BY NICOLE THOMAS

Known as the home of outdoor recreation, Sullivan County has more than 26,000 acres of recreational grounds for various activities, from hunting and golfing to ATV riding and water skiing. Shakers, a Christian sect known for their celibacy and communal lifestyle, were the county’s first settlers in the early 1800s. This group resided just west of Carlisle, one of Sullivan County’s six towns.

CRAFTING CONNECTIONS

In March 2013, the Sullivan Area Art Guild Gallery opened in downtown Sullivan to showcase locals’ artwork. From ceramics to hand-crafted furniture, the gallery accepts art from guild members and other practicing artists in the area. Artworks’ prices typically range from $3 to $25. The guild also hosts art classes for children and adults, from jewelry making to handmade postcards. These classes attract visitors from across the state, including one family who drove nearly three hours from Aurora for the guild’s barn quilt painting class.

REELING IN ADVENTURE

With over 120 lakes scattered across its 9,000 acres of woodland, Greene-Sullivan State Forest in Dugger, Indiana, offers visitors many fishing opportunities to catch largemouth bass, bluegill, and redear sunfish. The Department of Natural Resources founded the forest in 1936 after several coal companies donated more than 3,000 acres of their property. In 1972, Harold L. Catey set Indiana’s record for the largest bluegill — 3 pounds, 4 ounces — which he caught at Greene-Sullivan State Forest’s Reservoir #26. In addition to fishing, visitors can enjoy mushroom hunting, horseback riding, and camping.

A LITERARY LANDMARK

Beginning in 1899, women’s clubs throughout the United States lobbied to establish community libraries. About 75 percent of the libraries established during this post-Civil War period were thanks to women’s clubs’ efforts. The Woman’s Club of Sullivan requested a $10,000 grant to establish a Carnegie library — a building funded by donations from Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist. The Sullivan County Public Library was one of 1,689 Carnegie libraries built in the United States. The two-story, domed Indiana limestone library opened in 1905 with 1,222 books. Now, the library has five branches to serve patrons across Sullivan County.

COUNTY FACTS

FOUNDED: 1817

NAMED FOR: General Daniel Sullivan, an American military officer during the American Revolutionary War

POPULATION: 20,817

COUNTY SEAT: Sullivan

INDIANA COUNTY NUMBER: 77

Nicole Thomas is a freelance writer from Indianapolis.