Potter's Bridge Park

Potter’s Bridge Park, located in Hamilton County Indiana, is a 66 acre park that features  about 6 miles of paved walking paths. The paths run along the White River and the park features the only remaining covered bridge in the county. Along the trail there are benches and seating - roughly every quarter mile - that offer a great spot for a scenic respite or solitary meditation.

We observed that this is one of the better areas to hike on the Northeast side of Indianapolis and is children, cycling, and pet friendly. According to the park’s website there is a canoe launch located within the park as well, but we were out-of-season during our initial visit and made no observation of watersport.

The park didn’t charge admission for entry and there is a parking lot conveniently at both ends of the trail. We started at the trailhead by Potter’s Bridge at which there was both parking and restrooms. The end of the trail connects with Forrest Park which is another great Noblesville facility.

If you are taking pets, please remember to take your “accident bags” with you. There is a bin at the start and end of the trail - typically with bags provided - but only sparsely stationed in between.

Indianapolis Indian’s Game

"Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks,

I don't care if I never get back,

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game."

There is almost no better summer evening activity than the grand old game of baseball - America’s past time. We decided to spend one such summer evening on a work outing at Victory Field in Indianapolis. Baseball is an amazing group activity and on our outing we had a fantastic time. During our visit we cheered the Indians to a 4-3 victory over the Toledo Mud Hens.

Victory Field, home of the Indianapolis Indians, offers a great downtown cityscape. The stadium was first opened to the public in 1996, as a replacement for the old Bush Stadium on West 16th Street. The name “Victory” is meant to demonstrate America as the victors in World War II. The stadium was originally built to seat 15,000.  But the venue has since been renovated to a smaller 12,496 fixed seating capacity with additional space for families to lounge and spread out behind the outfield on a nice grassy knoll.

For parking we recommend the underground lot that services the Indiana State museum as it is only a short walk from the stadium and event parking is roughly $10. Tickets can be purchased either online or at the gate and prices range between $9 and $14. Sitting out in the lawn for larger parties would certainly be more cost effective.  Keep in mind, no matter where you sit, this is a perfect family friendly activity for anyone who enjoys a nice casual night out on the town.

Eugene and Marilyn Glick History Center: The Indiana Experience

While walking into the Eugene and Marilyn Glick History Center you walk past a clock going back in time, which we found to be very intriguing and set the tone for what we were about to experience next. Much of the Glick Center’s presentation involves sending visitors back to specific moment in Indiana’s history.

The three “You Are There” exhibits are based extensively on visitor participation, so come prepared to engage the actors and ask questions “in character”. Each of the “You Are There” exhibits begin with a photo from the Historical Society’s collection that has been converted into a fog portrait. To enter the experience you step through the photo into a themed set.

Destination Indiana
The first exhibit you come to is called Destination Indiana. When you enter the exhibition hall you are met by a large projection screen that is playing a selection of eight small informational videos covering a wide array of Indiana specific information.The topics range from the mapping of Indianapolis to Traction Terminal. Following the informational videos there are a number of two to three person screens that will build upon the topics that were covered in the larger production.  

You Are There: The Violin Maker Upstairs (1914)
On the second floor of History Center you will find Joseph Conrath carving out the body of his next violin. His sister is in town along with his wife who helps run the music shop where they sell and repair string instruments. This experience was the most personal of the day, in that we were personally invited in and asked to make ourselves comfortable. The dialogue was more of a period conversation rather than a presentation and we were greatly in control of the overall experience. A key moment in our visit followed Nicholas’ response that he was not allowed to play the violin as a child due to the noise it would produce. Mr. Conrath appeared to take great offense to this comment and over the next few minutes taught Nicholas to play a little ditty. It was a legitimate process, definitely not the Professor Hill “Think Method.”

Some topics that you may consider discussing with the Conrath’s: “How much do violins cost?”, “Did Joseph’s sister use the interurban on her journey to visit?”, or “How long would the process of creating a violin take?”. It is useful to have a general knowledge of music for this experience, but those without it are not at any great disadvantage.

You Are There: Busted! Prohibition Enforced (1920)
Prohibition was and has always been a controversial topic, but in 1920 there was no discussion.  The transportation and sale of liquor was illegal in all ninety-two Indiana counties as well as across the nation. The fog portrait that is your portal to the prohibition experience, is a moment captured right after Indiana police officers have arrested a man for making and selling homemade moonshine. You will have an opportunity to see the distillery and visit the poor chap locked up in jail along with the man responsible for his incarceration. Feel free to play along with the experience, the more you ask, the better your experience will become.

