Tippecanoe Cove

Tippecanoe Cove has water slides, a river-like flowing channel, balance walks, a sand play area and other attractions. It is a really good water park for younger children; however, it can get very crowded. If you go on a day when the weather is not as good, the lines are shorter as opposed to nice sunny days when the park is packed. Younger children will love this park, but there is a height limit to some of the rides.

Amenities

• Admission is not free
  
• Changing rooms and showers are available
• Grassy areas and deck chairs can be used for sunning
  
• Parking is available but limited
  

Links

• Lafayette Aquatics
  

Map


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Speed Cabin

Located just beside the Lane Place, this small cabin can be viewed through glass paneling inside the doorway. It is difficult to see the inside of the cabin because of the darkness and reflections on the glass. The cabin was not originally located next to the Lane House, but it was moved to this location, so the historical society could preserve the building.

Nevertheless, it is interesting to see a typical American house from the mid 1800s. The Lane House next door also started as a log cabin. The Speed Cabin served as a stop on the underground railroad before the civil war.

Amenities

• It is free to walk by and observe
• It is located next to the Henry Lane Place
  

Links

• Historical Marker Database
  
• Waymarking page
  

Map

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Montgomery County Rotary Jail

The rotary jail was invented by William H. Brown of Indianapolis and was supposed to be escape proof. This proved to be the case (when there was not jailer error) although the rotary jails were terrible to live in. One inmate said that he would rather spend six months in a normal jail than six hours in a rotary jail. Nevertheless, between six and eighteen rotary jails were built at great expense. The only remaining operating rotary jail in the world is located in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

This jail was an interesting place to visit. You can see the jail cells rotate around their core and learn about what life was like for the jailers and inmates. It is very interesting to see the workings of the jail, but it makes you sad knowing of all the men who were locked up in it. The tour guide can tell you all sorts of stories about the history of the jail and the people who inhabited it.

Amenities

• Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children
• Guided tour of the study
• Parking is available on surrounding streets
  

Links

• Ben L. Ross description
  
• City of Crawfordsville website
  
• Historical Marker Database
• Official Website
• Wikipedia Rotary Jail page
  

Map


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616 Ninth Street

616 Ninth Street
Cottage Bungalow 1920

614 Ninth Street

614 Ninth Street
Cottage Bungalow 1925

613 Ninth Street

613 Ninth Street
Bungalow circa 1915

610 South Street

610 Ninth Street
Queen Anne circa 1890
Note porte cochere and second floor sleeping porch

609 Ninth Street

609 Ninth Street
American Foursquare 1922

605 Ninth Street

605 Ninth Street
Gable Front Vernacular cottage circa 1880

604 Ninth Street

604 Ninth Street
Queen Anne circa 1890
Note cantilievered wall extension on north side

602 Ninth Street

602 Ninth Street
Free Classic circa 1890
Note original porch and railing

601 Ninth Street

601 South Ninth Street
Free Classic circa 1885
Note side bay and leaded windows

Five Points Museum

This is an old fire station in Lafayette that was turned into a museum at the end of its active use. The station was built in 1921 and was one of the first in the area to be able to house a motorized fire engine. The base served the Lafayette area for 80 years before being converted into a museum. The fire station is set up in a manner similar to what it was like during its operational years.

The museum is staffed by volunteer retired fire fighters who are very knowledgeable about the equipment and building's history because they used this same equipment and may have worked from this station. Children will love having the chance to see the fire engines and equipment.

Amenities

• There are antique toys and old fire equipment inside
• There are two antique fire engines in the station
  
• There is no parking lot but parking can be found on the surrounding streets
• There is free admission
  

Links

• Early Alert Lafayette
  

Map

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Lew Wallace Study

Lew Wallace was a remarkable man. He as a successful soldier, diplomat, inventor, author, artist, and father. Towards the end of his life he built this study where he could retire in peace and write. Lew Wallace is best known for writing Ben-Hur, but he also served as a general in the American Civil War and fough in the Mexican-American war. Diplomatically he served as an ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and held several governing positions out west.

