One thing that thriving communities often have in common is support for the arts. Studies have shown that public art provides numerous benefits to communities - from economics to tourism to inclusion. Valparaiso is one community that has made efforts to expand on public art efforts in recent years…
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In 1993, there weren’t many options for craving authentic Mexican cuisine in Montgomery County. So, with little money but a lot of support and faith, Irma and Ignacio Bravo opened up Little Mexico in downtown Crawfordsville. The couple had moved from Chicago to Crawfordsville two years earlier due…
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In late 2023, a new visitor center and rest area opened along southbound I-65 in Northwest Indiana. The Kankakee Welcome Center is located in Jasper County at mile marker 231, just outside of DeMotte. I’ve made three stops there since it has opened and notice something new each time I’m there. It’s…
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There’s something new going on in downtown Jasper that will make the courthouse square and surrounding area even more welcoming and fun. Last year, the city was granted status as a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA). That means that a person of legal age can walk with an alcoholic beverage…
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The community of Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana was once a bustling tourist town with more than 50 resorts on its shores - with ballrooms, restaurants, taverns and more that even extended out via piers onto the water. Tourists came in droves in the summer months by train on the Monon Railroad from…
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Southern Indiana was at one time the hotspot for the rich and famous. Celebrities, wealthy industrialists, athletes, mobsters and others made their way via railroad to luxurious hotels in French Lick and West Baden, drawn by the mineral waters that promised good health. Built in 1901 and 1902…
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The year was 1914, World War I was beginning, the Boy Scouts of America had just been incorporated, it had been only two years since the Titanic struck an iceberg, the Boston Braves won the World Series, and Macedonian immigrants opened up the first coney dog stand in Fort Wayne, United States. Ft…
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Every town should have a bakery. And every town, no matter how small, should have one as good as Fingerhut Bakery. In the little town of North Judson, a community of about 1,800 in Starke County, you’ll find all the goodies your little sweet tooth could desire. Family-owned since 1946, the bakery…
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Journeyman Distillery opened in Three Oaks, Michigan in 2010 where a former factory was converted into a distillery and tasting room, gradually adding on event and restaurant spaces and an outdoor putting green. The former Warren Featherbone Company building opened in the 1880s where they…
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If you are someone who is mesmerized by the luxury and romance of early train travel, consider a visit to The Whistle Stop Restaurant & Museum in Monon. The whole site is a museum with exhibits both outside and indoors, and there’s a charming cafe where you can have a meal while you’re there, eating…
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