You Are There: Robert F. Kennedy Speaks (1968)
April 4, 1968 was a long day for Robert F. Kenney. After entering the presidential race late, his first primary was in Indiana and he was hitting the campaign trail hard. He began is day with a speech to students at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend. He delivered a second speech to students at Ball State University in Muncie. But his most important speech came two hours later than planned in Indianapolis. This was the day that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Kennedy addressed speech goers from the heart. His speech in Indianapolis is considered to be one of his most heartfelt and profound speeches during his campaign. It is this heartfelt speech which visitors experience during this “You Are There” exhibit. Just two months and one day later, after winning his primary bid, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968.

Cole Porter Room
The Cole Porter room is a replica of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel lounge. This exhibit is not a “You Are There” exhibit, rather you enter the lounge and can listen to a local artist sing Porter’s songs while you view photos and read stories about his life. While Porter was a world-traveler and a famous Hollywood personality, he was first a Hoosier.

W. Brooks Fortune History Lab
We tend to abstain from participating in the children focus activities currently, however the Fortune history lab had a variety of hands on historical activities for young - and the young at heart.

Stardust Terrace Cafe
The Glick Center has a lower level cafe. We choose to split our visit into a few exhibits, lunch, and then finished the remaining exhibits. We found this approach worked best for us. The cafe offers sandwiches, salads, and a few hot selections. While the meal wasn’t the greatest, being able to sit on the terrace watching canal goers was a very enjoyable past-time.

Library
The Eugene and Marilyn Glick History Center is home to the Indiana Historical Society and also houses their historical records collection. To visit the library all you must do is check-in at the front desk and let them know your intentions, and they will give you a pass to head up to the library and begin your research. You are not charged admittance to use just the library. There are a handful of computers also set up in the library equipped with Ancestry.com where you can work on your family genealogy Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

~  ~  ~

In conclusion, there is plenty of content for you to experience so we recommend arriving during the first few hours of the day to ensure that you have enough time. Video, fog (for picture entrances), and some other special effects may be utilized to enhance the experiences.

We viewed the exhibits in a somewhat random order but wish that we had viewed the video presentation in Discovering Indiana first to provide us a platform of information for the remaining exhibits. Should we visit again, which we would very much like to do, we would start with Discovering Indiana, and then progress chronologically through the “You Are There” exhibits.

The Glick Center has a strong family friendly atmosphere and definitely has activities for children however, some of the subject matter and format of presentation may be lost on some of the youngest attending visitors.

Entrance to the Eugene and Marilyn Glick center for Indiana History is $7.00 per adult and that grants access to the Indiana Experience exhibits. Parking starts at three dollars and increases hourly. If you dine in the cafe and your purchase exceed seven dollars, then keep your receipt and stop by the main desk to have your parking validated.

Hendricks County Fair

We decided that we wanted to attend our local county fair this year in addition to the State Fair that we attend annually. We live in Hendrick’s county, so we headed to the Danville Fairgrounds on Friday evening after work. When we arrived we payed our $5 to park in the fairground’s lot, but it seemed to us that there were a few other parking options as well.  

We happened upon a show called the Swifty Swine: Racing Pigs. The show based it’s premise this year on a fun political play on words. George Bush Hogger ended up winning the race but Barrack-0-Ribs Obama came in a close second. It was a short show but hilarious.  

Food.  It is a basic human need, and an absolute must at any county fair. Our list of musts were as follows: corn dog, elephant ear, and grilled Indiana corn on the cob.  A complete meal, don’t you think?

We took the time to go through all the 4-H exhibit halls and take a look at the children’s projects.  It was interesting and sometimes entertaining. Of course on an extremely hot day it was a nice respite and some much appreciated air conditioning.

There was an area sectioned off that contained the standard array of fair rides suited both for children and those seeking a few thrills. Be prepared with cash to purchase tickets for the amusement rides, cards are not accepted.

The only performance group we saw during our visit was the Brownsburg-based clogging troupe known as the Hoedown Express Cloggers. Their show that evening was cut in half due to the extreme heat and the concern for their performers. For us, it was neither a here-nor-there performance. The group was enthusiastic, but dismally unable to perform the routine designed by the gentleman leading the group.  

