a two mile loop. If you'd just like to see the Homestead straightaway, park down by the Little Calumet River that it overlooks-three lefts from the parking lot. Easy parking down by the fishing hole and just a short walk up the hill to the Bailey Homestead. This was an 1820s fur trading post. This was the NorthWest back in those frontier days. Can you imagine? You can see what a perfect location it is. For me it's a perfect spot for a boozy picnic. Cheers!

Constructed in 1862 as a hops barn, this establishment was converted into a church in 1876. Then…read morere-sold in 1915 to a local farmer, the livestock barn existed on the site from 1915 to 1998 before it was purchased by members of the Pokagon United Methodist. Rev. George Bennard was visiting the area to take part in a series of revivals, and his famous hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" was first publicly performed in 1913. The hymn did not make Rev. Bernard rich. However, he sold the rights to the Rodeheaver Company of Winona Lake, Indiana, for $500, and the copyright was renewed years later for $5,000. The Old Rugged Cross Church is located on Vermont St. in Pokagon, about halfway between Dowagiac and Niles, where my partner's sister and I stopped off the beaten path before heading to Shipshewana.

My husband and I found out about this church by accident! We were simply searching for things to…read moredo in Niles, Michigan. We were determined to find something to do close to dark and finally found this on the Internet. The hymn, The Old Rugged Cross, was first performed in this church many years ago. The hymn is near and dear to our hearts because our grandparents used to enjoy singing this song and my husband has enjoyed playing it on the piano for our children. We decided to check it out! The outside of the church is stunning! We were not able to view the inside but if we ever make it back to this area of the country we will certainly stop to see it! You should do the same especially if you enjoy this old hymn!

The Marshall County Courthouse in Plymouth is a magnificent facility combining an 1876 historical…read morebuilding with an updated modern addition. The original building was designed by an architect out of Chicago, Gordon Randall. The structure is Italian Renaissance made of brick with limestone trim. The grounds are immaculate with a war honor roll at one side of the Courthouse. Directly in front of the Courthouse stand a replica of the Statue of Liberty that was erected by the Boy Scouts in the 1950's to honor forefathers. Unfortunately, no cell phones are allowed in the building, so I was unable to take photos of the beautiful interior. The security staff is not very friendly and knew of no historical information about the building. The main halls and stairs of the old Courthouse are composed of beautiful white Italian marble. The marble is pristine, in remarkable condition. The ceiling of central atrium, seen from the second floor, had a stained glass rectangular backlit light below the bell tower. The courtrooms had original woodwork and beautiful murals. Most of the seating was updated with upholstery. I could not go inside to examine the murals. The new section of the building is where most non-court activities are housed. There is free parking around the Square. I'm struggling with a rating because the building is a 5 star, but the lack of information and history, brought the experience down for me.

Hidden Gem in the heart of the big city of Nappanee. Dodge the horse crap as you cross the street…read moreand come enjoy some affordable family fun. 5 bucks to get in to a new movie... FIVE FRICKIN' BUCKS!!! You can find that under the seat of your Honda for cryin' out loud. This place is a historical landmark, so don't come in here with you millennial crap attitude expecting a reclining seat that massages your nappy scalp, or gluten free goat-buttered hempcorn, because this isn't that kind of place. If that's what you are in to then go pay 20 bucks for a ticket and 15 for pop and corn somewhere else. This place is nostalgic, they have fantastic affordable snacks with free popcorn refills. The sodas are cheap and they make a Green River that will make you thirsty for more. One thing to keep in mind is they do not have ADA restrooms, and you have to navigate stairs to the basement to go potty. Go easy on that Green River.