The Lew Wallace Study is a pleasant place to visit. It is walled off from the surrounding streets giving it a feeling of tranquility. The building itself is interesting to look at it almost seems like a toy castle. The interpretive center shows a video about Lew Wallace's life and displays artifacts relating to his accomplishments. Inside the study, one can see artwork, awards, and memorabilia collected by Lew Wallace.

Amenities

• Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children
• Guided tour of the study
• A video telling the story of Lew Wallace may be seen
  
• A parking lot is available
  

Links

• Official Blog
  
• IndianaBeautiful.com description
  
• MySpace page
  
• Official Website
• Smithsonian site
  
• Wikipedia
  

Map

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Henry S. Lane Place

The Lane Place was home to Henry S. Lane and his wife Joanna. The building was originally a log cabin, but it had several additions made to it, so that became a very large house by the standards of its day. The Lanes were a wealthy family and had their piano and several large mirrors shipped to the house from the East Coat. The shipping cost of their piano was equal to its retail price. Lane served as a senator during the Civil War. He was against slavery although he disagreed on tactics with most abolitionists. My tour guide was very knowledgeable about the Lane family and area history, so you should be able to learn everything you want from a visit.

Amenities

• Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children
• Guided tour of the house
  
• Free parking is available on the surrounding streets
  

Links

• City of Crawfordsville page
• Montgomery County Historical Society
  
• State history marker
  
• Waymarking page
• Wikipedia entry
  

Map

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Carnegie Museum

The Carnegie Museum was the first Carnegie library built in Indiana. It opened in 1902 and served as Crawfordsville's public library until 2005. The current library is situated across the road. The museum has memorabilia and posters documenting the regions history and explaining how it developed. Touring the museum should not take an extended period of time.

Amenities

• Free admission
  
• There are bathrooms available
  
• Free parking is available on the surrounding streets
  

Links

• City of Crawfordsville page
• State history marker
  
• Waymarking page
  

Map

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902 Kossuth

922 Kossuth c. 1930

Spanish Eclectic

Note tile roof and copper gutters

822 Kossuth

822 Kossuth
Craftsman Bungalow c. 1916

802 Kossuth

802 Kossuth

Colonial Revival c. 1915

714 Kossuth

414 Kossuth
Bungalow c. 1910

Castaway Bay

Castaway Bay has a spraying fountain area and a pool with three segments: shallow, intermediate, and deep (roughly the height of an adult). There is also a basketball hoop for playing in the water.

This pool is mostly designed for children. Parents can either get into the water with their kids or sit on the grass and lawn chairs around the pool. The pool is not as big as might be desired, but there is plenty of room for children to play.

Amenities

• There are bathrooms and showers in the changing rooms
  
• Deck chairs, umbrellas, and grassy areas are available for sitting or laying around the pool
  
• Parking is available next to the pool
• It is located in Armstrong Park
  

Links

• Lafayette Aquatics page
• Lafayette Online (has current prices)
  

Map

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Wolf Park

Wolves here live in a cross between a zoo and the wild in this park. Researchers study these wolves to see how they interact. Wolves are studied here in a relatively natural environment although they are not as free to roam as they are in the wild. The wolves can be seen at howl nights and attempting to hunt buffalo. The workers here assured me that the wolves are not actually skilled enough to successfully hunt the buffalo who have nothing to fear from wolves at this skill level.

At howl nights, the workers get the wolves to gather in front of viewing stands and explain their behavior. The wolves also demonstrate some tricks which the workers have taught them. Of course, you will also get the opportunity to lead the wolves in a howl. At the bison demos, the wolves are given a chance to hunt the bison living on the park until they give up.