Walking back to the car, we were feeling pretty good about the evening.  Even though the heat was a major factor, it was a lot of fun and we expect to be heading back to the Hendrick’s county fair again next year.  All we have to decide now, is what is going to be on next year’s food list of musts.

Blueberry Picking at Spencer Farm

Spencer Farm is a local family farm that raises a small selection of berries and other odds-and-ends during the fall months. They are most well known for their strawberries, however they also grow black raspberries, blueberries, and red raspberries. On this particular visit we were there to pick blueberries.

Spencer farm only planted their blueberry bushes six years ago, so as you can imagine they have a lot of maturing to do. However, the plants are now able to produce enough fruit to satisfy those who come to pick.

When you arrive, head inside and pick up your flat to hold your picked berries. Then you can head outside and start picking. There is not much to it, pick what’s ripe and leave what isn’t.  We picked about 3 pounds of blueberries in a short amount of time.

Going as early in the morning as you can will only help you stay cooler and give you free range of where you would like to start picking. You may want to consider bringing a bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated on warmer days.

This is a great family activity. Young children will be able to easily participate since the blueberry bushes are only about 3 feet tall at the moment.  

Once you have left the farm you will have another family activity of deciding all of the wonderful ways you can serve blueberries. From fresh on a bowl of cereal to homemade baked pies, as well as tarts, coffeecake, and muffins; the wonders of this health super food are seemingly endless.  

We managed to select the hottest day of the season thus far to go out and pick, but it ended up being a lot of fun. Blueberries were $2.65 per pound. The staff at Spencer was friendly and once they found out it was our first time to their farm they were more than willing to point us in the correct directions.

Glorious Fourth at Conner Prairie

Glorious Forth at Conner Prairie is a fantastic avenue to share with young Hoosier children the importance and significance of our American independence. The information, while patriotic, is excellently tailored to the Indiana landscape.

Upon entering Conner Prairie the gentlemen are provided with enlistment papers for the 103rd Indiana Regiment. These papers are the starting point to a seamless Indiana civil war experience. The Civil War encampment utilizes actors, technology, and special effects to bring each visitor into the events and experiences. The overall experience very much focuses on Morgan’s Raid into Indiana during the middle of July 1863. The area begins by walking through an old covered bridge where you hear history and information of the time. The journey takes you back to when Indiana found herself in the middle of the Civil war and the South marching to her door. This was by far our favorite part of our day.  

The civil war encampment is not the only experience to be had. In the visitor’s center there are a number of exhibits and a hands-on room for children; key locations open during our visit included: 1863 Civil War Journey:  Raid on Indiana, 1836 Prairietown, Conner Homestead, and the Lenape Indian Camp. There is also the 1859 Balloon Voyage, which was an event we choose to forgo but was very prominently featured just outside the visitor center inside the park. We suspect that this adventure would be fantastic with children.

The Conner Prairie Welcome Center has a generous hand full of exhibits dedicated to the founders of the local area and the land on which Conner Prairie is located. We recommend taking a few minutes to learn about the local area.

Conner Homestead was a busy place throughout the day. As one of the earliest visitors of the day we were amongst the first to see six newborn piglets born just hours before we arrived to the farm.  The “Conner Prairie inhabitants” were busy enlisting children to play period games including a Scavenger Hunt, which was going on all day, and even a historic baseball game.  

Prairietown contains many period buildings which create a sense of community at the time of 1836.  You will be able to find a blacksmith hard at work in his shop, a schoolhouse, a doctor’s office and home, a carpenter’s shop and a local inn where travels passing through town can find a night’s rest.  

Cost to enter the park is $14 for adults, $9 for youth ages 2-12, and members and children under the age of 2 will receive free admission.  If you are able to make it to the park near it’s opening time, you will certainly miss the initial crowds involved with such a production, which we really quite enjoyed having the park virtually to ourselves for awhile.  

Overall it was a great experience, but we feel it is prudent to say, that children will enhance this experience. Not to say that they are required, but we think the park is seen to it’s full potential through a child’s eye most clearly.

Vintage Indiana: A festival of wine, food, and fun

 

As our first festival of the season - and our blog - we felt both very excited about the festival and somewhat apprehensive since we had really no idea what to expect as this would be our first time attending the Vintage Indiana Festival. The festival was all that we had hoped for in many aspects and what we had not planned for was no cause for alarm. We have decided that we would like to make this an annual occasion for ourselves, with a few alterations to our plan.

