8 Off-The-Beaten-Path Towns In Indiana

Indiana's smaller towns hold some of the state's strangest surprises. Amid utopian experiments and lakeside spiritual retreats sits a resort hotel once nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World." These communities of under 20,000 residents turn up the state's oldest town, a county packed with covered bridges, and a field of black tulips in a town settled by the Swiss. You may get lost reaching these 8 off-the-beaten-path towns in Indiana, but the reward is worth it.

New Harmony

Those seeking paradise might find it in New Harmony. The original settlers came here in 1814 to establish a utopian community free of violence and social strife. This group was called the Harmonists, and they kept the town going for roughly 11 years before selling the property to the Owenites, who also attempted to reinvent the town as their own utopian settlement. Many of their descendants also tapped into this utopian spirit, constructing places designed to bring people together, such as the interdenominational Roofless Church or the Jane Blaffer Owen Sanctuary, designed to inspire meditation through its religious sculptures. Nature lovers also come out to New Harmony to stroll through the privet hedge maze, the Harmonist Labyrinth, or hike by the Wabash River at the Harmonie State Park.

Rockville

Rockville anchors Parke County, which calls itself the Covered Bridge Capital of the World thanks to its 31 historic covered bridges. The best time to see these bridges is during the Covered Bridge Festival in October, when tour guides take visitors out to explore the bridges, and the Covered Bridge Art Gallery showcases its collection of oil paintings of the bridges. There are several bridges within or a few miles outside of town, such as the 1899 Leatherwood Station Covered Bridge and the 1895 Billie Creek Bridge. The Billie Creek Bridge is part of the Billie Creek Village, a restored 19th-century town with a historic church, general store, and other structures brought in from throughout Indiana.

Vincennes

Vincennes was once the capital of a huge area known as the Northwest Territory, covering the future states of Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and part of Minnesota. Settled by the French in 1732, it's the oldest town founded in Indiana, and it was chosen as the territorial capital by the fledgling U.S. government in the years after the American Revolutionary War. Today, it holds a dense collection of historic structures, like the Jefferson Academy, built in 1801 and tied to the first origins of higher education in Indiana. One may also find the red timber frame Original Territory Capitol Building, and the 1809 French House, built in the upright post style that was so common in French Creole homes. The George Rogers Clark National Historical Park honors Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark, who captured the town from the British in the American Revolutionary War. The monument here is the largest national monument west of Washington, D.C.

Vevay

Vevay gets its name from Vevey, Switzerland, as it was founded by Swiss immigrant John James Dufour in 1802. This Ohio River town retains this Swiss character through its festivities and architecture. The Life on the Ohio River History Museum showcases the stories of those Swiss immigrants who came to Indiana, while the Musee De Venoge provides living reenactments of immigrant life and art within a 19th-century French colonial-style home. Vevay was one of the earliest wine producers in Indiana, which it celebrates with its Swiss Wine Festival every August. New residents to Vevay have brought in new styles to the town, such as tattoo artist Kat Von D, who planted a seasonal Black Tulip Garden on the northern side of downtown Vevay.

Liberty

Sitting about five miles west of the border with Ohio, Liberty is a small community with a patriotic spirit. For decades, the entire town of just under 2,000 people has turned out for the Liberty 4th of July Celebration, which runs from July 3rd to the 5th with parades, food vendors, live music, and a fireworks show. The community also honors veterans through its Whitewater Memorial State Park, dedicated to the memory of all the men and women who served in World War II. It includes hiking trails, fishing and swimming at Whitewater Lake, and nine miles of horseback riding trails. Even the restaurants in Liberty have patriotic names such as the Liberty Bell Family Restaurant, providing American food.

Nashville

This Nashville is an all-Hoosier community, not its Tennessee namesake. Its hills have drawn comparisons to those of Eastern Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains National Park, so much so that residents call them the Little Smokies, found at the Brown County State Park. The tallest hill in the park is the 1,058-foot Weed Patch Hill. Nearby, the Story Inn sits in the woods next to a ghost town. Built in 1851 and still operating, it has been called the World's Most Inconvenient Inn for exactly that reason. There are plenty of more convenient places to see in Nashville, like the local nature-inspired art at the Brown County Art Gallery or musical acts at the Brown County Music Center.

Winona Lake

Winona Lake is unique both for its top-notch lakeside culture and its spiritual heritage. Around its lake, one can find boating access out on the creeks or at the boat launch at the Limitless Park and Splash Pad, which also includes a swimming beach. Shoppers often frequent the Village at Winona, a boardwalk area in a historic neighborhood turned shopping outlet. Around the lake is the appropriately named Heritage Trail, a mixed-use paved path through the woods and shoreline of the lake, which includes sculptures representing key values such as love, patience, and gentleness. This town has a history of hosting traveling American Christian preachers, such as Billy Sunday. The Billy Sunday Home Museum is a small bungalow with exhibits from his life.

French Lick

Just outside the Hoosier National Forest sits French Lick. It became a popular resort town in the late 19th century with the discovery of mineral waters, which were renowned for their health benefits. To accommodate these guests, French Lick's resort area in adjacent West Baden Springs has a hotel that's been called a Wonder of the World: West Baden Springs Hotel. Opened in 1902, it features a 200-foot freestanding dome, which was once the largest of its kind in the world. The town attracted many gangsters over the years who played cards at the hotels. Their history is told at the French Lick West Baden Museum, along with mementos from the life of resident Larry Bird, an NBA basketball star. For natural escapes, French Lick offers convenient access to nearby Patoka Lake State Park and the French Lick Scenic Railway, with rides through the Hoosier National Forest.

Paradise in Indiana

Paradise takes on many forms in Indiana. Those who are just settling in for the night in luxury will be thrilled to come to French Lick, while those with a taste for history will find plenty to keep them occupied in the oldest occupied city in Indiana, Vincennes. Nature lovers can spend multiple days just within the Brown County State Park in Nashville, or venture out into the waters of Winona Lake. By taking the road less traveled, visitors can get a better picture of all Indiana has to offer.