Visit Wheeler Porter Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Wheeler, Indiana - Adventure in the Hoosier National Forest! Experience nature and discover the quiet side of Indiana. Camp, boating or hiking in the forest. #AdventureIndiana(travel tip: Adventure in the Hoosier National Forest! Experience nature and discover the peaceful side of Indiana. Camp, boat or hike in the woods. #AdventureIndiana)
What makes Wheeler's sights so special is the almost ironic mixture of historical silence and the quiet noise of the excavators who still form the country here. I like to sit in the old railway shed, which was built in 1885 when the Chicago & St. Louis Railway finally cut through the area – that was the actual birth moment of Wheeler, a tiny node that is hardly found on the map today, but which once housed a pulsating post office and a small shop. The story is not packed in shiny museums, but in the faded signs at Union Township cemetery and the still visible foundations of the first cereal store that reflects the rural heart of the region.
When you get out of Valparaiso by car, you simply follow the US‐12 north, then a short branch to County Road 50 – no GPS needed, the old sign “Wheeler” is almost getting rid of you. The journey through the endless corn fields is a good foreword for what you expect here: a place where time is slower, but people still talk a bit too loud about the weather. I don’t understand the hype about the “rustic authenticity” completely, but the honest, slightly dirty beauty of the old barns and the occasional tassel of the frogs at the nearby St. Joseph River give the whole a charm that you rarely find in overrun tourist destinations.
The history of Wheeler begins long before the first cement block, which I could call a tourist attraction today, and I must admit that I cannot fully understand the whole hype about “historical city cores” – until I have seen the old town hall facade. The Wheeler Town Hall from 1902 stands in the middle of the village like a defensive relic from a time when every city had a little pride on its bureaucracy. Inside there is hardly more to see than a dusty desk and a few yellowed documents, but the sticky parquet and the original wooden windows give you the feeling that you landed in a movie from the 30s. Parking is usually easy, except on the first Saturday in May, when the annual Wheeler Days Festival surrounds the town hall and everyone tries to get a photo with the “historical” building.
If you want to catch some fresh air, my way almost inevitably leads me to Wheeler Community Park. The place is a classic midwestern playground: a few baseball diamonds, a small lake that attracts more ducks than visitors, and a barbecue area where the locals burn their sausages over coal than there is nothing better. I once tried to make a picnic, just to be hunted by a group of teenagers over the lawn – no joke, that was a real spectacle. Nevertheless, when the weather plays, the park area is the only thing that really works here.
A short walk down the main road leads to Wheeler United Methodist Church. The red brick nave looks like any other house in the Middle West, but the glass windows tell stories about local families that have been baptized here for generations. I tried the organ once on a Sunday – that sounded like someone tried to turn a tractor noise into a church song. Nevertheless, the church is cordial, and if you accidentally look past a church service, you probably get a piece of cake because this is just a place where the neighborhood still counts.
A little off the hustle and bustle Wheeler Cemeterya cemetery that houses more civil war veterans than one would expect in a place of 500 inhabitants. I discovered an old tomb plate that reported by a man named “Jebediah” who allegedly tamed the first horse in the area – that sounds like a local legend, but the inscription is real. The cemetery is well maintained, and parking is a children's play as long as you do not try to visit the grave of "Jebediah" and that of the local mayor.
For those who believe that education only takes place in big cities, there is Wheeler School. The small K‐8 building is a bit like a lively museum, because the walls are covered with pupils from the 80s – colorful collages of “My favorite fruit” and hand-drawn maps of Indiana. I went to an art class where the children painted a picture of "Wheeler"; the result looked like a mix of cornfield and an oversized tractor. The school area is open, so you can watch over at any time as long as you don't bother the kids during the break time.
No visit to Wheeler would be complete without the annual Wheeler Days Festival. The event is a bit like a village festival that tries to spray a bit more glamour by offering a parade, local crafts stands and a competition for the best “Corn Dog”. I participated for the first time in summer 2019 and was surprised how seriously the residents take the Best Corn Dog ritual – there is even a jury that evaluates the result to taste, texture and “Wheeler-Spirit”. So if you're looking for an authentic, slightly exaggerated feast, this is just the right thing.
