The Brown County Court House is located in the county seat of Nashville, Indiana. The Court House…read moreis home to the Circuit Court. Unlike other counties in Indiana, there is no grand square with a domed top building. The Court House is a colonial red brick, older building that stands surrounded by beautiful trees and inviting park benches. The current 2-story building was built in 1874 by McCormack and Sweeney of Columbus, Indiana at the cost of $9000. The building replaced an earlier structure that was destroyed by fire at the same location. The court room and jury rooms are on the second floor and general offices are on the first floor. The Court House is part of a series of historic buildings that tourists can visit. A historic log-cabin jail and historic society are among the buildings. A modern addition was added to the back of the courthouse and serves as the new entry, which enables accessibility. In front of the Courthouse is a small war memorial to recognize those from the area that served.

Nashville, Indiana is the county seat for Brown County. Nashville became a popular artist colony…read moreafter prominent artists such as T. C. Steel and Adolph Shulz discovered the beautiful rolling hills, creeks and natural settings in the small town during the early 1900's. Other famous artists soon made Nashville their canvas and homes including Carl Graf, L. O. Griffith, Marie Goth, Ida Shulz and others. Nashville's growth as an artist colony continued with rail lines improving access to the area. Today, many modern artists are still attracted to the guilds and artist associations based in Nashville. The galleries attract art enthusiasts from all over. The town itself, is a tourist town known for the local art, the availability of cabin and camping facilities, charming restaurants and quaint streets filled with independent locally owned shops. The historic home of T. C. Steel and Brown County State Park are also a nearby attractions. Fall is a peak visitation season with the hills colorful by the changing leaves. As an art lover, I've been a regular visitor for 20 years. I have a couple favorite galleries and restaurants that I visit. I love the drive down from the city through the rolling hills. Visiting the shops and restaurants is mostly by foot. Parking in the town is challenging during busy seasons. There is some free street parking, which tends to fill quickly in the morning. Paid parking ranges from $5 - $10 for the day. Many businesses do not offer public restrooms, but there are several dedicated facilities located around town. Maps of the walkable town are available at the Visitor's Center. Internet access in town is variable to none. Some businesses charge an up charge for the use of credit cards (so bring some cash). People are friendly and willing to provide assistance. Nashville is a perfect destination for a girls weekend or family get away. There is something for everybody.

What a secret little treasure. Well maybe not so secret, it seems like the town does well for…read moreitself. This great little artist community, has just about everything you need for a day trip it has a restaurants, shops, galleries even has its own playhouse. I spoke to one of the owners of the shops and they were telling me that fall is a huge time for them make your plans soon, and make sure that you get your accommodations ahead of time.

The Brown County Library is truly special. The modern building sits atop a hill of Brown County and…read moreoffers amazing views of the rolling mountains. The building is filled with the art of renowned local artists. A magnificent Ada Shultz painting hangs over a beautiful fireplace and is the focal point of a cozy upscale reading area. A nearby display of historic Brown County Pottery tells the story of early local clay artists. An artistic stairway is adorned with more local art. Downstairs, photos and short biographies of prominent local Brown County figures hang on the walls. Two community meeting rooms are available for patrons. The library offers a good selection of books, dvds and access to online computers. We were checking into programs for our granddaughters for the summer. A friendly librarian approached me to describe the library services. The Library offers a series of reading and other programs for kids and adults. She also mentioned that historical archives describing local artists are available. The children's area of the library is whimsical and fun. Even small computer workstations are available. Outside of the library is a children's garden with a colorful and playful walkway. The library offers small food bags to those in need in the community. Donations for the food service are encouraged. A lower level parking lot offers covered parking in a garden-like setting. An EV charging station is available. Accessible parking is available near the upper level front entrance of the building. Donations to the library are encouraged. The Library is one of the finest in the State and is aligned with the art theme of Brown County. The setting is exceptional for reading, learning and researching. The staff is friendly, engaging and helpful.

Man oh man, I love a library. In particular, I love this library. The Brown County Library was my…read morelittle place of respite when I was visiting Nashville during the work week. I was in town for an exploratory trip, but I also needed to jump on a Zoom meeting at one point, and also connect to wifi to check emails and do some work. This library delivered! I was able to find a little corner to myself in the downstairs area, where I could work quietly. This library is two stories. (Stories! Get it?) The bottom floor is mostly conference rooms and offices, but there are a couple of tables and couches down there at which to sit. That's where I posted up for a couple of hours. The downstairs is a nice, quiet place to steal some private time, if you need to. Upstairs is everything else: books for children and adults, magazines (lots of magazines, which makes me happy), a cute kids' area, a quiet reading area, and stacks of public historical records. The restrooms are located in the children's area, and there are two. Each restroom is a "family restroom," so you lock it behind you, and you basically have an entire restroom to yourself, not just a stall. If you go outside and walk around to the back of the library and follow the rainbow-colored path, you'll see a children's garden, with some places to sit among the flowers, and signs displaying popular children's books. Around the front of the library, there's a Little Free Pantry full of food. Is there anything this library doesn't provide for the community?

