DISCOVER PUTNAM COUNTY - COVERED BRIDGE COUNTRY - OFFICIAL VISITORS GUIDE - Greencastle Indiana & DePauw University

DISCOVER PUTNAM COUNTY Indiana

2008-08-29T19:55:22-04:00

DISCOVER PUTNAM COUNTY
Indiana
Official Visitor's Guide
2008-2009

We're pleased to feature the best that Putnam County has to offer. You'll find dining, lodging, arts and entertainment, outdoor recreation, and shopping. We have also featured farms and shops that produce home grown and raised products. Take a few minutes to browse, then read some of our in-depth articles on the people and places that make this county great.

Pat McCarter
Editor

Get your copy of Discover Putnam County at participating local merchants or the Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 12 West Washington Street, Greencastle, Indiana.

No part of this website or magazine may be reproduced by any means for any purpose without written permission from the publisher. Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved by Greencastle Offset Printing & Graphics.

Memories of Cataract Falls

2008-08-29T19:54:21-04:00

MEMORIES OF CATARACT FALLS
(By Rita Sibbitt)

How can one write about something that is so beautiful, maybe because I was young it was so wonderful, or maybe it showed me how much nature and the simple life felt so free and happy.

I often drive back, yet, to feel that memory and see the falls. I drive to the gate and I see, as a young girl, Mrs. Stuckey at the gate house - think of the pictures we would look at inside, of the big catfish our friends caught, remembering my dad in his waders casting out to catch the big one. There were some big cats caught at Cataract. I know because my dad caught some. He was from 5 generations that loved Cataract. It's no wonder this little piece of heaven was passed on to my family. I see the little dotted cabins as I drive to the lower falls and the spot where we sat on the rocks and made hollyhock dolls. I can smell the campfire, where, at night we would sing songs and roast hotdogs while the adults were playing cards in the little cabin. Then the guys would be getting lanterns to fish all night. Then as the sun rose up we were ready to start another day. Never were we bored. When suppertime came we would row our little boat to the spring to get water. I don't think I ever tasted anything so cold and clear as this. I have often gone to look for that spring but never found it, as the brush and weeds have covered it.

When life gets hectic, I think of these memories and the quiet life of nature. I thank God for giving me the chance to enjoy this simple freedom.

Ain't God Good.

I dedicate this to all of the old fishermen. They are gone now, but loved Cataract. Also to Mildred Hunter, for never forgetting one more little girl to go with them. I can hear her say, one more does't matter. Ha!

Cataract Falls, the largest waterfalls in the state of Indiana, are located 8 miles southwest of Cloverdale, Indiana. A great picture spot and picnic area, the falls are also home to the Cataract Covered Bridge built in 1876.

Putnam County Playhouse

2008-08-27T15:56:56-04:00

Theatre Lives At

PUTNAM COUNTY PLAYHOUSE

Putnam County Playhouse has entertained and amused those seeking live theatre for more than 40 years.

The Playhouse provides a way for people of the county and surrounding areas to participate in, and enjoy, live theatre. The Playhouse is housed in a barn (view history) that was donated by Mrs. Hazel Day Longden.

Visitors to the theatre will find the air-cooled interior in keeping with the barn atmosphere, but it contains all the stage, sound and lighting facilities for high-quality theatre productions.

The Playhouse is active from June through September (with the first auditions taking place in April.) It is located on Round Barn Road (10th Street) just north and east of Greencastle. It presents two musicals and two straight plays during its 16-week season and most years produces a children’s workshop performance.

The playhouse is located at 715 S County Road 100 E, Greencastle, Indiana. For Tickets click here and for more information, visit their website at www.PutnamCountyPlayhouse.com or call 765-653-5880.

