If you are a history buff or someone who appreciates artistic talent, then stop by the courthouse…read morein Winchester to check out this monument on the northeast corner. This is the oldest Civil War monument in the entire state of Indiana! It is second in height only to its namesake in Indy. I also like that there are plaques about how the monument was funded and who the artist was that contributed the bronze work. Lorado Taft was a famous sculptor from Illinois who completed these numerous bronzes in 1892. There are four corner figures including Artillery, Navy, Cavalry, and Infantry. There is a flag bearer positioned on the top. There also is an encircling bronze ring above the base that is an action diorama. The monument was designed by Indy architect A A McKain. It is made from ornate granite. Review #2589

If you travel around the country taking time to look for historic sites and monuments, then you may…read morebe familiar with Spirit of the American Doughboy. This bronze was added to the courthouse lawn in Winchester in 1928 and restored during the 1990's. Although it is not the original, it is a casting of the original which was created by artist/sculptor Ernest Moore Viquesney who was born in Spencer, Indiana. Viquesney's sculpture was so famous that it became the most replicated statue for World War I. The term Doughboy is meant to designate an American Soldier, particularly from the World War I era. There are several origins of the term without any definitive answer. The bronze carries a rifle in its left hand and is holding a grenade (I think) aloft in its right hand. Review #2590

I'm so thankful that Winchester has this gem! For most of my middle school and high school days, we…read morehad to drive to Muncie or Richmond for the closest movie theatre. But not anymore! The Towne Square Cinema has three screens and always offers an adult and child friendly film. I've been here many times with friends and family and am always pleased with my visit. Oh! And on Tuesdays they allow you to bring your own bowl for free popcorn. Can't beat that! So if you're in Winchester and are wondering ... what the heck am I going to do to entertain myself? Just know that the theatre is a great option. :)

The well known quote, "good things come in small packages," most definitely applies to this small…read moretown movie theater. Towne Square Cinema offers three screens in a beautiful historic building with extremely reasonable ticket and concession prices. Ticket prices are $7 for a 2D movie & $10 for a 3D movie. In the concession aspect, they offer different popcorn combos and seasonal specials, a variety of candy, dippin dots, pickles, flavored popcorn, and fountain & bottled beverages. Example of a combo would be - 2 medium drinks and a large popcorn (with up to four smaller bags of popcorn on the side) for $11.25 - what a steal. This movie theater also offers private parties (for a great price) where you can watch any of the movies playing, bring in a movie of your own, or even hook up game consoles and play video games on the big screen! Are you ready for this one? You can even host a SLEEPOVER at the cinema. That's right - a sleepover. If you're ever looking for something fun to do in Winchester, make sure you visit Towne Square Cinema!

This is a hidden gem of local art flair for any mural seeker! I couldn't find anything about these…read moremurals online, but spotted them while visiting Decatur. The "Decatur" mural caught my eye first, and there was a painted arrow pointing towards more murals down the alley. It's best to park in the lot next to the ABCinema and walk down the alley to see them all. You can get a glimpse of some of the Decatur Sculptures within walking distance from here too.

I'm a big fan of street art and murals. The historic part area of Richmond has some really cool…read moremurals. We were in the area looking at a list of waterfalls but happened upon this area and neat murals. I would like to come back and spend more time exploring.

If you enjoy murals in unexpected places, this is the block to go! The north end of the blocks…read morewhere Ft Wayne Avenue meets North E Street has surprises on the fronts, backs, and even near the tops of the buildings. On the west side of Ft Wayne Avenue, the Richmond Furniture Gallery building has numerous images of furniture painted by the loading docks on the north side. There is also a portrait of Charles Mosey, early recording artist, by Pamela Bliss (1999). There is also a banner mural which reads "Greetings from Richmond, Indiana". On the south end of the block is a mural by Damon Reed of guitarist Lonnie Johnson with a post card of Richmond behind him and to the left. On the east side of Ft Wayne Avenue, you probably see the rooftop billboard/mural of Louis Armstrong playing his trumpet next to a sign for Historic Richmond. Down at street level on the north end is a mural of Louis Armstrong on one side of the doorway and Hoagy Carmichael on the other. The mural that seems to spur the most discussion is the alley mural of windows and doorways by Pamela Bliss. Although there are very few actual doors and windows on the alley, Bliss had painted in the areas to make it appear the building is occupied by a variety of characters. As you stroll through the alley, you will see a peacock, a puppy, a kitten, a young woman, a recreation of the famous WWII image of a sailor kissing a gal, a guitarist, a carousing husband getting home late to a wife with a rolling pin, and even a flying pig! There are other windows and doors as well. Lots of imagination and a bit of humor. If you are in Richmond's Historic Depot District for coffee or a bite to eat, make a point to stop by and check out the fabulous murals throughout the area. Review #1235

