I'm a sucker for bright shiny objects. That said, I really like this sculpture completed in 2006…read moreby local art professor Bernard Hegedorn. He was inspired to create something after the tragedy of 9/11 in the hope that the worst of the century was behind us and a new beginning would offer promise. The large sculpture has two curved bronze columns that represent the twin towers in New York post impact. The stainless steel circle in the middle represents the rising and setting sun. The bright surface of the circle reflects the world around and seems to fill the open space as you move around the sculpture (it is located in a roundabout at the entrance to the Red Skelton Museum.) I also appreciate that the artist added a plaque with his insight into his motivation for creating the piece. Too many artist leave no clues to what they were thinking. It seems like leaving a plaque is a great way for the viewers to understand the artist and maybe gain an insight into art in general. Review #2966

One of the prominent businessmen in the early history of the territory that would become Indiana…read morewas Francis Vigo. He is the man who provided funds for George Rogers Clark to capture Vincennes from the British. He is also the man who Vigo County is named after. So when the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park was dedicated in 1936, it seemed fitting to add a granite statue of the man who facilitated Clark's efforts. The statue is carved from granite and took two years for New York sculptor John Angel to create. The granite is perfect for withstanding the weather and the statue has held up remarkably well. The statue shows Vigo in a seated position with a long coat along with some of his goods beneath his right arm. Review #2971

When the Lincoln Memorial Bridge was dedicated in 1933 to commemorate the site where it was…read morebelieved that Abraham Lincoln crossed the Wabash River when moving to Illinois, the bridge had two sculpted granite images added to the pylons on the Indiana side. The intent of the French artist, Raoul Josset, was to depict non-specific Native Americans who would have been present at the time George Rogers Clark took Fort Sackville from the British (1779). However, due to popular local interest, the two figures have been nicknamed "Tecumseh" and "Prophet" who lived decades later. The carved granite figures are approximately ten feet in height though they are set several feet higher than ground level which makes them appear even taller. One of the images carries a war club. The other carries a blanket. Both images are in great condition due to the fact that granite holds up well under outdoor conditions. Review #2970

A quick 5-10 minute stop allowed for a pretty neat view of this memorial. You'd miss it if you…read moreweren't looking for it. It does have a pull off so you aren't parked on the side of a busy road. There is a sidewalk and trail to walk too that you can walk and be next to the river. Don't miss the pylons or the statue/memorial.

Local sculptor Bill Wolfe (Terre Haute) created a tribute to the man who is considered the Founder…read moreof Vincennes: Lt Francois-Marie Bissot. Bissot's father was in charge of promoting loyalty to the French among the Miami Indians. When Bissot's father passed away, Bissot was promoted to take over this duty. Bissot was French and worked his way up through the ranks of the French army in the Louisiana Territory in the area of modern day Indiana. In 1730, he was promoted to Lieutenant and was made commandant of the area. He was charged with promoting French trade with the native people and keeping British traders out. Vincennes became the site of the trading post set up by Bissot. Sadly, Bissot died at the age of 36 due to a fire started by the Chickasaw Indians while on a trip to the southern part of the Louisiana Territory. The bronze statue is a new addition to the downtown Vincennes waterfront. Review #2969

If you are in Vincennes, this place is a must stop if you enjoy hearing about history and being…read moreable to see authentic pieces from the period. The Harrison Mansion was built from 1802-4 for a price of about $20,000.(around $1 million in today's dollars.) Tours are available on the hour. Parking is available on the street next to the entrance. But: No photography of any kind is allowed inside the mansion. It is privately owned, not part of the State Museum collection. There are numerous plaques outside that give you a little history for events that took place on the grounds of the mansion which is called Grouseland (grouse were hunted for food and were William Henry Harrison's favorite dish.) Harrison was Governor of the territory and would go on to become the 9th President of the United States at the age of 68 (the oldest elected until Reagan.) While in Vincennes, he often had dealings with the local Native American tribes including historic meetings with Tecumseh and his brother Prophet a while before the Battle of Tippecanoe during the War of 1812. There are grounds marked where the first meeting with Tecumseh took place since he refused to enter the mansion. Besides the history, the mansion is a museum. Much of the Harrison family possessions are still on site and the rest of the home is filled with period pieces. (I really wish I could have taken pictures!) All the original hard wood floors are still intact. Visitors are limited to viewing most rooms from the area by the doorway entrance. The house had three parts: The ceremonial and affairs of state section; the family section; and the servant - soldier section. It is easy to spot the differences between the family and servant sections. In fact, if you take the tour, you will need to be able to walk steep and narrow stairs and will have to watch your head if you are of average height or taller. I also found it interesting that the mansion was constructed with extra thick walls to serve as a fortress for the family and locals in the area to retreat to when under attack by the native people. The mansion had a view of the Wabash and could see travelers on the river, but that also made it easy for an attack to arrive silently via the water. Fortunately, the house had a place in the roof to send light signals to the fort 2 miles away. The tour was filled with anecdotes and interesting information. Some of the furniture was quite different from what we use in modern times. I could only guess at some of the pieces (fortunately the tour guide knew). Overall, it was an enjoyable visit. Just wish I could have taken pictures. Review #2968

