In April 2005, internationally known sculptor Tom Otterness took Indianapolis by storm with the…read moreexhibit "Tom Otterness in Indianapolis." Creating whimsical figures that could be seen throughout downtown Indy, Otterness's work quickly became quite well known. Local resident Tom Jones decided to purchase "Boy and Dog," a beloved Otterness work. The purchase agreement required the sculpture to be publicly accessible. To make this happen, Jones turned part of his yard into a public park and "Boy and Dog" has remained part of that park ever since. While there's an innocence and whimsy to Otterness's work, as Tank G. notes in his review there's definitely some controversy with Otterness. Otterness's early work had a punk rock sensibility to it including his still controversial "Shot Dog Film," a public art exhibit in which Otterness did, in fact, adopt a dog from a Colorado animal shelter, chain it to a stake, and film his hand shooting it. A lot of Otterness's work at the time dealt with aggression and violence, though it's that film that seems to have really followed his career. Only 25-years-old at the time, he's apologized over the years and "Boy and Dog" remains a beloved part of the Chatham landscape here in Indy. Fiercely dedicated to political and social issues, it's more than arguable that as he moved out of his twenties he became even more effective at communicating those issues in a way that maintained artistic integrity without being quite as provocative. If you've never seen "Boy and Dog," I for sure recommend stopping by Chatham Commons and checking it out. It's also a wonderful example of residents contributing to the beautification of the neighborhood!~

This fun and wacky bronze sculpture was created by Tom Otterness in 1999. It is part of a series of…read moresculptures by the artist, a few of which are located in front of the Convention Center. It depicts a boy sitting on the ground with his arms across his knees and his dog lying next to him on a leash. The characters are in the Otterness's unique style of rounded characters with a round head and no real discernable face. The sculpture was purchased by Tom Jones in 2006, a retired business executive and local resident. He was allowed to but the statue with the stipulation that it remain accessible to the public. So, that was easy for Jones, who donated a pocket park known as Chatham Arch. That is the home of this sculpture and its sits in the center on a granite pedestal. Otterness has taken a lot of heat for a 1977 incident where he adopted a dog from a shelter, tied him to a fence, and shot him to death. He videoed the entire incident, ran it on a continuous video loop, and called it art. The park that it is located in is very nice and well kept. There is free parking available in front of and in a reasonable walking distance from the park. As with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. With that, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. Luckily you have a very nice park, where the sculpture is located, to fill part of that itinerary.

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.

Sometimes sculpture is very personal to the person who commissions it. Such is the case of this…read morebronze statue located on the northwest corner of John Force Racing in Brownsburg. Back in 2007 (March 23), Eric Medlen was a driver for John Force Racing. While testing for a drag race in Gainesville, Florida, Medlen was killed at the age of 33. Medlen's father was his crew chief. The grief felt by the whole team was heartfelt and moved the team owner, John Force to commission this statue. The accident inspired the entire team to focus on safety as a key element to their pursuit of championships. The bronze is built about half scale and sits on a small hill surrounded by pine trees. Review #1350

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 driving in Atlanta, IN, I saw a small chapel out of the corner of my eye that grabbed my…read moreattention. I just had to stop. It happened to be the Roberts Settlement. Roberts Settlement is the historic site where black pioneers, who sought security and opportunity, established a community in 1835. The site consists of a chapel, a legacy walk, and a graveyard. The Legacy walk is very nice. It is relatively new, opening in 2024, and is not a very long walk, though. I would say it covers about 40 yards. The Walk offers visitors a self-guided journey through the history of the Roberts Settlement. It is also intended to be a place to reflect. You will find benches along the outer perimeter of the walk behind each title monolith. Visitors on the walk are greeted by "Morning Light," a dazzling entry feature symbolizing exploration, discovery, opportunity, and hope. The walk is divided into four separate themed sections: Roots & Migration, Progress & Perseverance, Faith & Education, and Legacy & Footprints. Each section includes a title monolith and a bench, both constructed of steel and faux stone. There are also informational placards with interpretive content at each section. Additionally, you will see QR code links you can scan for more information about each section. There is no parking lot, but a little pull-off area in front of the chapel that can hold about 2 or 3 vehicles. There is also a small public bathroom here, located right behind the chapel. This site is marked by an historical marker and is in great shape. It is very well-maintained. Guided tours of the Roberts Settlement are ONLY available between April 1st and October 31st. The Chapel is not open to the general public. It is only open for guided tours by appointment only. It should be noted that the Walk is open year-round, during daylight hours. This is a nice piece of history in Hamilton County that I had no idea existed. It was a nice stop, but I would not call it a long one though. I am still glad I made it here, and I recommend checking this place out if you are in the area.

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.

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.

I love the castle-like courthouse in Greenfield. The combination of Romanesque and French Gothic…read morestyles was the mastermind of Fort Wayne architects, Wing and Mahurin, in 1896. Geake and Henry constructed the building. The limestone Courthouse sits on a prominent plaza on Main Street in Greenfield, the county seat. In front, stands a beautiful statue of the town's favorite poet, James Whitcomb Riley. Several towers and a prominent center clock tower are exterior focal points. Inside, the deputy staff is friendly and welcoming. They directed me to several cases of historical information and told me I could take photos anywhere except courtrooms, which were in session. This is a fully operational Courthouse. The original treasurer's safe sits in the marble lined lobby. The floor is marble mosaic tiled. The building is mostly original and remodeled in 1990's. Gargoyles peer down periodically. The ceilings have beautiful gilded trim. There are several murals of Revolutionary war scenes and a prominent mural of James Whitcomb Riley surrounded by a group of children. Two sets of fabulous ornate wrought iron stairways lead up two flights. An elevator was added at some point and other updates were evident in several offices. The third floor sits under a beautiful stained glass dome. Arched stain glass windows surround the magnificent dome. The courtrooms sit in the third floor. I really wanted to see the courtrooms, but I didn't want to go to jail. This 130 year old structure is remarkable and a must visit if you are in Greenfield. In fact, this is a destination worthy visit for history and architecture buffs. Free street parking surrounds the building. The building is accessible.