 
The food selection was meager in comparison to the vast number of wineries present. Perhaps it was just our expectation that the food would be provided as a compliment to the wines of the day. The food options we came across were more inspired by a local fair for purchase than a dancing duo with the festival’s star, wine. We felt that a food style inspired by local dairies (cheeses), local bakers (breads), and Indiana delis (sandwiches), all sampling their products in conjunction with wines would have been more appropriate than pizza and BBQ.

There were dozens of wineries providing samples of the fruit of their vineyards as well as educating each aspiring sommelier. We would recommend picking up a copy of each winery’s wine list and taking notes on the wines sampled and your thoughts. As standard biology would have it, it is more difficult than one would expect to recall the entire experience.

Aside from the various tents for wine tasting, there were a handful of vendors peddling various arts and crafts. A grandstand was constructed and a few local ensembles performed. There was plenty of shade in which to rest and socialize. We attended the festival with a great friend of ours and feel that the experience was stronger for it. Vintage Indiana is definitely a must do for a group of friends that enjoy good wines and good company. In retrospect we should at least have brought a blanket to sit on, but much more preferable would have been some folding chairs.

We arrived at 11am, and as the day only got warmer, we feel earlier was a much better approach when compared to later arrivals. There was a station offering various classes on wine parings, food preparation, and other assorted demonstrations. While you are there be sure to taste Indiana’s signature wine: Traminette.

The festival was a great social and educational experience. We definitely learned a great deal about the wines that were present and also about other festivals and some local Indiana wine trails. Make sure to pick up pamphlets at the information booth to round out your experience.

The price to enter ($25 at the gate, $22 if purchased prior) was definitely worth its value. For the first ten-thousand entrants the admission price includes an etched wine glass to use during sampling. If you are arriving later in the day you may feel the need to bring a wine glass with you just in case.

A great option for those that choose to purchase bottles or cases of wine during the festival have the convenience of letting the festival hold your purchase at a localized tent were you can pick it up at the end of your day near where many people have parked their cars. Of course, you may also take it with you immediately if you and your party want to enjoy the wine at the festival rather than at home.   

Given that the food selection was modest, we recommend that you eat a small base before arriving to help absorb the alcohol consumed during the tastings. And while you are not allowed to bring food or drink into the festival, we recommend that you scout out a vendor selling water and routinely hydrate yourself.

Overall the festival offers great wine, good music, a strong community energy, and an all-in-all wonderful experience.

James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home

The James Whitcomb Riley home was tremendously enjoyable to visit. James Whitcomb Riley was an accomplished poet and author. Born in Indiana, he is one of the Hoosier State’s most prominent citizens of old. Great pains have been taken to preserve the house as it was in 1916 when the poet reposed. The house is still in the original condition, and with the exception of a few rare pieces of furniture, the contents originally belonged to the home; those that weren’t originally a part of the home were items that belonged to Mr. Riley and were donated back to the estate.


528 Lockerbie Street was the home of Mr. Riley for the last 23 years of his life, however he was not the owner of the home.  John R. Nickum built the home in 1872 for his wife and daughter.  Later, in 1893, Mr. Riley moved in with the family and lived there until his death.  The house is a fascinating look into a very technologically savvy Victorian home.  The home was run on three types of energy:  coal, natural gas and later the family had electricity installed.  The house also boasted indoor pluming (both hot and cold water), and an early intercom system throughout the home. 


Each room of the home had new and interesting characteristic that made it unique. From the foyer to the servant's quarters and back down into the kitchen, we felt well informed and impressed by the home itself and the knowledge of those showing us each and every detail the home had to offer it’s guests.


Of course Mr. Riley’s room was a highlight of the tour.  Possessions of his, including handwritten first editions of his works, are displayed throughout the room and give the visitor a glimpse into his world.  However, not to be overlooked is the tangible expression of how the family of the home chose to live their lives.  Charity was a large portion of their every day.  Generosity overflowing throughout the home from the obvious fact of Mr. Riley’s presence to the quarters provided to their live in help (the servant’s quarters having the luxury of running water while the master bedroom lacked that feature).Unlike other historical sites, you are able to peek into each room of the home, thoroughly satisfying even the most curious. Not all rooms are visitors able to enter, but that hardly detracts from the ability to observe and enjoy. Details are the key to your visit at the Riley home. Be sure to take your time, observe, and ask plenty of questions.The tour itself is not free and is a cash-only event, however the information and experiences are well worth the $4.00 per person entrance fee. Photos are not permitted within the home, however there are a number of postcard photos available for purchase at the end of the tour. Tours are available during the open hours. There are a number of stairs and steps and the facility isn’t set up for those with mobility issues. Parking is on the side of the house and you enter through the front after ringing the doorbell. Visit http://rileykids.org/museum for more information.

