BY NATALIE DERRICKSON Art, ingenuity, and power collide in Auburn, Indiana, this summer as hundreds of proud preservers of automotive history share their rides with the masses. Although a century has passed since the Duesenberg won the Indianapolis 500, the cool factor of automobiles from a bygone era hasn’t aged a bit. See the striking… Continue reading.

By Natalie Derrickson Summer is in full swing, which means more time spent outside. When it’s time to take a break from the pool, look no further than one of Indiana’s shady, serene, and sacred natural spaces. Indiana boasts a wide variety of nature preserves, each offering unique landscapes and opportunities for outdoor exploration. Here… Continue reading.

By Natalie Derrickson Millions of vibrant blooms in hot pinks, cool purples, and sunny yellows stand tall, sharply defining their esteemed role in a thoughtfully designed pattern installed by 200-plus thoughtful and generous volunteers. These aren’t just any old public garden beds. They are the Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail in Elkhart County. Blossoming… Continue reading.

Today’s playgrounds offer more than a venue for kids to expel excess energy. Indiana’s most cutting-edge play spaces are a blueprint for creativity, exploration, and connection for every age, ability, and interest. Westermeier Commons at Central Park, Carmel If a child’s drawing of what the most amazing playground was to be built in real life,… Continue reading.

By Natalie Derrickson The remnants of a late 1800s railway stamp the divide between past and present at the entrance to The Bag Factory, but what’s inside is anything but old-fashioned. Big dreams have been synonymous with The Bag Factory since its original purpose as the Cosmo Buttermilk Soap Co. Today, The Bag Factory is… Continue reading.

By Natalie Derrickson Catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse or pick up a new pastime while exploring Indiana’s observatories. The zone of totality slices through the Hoosier state on April 8. Get a front-row seat with a visit to one of Indiana’s observatories open to the public. Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium Indianapolis A… Continue reading.

Hoosier sugar shacks open to the public in March for a behind-the-scenes look and taste of Indiana maple syrup. Photos courtesy of Indiana Maple Syrup Association  By Natalie Derrickson Breakfast enthusiasts, preservationists, and nature buffs all have something to love when it comes to maple syrup, and one magical weekend a year, they can see… Continue reading.

By Natalie Derrickson It’s not every day that a business’s marketing tactics live up to the hype of their product, but at the Uranus Fudge Factory in Anderson, Indiana, the in-store experience is as silly, wacky, and all-out fun as advertised. Visitors can satisfy their sweet tooth with delicious confections such as fudge, chocolate, popcorn,… Continue reading.

By Natalie Derrickson When the weather turns cold, one need only visit the Fort Wayne History Center’s Festival of Gingerbread to be enveloped in the warmth of the season and the tantalizing aroma of gingerbread.  During the festival’s run from Nov. 24 through Dec. 17, visitors can expect to see professional-level gingerbread creations, including depictions… Continue reading.

According to the Indiana War Memorials Foundation, no other city in the United States maintains as much acreage dedicated to honoring veterans as Indianapolis. Featuring a variety of museums, parks, memorials and monuments, downtown Indy provides several opportunities to pay tribute to the state’s rich military history and the men and women who have served…. Continue reading.

Constructed in 1908, the Indiana State Sanatorium was originally built to give respite and healing to those suffering from tuberculosis.  More than a medical facility, the Sanatorium, and its surrounding buildings situated on over 200 acres, functioned as a self-sufficient community. Doctors and nurses lived on the property. There was a greenhouse, a dairy barn… Continue reading.

The day before our nation’s “four score and seventh birthday,” the momentous question whether the United States would survive intact to celebrate any future birthdays hinged on the outcome of the Civil War battle fought at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This month marks the 160th anniversary of that battle. Fought July 1-3, 1863, Gettysburg is perhaps the… Continue reading.