I had the good fortune of visiting The Asylum early in its current manifestation as a key…read moredestination spot for those seeking paranormal investigations and opportunities to visit a location said to be Randolph County's most haunted spot. As I arrived at my 666th review here on Yelp, I began contemplating what I could possibly review that would be worthy of such an occasion. Having a dark sense of humor, I began contemplating both my past and present journeys through Indy's more haunted spots and locations with a history of evil and, in most cases, either found them not appropriate for Yelp or inappropriate review. While I briefly contemplated either a review of an Indiana Satanic church (Yes, we have them!) or a visit up to Hell, Michigan, I settled on a revisit to this location that turned the old Randolph County Infirmary/Asylum into one of Winchester, Indiana's few touristy spots. If you know me, then you know that while I do review most businesses for accessibility I'm also a pretty adaptable wheelchair user who regularly does long-distance events and who joined Yelp down in the incredibly not wheelchair friendly Catacombs. In other words, I tend to go where I want whenever possible even if it's not wheelchair friendly. The Asylum is not actually wheelchair friendly, though it's better than you might expect. If you have mobility issues, you might want to contact them in advance or ensure you have a companion with you for assistance. As a building built in 1899, it is exempt from ADA laws. In its early days, the nearly 50,000 square foot building housed six wards, several private rooms, a kitchen, laundry facilities, and separate dining rooms for men and women. It also had several other features on the adjacent property including a cemetery 230 yards northwest of the "home." Over the years, the facility served different populations including the poor, orphans, physically and cognitively disabled, single mothers, and the elderly. In 1994, the facility was bought from the county and turned into the Country Care Center. Around 2008-2009, Country Care Center closed and the facility was used for county storage until current owners came along in 2016 with the stated intention of using the facility as a paranormal attraction. I mean, seriously, do you know a single old asylum that isn't haunted? The treatment in these facilities was typically quite lacking - even in this type of setting, which certainly wasn't a Central State type place but still had its share of tragedy. The current owners have done a nice job of creating a functional setting for paranormal investigations, several videos from which are located on The Asylum website. The website features a wealth of information about the history of the facility along with current information about visits for investigations - this allows for overnight visits. While it's certainly not inexpensive, this is frequently done in groups and that certainly helps defray the costs. The Asylum, to my understanding, is still currently under a contract which means that actual production companies cannot be accommodated. The facility also does not have heat at this time, though they are working on this issue and that may change in the future. I should note that they do occasionally have special events that may include productions - look under the events tab of their website for more info. They even had a Christmas event this past holiday season. I really respect what they're doing here and the fact they've been respectful to the cemetery within the area. There's also said to be unmarked graves. While The Asylum is being utilized for paranormal, the team behind all of this truly is respectful of historical buildings and that makes it all a little more special to me. I've been through Winchester, Indiana a couple times on fundraising events and, indeed, all of Randolph County is pretty sparse in terms of tourist options. However, you have the Randolph Inn where you can stay and enjoy yourself in a small, friendly county and this pretty remarkable setting where you never quite know what you'll encounter!

Had the pleasure of meeting both Dann and Ted during our visit. They were both some of the nicest…read morepeople I've ever met and had a fantastic time talking with them both. Both are very genuine and knowledgeable with a good sense of humor (especially Ted). The building is very active and becomes very alive at night, lots of moments that make you stop in your tracks. Thank you Ted and Dann for letting us spend the night and everyone please go support saving the old properties (Stop).

Great history great facility and a must see visit when in the piqua area. Canal boat rides are a…read moresuper way to get a viewpoint of how slow transport of goods once was

Went to this wonderful example of early American farming while in Ohio visiting friends. The barn…read moreis comprised of two square pens made of hand-hewn boards from trees, it is an interesting thing to see. Not being from Ohio, it was interesting to see and learn about the history odd the state as told through the Johnston family, who lived at and operated the farm from the early to late 1800's. The farmhouse was built in 1812, and added into shortly thereafter so to have both public and private areas. John Johnston was an Indian agent, and at most times had tribal representatives living in the land there. The spring house is still operating, the spring runs well and is smells so fresh! The canal system was especially interesting to me, it was started to move freight and goods from Ohio to other markets. Unfortunately the railways were more successful in the long run. However, you can take a short ride an a portion if the canal system that is intact on the property. Great way to learn about our heritage while enjoying the Johnston farm.

This restored, historically and materially rich home is a real treat to tour. I strongly recommend…read moreeveryone visits this home turned museum at least once.

Honestly really cool little museum. We pulled off the highway just out of curiosity while on a…read morecross country trip and really was pleasantly surprised. Didnt know what to expect but it def surpassed expectations and learned some new things. The staff there are helpful, knowledgeable and above all passionate about this tiny museum and more people should take the stop as they pass through. Especially if you're someone who an has an interest aviation.

I had no idea that Wilbur Wright's Birthplace was a roadside attraction. This was pretty cool to…read moresee!

Impressive home from an impressive family. Tim, our tour guide was fantastic! We learned so much…read moretoday that we didn't know about the Wright family.

This is a tour of the Wright Brothers home. You can only get a tour on Wednesday or Saturday with…read morejust 2 times available on each day. I gave 4 stars because it states that these are small tours with only a van of people, but there was a car following us. It made it very crowded in some of the rooms and hard to see at times. The van was crowded also and a bit uncomfortable. No seatbelts. Laura our tour guide was excellent. She knew her stuff! The home itself was great. Where there were changes to the home, Laura had before pictures. It takes about 90 minutes.

