When I tell people I teach Cultural Heritage Tourism at Indiana University and now Purdue University, they immediately think of big travel - international travel, multi-week excursions, exotic destinations, cruises, and bucket-list trips. While I have traveled to far-flung places and these were very memorable, there is more than what and where we travel, there is why.
For decades, I have wandered for business and pleasure. What is that small town or village like and what's its story? What about that old bridge or landmark? My curiosity has led me to visit every dot on Indiana's map and now more than that. Today, the why was more important than what I would see.
August 17th is a hard day for me. It was the day five years ago that Beth died, my wife, best friend, and wandering partner. So now I wander on this date to pay honor to a soul who was a seeker like me. This is often my Why for wandering Indiana. Two weeks ago, my sister and I wandered western Indiana to Illinois and Road-Tested Life Off the Highway's Backroad Driving Tips (you can read about that story on my website - LifeOffTheHighway.com.) On that day trip, we traveled in the area between SR 32 and SR 28. This trip I chose to travel the eastern portion of Indiana with the same parameters. Today I would travel alone.
On her 40th birthday in 2000, I made custom cassettes with love songs for her not knowing that the playlist would be an integral part of my later grieving, wandering trips. The first song of the day was a touching song by Alabama, which I heard as I delivered flowers to the cemetery. I sang along throughout the day and most made me smile as I knew she loved them too. I then headed northeast on SR 37 through Noblesville and Elwood and then turned east on a county road between SR 28 and SR 26. This was very familiar territory but still worth seeing what else might be out there.
I entered Fairmount from the west and as I stopped at the main intersection, a muralist was painting an image of local hero James Dean on the side of an old building. Some streets were lined with restored grand homes, including the James Dean Museum, which Beth and I had visited before. I took pictures all over town.
In Fairmount (clockwise), James Dean Mural, James Dean Museum, Co-Op Elevator. Phantom II jet, Tank, Helicopter and Ship Propeller at the American Legion Post.
A cashier at the Village Pantry directed me to Playacres Park. The park's pool was very busy. I found a park pavilion (below) with picnic tables where I ate the picnic lunch I packed. Sitting there quietly, I was reminded of many picnic lunches Beth and I shared in Dunkirk, Shoals, Purdue Horticulture Park, and several state parks. I laughed out loud as recalled my 86-year-old grandmother eating Planters Cheese Balls/puffs while we picnicked at Clifty Falls State Park. She asked Beth “What are these?” and when told, she added "I think I like these."
This is a picture of a Chocolate Peanut Pretzel Sundae I found online similar to what I enjoyed.
After lunch I was heading to Upland for dessert at Ivanhoe's famous ice cream restaurant. I cut through the country not knowing that SR 22/Main street was completely closed through town. Ivanhoe’s parking lot was full and it was starting to sprinkle. When I walked in I was 18th line to order! I had plenty of time to choose between 100 varieties of Sundaes and 100 varieties of milk shakes. I was easily there more than 30 minutes. Ordered a Chocolate Peanut Pretzel Sundae: Soft serve vanilla with peanut butter sauce 3 ladles, pretzel sticks, 3 ladles of hot chocolate fudge sauce! This was a medium/regular and cost less than $6! While I waited inside for my ice cream while it rained buckets outside. The rain let up and I ate in the truck in the parking lot.
I wandered through Grant, Blackford, and into Jay County on backroads when possible. Drove through Shamrock Lakes and Millgrove on my way to find the Oak Grove School ruins located on SR 1 at CR 200 South. The Romanesque Revival Schoolhouse was built in 1913 and served Knox Township until 1940 and is distinctive for its bell tower. This was a chosen destination for this trip.
Onto Redkey, took a break and then drove through town taking many pictures. (clockwise): former church building for sale, Redkey United Methodist Church, building under restoration, City Building.
Knights of Pythias Castle and the beautiful Gray Building downtown
Headed east through Blaine and College Corner near Portland. I was searching for a historic marker denoting the site of 19th Century Liber College south of Portland. between US 27 and Boundary Pike. The directions I had were a little difficult, but I figured it out. There is a dot called Liber with four houses. In the front yard of one house there was a stone marker with a metal plate telling the history of the college. Founded in 1853 as a Liberal Arts College that closed 25 years later. Just south of town there was a beautiful homestead and after a zig-zag in the road, there was another beautiful farmstead.
Drove to eastern Jay County just south of Salamonia and found the source of the Salamonie River. The stream starts back in a grove of trees surrounded by a cornfields. The 85-mile tributary of the Wabash River traverses Jay, Blackford, Huntington and Wabash counties. I stood up in the truck bed to get a good picture of the tree line (below).
