This is something you don't see everyday. Like a spare oar along that lines. This is like you just…read morestepped back into time in civil war days. Women men children all acting in costume. It's a sun event for all ages. Their shopping there is food this is there are even cannonballs going off. 100% a good time.

While the current health pandemic has certainly impacted my social life and ability to try out a…read moreton of new businesses, it's also served to help me work on some projects that have needed my attention. I've had my vision set on establishing a memorial here in Indiana for quite some time, though I'm still exploring locations, acquiring land, and design options. As a result, I've been researching and exploring Indiana's monuments, old and new, and in the process learning about Indiana history. If you know me, you know that I'm a bit of a peacenik. I do a lot of work in the area of non-violence and am pretty much drawn to anything that promotes peace. I was unaware of Decatur, Indiana's Peace Monument until I began doing some research regarding Indiana's memorials. Located at the Adams County Courthouse, the Peace Monument was dedicated on October 30, 1913 and is a cenotaph made of Indiana limestone and metal. As a fun fact, the limestone came from the same quarry as downtown Indy's Soldier's and Sailors Monument. The front of the monument is an allegory for peace represented by a woman. As another fun fact, the model for Peace was a Chicago resident named Margaret McMasters Van Slyke, who'd once been called "the best and most perfectly formed woman." The cenotaph used to house a fountain, though the fountain is no longer in place. There's a metal tablet installed on the cenotaph. As yet another fun fact, the metal came from the USS Maine. There are two urns in front of the cenotaph designed for plantings. In 2014, Boy Scout Troop 70 and Elks Lodge 993 embarked on a project to develop a directory of the names listed on the Veterans Wall of Honor. While the cenotaph is a general war memorial, it emphasizes the importance of peace and the role of women. The memorial was designed to specifically memorialize the Civil War, Spanish-American War, Mexican-American War, and the Revolutionary War. There's a small plaza directly adjacent to the memorial with a tastefully created picnic table that allows you to simply sit there and really take it all in. It's quite beautiful and the memorial has had some renovation and updating done over the past few years. Owned by Adams County Commissioners, the Peace Monument was sculpted by Charles Mulligan and carved by Charles Dodd. This is definitely worth a visit and with Berne, Indiana nearby it's a terrific day trip.

A very nice Memorial Bridge to Dr. King Jr. located downtown Fort Wayne that crosses over the St…read more Mary's River. There is Headwaters Park and a nice path for biking, walking, running, etc. along the river that brings you by the bridge. On a nice day, you can relax on the nearby benches. Although it is a small bridge, the bridge is a magnificent in the day as it is at night when it is full of colorful lights. It is accessible at Clinton and Fourth Streets and there is an empty lot across from the bridge...it doesn't say whether or not you can it can't park there.

I just walked over the bridge today for the out of darkness walk. I love that Bridge spiritually…read moreit is such peace. The peace is amazing, I read each message and it is the most beautiful Landmark in Fort Wayne. Outstanding

This 150 year old, red covered bridge was moved to Highland Park in 1957 by the Historical Society…read more The bridge was originally located in Vermont, Indiana and is the last bridge with Smith type #3 trusses in the State. (Robert Smith was a famous covered bridge designer from Ohio. His unique designs used less wood.) The bridge, which was built in 1875, has a sorted and interesting story of survival that is described on the City of Kokomo's website. I walked across the one-lane bridge on a hot day this week. (The bridge is only open to pedestrian traffic.) The bridge is cool inside, shaded by large sycamore trees. Modern party lights hang inside the bridge to provide light. The bridge spans a creek that runs through the park. The bridge provided a beautiful backdrop for photos. There is close free parking near the bridge. Vermont Covered Bridge is a must visit for covered bridge buffs.

Driving around Celina, sooner or later you drive by Grand Lake. It is a large and beautiful lake,…read moreand next to it are two large landmarks easy to see by anyone driving: 1) The Celina Lighthouse 2) The Welcome to Grand Lake Sign The sign was created and donated by Celina Insurance in 2013 to the city. I think its always a wonderful thing when a business gives back to its community. It is supposed to last forever, and the company guarantees its warranty at least per the newspaper article i read about it. https://dailystandard.com/archive/2013-09-17/stories/22040/celina-insurance-group-celebrating-its-100th-anniversary-with-donation-to-city

A pair of bronze statues portraying the pioneering auto builders, the Apperson Brothers, can be…read morefound near the spot of their former factory at the south entrance to Kokomo Municipal Stadium. Added in 2018, artist DJ Bawden created the pieces to commemorate the pairs contribution to Kokomo's history and commerce. Just before the beginning of the 20th Century, the brothers had started their own shop and were approached by Elwood Haynes to build his first car back in 1894 which is considered to be the first working car in America! They went on to form the Haynes-Apperson Company which continued making cars until the brothers left to pursue making a more upscale and powerful type vehicle in 1902. They were known for producing a car called the Jackrabbit. In 1911, the brothers entered a car in the 1st Indy 500. The auto manufacturers continued in Kokomo until 1926. Review #2476

I think the idea of this place is cool, but it really needs some money put into it. I'm glad we…read morewent on a Free day because I would have been upset to pay an entrance fee for what is there. There is a super small inside gallery area. A bunch of exhibits were covered so you couldn't see them. The outside is a small village with two structures. It was cool to go in and see you those looked like. There are plaques with what is around the circle area and you can either scan the QR code to get that information or borrow one of their books to learn about it. I think that's pretty cool. I think there is massive room for improvement and making things just look nicer. I think those in charge could learn a lot from how the Great Council State Park was done. Lots of room for more hands and interactive things to keep the kids interesting in learning about our past. This could also spell more revenue from schools for Field Trips.

This place is so cool. I went here today. It was a beautiful day to walk outside and see…read moreeverything! The staff was nice and there was so much to learn. You can learn a lot inside the main building or go outside as well!

Seated Lincoln is located just south of the Indiana War Memorial in downtown Indianapolis, an area…read morewith quite a few statues. Placed in 1935 by Henry Hering, Seated Lincoln has metered parking nearby and pretty much all around Indiana War Memorial and University Park. This is a bronze statue had been commissioned from the estate of Henry Clay Long, a Civil War veteran. It sits atop a granite base with "Abraham Lincoln" inscribed. The statue was officially dedicated on 12/27/1934 and cost a grand total of $16,000. I drive by this statue almost daily and I have to say it's one of my favorites of the war memorial statues downtown. It's well made and has aged incredibly well for a statue that is nearly 100 years old. I'm not sure why I've never reviewed these types of statues and landmarks that I see so often, but as I was driving by Abe last evening it took me down a bit of a rabbit hole in looking up the statue's history.

The seated Lincoln in University Park is a great little downtown stop. It's not the same pose as…read morethe famous Lincoln Memorial in Washington. This one shows Lincoln sitting more casually, almost mid-thought, with his coat open and one hand resting on papers. The sculptor was Henry Hering, and it was unveiled in 1930 as part of Indianapolis's long tradition of Lincoln memorials. It's here because Lincoln spoke in Indianapolis several times, and the city leaned into that history when designing the park. The whole setting is worth a walk as the statue sits among fountain, shade trees and other early 20th-century monuments that make the park feel like a small outdoor museum. [Review 1026 of 2026 - 232 in Indiana - 26205 overall]

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.