The last stanza from Mr. Riley’s Little Orphan Annie:

An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue,

An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo!

An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray,

An' the lightnin'bugs in dew is all squenched away, -

You better mind yer parunts, an' yer teachurs fond an' dear,

An' cherish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear,

An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about,

Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you

Ef you

Don't

Watch

Out! 

Indiana State Museum

The Indiana State Museum is an exciting place to visit. There are a number of routinely rotating exhibits that no doubt will offer visitors the opportunity for multiple return visits. On this occasion we viewed three of the special exhibits: Art for the Nation, Frugal & Fancy: Indiana Quilts, and Odd Indiana.

Art for the Nation

This particular exhibit was the reason for our visit to the museum on this particular day. The exhibit consisted of a vast collection of war propaganda posters from World War I and II.  Overhead you could hear period music being broadcasted though out the room. Occasionally the voice of some famous men of the time - Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, et al - would come across and make announcements supporting the war effort, challenging listeners to plant victory gardens, and in the modern moment providing a surprisingly chilling emotion that delivers a sense of cool sobriety.

Many of the posters focused on such ideals as encouraging Americans to purchase war bonds, plant a victory garden, join a car club (car pool) with your neighbors, or becoming a member of organization such as The Boy Scouts of America, The YWCA, and The Red Cross.  

Frugal & Fancy: Indiana Quilts

After completing our viewing of the Art for the Nation exhibit we decided to poke our heads into the quilting exhibition. Quilting and needlepoint do not normal appear on our radar of special events, but this particular exposition was definitely worth the time. The exhibit was a sturdy collection of old quilts. It was blatantly obvious the amount of effort and immense attention to detail that each of the quilts must have required by the seamstress’ that made them. There were quilts as old at 150 odd years and the newest probably made for the exhibit no-doubt as it was a scannable QR barcode linking to the museum’s website.

Odd Indiana
This exhibit is a themeless collection of unique and odd museum items collected over the years.   Items include on of the oldest known baseballs, hand grenades, (that were found to be still active when uncovered in the museum dozens of years later), and odd collections of salvaged hair.   

It was a fairly short exhibit but well worth 30 minutes of your time while visiting the rest of the museum. The exhibit attempts to be moderately kid friendly with a canoe and bicycle horns with which to play.

“Oldfields” at the Indianapolis Museum of Art

  

We chose a beautiful Saturday morning in April to venture out to the Indianapolis Art Museum where we toured the beautiful and historic “Oldfields” estate, which to most Hoosiers is known as the “Lilly Home.”  It was originally built as a country home to escape the city life by the Landon family between 1909 and 1913.  The home was then sold to the Lilly family, who is known for their pharmaceutical empire, early in the great depression. In the 1960’s Lilly family then donated the home and all the lands as a site for the new Indianapolis Art Museum.

The mansion is an impressive vision in white. A number of the twenty-two rooms feature items and artifacts belonging to the family. Sadly a large percentage of bedroom furniture and personal items no longer reside at Oldfields as some were auctioned to settle the estate of the late J.K. Lilly Jr. Adding to the loss of furniture, the museum previously utilized most of the rooms on the second floor as galleries. They now serve as museum of the house rather than an example of life. Despite lacking some of the personal home furnishings the whole house is a wonderful visiting experience. The library being a personal favorite of ours.

The estate features exquisite gardens and vast landscaping that has been well maintained and restored. There is a trickling waterfall, small garden bridge, multiple fountains, and hundreds of trees, flowers, and other forms of vegetation. There is even a meticulously manicured formal garden. The estate also features a sizable greenhouse. The greenhouse is open to the public as well and does have plants for sale - so you may want to factor that into your trip budget.

Currently, Oldfields serves as a historic landmark and a mainstay example of life in the early 20th century and the whole experience is entirely free to the public. You may enter the home from the lower rear entrance. There is a movie that plays an introduction to the home, time period, and some special information. We definitely recommend picking up the Oldfields’ Guide book for approximately $15. It contains a variable bundle of information.