During my seminary years, I spent quite a bit of time at Richmond, Indiana's Glen Miller Park. It's…read morea 194 acre park on Richmond's eastside directly off Main Street. Glen Miller Park also houses the administrative offices for Richmond Parks. Glen Miller Park opened on June 6, 1885. It's named for Colonel John Ford Miller, a railroad executive who'd bought the land specifically to establish a park and ended up selling it to Richmond five years after acquiring it. One of the things that attracted Miller to the Park was its freshwater springs. He had them tested and they were noted as being high in iron (which was believed at the time to be good for your health - people still fill water jugs here). In 1890, Glen Miller Park established a zoo within its grounds and it grew in 1908. By 1964, it had 250 different birds and animals. Unfortunately, it started to decline and by 1984 was named by Parade Magazine as one of the nation's 10 worst zoos. It closed in 1986 and all the animals were relocated. The entrance to the park is marked by the Madonna of the Trial Monument - it's one of 12 monuments built by the Daughters of the American Revolution along U.S. 40 dedicated to the spirit of pioneer women. The Richmond Rose Garden is also housed here. At one point, Richmond was known as The Rose City as it served as home to three of the nation's premier growers and marketers of cut roses. Park amenities include a band shell, concessions, fishing, the Rose Garden, golf course, nature area, picnic areas, an ADA accessible playground, restrooms, both open and closed shelters, an 11,000 square foot skate park, splash pad, and tennis courts. You can, of course, rent the shelters for your events. As the most popular park in Richmond, Glen Miller Park hosts a lot of the city's special events. It's had occasional issues with crime, but I've been here many times during my weekends in Richmond and have never had any issues. Because it's on the main drag through Richmond, police presence is not uncommon here.

I have comical memories of busting my butt on one of the old metal slides at Glen Miller Park in…read morethe early 90s. Despite only being in preschool, I will never forget slamming off the end of that slide. Ha, now days the slides are plastic, lower to the ground and padded more at the bottom for soft landing. Fast forward 27 years and I found myself at Glen Miller Park to swap Christmas gifts with my mother in the parking lot. Funny enough, we weren't the only ones swapping gifts outside for the holidays. 2021 Glen Miller Park features a music garden with hands on instruments, ponds filled with ducks, extensive playscapes and walking trails. The bathrooms were closed during our December visit. Overall, a pretty straightforward but spacious park a stone's throw from Richmond's shops and restaurants.

An awesome little getaway located on the north end of Richmond. A lot of childhood memories were…read moreformed here and it only gets better with time. It's been years since I've been to the reservoir and I'm happy to see that it is more beautiful than ever and waiting to create more memories for generations to come.

Caught this while fishing with my All Star Chase W. at the Richmond IN RESERVOIR. We had a ball!!read more

Natural Springs Resort was a little slice of heaven for us. Our two bedroom cabin with a full bath…read moreand kitchen was perfect for our family. The private patio with a grill and fire pit had a view of the water. It was also impeccably clean. Being able to rent a golf cart made traveling around the resort with two kids a breeze. From the beach to the multiple playgrounds, we were able to get anywhere we needed. There are so many amenities as well. The spring fed lake is gorgeous. There is a kids swimming area and a deeper adult swimming area with a swimming mat and a floating dock. If lake swimming isn't for you, there is also a heated pool. We also used the Wibit (floating obstacle course), kayaks, and paddle boats. All the rentals were reasonably priced and were great additions to our stay. The camp store and cafe are great as well. We were able to grab pizza and ice cream during our stay. We will definitely be back.

Spent a weekend here:…read more 1. They give you a parking pass as you roll through the gate, then they come around to the sights to check you in. 2. Depending on how people park the sites can be a little tough to pack into.. 3. There are sooooooo many golf carts! And the golf cart parade at sun down, it was over the top. The parade seemed to be made out of season campers that all know one another. 4. The older teenage element, that seemed to be seasonal campers, whoa! The mouthes one them. We fished with our kids as they dropped bunches of foul language & then proceeded to talk about fighting people, slamming people on the ground, and then ultimately sexual intercourse. These kids were not role models for our young ones. Oh and they were watching a kid that is about 6 years old. 5. The bathrooms, while they were. It the worst we've ever seen, they need a make over. 6. The lake is awesome. Bring a kayak or canoe if you have it. 7. Our fire pit had not been cleaned out in a very very long time.