2008 Season: June - Footloose; July - All My Sons;
August - Singing In The Rain; September - The Importance Of Being Earnest

Mainstreet Greencastle

2008-08-27T15:36:34-04:00

Enter the Living Room of Putnam County

MAINSTREET GREENCASTLE

As you enter the living room of Putnam County, the historic downtown business district of Greencastle, you will step back in time with historic buildings and an atmosphere of friendly hospitality. Main Street Greencastle, Inc. is charged with the mission of preserving, promoting, and enhancing the downtown business district. This not for profit organization prides itself in diversity with volunteers from every generation and backgrounds from student to retired professional.
(Photo: Mainstreet Greencastle's Biggest Downtown
Event - Fair On The Square)

Main Street Greencastle works on several projects. They continue to preserve as they manage the Granda Opera House on the west side of the square with retail and office space. Main Street Greencastle enhances the downtown thru many projects including the spring downtown cleanup and the holiday Christmas light showcase. They also have a downtown renewal project underway replacing trash cans and benches around the historic district to give the downtown a fresh and inviting look. Main Street Greencastle is working hard to promote the downtown with several different promotions.

Main Street Greencastle continues to provide a downtown trick or treat and Santa on the square for the young and old. There are larger events that Main Street is proud to be a part of. Those events being the Downtown Market which begins every Saturday morning in the spring on the downtown square from 8:00 a.m. to noon, you can find a variety of home grown, homemade and home sewn items. The traditional Fair on the Square returns in May. This traditionally kicks off the festival season with a variety of food and craft vendors as well as entertainment that the entire family can enjoy.

Main Street Greencastle encourages visitors year round as our store fronts do carry a diverse scene from gifts and antiques to appliances and musical instruments. For information visit their website, www.MainstreetGreencastle.org or call 765-653-0096.

Bridgeton Mill Still Grinding

2008-08-27T15:08:07-04:00

BRIDGETON MILL STILL GRINDING

Take a short scenic drive west and you will find a history rich in American ingenuity when you discover the Bridgeton Mill and watch as the 200 year-old stones grind grain into flour and meal. For more information, visit www.BridgetonMill.com or call 765-548-0106 (or 812-877-9550).

The Bridgeton Historic District - A Window to the Past

(by Celia Case)

Take a scenic drive through the hills and valleys of the beautiful Southern Parke County countryside, and you won’t want to miss the town of Bridgeton. Let the peace and charm of this historic town take you back in time…

The first sight you won’t want to miss is the Bridgeton Covered Bridge, Mill and Dam. You will likely recognize the scene as it is one of the most famous subjects for photographers and artists in the Midwest. The original bridge was built in 1868, destroyed by an arsonist and rebuilt in 2006. The Mill, oldest continually operating mill west of the Alleghenies, is the third one on the site and was originally built in 1823, with the current one built in 1870.

Take a few minutes to sit by the waterfall any time of day or night and enjoy the beautiful scenery and sound of the water rushing over the dam. Whether you have lived here all your life or are visiting it for the first time, you can’t escape the feeling you’ve been transported back to the 1800’s!

Take a stroll down Main Street through our historic district and you’ll see buildings that haven’t changed substantially since before the turn of the last century! The two-story Masonic Lodge was built in 1869 by Dr. James Crooks, one of the early settlers in Bridgeton, and is the oldest building in town still at its original location. The 1878 House was built by Ralph Sprague, an early owner of the mill. The 1822 Case Log Cabin was originally built by Seba H. Case near Coxville, was moved to its current site and opened in 2002.

Other buildings in the first block downtown are the Ole Town Hall built in 1874, Jones Place built in the 1870’s, Country Store built in 1886, the Bridgeton Bank built in 1891, Homestead Handiworks built in 1892, Collom’s General Store built in 1904, the Old Firehouse built in 1921, and The Station built in 1932.

As you stroll down the streets, you’ll see other old structures in the town, including the Thompson Law Office built prior to 1892, the Baldridge House built in 1906, the Barnes House built in 1883, and the Lattice Shop built circa 1903.

The Old Schoolhouse, built in 1925, is well worth the short walk down Main Street and is not to be missed.

As you stroll through the town, it is easy to glimpse another time, like a view through a window to the past.