This mural is on my favorite store in Hamilton. Unsung Salvage. Be sure to stop in if you're…read morechecking out the mural. I'm pretty sure that this building used to be a place that sold lighting fixtures and parts, so the bulbs seem appropriate. I don't know why Hamilton is so into origami, but whatever. It's neat. At first I thought they were cranes and bats but then I found out I don't know anything about origami and that they're swallows "foreshadowing spring." Thinking they are bats is way different than swallows foreshadowing spring. The more I learn the names of murals in Hamilton, the more it seems they are titled to try to alleviate people who fear losing their city to the sort of people who make murals. And the people who make murals are paying homage to the history of the city with bright color pallets. Anyway, I forgot to say this is from the Street Spark team here in Hamilton. They do a fantastic job. I love to see them out painting. From their homepage (https://www.fittoncenter.org/streetspark) Lead Artist: Nick Scrimenti Supporting Artists: Lori Farr, John McCoy, Ariel Williams Thanks, guys!

I didn't grow up going to public libraries much. I was a big reader but we always seemed to have a…read morestash of books at the house to work our way through. Now, as an adult with a kiddo, I have a new appreciation for public libraries (not to mention my own love for reserving books on my card). The Union City Public Library has been around since 1905 in the heart of my hometown (Union City). The front lawn is shaded and prime for event activation although it is rarely used this way. The library itself is a Carnegie historic library with two floors. They offer bilingual story hours on Friday afternoons for kiddos 1 1/2 up to 5 years old. They also offer a summer reading program. The interior is on the dated side and a bit crowded -you could also call this old timey charm of a small town library. Can't wait to take my kiddo for the first time this coming Saturday.

On my last visit to Muncie, I found this giant mural downtown on the side of the Mark III Taproom…read moreon Walnut. The mural was completed in 2017 by the "We're Trying Collective" and volunteers. The mural was inspired as response to the Orlando Pulse Nightclub attack. Muncie residents wanted to let folks of all types know that they are welcome in Muncie. Community outreach gathered thoughts and interest and developed the mural. The mural has large pastel areas with a black overlay of lines that create a lot of abstract imagery. Between the lines, a number of hand prints can be seen of volunteers. The orange areas also have a number of equality symbols. Review #1367

Centerville, Indiana has an alternate name: "City of Arches". Along West Main and on South…read moreMorton, a number of buildings have arched entrances to breezeways/passages from front to back. So, it seemed fitting to become the theme during the 2015 Festival of Murals in Wayne County for this piece. Artist Mark Gardner created an image of portholes on the side of the building with a ribbon spiraling through them. The ribbon lists facts about the town and also the location/names of the arches. Reflecting the size of the arches themselves, the mural is smaller than many of the other entries in the Festival. Review #1239

The irony of allowing humanity to fall so deep into greed that the unhoused population sit on this…read morebench without anywhere to call home. Says lots without saying a word.

This is a very powerful and intriguing piece that is located off to the side of the Roberts Park…read moreUnited Methodist Church. This sculpture is the work of Timothy Schmalz, a Canadian sculptor and devout Catholic, who was commissioned by Roberts Park United Methodist Church to create this bronze sculpture in 2015. It also goes by the name Jesus the Homeless. As nice as it is, this piece is not one of a kind. There are a bunch of them placed all around the world, well over 100. The original was made in 2013 and is located at Regis College, University of Toronto. Other locations that you will find the sculpture include Australia, Singapore, Israel, South Korea, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Columbia and the Dominican Republic to name just a few. This sculpture is very realistic and detailed. Which brings me to a funny story. In October 2020, police in Ohio were dispatched to a report of a homeless man sleeping on a park bench. Ironically, this call was made within 20 minutes of the Homeless Jesus sculpture being installed. Yep, some called the police on the statue. I will admit, I had to do a double take to make sure it was not real when I saw it. And you are certain to be fooled if you are driving by. It should be noted the the sculpture in Vatican City has received the blessing of the Pope. The bench is about 7 feet wide and depicts a covered figure, assumed to be Jesus, laying on it. The only real identification being the crucifixion wounds on the figures feet. For the low price of 99.99 you too can have your own mini-homeless Jesus made by the artist himself. The sculpture is just off of the Roberts Park United Methodist Church parking lot and runs along Alabama Street. There is tons of metered street parking available in front of and adjacent to the sculpture. There is also a commercial parking lot directly behind it that you can pull into, get out and take a closer look too. I guess you could also do a safe and strategic slow rolling drive by and get a a half decent look, but I do not recommend that. You will not get the full effect of the sculpture. As with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other sculptures, murals and attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. Brickhead3 and Viewfinders would be a great start.