Visit Fairmount Grant Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Fairmount, Indiana: A small American town with many historical attractions and charming parks. The trail "Fairmount Historical Trail" leads through the city and shows the earlier significance of the railway industry. The "Historic Hoosier Hills Scenic Railroad" offers trips with historical trains. I'm eating at the "Baker's Cafe & Bakery". #USA #travel tips #FairmountIndiana
Honestly, if you think Indiana is just corn fields and endless highways, you haven't seen Fairmount yet. The city was founded in 1823 by pioneers who thought a bit of “fairer” mountain would salute life here – therefore the name derived from Fairmount, Ohio. Today she is cozy in the heart of Fairmount Township, Grant County, and has more charm than you would suspect at first sight. I came by car over the I‐69, because I didn't just want to take the bus, and had to admit that the ride through the gentle hills was almost already therapeutic – at least until I bounced into the small town and saw the sign “Welcome to Fairmount” which seemed more like a friendly eye-catcher than after a promotional plaque.
I don't quite understand the hype about some small town events, but the local cafes that I accidentally discovered are really great – an espresso that keeps you awake while you take a look at the old town hall that has been throning over the marketplace since 1885. And yes, the Fairmount sights are not just what is in guidebooks; they are what you feel when you visit the cemetery on a Sunday morning and read the history of the founder fathers in the weathered gravestones. When you arrive by train, stop at Grant County Station – a short walk and you are in the middle of the historic core where every headstone paver has a story to tell. So, grab your curiosity and let this little Indiana jewel surprise you.
So, when you come to Fairmount for the first time, you must see the old railway museum at the main railway station – this is for me the indispensable Top sight. I mean, the building is a real relic from the 1900s, and the old locomotives standing there still smell like lubricating oil and history. I was there on a rainy Tuesday, and although the weather was shouting more like “Do we really have to stand around here now?” the sound of the doors and the quiet squeaking of the old switches immediately got me in the spell. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the local old-timer meeting takes place and everyone tries to park his folding companion next to the shiny trucks.
A short walk further IU Fairmount Campus, a small but fine part of Indiana University. I don't quite understand the hype around the huge universities, but here the college has a charm that you never find in the crowded metropolises – small green spaces, a café that is supposed to serve the best espresso throughout the county, and students who spend more time discussing their graduation work than actually writing. I once attended a lecture on local history, and the lecturer explained to me why the old town hall of 1912 is still the centrepiece of the city – a building you don't miss when you get the Fairmount Attractions test.
The town hall itself is another jewel that I like to mention because it is not only an administrative building, but a real work of art made of red brick and a clock that always goes five minutes too late – a small joke of the city that I notice every time I see the pointers. Inside there is a small museum that traces the history of the city from the foundation to today. I once found an old city map where Fairmount was still called “Miller’s Crossing” – a nice fun fact that I like to unpack with tourists.
If you're looking for a place where you can get some rest from the city road, go to Fairmount City Park. The park is not huge, but it has a small lake, a few old benches and a playground that is more used by the locals than by tourists. I made a picnic there on a hot summer day, while an older gentleman, beside me, loudly discussed the “good old times” with his dog. This is the true fairmount feeling: relaxed, a bit lazy and completely unpretentious. The car park behind the café is usually free as long as you are not there at noon when local football teams hold their training.
Another highlight I can't leave is the Fairmount Public Library – a Carnegie building that looks like someone stole from a film set. The high ceilings and the massive wooden windows give you the feeling of being in another era. I once borrowed a book about the local folklore, and the librarian told me that the building once served as a meeting place for secret societies – no joke, that was serious. Parking right in front of the library is always a bit tight, but if you come early enough, you will find a place between the vans and the bikes of the students.
Last but not least the annual Fairmount Harvest Festival, which takes place in August. I know that sounds like a typical small town event, but here there are more than just pumpkins and apple cakes: local craftsmen, live music by bands, which are otherwise only heard in the back rooms of bars, and a competition for the best self-made jam bread. I took part in the competition last year – my jam did not win, but I got a place in the memory of the locals, because I accidentally pushed the bowl and the jam was flying over the vault. This was a real “moment” I will never forget, and he shows that Fairmount has more to offer than you would suspect at first sight.
I have to confess that I spent the first day in Fairmount crossing Highway 35 and immediately after the first stop, asking if there is a lake where you can find at least a bit of rest. The answer came in the form of Lake Mississinewa, an artificial water that is kept by an inconspicuous dam, but offers a whole arsenal of fishing places, boat docks and picnic tables. I packed out my fishing rod there because I thought I could catch a few bass, and actually bite a small but tough largemouth bass – a real proof that the water invites not only to the sight but also to try out. Parking is usually easy as long as you do not arrive on Friday night after work, then the field behind the visitor center becomes the battlefield.
A short detour from the lake leads you to Mississinewa River State Recreation Area. There are more than just a few hiking trails here – a 2-mile loop, which stretches through damp forests and over small streams, is perfect to get your head free. I remember, as I stood there in autumn, the foliage nested among my shoes, and suddenly I heard the loud squeaking of a duck pair that had hung up in the mud – a moment that showed me that nature does not always have to be Instagram-perfect, but all the more authentic.
Back to the city, but not to the center of Fairmount, lies the Grant County Historical Museum in Marion, about 15 minutes drive. The building itself is a rebuilt old school house that has more stories to tell than most guides ever mention. I discovered an old photograph of a horse car driving through the main road and wondering why people didn't just take a taxi at that time. The museum is small, but the exhibitions are hand-picked – from railways to local agriculture – and the staff is so friendly that they almost give you the feeling of being part of the family.
A few streets on Marion Courthouse Square Historic District. The imposing Grant County Courthouse, built in 1905, dominates the picture and the surrounding brick building from the 19th century. Century have a charm you can only find in small midwestern cities. I drank a coffee there, while I admired the artistic pillars, and had to admit that I did not understand the hype about “historical architecture” until I saw the fine details of the stonework – then I was suddenly an enthusiastic fan.
A place I cannot skip is the Marion National Cemetery. It is not exactly a place for selfies, but the silence and the well-maintained green have something calming. I stood there, looked at the rows of gravestones, and thought of the many stories buried here. Parking is free at the entrance, and the terrain is barrier-free, which I feel as a rare but welcome exception.
Finally, for those looking for a little nostalgia for the gas boom of the 1880s, there is that Gas Boom Museum in Marion. The museum is a small but fine house that documents the history of natural gas explosion in the region – from the first drilling to the lost entrepreneurs who believed they could conquer the world with gas. I've seen an old gas lamp exhibit there that still shines, and I had to laugh because I imagined how the people illuminated their homes with something like that, while we're running around with LEDs today.
So, if you drive the next time across the Fairmount roads, don't forget that the environment has more to offer than just a few field routes – from lake and river to museums to historic places that all have their own, easily self-contained charm. These Fairmount Attractions show that the heart of the Middle West consists not only of corn fields, but of stories waiting to be discovered.
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