Putnam County Museum

2008-08-27T14:53:17-04:00

Discover History At The

PUTNAM COUNTY MUSEUM

With tremendous community support, in 2006, the five-year old museum renovated a former drug-store space on Highway 231 to create an amazing showcase for the natural, historical, and cultural heritage of the county. The facility, at 1105 N. Jackson Street (Hwy 231 North) provides 3,000 square feet of exhibits, a small gift shop with locally made crafts and art, and a multi-purpose room with a kitchen, available for small group events. Enjoy this rich heritage Tuesday – Friday, 1 – 4 pm, Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm, and by appointment. Visit their website or Call 765-653-8419.

Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

2008-08-27T14:38:39-04:00

First in the State of Indiana

THOROUGHBRED RETIREMENT FOUNDATION

Across the lush, rolling, green hills of Putnam County, Indiana, gallop a herd of beautiful, thoroughbred, race horses. In June 2007, the Putnamville Correctional Facility received its’ first six (6) horses from Kentucky marking the beginning of the first Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Program (TRF) in the State of Indiana.

The partnership between TRF and the Putnamville Correctional Facility, afford race horses that are no longer competitive or retired from racing, a new career, rehabilitation, and retraining that will subsequently lead to private adoption, and, provides an Equine Management Program for twenty (20) offenders. In exchange for the use of land, labor and certain materials at the site, the Facility designed, staffed, and maintains the Equine Management Program that provides classroom instruction on Farrier Science, nutrition, equine law and business, and, allows the offenders the opportunity to hone newly acquired skills.

"Tin Man Acomin," the grandson of Triple Crown winner, "Secretariat", and "Queen Maggie", of royal lineage, are two of the most notable horses stabled at the facility. "Eye Oh Silver," a silver- grey roan, is the program’s first Indiana horse. At full capacity, the program will accommodate fifty (50) horses from various states.

Horses aren’t the only animals trotting the pastures of Putnamville! The TRF program is also the home of "Ozzie" the llama. Affectionately named after Superintendent "Michael "Ozzie" Osburn, "Ozzie" (the llama, not the superintendent) was donated to the facility to protect the horses from coyotes.

The picturesque stables that the horses now call home, was once an old dilapidated barn. Fallen trees, on facility grounds, were cut and processed at the facility’s lumber mill, and used to build the stables. The renovation of the barn was the cumulative effort of offenders assigned to the facility’s Lumber Mill, Building Trades, and Farm Line work programs.

Under the auspice of Governor Mitch Daniels, Commissioner J.D. Donahue, and Superintendent Michael J. Osburn, correctional staff is charged with developing innovative programming to prepare offenders for a successful re-entry to our communities. The TRF Program provides an opportunity for offenders to learn marketable job skills, provides a venue for them to learn responsibility and to take pride in caring for something other than them selves. It is the intent that these attributes will carry over into their family relationships and enable them to become better fathers and productive members of society.

Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Call 518-226-0028.

Walking For Wellness

2008-08-27T13:36:10-04:00

Encouraging A Healthy Lifestyle

WALKING FOR WELLNESS

Walking for Wellness is a county-wide health initiative to help local citizens become more aware of their habits and encourage a healthy lifestyle. Being active can prevent and help treat many of the most common chronic medical conditions.

Being active can help reduce the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, heart disease, depression, colon cancer, and other life-shortening conditions. Increasing the number of steps you take each day and increasing the speed at which you take them can help improve your health.

The "Walking for Wellness" program is being promoted through a collaborative partnership of People Pathways, Putnam County Health Coalition, Purdue Extension, Putnam County Health Department, Putnam County Hospital, Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center, and the Greencastle Parks and Recreation Department.

Covered Bridge Cycling

2008-08-27T12:40:33-04:00

View Nature & History Together When You Go

COVERED BRIDGE CYCLING

Bicycling is becoming increasingly popular in the area. Cyclists searching for safe and scenic places to ride have discovered that Putnam County offers great bicycle routes, punctuated by historic covered and iron bridges, quiet country lanes, and friendly neighbors. For years, touring our country roads by bicycle has been a popular attraction for DePauw University students and faculty; it’s not uncommon to see groups of college riders from early spring until late fall.