Continued a couple of miles to the Ohio-Indiana State Line Road and drove south into Randolph County. This road leads to Union City and, based on traffic, apparently it's a freeway! It was raining again as I stopped for pictures of the Mississinewa River (below) which starts its 120-mile journey to the Wabash River just 7 miles east of here in Ohio.
I came upon a farm harvesting commercial tomatoes, the first of a few today. Drove through several wind power clusters and stopped for some pictures and a video of windmills, clouds, sunlight, and sheets of rain falling in the western skies.
I drove south again and turned onto SR 28 east of Union City. While I was only on SR 28 for a half-mile, that meant that I was on SR 28 and SR 32 today, the same highways I traveled on my last wandering trip with my sister. I was driving south to Saratoga and stopped for a picture of an old barn and silo and another of the Saratoga IOOF Hall. East of town I spied an aging, ivy-covered barn and captured a picture as another wave of rain began to fall.
As I drove west the sun broke through and I looked behind me for a rainbow. I spotted one and stopped near US 27 for this shot. Drove through/around Winchester on US27 and came to the Randolph County Fairgrounds. Across the road was the former county infirmary, worthy of a photograph.
Continued south on US 27 to CR500 South searching for the source of the White River, one of the main reasons I made this trip. Turned west and 1/3 of a mile there was a large culvert. So this was it! On the south side it was a dry waterway with large riprap rocks piled at its mouth. On the northside there was a little water flowing and this is where it begins. I was able to climb out onto the culvert to capture pictures of White River’s beginning.
The 362-mile stream flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River. The river winds through Muncie, Anderson, Noblesville, and Indianapolis before being joined by the east fork in the triad of Daviess, Knox, and Pike counties. The Miami tribe had called the river Wapahani, meaning “white sands” or waapikamiiki.
Ahead was a large grain elevator that I thought was a Harvest Land Co-Op and I stopped for a picture of it against the amazing cloud formation. Next to the elevator was a one-story house with three people sitting on the front porch waving at me as I passed.
I stopped, turned around, and returned to visit with them. I asked “Which of you is the mayor of Snow Hill?” I would be surprised if there are 20 people in this hamlet with five houses. They pointed to the elderly woman who is 88 years old. The others were her son and wife from Decatur, Indiana. Their name is Densmore and her father-in-law started the elevator a long time ago. I learned that local farmers just bought elevator from the Co-Op and their name is Redder, the same as the elderly woman’s maiden name. I explained that I was in Snow Hill to find the source of the White River. The elderly woman said she has lived within 10 miles of Snow Hill her entire life but didn’t know anything about White River’s source! They were kind people and nice to visit, I was there 10-12 minutes or so.
I plugged in Mount Summit and headed west on country roads. Turned onto Huntsville Road and took one picture in town of a defunct church. Continued to US 36 and took the highway the remaining trip. Missed an opportunity to see the source of the Whitewater River West Fork as I was less than one mile from it, but I didn't know it until I was back home.
Went through Modoc and Losantville and talked with Lisa and Don about my day and my experience in Snow Hill. Arrived in Mount Summit and 1000º Wood Fired Pizza about 6:30pm. I was fourth in line to order. Not bad. My clerk said it would be an hour before my pizza would come out! It is a large place and was crowded but not packed. I worked on my phone capturing many of these notes for my journal and blog. They brought my breadstick and cheese first and the pizza a little while later. I brought home half the pizza and half order of breadsticks. They were both very good and I would come back again.
It was after 8pm when I got back to my truck. Jessamyn called me on FaceTime. She had set out fresh cut flowers beside a picture of her mom. As they sat down to dinner with candles and fresh flowers, our granddaughter Guinevere shouted, “We’re having a party! For Grandma!” She wore her pointed party hat to celebrate. Sometimes, maybe they know better than we do.
Driving home, the western sky was beautiful and I struggled to find an open view to take a picture. I finally found a side road and a bean field, enabling me to catch the clouds and the horizon at dusk I miss the prairie!
It was nearly 9:30 when I got home. Listened to music all day. Several friends and family called me throughout my drive, checking in on me and my state of mind. I was right where I needed to be. It was still nice to be thought of in that way. Lots of comments and reactions to my FB post. Especially enjoyed comments from AXOs, Beth's sorority sisters. I enjoyed finding the source of rivers, rural scenes, and historic sites. More importantly I wandered to ease my grieving heart and know that Beth was beside me in her empty seat.
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