Driving north on US 231 into Greencastle, it is hard to miss this giant four piece mural that was…read moreadded in fall 2019 by international artist Andrei Krautsou (who signs his work Key Detail). Funds were raised by the local people and a matching grant led to a search for the right artist who would work with the people to create a mural that would capture the spirit of the area. What makes this mural unusual, other than its gigantic size, is that it covers four grain silos (only two are inactive). The round surface makes for a pit of a challenge to fit full images in view. The artist did a rough sketch on the surface and then used a lift and spray paint to finish the job in just a few weeks in September. The four silos have unique themes. On the left, the silo features a bald eagle for American Strength. The next features a cow and horse for Agriculture. The next silo, which is a bit larger features a giant violin representing the Arts, particularly DePauw School of Music & Arts. Finally, the last mural features a whitetail buck, a covered bridge, and morel mushrooms along with the artist's tag on the back. Common to all the murals is the artist's use of plants and flowers to fill in the space around the central images of each silo. The space not only creates a sense of identity, but offers a vibrant first image of the city as visitors arrive. Well done! I enjoy discovering these installations by towns that are fighting to stay appealing to locals and visitors alike. Review #3121

Great selection of stickers, stones, and skincare items as well as lots if stuff from local artists!read more

This is a very Wonderful place they always have such kind staff it is a very inclusive store where…read moreeveryone can be themselves

Walking into this library, I thought it was your run-of-the-mill library. There were books and…read moreplaces to read. There was a teen area with a tv. Public computers offered free legal advice. Downstairs in the kid's area, there was a regular size door for adults and a pint size door for kids that was unique. A nice play area for the kids helped them learn and love the library. There was a pretty awesome tree house down in the kid's area. But when I turned the corner upstairs, things got really interesting. The digital library was housed in a former historic Carnegie Library, now a wing of the library. Tony, the head of the digital media, came out of his office when he heard our gasps to tell us the history of the Carnegie structure. Like many libraries in Indiana, the library in Greencastle was funded by a grant from Andrew Carnegie over 100 years ago. The town provided the land and commitment to maintain and Carnegie paid to build the building. The library, now the Putnam County Public Library, still maintained the original oak woodwork and fireplace mantles of the historic structure. Beautiful stained glass decorated the windows and the sky light. Historical photos of the original furniture (which is still in use today) and staff were on the wall. Tony explained that the Library had maintained and renovated the Carnegie space when they had expanded and modernized in the 1990s. Today, the center house historical information. He also showed us art by the famous Wilbur Kurtz, a former resident and art instructor in Greencastle. I highly recommend a visit if you like history and architecture. Talk to Tony (the staff is awesome). There's plenty of parking near the Library. The new section is fully accessible with restroom facilities. .

"Read.Think.Create!" is part of a six-installation public art trail in Greencastle, Indiana. This…read moreparticular piece is located inside the Putnam County Public Library and is directly over the circulation desk (Fun Fact: The circulation desk is the original Carnegie Library circulation desk). Read.Think.Create! was created by Greencastle Civic League Artists Amy Welch and Heather Wright to celebrate the old and new of libraries. It adds a beautiful energy to this 1902 library that was renovated in 1995 but still retains much of the original furniture and design. This installation is within walking distance of two others. Greencastle, in general, has quite a bit to offer within a fairly small distance. Of course, the city is also home to DePauw University. There's not much else that can be said about this mural as it's simple yet colorful and well-maintained. Putnam County hasn't caught on to the public art scene as much as some other communities, though this six installation trail is fun to experience and definitely worth checking out if in the area. I would not consider Read.Think.Create! a destination public art piece, however, if you're in Greencastle it's worth checking out the library and its art work. While this mural was the first of the six to be envisioned, it was actually completed after the nearby "Greencastle Blossoms." This is free to check out during library hours.