Harrison our tour guide was the best. So happy we made the decision to take the underground tour…read more Who would have known the underground tunnels were used as a large refrigerator for fermenting beer. So much history and the building are absolutely beautiful.

Miranda was AMAZING!!! Very charismatic and kept our tour group entertained the whole time. She was…read morealso very informative and very considerate, especially when we moved to areas that are a bit difficult to move in. She did a great job explaining the best way to move. Overall very fun!!

My favorite Richmond museum. They always have something interesting on display. Special exhibits…read moreare top notch, and support for the local art scene is amazing. Their permanent collection is bigger than they have room to keep up so they're always rotating their displays. Definitely worth multiple visits.

As someone who has only recently devoted time to appreciating art, I am truly glad that the…read moreRichmond Art Museum (RAM) exists. The more research I put into local artists, the more I find source material from the Richmond area. That includes numerous artists that are from the Golden Era of Indiana Artists as well as the book written by the RAM curator Shawn Dingwerth. This free museum is open on Tuesdays through Saturday from 10 to 5. Parking is free in the lot on the north side of the building and on the street. The museum is attached to the school, so it has made due with size constraints and old building problems, but will be undergoing some large construction/renovation in 2017 to ensure better lighting (the current UV emitted by old lights is damaging) and climate control so that when space becomes available, more paintings will be able to be displayed. On my visit, the staff was very helpful and I had the opportunity to talk with the curator which I found quite interesting since I had read his book about the Richmond Group (local artists from the late 1800's to early 1900's) the week before. There are several galleries that have a theme for each: Ceramics, Contemporary, "Golden Age Artists", Portraits, and an exhibition hall. The lobby holds some of the large sculptures and paintings as well. The museum has an extensive program to reach out to local children to give them the opportunity to see the art first hand and learn. Programs are tailored to the age levels and focus on introducing different styles and cultures with each visit. The works themselves are truly representative of the different styles of art and serve as a time capsule of local artists that may be under appreciated by the current generation. Along with the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute and the Haan Mansion Museum in Lafayette, the RAM has preserved our State's cultural best. I look forward to returning to see the improvements and the new exhibits. Review #233

The museum at Earlham College has an amazing collection of fossils and artifacts. The museum is…read morefree and open to the public. It is usually only opened in the afternoons. Although small, they have a complete allosaurus, mastodon, giant sloth, giant beaver and much, much more. You can get close up to the exhibits. They also have a great display of Ordovician fossils with descriptions. You can find many birds and other small mammal specimens native to Indiana. The staff is knowledgable and friendly. They offer tours and programs for kids as well. Nicole was our guide and she was engaged and had a passion for the museum. They have a small gift shop with educational items. If you pass through Richmond, Indiana, this needs to be in your to do list. What a great experience and opportunity to see world class specimens.

Absolutely worth the visit! My children were pulled into the portions of the exhibit that are hands…read moreon! It can seem quick at a child's speed of looking through the exhibits. I think every corner is utilized in a learning experience. They have reptiles too! Something worth looking into are the 'trail talks' the museum offers during warmer weather. My kids will not stop talking about the fossils they collected while on a trail talk lead by two Earlham students. So much fun, but worth wearing the right gear and packing water. *Yes, you do need to wear a mask and show your vaccination card to enter the museum. It is on campus, and therefore abides by protocol of trying to keep campus as safe as possible for everyone.

came across this awesome property while on a random drive about last summer and just now going…read morethrough the photos on my memory card. I have a lot more that I shared on FB of the inside of the schoolhouse/library I'll add later when I find them again. Just a wonderful step back in history!

I love it when you discover something new when you're just out driving around in the country. Last…read moreweekend, we were taking a drive and came across an area known as Meltzer Woods. It is a beautiful wooded area located about 8 miles outside of Shelbyville, IN. The area has been turned over to the state and is now a 48 acre protected nature reserve. There is quite a bit of history surrounding these woods. If you do some online research on the Meltzer Woods topic, you will quickly find some interesting facts. While driving away from the nature preserve, on the same side of the rode sits a beautiful historical farm owned by the Meltzer family. The sign on the cabin near the road says it is a Hoosier Homestead Farm and has been owned by the same family for over 150 years! For me, the serene property instantly made me wonder what it would have been like to have lived on a farm like this some time ago. I got out of the car and wandered down the lane a little bit to get some pictures and ran into a couple friendly donkeys. On the other side of the lane were some free range chickens wandering about. There is a large brick farmhouse that sits away from the road and a brick sidewalk leading up to the house. There is also a huge, old barn with the Meltzer family name painted on the roof. The property has been well maintained. This historical area would be an excellent place to take the kids and teach them about nature and to show them a beautiful farm setting. I don't believe the farm is open to the public, but the woods next to it has some nice walking trails that anyone is welcome to enjoy! Review #39 - 10/01/16

A must See! Beautiful drive thru park to see Elk and there is also a trading post and a place to…read moreeat. I didn't stop at either of those today, but I will be back. Loved it! If you have time and are in the area I highly recommend you checking this place out!

I visited here with my FFA chapter during National FFA Convention. Our experience was top notch!…read moreOur guided tour was very informative, and the owner was super knowledgeable and patient with all our questions. The on-site lunch was absolutely fantastic and service was so friendly! The activities were perfect even for my older teenagers! And of course the elk were fascinating! Highly recommend!