I was in the Franklin area for a work obligation and finally made it over to see the famed "Grave…read morein The Middle of The Road." One of the more unique graves around, this grave nearly always shows up on any list of Indiana's most unique roadside attractions. Of course, this isn't "roadside." It's in the middle of the road and serves as a sort of divider in the road. The grave is for Nancy Kerlin Barnett, married to William Barnett. Fun fact: William was the great great great grandson of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. Nancy passed away on 12/1/31. She was buried here - a place that used to be a hill overlooking Sugar Creek. Over the years, the area became a small cemetery. Eventually, a small footpath was made. Finally, they wanted to put a small county road here. While it's not certain, it's believed that most graves in the area were moved. However, Nancy's grave stuck around as one of the son's protested moving it. Eventually, they wanted to widen the road - this time around, per report, grandson Daniel showed up with a shotgun essentially saying "Over my dead body." So, she stayed again. They built the road around her and a concrete slab was placed over the grave. On August 8, 1912, a historical marker was also placed. To this day, the grave remains and is definitely considered an "attraction." Anyone who visits roadside attractions in Indiana will eventually make it here. It took me way too long. Surprisingly, it's also fairly accessible and the road is really fairly lightly traveled. It's not hard to stop and see it, though given it's a hill you do have to be a bit cautious even with slow traffic. Is this the best roadside attraction you'll ever see? Of course not. It is, however, a cool sort of cultural icon in Indiana and worth a stop for those in the area. It's definitely not what I'd call a destination attraction. Franklin is a great community to visit, however, I'd certainly not drive down just for this unless you're truly a gravesite person.

This was on a list of unusual things to do/see in Indiana so I had to check it out. The story goes…read morelike this. They were developing the road and it was going right through where the grave is. So they decided to dig the grave up, to which the grandson of the deceased said, ohh heck nawww. It ain't going down like that, and he grabbed his shotgun and threatened the powers. to be so bad that they came up with the compromise of incorporating his gam gam's grave into the new road. So, here we are. Down the center line of the road you will find a tombstone covered with pennies and an occasional flower or two. There is also a historical road marker on the side of the road as well, detailing the significance of the spot. This stop is just or brief stop or drive by. There is really no good place to pull over. I had to be creative and pray. To my favor was that the street was not very busy. An occasional car would pass by. Well now, I can check off "seeing a grave in the middle of the road" off of my bucket list. On to the next adventure.

Fairytale-like house [Cincinnati OH]…read more We couldn't just drive-by this whimsical house without stopping and doing a double take... and staring. This is the Mushroom House in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Cincinnati. The amount of detail is really breathtaking: circular steel steps, deck rails of wood shingles, stained glass windows, tiled ceilings... of course, I had to snap some pics. How often do we come to Cin City. The original owner/builder by the name of Terry Brown has passed away in 2008. The house is currently not on the market and occupied as a private residence as of 2021. Here are the deets in Zillow: 1 beds, 1 baths, 1,260 sq-ft. If you are curious about the inside of the home you can click on this link and watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pVUFwH9Q6fk Review #3885

If you're passing through Cincinnati you have to stop by the Mushroom House. This is the most…read moreunique real house I have ever seen. It is a relatively young house, when it comes to house age. It was started to get built by architect Terry Brown in 1992 and completed in 2006. Terry Brown him self resided in it until his passing in 2008. This house looks like a mushroom from a certain angle, and like an owl from another. It is a fairytale house in the real world. There's so much fine detail, there's no wonder it had taken this genius man 14 years to complete this artistic masterpiece of a home. The spiral orange stair case was chained off not allowing access to the public. There was a car parked in the driveway as well as a surveillance camera. They also had a "no trespassing" sign. The land around, although very minimal is very well groomed and well kept. Something tells me there are people who currently reside here. I don't know how I would feel about living in a home that gets so much attention and that is always being photographed. The Mushroom House is a must see in Cincinnati. Use your fairytale imagination to guide you inside. Happy travels!

It is completely free. So fun. Lots of history. Really a beautiful little spot. Flowers were…read morebeginning to bloom. My 3 girls loved it. Made a little donation and they sent me a thank you email.

The Rock Garden was neat to see. It had a bunch of places created out of rocks and it is well…read morepreserved. It's free to visit, they just ask for a donation to help preserve the community.