Amenities

• There are bathrooms an in the visitor center
  
• There is a bookstore which sells memorabilia
  
• Plenty of parking is available in the lot outside the visitor center
  
• There are viewing stands to watch the wolves during shows and fences to separate you from the wolves
  

Links

• Facebook page
  
• Flickr group
• Myspace page
  
• Official website
• Twitter page
• Wikipedia
  
• Wolf Park kids site
• Wolf Park store
  

Map


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Campuses

• Wabash College
  

Columbian Park Zoo

Columbian Park Zoo is located in Columbian Park in Lafayette. It has free admission so it is a great place to take a family, but unfortunately it is not a very large zoo. Even though there are not as many animals, the zoo makes up for this by allowing more interaction. You can go into a barnyard and pet some animals. You can also play in a mock prairie dog tunnels or walk amongst the butterflies. The staff/helpers there are friendly and helpful.

Amenities

• Admission is free
  
• There are bathrooms and drinking fountains available
  
• Parking is available on the surrounding streets and can be difficult to find depending on the time
  
• There are plenty of staff to aid you
  

Links

• City of Lafayette webpage
• Facebook page
  
• Purdue Epics webpage
  

Map


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Vinton Pool

Vinton is a relatively small pool, but it is great for children and people who do not wish to lap swim or dive. The pool starts off very shallow and gradually gets deeper so that children can play in their optimal depth of water. Parents can either play with their children in the pool or watch from the deck chairs around it. There is a water slide and basketball hoop available for play as well.

Amenities

• There are bathrooms and showers in the changing rooms
  
• Deck chairs and umbrellas are available for sitting or laying around the pool
  
• Parking is available next to the pool

Links

• Lafayette Aquatics page
  

Map


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Entertainment

• Columbian Park Zoo
• Riverside Skating Center
  
• Wolf Park
  

Crawfordsville

• Carnegie Museum
• Lane Place
• Lew Wallace Study
• Montgomery County Rotary Jail
• Speed Cabin
• Wabash College
  

Homes of Historic Ninth Street Hill

Hill Street

• 708 Hill Street
  
• 710 Hill Street
• 714 Hill Street
• 800 Hill Street

Kossuth

• 714 Kossuth
• 802 Kossuth
• 822 Kossuth
• 902 Kossuth

South Street

• 901 South Street

State Street

• 800 State Street
• 801 State Street
• 807 State Street
• 904 State Street
• 907 State Street

7th Street

• 400 7th Street
  
• 401 7th Street
• 404 7th Street
• 405 7th Street
• 408 7th Street
• 410 7th Street
• 459 7th Street
• 461 7th Street

8th Street

• 450 8th Street
• 455 8th Street
• 456 8th Street
• 457 8th Street
• 460 8th Street
• 500 8th Street
• 509 8th Street
• 510 8th Street
• 515 8th Street
• 516 8th Street

8th Street

• 450 8th Street
  
• 451 8th Street
• 456 8th Street
• 457 8th Street
• 460 8th Street
• 500 8th Street
• 509 8th Street
• 510 8th Street
• 515 8th Street
• 516 8th Street

9th Street

• 6 9th street
  
• 12/14 9th street
• 102/104 9th street
• 106/108 9th street
• 110 9th street
• 111/113 9th street
• 114 9th street
  
• 115 9th street
• 116 9th street
• 118 9th street
• 122 9th street
• 202/204 9th street
• 207 9th street
• 212 9th street
• 213 9th street
• 216 9th street
• 221 9th street
• 222 9th street
• 226 9th street
• 230 9th street
• 300 9th street
• 301 9th street
• 303/305 9th street
• 306 9th street
• 402 9th street
• 403 9th street
• 409 9th street
• 410 9th street
• 412 9th street
• 415 9th street
• 453 9th street
• 456 9th street
• 460 9th street
• 510 9th street
• 511 9th street
• 515/517 9th street
• 516 9th street
• 519 9th street
• 520 9th street
• 523/525 9th street
• 528 9th street
• 529 9th street
• 532 9th street
• 533 9th street
• 534 9th street
• 540/542 9th street
• 601 9th street
• 602 9th street
• 604 9th street
• 605 9th street
• 609 9th street
• 610 9th street
• 613 9th street
• 614 9th street
• 616 9th street

