Thursday, July 30, 2009
Red Crown Mini-Museum
The Red Crown Mini-Museum is in downtown Lafayette on the corner of 6th Street and South Street. This station has been configured to look like a Standard Oil filling station from the 1930s. The oil station is always closed, but you are able to look into it through its windows and you can see a couple of antique trucks in the parking lot as well.
Amenities
- You can park in the lot in front of the filling station
- There are no restrooms available
Links
Map
View Larger Map
Purdue University Horticulture Garden
The Purdue University Horticulture park is on the south side of Purdue’s campus. One of the first things I noticed about it while walking over there were all of the bird calls coming out of it. This is a nice flower garden and many of the flowers are labeled which may be useful to someone learning about flowers. There is a wide variety of flowers and I was most struck by some which were interesting shades of blue. The garden is not large enough to take walks, but there are benches where you can sit. Amenities
- Benches for sitting are in the park
- Parking is similar to other locations on campus. There are lots of parking spots, but you will need a parking permit for them during weekday business hours. If you come in the evening or on a weekend, you should not have trouble with parking.
- No Restrooms are available, but there are many Purdue buildings nearby that you can find restrooms in.
Links
- Discover America page on the garden
- Plant map of the horticulture park
- Purdue Horticulture Park homepage
- Wikipedia page
Map
View Larger Map
Prophet's Rock
From this location the prophet Tenskwatawa watched and encouraged the Native American warriors during the Battle of Tippecanoe. The trees are much larger now than they were in 1811, so it is no longer possible to see the battlefield from this location although there is an outlook on the ridge from where it is possible to discern where the battlefield is. This park is connected with a walkway to the battlefield.
From the parking lot you have the choice of scaling the rock (which I recommend) or taking a steep trail up to the ridge line. On the ridgeline there is a very nice path and the park is generally quiet with few visitors. Unfortunately most of the trees are very large with no low lying branches, so it is difficult to climb here.
Amenities
- The Parking lot only holds two or three cars, but I have never been unable to get a parking spot
Links
- Friends of Celery Bog
- Lilly Nature Center (West Lafayette Parks)
- Purdue Subsurface Geology Page
- West Lafayette Parks Website
Map
View Larger Map
Michaud-Sinniger Nature Preserve
Michaud-Sinniger is a very small park. It is really too small for taking a walk unless you want to go outside of the preserve and walk around the mown grass lawns of Cumberland Park. The park is very beautiful though if you wish to walk slowly and meditate or sit and read a book.
Amenities
- Parking is usually adequate although when there are high school athletic events it might be difficult to find.
- Restrooms are in a small building near the nature area entrance
Links
Map
View Larger Map
McCormick Woods
McCormick Woods is a 40 acre park off of Cherry Lane. It is a small wooded area with small paths for walking and mountain biking. When all of the underbrush has died during the winter it is sometimes better to just walk without following the paths.
The park is fairly small, but the woods are thick enough so that you cannot see out of the park even during the winter. There is enough room for walking, but the park would not be large enough to go jogging in.
Amenities
- You can park along the road but there is no parking lot
- There are no restrooms available
Links
Map
View Larger Map
Jerry E. Clegg Botanical Garden
This park is on the northeast side of Lafayette. Watch carefully when you are nearing it because it is easy to miss. The park has several foot trails running along the banks of Wildcat Creek and on the bluffs overhead. A lot of work has been put into building scenic overlooks and shoring up trails running along the hillsides. Although much of Indiana is flat, this park gives you the opportunity to experience hilly terrain.
The park is meant to preserve and reintroduce the original flora and fauna of the region and yearly controlled burns are conducted to keep a dense forest from growing and allow the native planes species to thrive.
Amenities
- There are benches for resting and overlooks on the paths
- Parking is free across the street
Links
Map
View Larger Map
Purdue Horticulture Park
The Horticulture Park has both wooded trails and open grassy areas. It borders on the Purdue Cross Country course making it great for running because you can go onto the course if the trails in the park are not long enough. The park is very picturesque with several copses of trees in the open areas and streams running through the forest. The woodland area is very scenic with small hills. I enjoy walking here on the weekends occasionally.
Amenities
- Parking is more than adequate. I have never had a trouble finding a parking spot.
- No public restrooms are available
- Within walking distance of campus.
Links
Map
View Larger Map
Fort Ouiatenon
This park is close to the site of an early French trading post on the Wabash River. During the summer there are Living History Weekends where people come and portray the people who lived here. Generally in attendance are members of the Wea Tribe, a blacksmith, and some people working in the blockhouse. This post was originally settled by the French but was taken over by the English and then destroyed by the Americans after the English left.
The park itself is not extraordinary it is just a large lawn. It is great for picnicking and the events held here such as the Feast of the Hunter’s Moon and Living History Weekends, which are a lot of fun.
Amenities
- The Block House is open on the weekends during summer months
- A boat launch goes out onto the river
- Parking is more than adequate. I have never had a trouble finding a parking spot
- Picnic tables, grills, and a pavilion make this a great place for a meal
Links
Map
View Larger Map
Celery Bog
Celery Bog is a great place for a relaxing walk. There are both paved in the meadows and wood chip paths in the forest. I strongly recommend taking the wood chip paths. The paths are great for walking, but not long enough for running although you could make this a small part of your run.
The scenery is great as long as you ignore the Walmart and housing subdivision on the other side of the bog. If you come early in the morning, you will get a chance to see more wild life. In the afternoon the park is more crowded and consequently the animals are more shy. There are always birders and photographers taking advantage of the parks beauty.
Amenities
- Bike racks are available
- Lilly Nature Center is somewhat lacking as a museum, but you can see interesting photographs taken in the park
- Parking is more than adequate. I have never had a trouble finding a parking spot
- Restrooms are available in Lilly Nature Center
Links
- Friends of Celery Bog
- Lilly Nature Center (West Lafayette Parks)
- Purdue Subsurface Geology Page
- West Lafayette Parks Website
Map
View Larger Map
Tippecanoe Battlefield
The Battle of Tippecanoe was a small yet important battle in the prelude to the War of 1812. The Americans were led by future president William Henry Harrison while the Native Americans were led by Teconsheh the brother of Tecumseh. The battle was a tactical stalemate but a strategic victory for the Americans.
There is a small museum which is worth visiting by the parking lot. The battlefield is surrounded by a fence and has a large memorial and monuments marking the locations where officers died. Below the battlefield runs Burnett Creek and there are paths running both along the stream and towards Prophet’s Rock.
Amenities
- A Museum has exhibits explaining the events leading up to the battle and local history
- Parking is more than adequate and free
- Nature Paths are great for distance for walking or jogging
- Restrooms are available in the museum
Links
- Tippecanoe County Historical Society page
- Wikipedia article about battle
- Wikipedia article about battlefield park
Directions
View Larger Map
Posts