The main feature of this lovely little park is a trail that honors Gennett Records and great music…read moreartists from the 1920s-1930's. The site was once home of several manufacturing facilities related to music. Remnants of the several old buildings stand as monuments of the thriving businesses that once stood on the site. Historical plaques describe the piano manufacturing and the Gennett recording studio that once stood and operated on the grounds. A concrete walkway runs through the park along the river. Along the trail at 27 ground plaques, each honoring different music giants from the 1920-30s who recorded here at the Gennett studios. I loved walking the path and learning about each of these legends including Hoagy Carmichael and Louis Armstrong! There are a few benches for seating. The walkways are easily accessible for strollers and wheel chairs. There is no charge to visit the park. There is ample parking at the north end of the park. The lot is surrounded by native prairie plants. In the winter a farmers market is held at the site. If you like history and architecture or are just looking for a quiet place to enjoy the day, I recommend a visit to the park.

Although a large part of this location is a park with lots of flower plantings, the "starr" of this…read moresite is the Starr Gennett Building: former home of Gennett Records. The history of the Richmond is filled with nationally renowned jazz recording artists early in the 20th century. The building was saved from demolition and is being preserved with a theater in the basement and as an event space. As you walk south of the building, a "Walk of Fame" shows 29 mosaic tile inlays with images of the most famous musicians and a plaque about each performer. As you venture south beyond the walk, the trail becomes a boardwalk where I have seen deer in the woods on a previous visit. The trail goes a long way beyond the park along the gorge that cuts through Richmond. The park is beautifully kept and only waits for more investment to fix up the rest of the building. Review #1023

Swicker Park is located on the south side of Richmond. The block sized park has a gazebo type…read moreshelter in the middle and numerous mature trees throughout the park. Parking is limited to street parking along 7th Street. Without playground equipment, the park doesn't seem to attract many young visitors, but does offer a well managed green area for neighbors to enjoy. Review #1027

I was in the area for a friend's wedding and had some time to kill, so I opened up Yelp and saw…read morethis rose garden and decided to swing by. Definitely a small attraction, but beautiful nonetheless. Would be a great spot for a picnic or some family photos. Be forewarned: the grounds don't seem to be monitored well. There were some empty alcohol bottles and unfortunately there is a substance abuse issue in the area. Someone under the influence was there walking around and seemed agitated, so we didn't stay long. I wouldn't advise visiting here alone, but if you have time and company, it's worth a stop!

We visited Richmond in early July and were kind of underwhelmed with our time there. I was feeling…read morekind of disappointed on our way out of town when all of a sudden I notice us passing this beautiful rose garden. I immediately made my husband turn around so we could visit. I spent a great deal of time admiring the many different colors and varieties, so much time that my husband started to get annoyed. I so much wanted to take a picture of every flower I saw, the garden was just too beautiful not to fully appreciate. I tip my hat to the people who care and maintain this wonderful little gem in the city of Richmond, Indiana.

Came from Ohio to see some waterfalls and while checking it out we cross the road to check out the…read morelake and park. It had some play ground equipment and picnic tables. Lake with some people fishing but the birds are what really interested me. Geese of all kinds .. ducks. woodpeckers, vultures. My fav were the geese that looked like the mother goose fairytale .

This park has a really nice setting, but it has limits that keep it from getting a higher rating…read more There is a really nice sized lake, but no fishing or swimming is allowed (I'm not 100% certain on the swimming, but there was no place designated as a beach.) There are also signs that forbid feeding the birds and warn of high water hazards along the roadway at the entrance. So, there are lots of restrictions without much encouragement to enjoy the park. There is a single shelter and the playground is nice. The playground is accessible and there are volleyball courts to the north of the playground. All looked in pretty good condition. I was surprised that the playground was dry considering how close it was to the lake. I wonder if it drains very well after a light rain. Be forewarned: Visit on a dry day! Review #1017