In 1910, Jefferson P. Van Fossen received the contract to erect this Double Span Burr Arch Truss…read morebridge. It carries Virostko Road across Big Raccoon Creek, replacing an earlier effort (1865) of Joseph J. Daniels that was destroyed by arson. At 263 feet in length, it is one of the longest of the surviving covered bridges in Parke County (#18 on the Covered Bridge Map). It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. As Harold Rau details in his A Guide to the Covered Bridges of Parke County, Indiana (2016), this is the one bridge with an unclear history. "Witnesses from the construction site claim the on-site foreman was Joseph J. Daniels, 84 years old at the time. But, an old photograph of the nearly finished bridge shows J.P. Van Fossen as contractor and J. Brooks as builder. The name of J.J. Daniels does not appear in the photo. The on-site witnesses didn't remember Mr. Brooks, and later photographs show portal lettering with J.J. Daniels as builder. However, the current portal inscription only reads 'Van Fossen' (p. 56)."

Just a short distance off the Red Route for touring Parke County Covered Bridges is the Roseville…read moreCovered Bridge near Coxville, IN. The Burr arch-truss style bridge was built in 1910 and restored in 1977, so it is in pretty good shape. The bridge is still in service though traffic is told to greatly reduce speeds to a walking pace to cross the span. The red and white bridge with black lettering has a total length of a whopping 282 feet (2nd longest in the County) with the single longest span of around 119 feet which crosses the Big Raccoon Creek. The rest of the length hovers over ground that can frequently flood. There is also a marker on the west side of the bridge telling about the history of Rossville. To find this bridge, take US 41 west of Rockville to Coxville Road (7 miles). Head south for 4.25 miles to CR 325 W in Coxville. The bridge is only about 400 feet ahead on this gravel road. Note that this bridge is only 0.8 miles away from Harry Evans Covered Bridge which is also on CR 325W to the north. If you are coming from Rosedale, take Main Street/Coxville Road north 2.25 miles to Coxville and CR 325W. Head east. Review #3175

hot take, i think it's only worth stopping if you're passing through or it's a short detour rather…read morethan making a whole trip for it. the wind chime is honestly underwhelming, it looks very cool but the sound is rather dull. the teeter totter was not being operated, it was a saturday at "opening" time. the pitchfork is a few minutes down the road (have to drive) and is held together by 4 painted ratchet straps. it is neat, but not worth planning a whole day as there's only really a couple hours of things to do/look at and that's with taking your sweet time.

Come to Casey and see the World's Largest Things. They're all over town and it's only a couple of…read moremiles off I-70 as you're passing between Terre Haute and Saint Louis. On the the big ones in the downtown core is this, the World's Largest Wind Chime. It is accessed through the patio area of what looks like a cute restaurant, Whitling Whimsy Cafe, which was closed on Sunday when I was here. In fact, most of the town was closed on Sunday. Still, the Things are accessible. The Wind Chime is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records and are 49 feet tall with the largest chime being 42 feet long. There is a center rope pull so that you can make the chimes sound if it's not a windy day. I like that this one is interactive. [Review 19676 overall - 131 in Illinois - 648 of 2023.]

Local artist, Michael McAuley, created this bronze statue of local music legend, Hoagy Carmichael…read more Hoagy sits at his bronze piano just outside the IU Auditorium on the IU campus. The patio is surrounded by a lush serene garden. There is no parking close to the statue and you have to walk to see the statue. It took me some time to find, as it is tucked in near a wall just outside the doors of the Auditorium. I recommend visiting when classes are not in session. IU has a lot of interesting and beautiful art scattered around the campus.

Beautiful tribute to one of America's best composers. It captures his image well and it's so…read morerefreshing to see this be a fixture at IU, given his legacy and time there. I love that the pose is of him at work with "Stardust" at his fingertips, as he penned that just a few blocks away. It's easy for me to conjure up the image of what his style of work may have been like and I can totally hear the song in my head as I go by. I'm so happy that this tribute to him exists.

Situated about half a mile north of Coxville on County Road 325W (gravel), this Single Span Double…read moreBurr Arch Truss structure was built by Joseph A. Britton in 1908 to span Rock Run Creek. The bridge is still in use, although it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. #19 on the Parke County Covered Bridge Map, it is but one of the twelve covered bridges that Britton put up in this county.

Just a few miles off the Red Route for touring Parke County Covered Bridges is the Harry Evans…read moreCovered Bridge between Mecca and Coxville, IN. The Burr arch-truss style bridge was built in 1908 and restored in 1977, so it is in pretty good shape. The bridge is still in service though traffic is told to greatly reduce speeds to a walking pace to cross the span. The red and white bridge with black lettering has a total length of a modest 81 feet with a span of around 61 feet which crosses the Rock Run. To find this bridge, take US 41 west of Rockville just passed Mecca Road to CR 325W (4.3 miles). Head south for 5 miles to reach the bridge. Much of this is gravel road. Also of interest is that this bridge is only 0.8 miles away from Roseville Covered Bridge which is also on CR 325W to the south. Zacke Cox Covered Bridge is fairly close to the north along CR 325W, half a mile east on Tickridge Road. If you are coming from Rosedale, take Main Street/Coxville Road north 2.25 miles to Coxville and CR 325W. Head east/north for about 1 mile on CR 325W. Review #3203