Beautiful!!! Attended a wedding here. The space & staff were excellent. Although only beer & wine…read morewere open bar, the mixed drinks were very fairly priced! The Great: the venue The Good: parking, staff, the grounds The Bad: na The Ugly: na No spider webs, clean bathrooms, perfect size!

What a beautiful wedding venue. Parking attendants directed us to park in a grassy field. Golf…read morecarts shuttled guests who didn't want to walk. High heels and the gravel road don't mix well. Be warned--an outdoor July wedding at 4:30 in the afternoon is blazing hot. We opted for standing in the shade on a raised deck with a great view of the entire ceremony. This couple provided guests with fans that had the wedding program on one side and their picture on the other. Amidst a pandemic, I'm questioning the choice of fans. Indoors was air conditioned with seating and a bar on the main floor and upstairs. The second floor is a loft with a single row of tables and chairs looking down on main floor. Bartenders were friendly, some of the staff wore masks, some of the time. The air wasn't cooling the building and after a heavy thunderstorm, outside was cooler, so the doors were opened and a huge fan used to get some cross ventilation going. It was actually nicer outside among the tall trees. There's covered outdoor seating and a paved area where many guests hung out. With a DJ playing it was easier to visit and talk outdoors, perhaps safer too. When we returned to our vehicle at the end of the night, we discovered most people parked by us were stuck in mud and the owner was pulling us out with his truck. A little muddy, but no damage done to my SUV and an exciting finish to a fabulous event. AC not working well, overflow parking in what became a muddy mess were the only negatives. I imagine the deluge was atypical, but AC needs attention, not out of their control.

The Courthouse in Greencastle was undergoing a power wash when I arrived. Streets around the Square…read morewere being replaced and sidewalks renewed. The Square is small with war memorials on the corners and thoughtfully landscaped. The Neoclassical structure was commissioned in 1903 and designed by notable architect, John W. Gaddis of Vincennes, Indiana. The limestone building was commissioned in 1905 at a final cost of $144,997.38, according to a plaque inside. Inside, the atrium floor is tiled. Marble staircases ascend up two flights with incredible alabaster carved bannisters. The building is immaculate and well preserved with plaques memorializing the Revolutionary War and Spinach American War fallen soldiers. There are several important murasl in the building. One of Lady Justice that hangs on the second floor outside the court rooms. A leaded glass dome overhead is the centerpiece of the atrium. The highlight of my visit was seeing the mostly original 1905 courtroom. A deputy made the visit possible, as court was not in session. The courtroom was filled with original oak chairs for jurors and iron/oak benches for spectators. A powerful mural of King Solomon passing judgement on a child claimed by two women was on a front wall. An antique harp stood in the corner ready for weddings. The courtroom has been maintained incredibly. I felt like I had taken a step back in time. Two deputies, a clerk and even a judge took time out of their day to speak with me about the courthouse. There was a strong sense of pride as they described various parts of the courthouse and recommended places to see. My heart is warmed when I meet people as friendly as I met in Greencastle. The Square outside is interesting with little shops. A vacant bank on the corner was the site of John Derringer's robberies. There is street parking around the Square. The Putnam County Courthouse is well worth a visit if you like architecture, history and Midwest hospitality.

