Backyard Adventures
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GIBson County n overview "The Heart of Southwestern Indiana" That's how the gibson County Visitors & Tourism bureau describes this one- of-kind place. it's true, it is the heart of southwestern indiana—at the inter- section of interstate 64 and u.s. 41. between festivals, check out some lo- cal attractions that call gibson County home. unique restuarants and quaint shops await you in your search for some fun and relaxation. There's plenty of festivals, one-of-a-kind restaurants, exciting places to discover, and quaint shops awaiting you in your search for some fun and some relaxation. The azalea Path arboretum & Botanical Gardens is sure to be a favorite stop. This privately owned facility offers more than 50 acres and more than 2,000 varieties of azaleas, plus a large variety of unusual plants and native indiana trees in a beautifully landscaped setting with two spring- fed lakes, a waterfall, a koi pond and unique chainsaw sculptures. For added comfort, there are benches perched along the beautifully landscaped trails winding throughout the grounds. it's a peaceful way to get away from it all. Check out www.azaleapatharboretum. org for directions. get under the hood at the toyota Motor Manufacturing Indi- ana's visitors Center. here, you'll discover southwest indiana's industrial heritage. see gibson County's own Toyota manufacturing facility, and the Toyota Production system, up close and in depth. Admission is free and Visitors Center hours vary, so look online at www.tourtoyotaindiana.com for more information. Lyles station Historic school & Museum stands as one of the last re- maining African American settlements in the hoosier state, so a visit to the lyles station historic school & Muse- um, located west of Princeton, is a def- inite visit for any traveler. The heritage Classroom even provides area students the opportunity to experience a day in the life of school children in the early 1900s. go online at www.lylesstation.org for more information. step inside the beautifully restored Princeton depot in downtown Princeton—the county's only remain- ing depot structure. it features a railway museum and a restored train caboose. The depot is also home to the gibson County Visitors Center, so it's a great stop for a tour and information. Just a few blocks down from the Princ- eton Depot is the Gibson County Courthouse, which is the most significant historical structure in the county. if the courthouse looks familiar, that's be- cause it was used as the model for the Dept. 56 Original snow Village Courthouse. The court- house recently underwent a needed make- over with its heating and air-conditioning system being updated, along with some electrical upgrades. Another place to visit is the new Generation dairy Farm in the southwestern part of the county. school groups regularly tour the farm to and discover how milk gets from the farm to the dinner table. Presently, the dairy milks more than 1,200 cows, three times a day. For tours, call 812-729-7300. gibson County is also home to two remaining covered bridges. red Bridge over big bayou Creek in southern gibson County was built in 1875. The Wheeling Bridge, spanning the Pa- toka River north- east of Princ- eton, was built in 1877. in 2000, the Wheel- ing bridge under went a major renova- courtesy of the gibson County Master gardeners. landscaping beautiful new tion, which included surroundInG CountIes n overview daviess County Daviess County, which straddles u.s. 50 in southern indiana, offers a unique perspective on life. More than 700 Old Order Amish families call Daviess Coun- ty home and welcome tourists to their favorite hometown restaurants, inns, auctions, flea markets and special com- munity events. The growing Westgate @ Crane Technology Park, a market- place for defense contractors, currently provides technical support, research and development services to the naval surface Warfare Center, Crane Division in southern indiana. Knox County history comes alive in Vincennes and knox County. Vincennes, indiana's first city, was founded in 1732 as a French fur trading post. Today, the city boasts a number of historical attractions including the george Rogers Clark na- tional historical Park; the Old Cathedral Complex: basilica of st. Francis Xavier and French and indian Cemetery; the Old French house and indian Museum; grouseland—William henry harrison Mansion and Museum; the indiana Mili- tary Museum; and the Vincennes state historic sites of the indiana Territory Capitol, Jefferson Academy, elihu stout Print shop and the Maurice Thompson birthplace. Vincennes is also home to indiana's first college—Vincennes university, which was founded in 1801. The university offers more than 200 associate degree and certificate programs, plus seven bachelor degree programs with several campuses around the state including Jas- per, indianapolis and now Fort branch. dubois County The Dubois County Visitors Center & Tourism