Well kept I am proud to have seen it I do recommend the time to take to see it once it's not like…read morebreath taking but it is special to those in our community

Indiana has some of the best monuments when it comes to celebrating our appreciation for Soldiers…read moreand Sailors. Vincennes added its monument made from red granite in 1914 on the northeast corner of the county courthouse. Rising over sixty feet, the vault like structure base supports an obelisk that is topped with a bronze flag bearer. The flag bearer and four other statues, one on each corner of the vault, were created by sculptor Rudolf Schwarz and were cast posthumously to his death in 1912. The other four statues represent Navy, Artillery, Infantry, and Cavalry. The monument sits in a plaza that allows access to all sides of the monument. The plaza also has granite monuments to significant historical documents on one side of the plaza. The other side has monuments honoring those who served in the military in each of the wars in our country's history. Flags fly behind the military monuments. The space is well kept and is beautiful. Because everything is done in bronze and granite, there has been little deterioration over the 100+ years. While at the monument, check out the nearby courthouse for additional statues. On the north end are two statues on the third story. One is George Rogers Clark and the other is a Union Soldier. On the south side of the courthouse is a statue of Justice. All three statues were carved by Andrea Barrot in Carrara, Italy in time for the dedication of the courthouse in 1874. The monument and neighboring statues are worth stopping by the next time you are in Knox County. Review #2976

tour was very fun and informative, thanks for the great experience!! will def come backread more

We had an extremely good and animated tour guide, John. He was very knowledgeable and informative…read moreof the history of the buildings and the area overall. Much of the building tour is inside so it's good for a rainy cold day like today. It was very good.

The military museum in Southwest Indiana is great located in Knox County Indiana. I attended the…read moreWorld War I day today at the museum. Had a lot of great exhibits and interactive museum. They had more reenactment and someone on the ground to explain what was happening. What was going on with people, dressed in military uniforms from the World War I era. The welcome center is very nice and the extended building has a lot to display. A lot of big military equipment, located inside and outside.

If you are a military history buff, this is the museum for you. I have visited a number of military…read moremuseums and I haven't seen another one that has anywhere near the amount of military artifacts that this one has. It is an easy one to tour. As you enter you start with the Civil War where you will see display cases full of very well preserves artifacts. As you continue on you'll see each war period depicted with weapons, uniforms, medals, letters, photos, etc. There is also an annex with many vehicles and cut-aways of dioramas depicting life as it was in the 40's. A must see.

Some of the statues in historic Vincennes are for frontiersmen. But this collection of statues…read moreoutside the Old Cathedral Saint Francis Xavier Church in downtown Vincennes pays tribute to religious leaders & saints. Standing 9' tall in bronze is Father Pierre Gibault, the "Patriot Priest" which is located in the mall area in front of the church. Gibault was key in his attempts to convince the French settlers to switch their allegiance from the British to the Americans in 1778. This support along with his life savings which were given to help George Rogers Clark in his campaign of defeating the British helped turn the tide for the young American country. The Old Cathedral is the oldest Catholic Church in the state. Dating back to the early 1800's, the Cathedral added three figures to the front of the building in 1908. Viewing from left to right are Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Francis Xavier, and Saint Patrick. No artist data is available. Though starting to show some weathering, these three statues are still identifiable from ground level. If you are a history buff or are interested in art, these sculptures are worth checking out. Review #2973