Last but not least, Wheeler Grain Elevator not forget that since the 1950s the cityscape dominates. The old grain silo is today a popular photo motif because it looks so distinctively rustic that you almost feel it would be transformed into an art work every moment. I made a selfie there once while a tractor passed – the result was an image that at the same time looks nostalgic and slightly absurd. The grounds are open to the public, but parking can be scarce on weekends because the locals like to use the silo for their Instagram shots.
All this together Wheeler Attractions to a mixture of charming little town everyday and a bit of self-willing pride you can only find here. So, next time you go through Indiana and want to have a little “real” Midwestern feeling, turn the GPS on Wheeler, Union Township, and let yourself be surprised by the small but fine highlights – I promise you will bring at least a few good stories to the next BBQ party.
The first stop of my little Odyssey was Indiana Dunes National Park, which extends only a few minutes south of Wheeler and – honestly – offers more sand and less “National Park feeling” than one would expect from such a title. Nevertheless, if you want to escape the heat from Porter in the summer, there is hardly a better place to bury the toes in the fine, almost crunchy sand. I remember the day I climbed the dune 2 with my old bike, just to see that the panorama from the top was rather an endless gray, interrupted by a few scattered jaws. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, as it becomes a real problem – the small parking spaces fill faster than a popcorn bucket in the cinema.
A short detour to the north leads to Bailly Homestead, the only French-Kanadian trading post received in the state. Here you can feel the hint of history, as you walk over the cracking wooden beams of the house built in 1822. I once tried to take a picture of myself with the old car, just to find out that the weather suddenly disappeared and I was almost surprised by the rain – a perfect example of the fact that nature still has the say here. The entrance is free, and the small visitor center has more information than an average Wikipedia entry if you are honest.
Continue to Michigan City, where Michigan City Lighthouse over the bay. I have to confess, I don't understand the hype about lighthouses; they are basically only large flashing lanterns. Nevertheless, if you create the ascent to the viewing platform – and this is not a walk, that is a real ascent – you will be rewarded with a view of Lake Michigan, which is almost as clear as the water in an expensive spa. The parking lot is well signposted, but most visitors seem to forget that the light is not always on at night, so you better plan during the day.
A little further west lies Porter County Museum in Valparaiso, a place that tells more about local history than one would expect from a small museum. I found an old map that shows that Wheeler was once an important hub for the railway – a detail that you hardly notice otherwise. The museum is small, but the exhibitions are surprisingly well curated, and the staff is so friendly that you almost forget that you just wanted to stop by. Practical: The museum is located directly on the main street, so you can park without much effort, and the café next door serves the best coffee in the area – no joke.
If you have enough of history, it is worth a trip to Marquette Park on the banks of Lake Michigan. The park is not just a secret tip, but it has a long, wide beach that is ideal for a picnic if you want to enjoy the sun without being crowded by crowds. I brought an old radio there and played a few old rock hits – that immediately catapulted the mood from “satisfactory” to “legend”. Access to the beach is free, and the toilets are clean, which is not always natural in rural areas.
A little further south, almost on the edge of the Dunes, this is West Beach, a part of the Indiana Dunes State Park, which is equally popular with surfers and sun worshippers. I tried to stand on a stand-up paddleboard there for the first time – the result was a spectacular stumbling that made the surrounding families laugh. The beach is easily accessible via the Dunes Highway, and parking is a bit tight at weekends, but you always find a place when you get early enough.
Last but not least a short trip to Kankakee River State Park, which is a bit further away, but is a true paradise for hikers. The river sounds through dense forests, and the trails are so well maintained that you almost feel you are in a set of films. I once saw a deer watching me from a safe distance – a moment that reminded me that nature is still untouched here. The parking lot is large enough and the visitor centers offer maps that are understandable even for someone like me who can never read a map.
So, Wheeler Attractions searches, will quickly realize that the environment has more to offer than one would suspect at first glance – from sandy beaches to historic homesteads to small museums that make the heart of every curious traveler beat faster.
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