The popularity of Putnam County roads for cycling draws many visitors to our area and many bicycling events take place during the year. Local organizations have also undertaken projects to enhance the cycling options in the area. People Pathways has successfully developed a multi-use recreational trail just east of Greencastle as a "rails-to-trails" type project.

Other projects are being developed to connect public spaces, such as schools and parks, with paths that can be used by walkers, joggers, and cyclists.

Local businesses are also supportive of the cycling community. Bicycle routes in Putnam County take riders through many of the area’s great iron and covered bridges. The Northern and Eastern parts of Putnam County were once glaciated and, as a result, are mostly flat, offering several easy rides on nicely paved roads. Just the opposite is true in the Southern and Western portions of the area, with many gently rolling hills. (For safety, remember to walk your bicycle across any wood floored bridge.)

For more information, visit People Pathways or contact the Greencastle/Putnam County Development Center at 2 South Jackson Street, Greencastle, 765-653-2474.

Mid'Town Museum of Native Cultures

2008-08-27T12:11:11-04:00

MID'TOWN MUSEUM OF NATIVE CULTURES

Mid'Town Museum of Native Cultures is dedicated to the original caretakers of this nation with the main stress on educating our existing and future generations.

Located in downtown Waynetown Indiana, just west of Crawfordsville, hours are 9:00am until 5:00pm most Saturdays. You will find the museum downtown at the northeast corner of the stop light at 102 East Washington Street. Call ahead to confirm hours by contacting owner Joyce Jones, 765-376-7128 or 765-275-2328.

DePauw Nature Park

2008-08-26T19:29:35-04:00

Take A Hike and Get In Touch With The Great Outdoors

DEPAUW NATURE PARK

Located less than one mile west of downtown Greencastle, the DePauw Nature Park covers more than 500 acres of beautiful forest, fields, and abandoned quarry. The Nature Park was once the site of an active limestone quarry from 1917 to 1977. This limestone rock began forming 350 million years ago from the remains of animals living on the bottom of an inland sea that covered this region. Thanks to a generous land donation from Hanson Aggregates, DePauw University acquired the park in 2003, and has since developed nearly 9 miles of trails for walking, running, hiking and biking. The park includes a section of Big Walnut Creek, a large quarry pond, wetlands, and a unique quarry bottom habitat.

The DePauw Nature Park is free and open to all visitors every day of the year from sunrise to sunset.

◆ Trail Guides and brochures can be picked up at the Welcome Center at the Nature Park.
◆ The Welcome Center has a viewing platform, outdoor picnic tables, and public restrooms.
◆ There are nearly 9 miles of trails for walking, running, hiking, and biking.
◆ There are paved parking lots for guests.
◆ The park also includes the Manning Environmental Field Station, a site for research by DePauw faculty and staff.
◆ Take Walnut Street west from downtown Greencastle. the park entrance is on the left side of the road.
◆ Group tours and educational programs are available upon request.

We hope to see you there!
For more information, visit the DePauw Nature Parke Website.

Welcome to Covered Bridge Country

2008-08-26T17:21:25-04:00

WELCOME TO COVERED BRIDGE COUNTRY

Nestled in the hills of central Indiana, Covered Bridge Country is known for its nine covered bridges as well as its historical attractions. Here at the Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau we strive to supply each guest and visitor with information regarding our county.

Karla Lawless
Executive Director

Continue reading for a description and history of our most popular covered bridges...

Learn about our towns and pick up maps and information so that your trip will be a memorable one. Our office, conveniently located in the historic downtown district of Greencastle is surrounded by unique shopping & restaurants as well as antique stores. Hiking, bike riding, nature preserves, and lakes all await each of our guests. So take some time, enjoy the scenery and have a great time in Covered Bridge Country!

1. Cornstalk Bridge —
Built in 1917 by builder J.A. Britton, it is a single-span bridge, 82’ long, plus an 8’ overhang at each end. It measures 16’ wide and 14’ high with a shingle roof and concrete abutments. The bridge gets its name from the creek it crosses, Cornstalk Creek, a
tributary of Big Raccoon Creek.

