Hamilton County, the second-most populous county in Central Indiana after Marion County, offers its visitors and residents a variety of recreational opportunities, including boating, fishing, and waterfront living on two man-made lakes, Geist Reservoir and Morse Reservoir. In 2017, the county’s city of Fishers was named CNN Money’s Best Place to Live in the United States. Because of Hamilton County’s affordable cost of living, highly rated schools, and proximity to Indianapolis, Forbes recognized the county as America’s Best Place to Raise a Family.
Stepping back in time
Conner Prairie is a museum that brings to life 19th-century living while preserving the home of William Conner, the founder of Hamilton County and Noblesville. Its key attractions include “The 1863 Civil War Journey: Raid on Indiana,” which highlights Indiana’s only Civil War battle, and Prairie Town, an 1836 pioneer village where visitors interact with historic interpreters at sites like a blacksmith shop, inn, doctor’s office, and schoolhouse. During the summer, the museum hosts the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s “Symphony on the Prairie” series, attracting more than 100,000 concertgoers annually.
A midwest concert destination
Initially opened in 1989 as Deer Creek Music Center, Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville is the largest amphitheater in the Midwest. The venue has a capacity of nearly 6,150 covered seats and 18,000 general admission lawn seats. In 2018 and 2023, the venue set global ticket sales records for amphitheaters. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers holds the venue’s attendance record when their concert in 2013 drew more than 24,000 fans. Ruoff Music Center has hosted several Farm Aid festivals — an annual benefit concert held for American farmers — where artists like Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and Dave Matthews have performed.
Pedaling the Monon
The Monon Trail is a 24-mile, year-round paved path for walkers, runners, and cyclists. It connects Hamilton County’s town of Sheridan to downtown Indianapolis through Westfield, Carmel, and Broad Ripple. Named after the Monon Railroad — which once linked Chicago, Indianapolis, and Louisville — the trail attracts over 1.3 million visitors annually. Along the trail, pedestrians can walk their dogs, exercise, or venture off to explore Carmel’s City Center and its Art and Design District, both featuring restaurants, shops, galleries,
and more.
County facts
FOUNDED: 1823
NAMED FOR: Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father and first Secretary of the U.S. Treasury
POPULATION: 347,467
COUNTY SEAT: Noblesville
INDIANA COUNTY NUMBER: 29
Nicole Thomas is a freelance writer from Indianapolis.