Experience the restoration of the Stahly-Nissley-Kuhns farmstead, the only Amish farm listed in The National Register of Historic Places. The story behind this wonderful example of Amish living goes back to when widow Barbara Stahly and her five sons migrated from Germany to the southwest corner of Elkhart County, in 1839, making them, according to University of Chicago historian James...

East of Middlebury, there are often more buggies and bicycles than cars. It is here that Allen and Arlene Bontreger raise grass fed turkeys and chickens as well as Ladyfinger popcorn, a heritage variety that has been around for generations. The Bontregers are an Amish farm couple who eschew electricity, cars and other modern conveniences and instead build their life...

Built by George Beck and his sons in 1808, Beck’s Mill was first mill of about 60 built in the county and, ironically, the last one still standing. It’s also the third mill built by the Becks at this location. The original structure was a 15-foot square. It was replaced in 1825 and that one was replaced in 1864; the...

Standing on a rise above the Little Elkhart River, the Bonneyville Mill, Indiana’s oldest continuous operating grist mill, has been grinding flour since 1832. Set amidst gently rolling hills, the red mill is located in the 223-acre Bonneyville Mill County Park, just east of Bristol, Indiana on County Road 131. There’s no charge to enter and watch the giant mill...

The Bridgeton Covered Bridge sits above Big Raccoon Creek as it spills over into a millpond and near the three story Bridgeton Mill, established in 1823 and rebuilt in 1870, the oldest continually operating rolling mill in the Midwest. Both are part of the village of Bridgeton, with its 27 buildings that are on the National Registry of Historic Places,...

The Twigs and Sprigs Tea Room at the Stream Cliff Herb Farm, a historic 1821 homestead, in Comiskey, Indiana, is just part of the charm of this sixth generation family farmstead with its extensive gardens,winery and historic buildings. The gardens are laid out in quilt blocks and there are shops selling homemade traditional crafts and garden related items as well...

Just 10 miles northwest of the beautiful Ohio River city of Madison is Historic Eleutherian College, located in the tiny hamlet of Lancaster. Take a tour of the college, which opened in 1848 and was the first in Indiana to admit students regardless of race and gender. Now a National Historic Landmark, it was the first stop north of Madison on...

When Meriwether Lewis journeyed down the Ohio River to meet William Clark, his stopping place was a rugged area of wooded hills where the river swirled and eddied over rock formations dating back eons and containing a rich load of fossilized materials. Called the Falls of the Ohio, it was the most hazardous spot on the 981-mile river — and...

There was a time when those aiding escaping slaves could lose not only their property and liberty but also, in rare instances, their lives. Yet Levi and Catherine Coffin, who lived in southeastern Indiana, believed so fervently in the anti-slavery movement that they helped around 2000 slaves find their way to freedom. Levi Coffin was taught the tenets of abolitionism...

The 1859 Decatur County Courthouse in Historic Tower Tree Square in Greensburg, now probably best known as the Indiana courthouse where a tree is growing out of the top floor. It was the site of the State of Indiana vs. Luther Donnell who was sued for helping a slave named Caroline and her four children, ages 12 to 2, escape....

Part of the Binkley Cave System, Indiana Caverns is Indiana’s longest cave and ranks 7th in length in the United States. With over 40 miles of passages, Indiana Caverns has the largest collection of Ice Age bones in the state. A tour of the cave starts with a short movie that sets the stage for a walk down a long set...

Tucked away in the rolling hills of Dubois county in Southern Indiana, Jasper, a small German town located on the winding Patoka River, remains true to its ethnic roots. Even now, more than 150 years after Bavarian and German immigrants, draw to this pastoral area because its dense woods reminded them of their homeland, a large majority of Jasper’s population...

The mission of the Jennings County Historical Society is to “present, preserve and document the history of Jennings County.” The North American House, society headquarters and historical museum, offers a high quality history center in the old time arts with programs designed to teach and display the evolution of Jennings County. Thousands of unique artifacts are on display.  The museum,...

The wonderful gardens on exhibit at the 1934 International Exposition in Chicago have disappeared with time, existing only in faint memory or in the black and white photos of long forgotten books. But one exhibit, Krider’s Diversified Gardens, designed by Krider Nursery, a mainstay in Middlebury since the late 1800s, remains. Even now, almost 70 years later, visitors can stroll...

Explore Blue Spring Caverns, Williams Covered Bridge, the Pioneer Village and Twin Caves in Spring Mill State Park, Mitchell–the hometown of Astronaut Gus Grissom, attend the Persimmon Festival in the fall, one of the state’s oldest festivals, and so much more in beautiful Lawrence County. Take a canoe or kayak trip down the White River (rentals available through Most High Adventure...

A tiny town on the Ohio River with several must stops. The Overlook Restaurant sits perched high above the Ohio River with an astounding view and wonderful down home cooking such as biscuits, mashed potatoes and fried chicken. Or relax and enjoy a drink and a view at Walter’s Bar, downstairs below the restaurant. Also be sure to check the Overlook Dock,...

Madison, an early 19th century river port city on the Ohio whose historic Georgetown section, located north of Main Street, is the only designated National Underground Railroad District in the country. In the mid 1800s, Madison was one of the largest cities in the state with the largest number of free African Americans as well. Many resided in a Madison...

Marengo Cave U.S. National Landmark offers several tours of varying lengths and skill levels. As an example, one of first stops on the Crystal Palace tour is an immense cave where viewers look down into what appears a bottom chamber until realizing that instead they’re peering into Mirror Lake — a vast, still expanse of water that reflects the stalactites...

In times past, travelers made their way along the Whitewater Canal on horse pulled barges. It was, in the mid 1800s, a way for merchants and farmers to transport their products to market and for others to journey to the small towns and villages that dotted the Indiana landscape. The Whitewater Canal, which, started in 1836 and finished ten years...

Middlebury itself is a gem of a town—immaculate with stores that have been in the same family for generations and picture perfect Queen Anne and Gothic Revival Homes. Take a peek could be considered a functioning museum but what is, in reality, a store. Gohn’s (founded in 1904 and owned by the same family since) is where the Amish buy...