2. Pine Bluff Bridge —
Built in 1886 by J.A. Britton. This Howe Truss bridge has cut stone abutments and piles and is 16’ wide and 13’ 6” high with a sheet metal roof. It crosses Big Walnut Creek.

3. Rolling Stone Bridge —
Built in 1915 by J.A. Britton. This Burr Arch bridge crosses Big Walnut and is 103’ long, plus a 10’ overhang at each end. This single-span bridge is 16’ wide and 13’ high with concrete abutments and a sheet metal roof. The bridge got its name from a large boulder in the Creek which was rolled around by the action of the water. For the protection of the bridge, this boulder has been removed.

4. Baker’s Camp Bridge —
Also know as Hillis Bridge, it was built in 1901 by J.J. Daniels and is of the Burr Arch type. This single-span bridge over Big Walnut Creek is 128’ long, plus a 10’ overhang at each end. This bridge is only 14’ wide and 13’ high with cut stone abutments and a sheet metal roof.

5. Edna Collings Bridge —
The baby of all Indiana bridges was built in 1922 by Charles Collings. The haunted, Burr Arch bridge is over Little Walnut Creek and is 80’ long, plus an 8’ overhang at each end. It has concrete abutments and a shingle roof and is 15’ wide and 13’ 6” high.

6. Dunbar Bridge —
Built in 1880 by the local farmers of the area using timber which was cut on the Dunbar farm. This Burr Arch, 2-span bridge is 174’ long, plus a 12’ overhang at each end. It is 16’ wide and 13’ 6” high with cut stone abutments and piles and a shingle roof. At one time the name of J.J. Daniels was on the timbers in the bridge, so it is possible that he had a hand in the building of this bridge.

7. Oakalla Bridge —
Built in 1898 by J.J. Daniels, it’s 152’ long, plus a 15’ overhang at each end. This single-span, Burr Arch bridge with cut stone abutments and a sheet metal roof is 16’ wide and 14’ high. The name of the bridge is derived from the former Oakalla Station on the old Big Four Railroad.

8. Houck Bridge —
This Howe Truss bridge was built in 1880 by the Massillon Bridge Company. This 2-span bridge is 210’ long, plus a 3’ overhang at each end. The bridge is 16’ wide and 15’ high with cut stone abutment and piles with a shingle roof. The bridge got its name from the owner of the surrounding land. This bridge has also been referred to as the Hamrick Bridge, deriving this name from the proposed relocation of the Pennsylvania Railroad and Hamrick Station.

9. Dick Huffman Bridge —
This bridge is our longest bridge being 265’ long, plus a 4’ overhang at each end. This Howe Truss bridge was built in 1880 by an unknown builder. The 2-span bridge has cut stone abutments and piles with a sheet metal roof and is 16’ wide and 15’ high. This bridge was known in earlier days as the Wekty Bridge named for the old Wekty Mill nearby.

For more information, contact the Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-829-4639 or visit them on-line at www.CoveredBridgeCountry.com They are located at 12 W Washington Street, Greencastle, Indiana.

Mansfield Recipes & Memories Cookbook

2008-08-26T12:18:15-04:00

Get A Taste Of History In This Collection Of Recipes

MANSFIELD RECIPES & MEMORIES

One day in the early 1920's, a 12-year old girl walked from Diamond, Indiana to Mansfield, Indiana and arrived on the doorstep of the Harmless family farm. With a bucket and scrub brush in her hand, the exhausted youngster explained in broken English that she'd heard the family could use some help.

That day was a milestone for Anna Soltis Chiles — one that marked the beginning of an affectionate relationship with the Harmless family that spanned three generations.

It also signaled the beginning of Anna’s culinary career, which lasted nearly 80 years. It all started with the first notable pies she sold at the Covered Bridge Festival. The Harmlesses employed dozens of laborers on their expansive farm. Working side by side with family members, Anna helped feed them all.