If you are a Hoosier, after you visit Milan (hoops of course is our top interest), make a trip to…read moreMetamora. Everyone's heard of the Erie Canal, but how many know the story of what happened next. Indiana tried to build a Lake Erie to the Wabash canal, which if it had held together & worked, would have connected the Great Lakes to the Ohio River to New Orleans & the world. Metamora is on the Whitewater Canal which, if it had worked, would have connected nothing other than S/E Indiana farmland with markets in Cincinnati. The canal was 76 miles with 56 locks, which is ridiculous, and the canal was never successful. Our state went bankrupt trying to build these canals. Fascinating history. Anyway, the state museum is at one of the locks, and contains a functional operating grist mill. Time your visit with one of the several times each day the docent operates & explains how it works. The docent is friendly knowledgeable and makes your visit fun. Remember to buy things, especially a bag of corn meal you just saw be ground, because the gift shop helps fund this place. Highly recommend 5/5.

Whitewater Canal State Historic Site is one of the key attractions in the rather tiny town of…read moreMetamora, Indiana. Metamora is in Franklin County, a rural county that still feels mighty rural and lacks many of the many amenities that you'd find even in similar smaller towns or towns that are both historic and known for their "old timey" shops, antiques, and activities. For a couple years, fellow Yelpers Rick G. and Holly G. owned a shop in Metamora. I, in turn, owned a bookstore within that shop. As a result, I got to know Metamora fairly well and even officiated Rick and Holly's wedding out on the Whitewater Canal Trail. This is a historic site that falls under the umbrella of Indiana State Museum. It's a throwback to 19th century Indiana and was a key part of Indiana's commerce in the mid-19th century. The White Water Valley Canal Company was so big at one point that it had its own bank and printed its own currency in Connersville. The Whitewater Canal started in Lawrenceburg and originally ended in Cambridge City. Hagerstown, where I once pastored a church, got together and financed an extension to the canal. Ohio got into the action and built another 25-mile extension connecting the canal to Cincinnati. The Metamora Grist Mill, which is still here, is an example of the grist mills that found life because of the canal. You can take home a bag of cornmeal to this day! Visiting the historic site, you can visit the grist mill, see the nation's only wooden aqueduct, explore hiking trails, pick up some commemorative gifts, and visit the small town of Metamora. There is a canal boat here in Metamora, though it's not currently active. There's hope that the Ben Franklin III will see life again. It's a charming experience to be pulled down the canal by Joey and Jordan, two steeds who pull the boat at a gentle 3-4 miles per hour. Admission to the historic site is free for kids under 3, $3 for kids 3-17, $5 for adults aged 18-59, $4 for seniors (60+), and free for members. The site is open April-October, Wednesday through Sunday, from 10am - 5pm. The site is typically also open through the holiday season but only on weekends. You can rent the Whitewater Canal Gazebo for special events. It can accommodate up to 250. If you're expecting a lot of razzle dazzle here, you'll probably be disappointed. Metamora certainly can get crowds, especially during music festivals (almost always folk/Americana, but this is a town with a gentle pace, a friendly spirit, some old shops that generally open when they want, and accessibility that is incredibly hit-and-miss. However, I loved being here and I loved having a bookstore in the town. Rick and Holly still visit here just about monthly and there are a handful of overnight accommodation options for those who want to make it a weekend getaway.

Historic Metamora is the historical society and historic preservation organization for Metamora,…read moreIndiana. Located in Franklin County, Metamora is known as "Indiana's Canal Town" with its Whitewater Canal State Preservation Site. The organization was started as the Shopkeepers Association. It became a non-profit in 1999 and obtained its 501(c)(3) status in 2000. Historic Metamora is a membership organization (and I believe membership is still only $10 annually). Historic Metamora is an affiliate of Indy-based Indiana Landmarks. It operates a variety of projects for the "village," an unincorporated town that very much relies on its organizations for its livelihood. Fun fact: Historic Metamora owns what is historically known as the Wynn Street Church, the oldest house of worship in Metamora that has been in continuous use since the mid-1800s. It was built by a Methodist Episcopal congregation and for much of its history was part of the United Methodist Church in Indiana. In 2022, the Methodists basically gave up on the small congregation and sold the church to Historic Metamora. Historic Metamora then turned around and rented the church to that same congregation (bye-bye Methodists) - Boundless Ways of Grace. Another fun fact: That same church is pastored by a Yelper - Rick G. Historic Metamora also helps coordinate Metamora's Canal Days, maintains street lights and the Historic Metamora signage, flower boxes over the canal's pedestrian bridge, and partners with community groups (for example, the Merchant Association of Metamora) to take care of holiday decorations and special events. Metamora is very much a historic town. It's cool to watch this non-profit be a strong advocate for the village and help to preserve its historic status. If you know anything about Yelper Rick G., before becoming a pastor he also maintained Mosaic Learn & Play in the village. While Historic Metamora is likely one of the smaller Indiana Landmarks affiliates, its presence is priceless and I'm a huge fan of its work to preserve this lovely little canal town.