I did not visit the state park. This was simply a visit to check out this pretty darned cool…read moretwo-lane covered bridge that is at one entrance to the park. You don't have to enter the park to view the bridge. It was built in Putnam County in 1838 and was moved 130 miles to here Brown County in 1932. It would otherwise have been demolished to make way for a more modern bridge. This bridge is the oldest covered bridge still standing in Indiana and the only two lane covered bridge. The bridge span is 110 feet and no, it did not have clearance for my Sprinter van. If you're planning on visiting the park in an RV, you need to use the other entrance to the west. There is no pedestrian lane. [Review 20537 overall - 81 in Indiana - 1518 of 2023.]

I'll admit that I just saw the pin and figured I would check this out but as I do my research to…read morewrite the review, these aren't just pretty gates. The concept of a gateway to mark the entrance to the campus dates back to 1932 but they didn't actually get installed until 1987. And ever since, they are the most iconic spot on campus. IU grads know what I'm talking about. So I'll just respectfully stop here and tell you that if you're visiting or perhaps you're an alumni, get your selfie or portrait right here. Every IU graduate know of here. [Review 20571 overall - 108 in Indiana - 1552 of 2023.]

I don't get down to Bloomington nearly as often as I used to, though when I do I nearly always find…read moremyself near the area of the iconic Sample Gates. Sample Gates mark the entrance to Indiana University in Bloomington, an already beautiful campus. I spent one lovely semester here and I spent quite a bit of time here back in those days because even after I left I continued dating an IU student. The Sample Gates were donated by Edson Sample, who was named director of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships while still an IU graduate student back in 1968. He obtained his M.S. in 1971. The gates are named for his parents, Louise Waite Sample and Kimsey Ownbey Sample Sr. Both were present at the dedication ceremony on June 13, 1987. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Education in 2017; in 2020, Sample received one of IU's most prestigious honors--the Bicentennial Medal--in recognition of his service and longstanding support of the university. The gates are always open. They are constructed of Indiana Limestone. The two pillars are at the edge of Old Crescent - the historic site of IU's first campus buildings built between1884-1908. If you visit IU, you'll see Sample Gates. Still beautiful. Still iconic. And, I must say, super amazing at night with a light rain in the area.

When they call your name and you get to the window they are always on the ball to get the answers…read morethat you want. At least that's how they've always been with me and from what I've seen and heard around the office I believe that they treat everybody else like they do with me.

Not very helpful or friendly. Have to have appointment. Can't recommend. Security guard has…read moreattitude.

I don't often review 'non restaurant' locations, but my experience at the Southwest branch of the…read moreBloomington library today left me needing to give rave reviews. It's been forever since I've been in one of the local libraries because I'm such a Kindle reader. But in order to use Libby, I needed to get a new library card and signed up online. The process was simple, and ultimately it led me to the point of needing to visit the Southwest Branch (close to my house) and show proof that I am indeed me, and that I live in Bloomington. A utility bill did the trick. First and foremost, it's a beautiful facility. I didn't spend much time there, and probably won't be there often simply because I'm a digital reader. BUT let me say I may use it as a quiet space and place to read. The woman at the desk (Cathy or Cathi sorry I can't remember) was amazing. She was super helpful, friendly, and not only made my card but laughed at one of my jokes. She went above and beyond to tell me about how to use the library, explain policies and pointed out both Libby and Hoopla. She was great. I used to work part time in a library, and hold them near and dear to my heart and she's exactly what I love about libraries in general. If you're on the south side of town, stop using the downtown branch and move your library activity to this location. They have a great facility, will take anything you reserve from other branches straight to the branch, and you can pick it up there. Kudos to our town for believing in the value of these types of spaces.

Awesome Library space, friendly staff. And there's a beautiful Labyrinth and sacred space to walk…read moreoutside.

The Cedar Ford Covered Bridge comes from Shelby County Indiana and now spans the Beanblossom Creek…read morein Washington County, connecting North and Old Maple Groves Roads. The bridge was originally built by the Kennedy Brothers in 1885 but was dismantled and stored. It has since been rehabilitated and recovered. It replaces the Smith Truss Covered Bridge that was built on this spot in 1871 but destroyed by arson in 1976 and never rebuilt. The arsonists were eventually caught. This is an active vehicle bridge and the signs indicate a ten foot clearance with a weight limit of ten tons. My Sprinter van is just under ten feet and well under ten tons so I drove across with caution and had no issues. Very cool to be able to drive a covered bridge, a technology that is just more fun and more awesome than any concrete monstrosity out there. It's a bit of an adventure to get here with some dirt and gravel roads. But it's well worth it! [Review 20572 overall - 109 in Indiana - 1553 of 2023.]