Through her cooking and other chores, she formed strong bonds with the Harmless family, and especially the daughter, Anna Ernestine Harmless, who was her namesake. She also discovered, judging by the many compliments she received, that she was quite a good cook.

In 1944, when Anna married and ventured out on her own, the Covered Bridge Festival gave her a prime opportunity to continue baking for a crowd. Anna and her husband, Fay Chiles, purchased a small farm with a brick house in Mansfield, on a main festival route. As tourists traveled through the town each autumn, they’d drive up the hill to the Chiles’ red brick house.

Anna would be waiting with hundreds of pies, baked throughout the year and preserved in a deep freezer just for the occasion. Anna and her pies quickly became legendary among Covered Bridge Festival guests, and her fame continued until her death in 1993. Today, Ann’s legacy is preserved in a cookbook — "Mansfield Recipes & Memories" — and through folks like Ernestine, to whom she passed on her many baking secrets.

Her recipes, included in the cookbook, live on — like the one for her renowned mincemeat pie, and others which were recovered from original hand-written texts. Available for $14.00 from Fox's Overlook at Mansfield Village. Click here and order your copy today!

Rods & Relics Car Show - Greencastle

2008-08-25T18:18:00-04:00

Rods & Relics Car Show
At Putnam County Airport

Saturday, September 6, 2008.

For the Putnam County Humane Society. Registration 8 am -12 pm, Awards at 3 pm. Final Approach Bistro will serve food and drinks in the Hanger. This show is being held in conjunction with the Putnam County Airport Appreciation Days at the Putnam County Airport, State Road 240, Greencastle, Indiana. Registration $10 Pre-Registration until August 15, those who pre-register will receive a free T-Shirt. The show is open to all cars, trucks & motorcycles. Click below to continue reading...

This is a judged show—Top 30 plaques, Best of Show, Best Interior, Best Paint, Best Engine, Best Unfinished, Officer’s Choice, Top 5 motorcycles. Food/Drinks and numerous Door Prizes and Dash Plaques to the first 100. No Alcoholic Beverages Allowed at the Show. The Putnam County Airport is located on State Road 240, just east of Greencastle (map). For Airport Appreciation Days information, contact Duane Skoog at 765-363-2093. (Airport Appreciation Days sponsored by EAA Chapter 1374 and Dixie Chopper Business Center and the Putnam County Board of Aviation.)

For additional car show information or to register for the show, email Rona Campbell or visit www.rodsnrelic.com

Fox's Overlook - A Treat For the Senses

2008-08-22T13:41:00-04:00

Fox's Overlook is home to a variety of treasures; gifts & collectibles, home- cooked meals, and sweet fudge straight from the kitchen in Mansfield Village.

Enter and be greeted by a store full of antiques, collectibles, crafts, and unique teas on the lower level. Also on this level is limited seating where you can enjoy homemade chicken & noodles, bar-b-que, and other daily specials. Enjoy a home-cooked meal while you take in the many treasures in the surrounding shoppe. Before you leave, delight yourself with a mile-high bowl of the best strawberry shortcake in Parke County.

Explore the second level of Fox's Overlook and you will find handmade jewelry, bath soap, lotions, candles, artwork, and primitives, as well as the well-known Boyd Bears items.

What trip would be complete without some homemade fudge? Swing by the fudge counter at Fox's Sweet Shoppe for a luscious, rich piece of fudge. You'll want to take a pound or two of the many different varieties home as you can't just eat one piece! Fox's make all their fudge with real cream butter and stir it up fresh in their Mansfield kitchen.

Continue further up to the third level to discover quilts and even more treasures.

Be sure to give your senses a treat with all there is to see, smell, and taste in the three shoppes under one roof at Fox's Overlook in Mansfield Village.

Fox's Overlook is located across the street from the Historic Mansfield Roller Mill. For more information call 765-653-4026.

For vendors, Fox's Overlook in Mansfield offers both indoor and outdoor space. For more information about festival space or Mansfield Village's Festival Events, call 765-653-4026 or 765-653-3049. Or, contact us by email, CLICK HERE.