TikTok really has opened my eyes to hidden treasures everywhere. I'm sure that I'm not the only one…read morethat feels this way. When you doom scroll, you come across many different places that are true hidden gems. Door To Nowhere, or Heigold House, is definitely an oddity and salute to the past. Some housekeeping, you know, things to know about this place. BE CAREFUL. This sits on a roundabout island with steady traffic. Be mindful to the traffic flow and businesses nearby (I parked at a nearby business off the road and walked over here). Be kind to the natural beauty that surrounds this. And most of all, be respectful. As I said, this sits on a roundabout with flowerbeds surrounding it. Whether you are facing front, as in looking at the front of the façade, or looking from the rear, please stay on the sidewalks provided. Take in the informational plaques as well. Built by Christian H Heigold, a successful stonecutter. Majority of the house was completed in 1853. Heigold was a master at stonecutting and completed the home with busts of Presidents George Washington and James Buchanan. Heigold was also a staunch opponent of the 'Know Nothing Party,' and anti-immigration political party and I would like to think that he built his house with all the busts was a big middle finger to those that were anti-immigration. This façade sat in what was known as the The Point neighborhood, which was favored by those that moved to the city from the New Orleans area. Once Louisville diverted the Beargrass Creek away from downtown, this place started to flood annually. Shifting people away from the neighborhood and then the Great Flood of 1937 happened. Slowly the city started buying houses and demolishing them. Ultimately using the land as a dump site. Then this façade was listed on the National Registry of Historical Places. Remained in that area which became Thruston Park. That is until a developer bought the land adjacent to this and build condos. They moved this massive beast, 70,000-pounds, across River Road to where it sits today.

Such amazing history, a must see spot ! Right off a main road but there is parking nearby !read more

A wonderful historical stop in Versailles to pay tribute to the celebrated sharpshooter Annie…read moreOakley. Easy to navigate to and plenty of room to park, it's really cool to see that people are still stopping by her resting place to pay their respects.

I was just driving along a country road from Indiana to Lima, Ohio when suddenly a small sign…read morepopped up saying "Annie Oakley Grave" with an arrow pointing to a side road. I thought, "What??". I grew up on cowboys and Indians and one of my favorite TV shows was "Annie Oakley". I had missed the turn but took the next right to reconnect with the road. After driving aways, there was another sign and Brock Cemetery. I turned in slowly, parked, and walked reverently up to the headstones for Annie, her parents, and husband Frank Butler. It was pretty awesome to be standing at her final resting place. I read the information on the plaques, took some pictures, and somberly continued on my trip. You just never know what you will come across when you take the small roads to your destination instead of freeways.

This is a cool castle that I took my family to over the summer. I enjoy visiting random unique…read moreplaces. It's one of my favorite things to do in exploring and adding things to help. So of course we had a great time at this castle in Lagrange

Commonly known as the Channel 9 castle, you won't find armored knights protecting our local news…read morestation. Elsinore Castle was erected in 1883 by the Cincinnati Waterworks to house a valve for water to be transported to Eden Park. The company was interested in enhancing the view of the park, and this location was the former main entrance. The castle was built be renown architect Samuel Hanneford, modeled after Kronberg Castle, which was featured in a local play of Hamlet. The real Kronberg Castle can be found in Denmark. When the Cincinnati Art Museum opened in 1886, stairs were placed at the base of Elsinore Castle. The steps were too steep to ever become popular and the Elsinore Castle soon lost its appeal as an entrance to Eden Park. A mere 100 years later, it was integrated into the landscaping of Channel 9 and is seen more as a landmark of the news station than of the park. Set alongside Gilbert Avenue, the public can still stop and photograph the castle, however it was sadly never used for anything magical, like kings and armored battle. Viewing Time: 15 minutes

Pretty. Nothing spectacular but neat. I was looking for things to do local in Cincinnati that are…read morefree and this came up as a option.