Sometimes sculpture is very personal to the person who commissions it. Such is the case of this…read morebronze statue located on the northwest corner of John Force Racing in Brownsburg. Back in 2007 (March 23), Eric Medlen was a driver for John Force Racing. While testing for a drag race in Gainesville, Florida, Medlen was killed at the age of 33. Medlen's father was his crew chief. The grief felt by the whole team was heartfelt and moved the team owner, John Force to commission this statue. The accident inspired the entire team to focus on safety as a key element to their pursuit of championships. The bronze is built about half scale and sits on a small hill surrounded by pine trees. Review #1350

Almost hidden in the little town of Williamsport is an amazing geological feature millions of years…read morein the making. The Williamsport Falls at 90 feet high is the longest falls in Indiana. We knew it was there somewhere, but Eric at the Hot Dog Station said it's right out back and sure enough, there it was. There is a small parking area and maps of hiking trails where you can walk along the creek, descend and watch the waterfall. You can observe the top of the falls right from the parking lot. There was no water flowing due to lack of rain during our visit, but you could see amazing crevasses created by water rushing over the falls. For a small observation deck, you can see the shear drop of the falls. The fall foliage was just starting to change making the view spectacular. There is no charge to enter the park, which is dog friendly. There are several trails.

A great place for a walk and a swim to cool off afterwards! The path is newly updated for easier…read morewalking and the area is all cleaned up and nice!

The Bridgeton Mill was established in 1823 and is the oldest continuously runing grist mill in…read moreIndiana. Mike and Karen Roe bought the mill in 1995 and have worked feverishly to maintain and operate this 200 year old historical business. My husband and I visited the mill today and Mike spent an hour providing us with the fascinating history and tour of the mill, describing different types of ground flours and meals. He demonstrated how he mills grain. Today, the mill produces and sells a variety of different wheat flours, brans and corn meals. Grains are Amish sourced locally. I purchased blue corn meal, rare Einkorn flour, Miller's blend flour and wheat bran. I also bought a book about the local covered bridges. If you want to visit the mill, go during off peak time, before or after the Covered Bridge Festival. The crowds of tourists during the festival will make it difficult to enjoy and learn about the mill. And if you want to meet Mike, go soon, as he has the mill up for sale. Attached to the mill is a small snack bar that serves sandwiches, beverages and ice cream. The cheeseburgers are served on homemade wheat rolls and are juicy and delicious. Tables overlook the covered bridge and creek. The clerk/cook is friendly. The place is not fancy or upscale, but small town wonderful. There is no charge to visit the mill, although donations are requested to assist with repairs to the dam. Bridgeton Mill is a special place to visit and support a family-run business and learn about Indiana's history. There is plenty of parking and restroom are available.

It's a new bridge but still done in that classic style. We took this in before the Covered Bridge…read moreFestival so we could enjoy the beautiful area before the crowds. If you come during the festival this place is filled with activities and vendors

It was only a matter of time. The Mug Tree was an old tree. Mugs were placed with it and that…read morebrought it alive again in our hearts. Many, many mugs. Travelers along the highway admired that old tree, adorned with mugs. It offered a silent respite in our daily lives. It offered hope, that no matter what pains we carried, there was the Mug Tree. The Mug Tree, which was created out of the generosity of hundreds of people, most likely strangers to each other, but friends with a common goal of taking an old, dead tree along a country highway and giving it purpose, once more. The Mug Tree. A local landmark, never to be recognized as a national monument. Unlike the more famous curiosities just a few miles north in Casey, this oddity stood outside of the door to fame. Yet, to those of us who passed by, it stood for years alongside that country highway, day and night. Like an old trusted friend. So, to those who read these words and never knew the Mug Tree, I am sorry for your loss. And to those thousands of travelers that passed by and noticed, if you grieve, you grieve not alone. Dear Mug Tree: So long, my friend. Thanks for all the smiles you brought to our hearts.

So... It was fun to see this tree in passing on the way to Effingham but I felt like the house on…read moretop could've been utilized for birds or something.

In 1906, J. Larence Van Fossen put up this Single Span Double Burr Arch Truss bridge to carry…read moreCounty Road 550E across Big Raccoon Creek. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, all approaches to this bridge are via gravel surfaces. The bridge is still in use, and can be reached from US59 via County Road 720S, or from the Mansfield-Bridgeton road via Mace road.

Amidst corn fields, the Conley's Ford Covered Bridge once shepherded travelers over Big Raccoon…read moreCreek since 1906. But today, I was sad to find the historic bridge standing lonely, barricaded and closed to all traffic, including foot traffic. Extensive damage to the west wall of the bridge was evident. The road was blocked to the bridge, so we parked and walked the 0.2 mile to the bridge. Trees were down near the bridge and the ground was muddy. The bridge was built by J. Lawrence Van Fossen in 1906. The 192' bridge is designed with a double Burr Arch truss. The bridge is unusual in that it is constructed of white pine verses poplar. I'm not sure if there are plans to repair the bridge, but she certainly needs some love.