With the recent death of my father, I've begun the process of working through the legal aspects of…read morehandling is personal affairs. This includes spending time in the Putnam County Courthouse. The Putnam County Courthouse is located in Greencastle, Indiana. Greencastle is a college town and home to DePauw University (which is known as one of the first Indiana universities to treat women equally in terms of admission, etc. when it was known as Asbury University). Katherine A's review of the courthouse includes many of the basics regarding this historic building commissioned and designed by John W. Gaddis in 1905 at a cost of $144,997.38. I agree with Katherine's assessment that this is a pretty amazing building. It's located on the town square. There's plenty of parking around the building and on surrounding streets. When I arrived this past week, there was road construction going on around the building. I was able to find a disabled parking spot on a side street that allowed me to get my wheelchair out - I noticed that drivers were quite considerate. Traffic was far from busy, especially by Indy standards, but exercising caution is still important. Curb cuts are available all around the square. The courthouse has a nicely done concrete ramp - I think it's the east entrance. The double-sided doorway has an push-button, automatic entry. There's an elevator that should get you where you needed to go. As is true for most government buildings these days, there's security at the entrance and metal detectors. While thorough, they were also super friendly and helpful. I visited both the Recorder and the tax area. I couldn't accomplish all the tasks I needed (typically true of estates - it's a timely process), however, everyone I dealt with was friendly and helpful. The processes seemed somewhat informal. I could go through all the doors I needed to get through - the elevator is small, however, I was able to get my wheelchair in it. Because this is a historic building, many of the original or close to original features remain. I won't go into them as they're covered nicely in Katherine A's review. I will agree with her observation of the 1905 courtroom - it's a stunner and makes you think of many of those older 1950s courtroom dramas. I'm a fan of town squares. When I travel on my Tenderness Tour, I tend to visit them whenever I can. This one is framed nicely by the courthouse with several surrounding businesses, places to eat, etc. You can also capture a lot of the area's history - and I found most of the locals seem to know that history. Putnam County has a population of just over 36,000 and is a unique combination of farming, college town, and increasingly contemporary community. While I don't plan to move here, I always enjoy my visits and finally getting to see the Courthouse has been enjoyable and educational.

The Inn at DePauw is an utterly hotel to stay at in Greencastle, located at the edge of the…read moreuniversity. I've had the pleasure of staying several times, and in every room, the beds are consistently comfortable, the sheets are clean, and the towels are fresh. All of the front desk, staff are incredibly pleasant and helpful, and the connected restaurant/bar (the fluttering duck) is very affordable, usually lively, and has great food and options for the price.

The good...nice hotel in a quaint town with good food options in or near hotel…read more The bad...terribly uncomfortable bed. The mattress has to be 100 years old. Everything I had hurt when I woke up. Called front desk for solutions and the manager Robin could have cared less. No bathroom fan. The air conditions lowest setting is 68 but it doesn't even cool to 68. Their 68 is more like 73. Great town, great potential but needs some major updates!

Given the circumstances, I was undecided about the rating to give…read more I had a phone reservation for two nights, but found a bedbug on my first night, was moved to a different room in a different part of the building, canceled my second night and went somewhere else. So that wasn't great. The owners, however, handled the situation excellently, and were even gracious and pleasant when I arrived in the office at the buttcrack of dawn to cancel my second night. So I don't want to give them one star, but the idea of bringing a bedbug home freaks me right now. (The creepy little things are EVERYWHERE these days, including nice hotels, movie theaters, and hospitals. UGH. So it's not necessarily a mark that the motel is horrible, either.)

We booked 2 months in advance and where quoted $45 a night. We didn't need anything fancy, just…read moreclean and cheap since we would be on a work trip. They would not send a confirmation. When we got there we paid with a credit card for the $45 a night rate. The next night we got a knock on the door and the owner (who had checked us in the night before) demanded an extra $200 immediately or we would have to get out. I checked for other vacancies in town online and there was nothing! So we decided to pay so we at least had a place to sleep the rest of our stay. He suddenly couldn't except a credit card and demanded cash! Besides this sleazy dealing the room was small, the bed was hard as a rock and only had a flat sheet and a thin blanket, the heater was broken and only blew cold air (it was 40 degrees at night!) there was a hole in the bathroom wall, and the tub was so slick I could hardly stand up to take a shower and I'm under 30 years old! The internet did not work, no coffee, ice machine was turned off or broken, and the parking lot was so tiny you better be driving a Prius if you stay here. The only plus I can give is the TV was new and it actually had a fridge and microwave in the room!

Wow we watched a play tonight and it hilarious! We loved it, the crew did a fantastic job!read more