I often forget just how many review-worthy places, landmarks, and public art installations are…read morearound my office in the Indiana Government Center. I'll admit I was a little surprised to see a review of "Lincoln Funeral Train Marker," but given its history it does make sense. The marker, commissioned by the Indiana Historical Bureau in 2008, is adjacent to the Indiana Statehouse on the south lawn. It marks the funeral train of President Lincoln passing through Indianapolis in 1865. The funeral train had three Indiana stops - Richmond, Indianapolis, and Michigan City. It was reported that buildings in Indy were draped in black and at least 50,000 people gathered to view Lincoln's open casket. Why review a marker? I think for me it's to honor the history of my community. I don't review all of them, but some of these are really part of Hoosier history and for history buffs they're a great visit. I also love that the Indiana Historical Bureau creates these markers.

In 2008, the Indiana Historical Bureau and Indiana Abraham Bicentennial Commission dedicated this…read moresimple and very powerful marker describing how President Lincoln's funeral train passed through Indianapolis in 1865. This two sided marker is located on the lawn of the statehouse. It bears the following inscription: Assassinated President Abraham Lincoln's funeral was April 19, 1865 at the White House. The funeral train left for Springfield, Illinois April 21 directed by the military; stops en route allowed mourners to pay homage. In Richmond, Indiana, Governor Oliver P. Morton boarded; train reached Indianapolis, April 30, at 7:00 a.m. Buildings were draped in black. In the rain, Lincoln's coffin was escorted along crowded streets lined with soldiers to old State House, located here. Reports say at least 50,000 people viewed Lincoln's open casket in the rotunda. Through streets lit by bonfires and torches, coffin was returned to Union Depot; train departed at 12:00 a.m. for Michigan City, last scheduled Indiana stop.

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.

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.

While this historic building is currently vacant, it is owned by the city and maintained by the…read morehistorical preservation commission. I was fortunate enough to receive a tour a few months back though it has been used for public events in the recent past, which explains a lot of the random supplies and furniture left behind. This was the original location of the Mayor's Office in the city, prior to the construction of the City-County Building a couple blocks away. It's a little creepy being in there now because of a lack of light. No A/C either means it gets pretty toasty in the summer! A few years ago, there were plans to turn the building into a boutique hotel but they fell through. Hopefully the space gets utilized again in the near future, but for now it's a beautiful building to admire.

I have a very deep connection with this building. By that I mean, I think I've seen just about…read moreevery nook and cranny thanks to planning a huge party that required some serious love on my part for the space - ex. hanging lighting, sweeping up crumbling molding, hiding the abundance of old city furniture, installing wifi, and so on and so forth. We reallllly got to know one another during the month of December 2013. In the time that has passed since Yelp's Totally Bazaar, The Hall has received some serious love thanks to People For Urban Progress and the bright and the creative minds that now call this space their "place of work". Here are a few reasons I recommend you revisit the building that once served as the Indiana State Museum, public library and Yelp party pad: -new benches and flowers added to the exterior of the building - great lunch or work spot -exhibit showcasing the future of transit in Indianapolis -event space in the foyer - perfect for weddings, meetings, screenings -side rooms that also serve as great spaces for working throughout the day or hosting meetings in a unique space Hall, you gave me one helluva ride in December but I'm so happy I chose you to showcase the best of Indy's local biz scene. It was truly your shining moment. **special shout out to Tiffany Benedict Berkson with Historic Indy for connecting me with the building back in the summer of 2013.

Here stands a faded, yet significant historical marker in Lebanon, Indiana. On February 11, 1861,…read moreAbraham Lincoln addressed the citizens of Lebanon enroute to be sworn in as the 16th president of the U.S. He made the address from the rear of the railroad passenger car on which he travelled. There is no longer any evidence of a railroad at this location.

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.

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.

For those of us who've ever gone to the Indiana State Fair, we all have our favorite spots. It…read morecould be the Grandstands, the animal barns, Pioneer Village or, hey, it might be a return trip to this Indiana State Fair Covered Bridge. Constructed on the grounds in 2008, the covered bridge is meaningful to most fairgoers because Indiana does love its covered bridges. At one point, Indiana had between 400-500 covered bridges and it's estimated that we now have around 98. This covered bridge is a functional location within the fairgrounds. As you can see by my attached photo, it's easily crossed by wheelchair (including motorized wheelchairs) and is definitely part of the pathway on the fairgrounds during the annual State Fair. The Covered Bridge has a main floor area of 1,750 feet. The entire bridge is 90-feet long and 21-feet wide. Did you know you can actually rent it for special events? It can seat 146 people in theater-style seating, 72 in classroom style, and 88 for banquet seating. It's apparently often rented with the adjacent Celebration Park. I do find the sidewalk to the side of the bridge a little wonky in a wheelchair, though there is a curb cut. It's definitely not perfectly ADA, though I can typically make it work. The bridge is modeled after Parke County's Bridgeton Bridge. Parke County is, of course, known for its Covered Bridge Festival. The Indiana State Fair Covered Bridge is made primarily of Indiana tulip tree wood! I'm a definite fan of the Indiana State Fair Covered Bridge. It has a slight incline that can be a little difficult when I'm particularly tired and pushing the wheelchair, however, it's really quite accessible and a feature not to be missed when visiting the fairgrounds.

I love covered bridges! I "discovered" my first one while driving around in the "country" as we…read moreused to call it when we were teens and newly licensed. We used to drive on rural roads and learn what was beyond our bicycle range when we first started to drive. It was on one of these desolate rural roads with nothing but cornfields, the occasional pond and two story white farmhouses that we found one. We were all amazed and awe struck because we had no idea they even existed. We (at least four of us were always in the car) were thoroughly impressed the structure had survived so long. It was built in the 1920s per the plaque on the inside wall and here we were 40 years later driving across a bridge made out of wood. We were used to the steel 2nd Street bridge across the Ohio River in Louisville. It's nice that the Indiana State Fair pays tribute to covered bridges and shows each generation what they are. We rode through this one on the fair's shuttle and my granddaughter loved it. She loves tunnels and driving thru them. We had just drove through the Louisville East End Tunnels last week on our way to Lexington and back. I do love being able to see the architecture and design from the inside. I think this one's arches are pretty unique. I have a feeling covered bridges will be disappearing more and more as time moves forward. Preservation of history is always important for future generations.