Commission is certainly on to something when it describes Dubois County as: "geographically centered between casinos, coasters and caves, Amish and Abe (lincoln); connected to culture, recreation; arts and architec- ture; your complete getaway." There's plenty to do and see while in Dubois County and the surrounding area. in fact, the area provides a great backdrop for a variety of backyard adventures. Visitors to Dubois County must visit the: spirit of Jasper Train & Jasper Train Depot, where you can get aboard the spirit of Jasper for a scenic excursion; The Providence home grotto in Jasper, which is the work of a priest who labored for 12 years to create a beautiful and spiritual landscape made of colorful geode stones from southern indiana; and the back trail rides, carriage rides, nature trails, and scenic boat cruises. Century-old iconic hotels, French lick springs and West baden springs, are always worth a quick visit. Walking tours are offered on a daily basis. You'll also find the casino at French lick, a restored historic courthouse, and a variety of historical sites and tours. Posey County start the indiana portion of the Ohio River scenic byway in Posey County. Discover antique shops, artist studios and farmer markets, while meandering along this snake-like road. Jasper City Mill, which was recently re- constructed to resemble the former mill that once stood near the Patoka River, this new structure is the latest addition to the "Old Jasper" district. While there's plenty to do and see throughout Dubois County, every trip must leave time for a little shopping. if you love unique shops that offer a one- of-a-kind gift, you are in the right place. spend a day browsing over two dozen of huntingburg's antique and specialty shops along huntingburg's Fourth street shopping District and historical Walking Tour. This charming Victorian downtown is listed on the national Register of historic Places. The walking tour takes you back to the 1800s and early 1900s, with brick-paved sidewalks and 1800s facade, it provides a lovely setting for many special events through- out the year. orange County There's a little bit of everything in Orange County—a little bit of glamour, a little bit of history and a little bit of relaxation. here you'll find unique shopping, historic train rides, an indoor water park, horse- While you are in the area, stop off in new harmony, which sits on the banks of the Wabash River. An experiment in utopian living took place here in the nineteenth century. near historic new harmony, harmonie state Park honors two historic communities —the Rap- pites and the Owenites. On the shores of the Wabash River, the park offers camping, hiking, picnicking, a boat launch, bridle trails, and cabin rental. spencer County spencer County really is where America comes to celebrate Christmas. it is home to the town of santa Claus—which boasts the only post office in the world to have the santa Claus name. This holiday-themed town is filled with the Christmas spirit all year round from a three-weekend Christ- mas celebration in December to having a blast at holiday World & splashin' safari theme park to camping at lake Rudolph Campground and RV Resort. lincoln's indiana boyhood home, where young Abe lived from age 7 to age 21, is also a worthwhile stop. Places to check out are: the lincoln boyhood 6 n Pike Publishing n backyard adventures: summer and Fall 2012 national Memorial; lincoln state Park; the lincoln bicentennial Plaza; and the lincoln Pioneer Village & Museum. vanderburgh County There's big city life and rolling country- side side-by-side in Vanderburgh County. The county seat of evansville serves as the center of commerce, culture and entertainment for both the county and the Tri-state. Today, the third largest city in the state serves as a medical and service hub. The county also offers golf courses, parks, pools, water slides and other recreational facilities for hiking, biking, canoeing, ice skating and skateboarding. Warrick County Warrick County officials often take pride in the fact that the county seat of boon- ville is known as the place where Abra- ham lincoln learned the law. This grow- ing county, east of Vanderburgh County, is quickly spreading west towards evans- ville while evansville continues to spread east towards Warrick County. Any trips to Warrick County should include: downtown newburgh, Angel Mounds state historic site, Yellow banks Recreation Center, scales lake Park and the Warrick County Museum. Wabash County, Illinois situated on the banks of the Wabash River, across from gibson County, Wa- bash County offers a little something for everyone. The area is home to beall Woods state nature Preserve, the largest tract of virgin hardwood tim- ber east of the Mississippi. There are numerous trails and a visitors center at the "Forest of the Wabash," near keensburg. Visiting stores on Market street in downtown Mount Carmel or visiting the Wabash County Museum are also worth a few extra minutes.