Places of Worship

1. St. John's Episcopal Church
2. First Christian Church
3. Trinity United Methodist Church
4. First Baptist Church
5. Sons of Abraham Synagogue
6. St. James Lutheran Church
7. Brown Street United Methodist Church
8. St. Boniface Catholic Church
9. Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
10. St. Mary's Cathedral
11. Central Presbyterian Church
12. Unitarian Universalist/Greater Macedonia Church of God
    

Happy Hollow Park

Happy Hollow park is one of the busier parks in West Lafayette. It is in a valley running through the town of West Lafayette. When you walk in the park all you can see are the trees surrounding you on the valley slopes making you feel far away from the bustle of town. It can be difficult to find an open spot in the park parking lots on a nice day, but you can park on Rose Street or Pawnee Drive and walk in through alternative entrances.

Happy Hollow has facilities for any activity. There dirt trails through the woods as well as smooth paved paths. There are open fields for playing sports, playgrounds for children, sand volleyball courts for fun, and pavilions for having dinner. The stream running through the park is dry for much of the year.

Amenities

• There are bathrooms and drinking fountains near the main pavilion
  
• Sand volleyball courts are available
• Parking is limited but also available on surrounding streets
• There are many trails and paths for hiking
  

Links

• City Parks webpage
  
• West Lafayette city webpage
  

Map


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West Lafayette Municipal Pool

This pool is outdoors next to Happy Hollow park. When you are swimming you can see the trees and grassy hill next to you. This makes Happy Hollow a very nice environment for swimming. There are three pools: a main one and two smaller ones. All three pools are heated and felt very comfortable the times I have been swimming.

Amenities

• Changing rooms are available
• There is plenty of parking in the Happy Hollow School parking lot
• Restrooms are available
  

Links

• City Parks webpage
• West Lafayette City website
  

Map


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Wabash and Erie Canal

The Wabash and Erie Canal was one of many canals built in the 1800s to allow settlers to reach Indiana. This particular canal started in Toledo, Ohio and ended in Evansville, Indiana. It was dug and finished by hand mostly by Irish immigrants. Later canals were eclipsed by trains, but they played an important part in settling the Midwest.

A section of the Wabash and Erie Canal that runs through Delphi, Indiana has been reconstructed. One can take rides on a canal boat and see a historical center explaining the history of the dam and showing how they worked. Don't fear for your safety on the boats. If you fall overboard, you can simply walk to the side of the canal! The canals were built for flat bottomed boats and so were not made deeper than necessary.

Amenities

• There is plenty of free parking
• Restrooms are available in the museum
• A free museum explains the history of the Wabash and Erie Canal
  

Links

• Official Website
• Wabash and Erie Canal company records
  
• Wikipedia Article
  

Maps

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Delphi Attractions

• Wabash and Erie Canal
  

Battleground Attractions

• Prophet's Rock
• Tippecanoe Battlefield
• Wolf Park
  

Lafayette Attractions

• Castaway Bay
  
• Columbian Park Zoo
• Feast of the Hunters Moon
  
• Five Points Fire Museum
  
• Jerry E. Clegg Botanical Garden
• Mini-Farmers Markets
  
• Places of Worship
  
• Red Crown Mini-Museum
• Tippecanoe Cove
  
• Vinton Pool
  

West Lafayette Attractions

• Celery Bog
• Feast of the Hunter's Moon
  
• Happy Hollow Park
• McCormick Woods
• Michaud-Sinniger Nature Preserve
• Purdue University Horticulture Garden
• Purdue Horticulture Park
• Riverside Skating Center
  
• West Lafayette Municipal Pool