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Issue: Fall/Winter 2011
Author(s): Jane Ammeson
Ride the Spirit of Jasper vintage train on the 25-mile trip from Jasper to French Lick through the rolling hills of scenic Southern Indiana , swathed in autumn’s jewel-tone colors. There was a time when swanky movie stars and swaggering gangsters also traveled by train to French Lick, a historic hamlet known for its magnificent resort and casino. Alas, by the mid-20th century, rail travel lost favor and authorities shut the casino down after belatedly discovering it was — surprise — still in operation. ...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2011
Author(s): Becky Linhardt
Mummies and Pirates and Warriors — oh, my! The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis recently opened National Geographic Treasures of the Earth , an amazing permanent exhibition that is layered with mysteries and real archaeological research. There is no additional charge for this adventure, just step into the “Treasures Transport” to be lowered into the depths of the earth, where you’ll begin your search with the help of trained staff interpreters. When the doors open, you’ll find yourself in an undergroun...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2011
Author(s): Ed Condran
A visit to the charming small midwestern town of Santa Claus, Indiana , will make a believer out of anyone. Check out the post office — which receives more than 400,000 pieces of mail each year marked for Kris Kringle — to drop in a note with your return address, and you’ll receive a letter with the coveted Santa Claus postmark. Just two doors from the post office is the Santa Claus Museum, which is filled with Santa memorabilia, photos and articles about Saint Nick and the town that bears his name. Her...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2011
Author(s): Ashley Petry
Each winter, Conner Prairie — an outdoor living-history museum in Fishers, Indiana — offers a charming glimpse into an early-American Christmas. And during Conner Prairie by Candlelight, visitors explore the 1836 pioneer village, called Prairietown, and meet costumed actors who share stories of their characters’ holiday traditions. “I feel like I’m stepping back in time and seeing all of the different perspectives from those who lived in 1836,” says Michelle Runzer, marketing communications director for ...
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Issue: Fall/Winter 2011
Author(s): Jane Ammeson
Before UPS and Fed Ex, mail arrived by Pony Express. And, though it lasted less than two years, this western legend endures. Fast forward a century or so to the rural hamlet of Canaan, Indiana , where horseback riders have hit the trail since 1967 to celebrate this early mail service during the Canaan Fall Festival’s Pony Express Mail Run . Their goal? The delivery of hundreds of letters, hand-stamped with the onetime only “Special Pictorial Cancellation,” to Madison, a charming Ohio River town located 1...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2011
Author(s): Ashley Petry
Indianapolis has built its reputation on sports — especially noisy ones like auto racing — but it also offers plenty of pastoral retreats. The Indianapolis Museum of Art’s new 100-acre art and nature park attracts visitors by the thousands, but there are also less-populated garden getaways. Start your journey at the Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Garden , where three acres of formal gardens are tucked into a sprawling 136-acre park. After a stroll, visit the conservatory for a one-hour guid...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2011
Author(s): Ashley Petry
The Indianapolis 500 — known as the “greatest spectacle in racing” — will be an even bigger spectacle this year as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. The race is Sunday, May 29, and the weekend will be full of family activities. “Clearly the race is the icing on the cake for the weekend,” says Doug Boles, director of public relations. “But starting on Saturday, we have a couple of things that would be entertaining for kids.” On Saturday morning, families can tour the infield and garage areas, which ar...
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Issue: Spring/Summer 2011
Author(s): Ashley Petry
Want to share America’s favorite pastime with your family? Head to Victory Field , home of the Indianapolis Indians , the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Each year, more than 500,000 people visit the park, which was named by Sports Illustrated as the best minor-league ballpark in the nation. With just 12,500 seats, the facility promotes itself as “baseball up close,” and you’re never far from the action. Even better, the focus is on old-fashioned fun, complete with peanuts, Cracker Jack and...
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