Visit Bainbridge Putnam Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the "Hoosier Park Racing & Casino" in Bainbridge, Indiana! Experience horse racing and play gambling. Good selection of food and drinks.
Honestly, if you're looking for "Bainbridge Sights", you won't be served a tourist paradise, but that makes the charm: The city was founded in 1852, named after the former governor of Indiana, William Bainbridge, and has survived more than a few old barns ever since. I like to drive over the road 62, because the noise of the fields reminds me that there is still real Indiana air here, and because the small railway station, which today is only serving as a camp, creates a nostalgic smile on my face.
In the heart of Bainbridge Township, located in rural Dubois County, there is a tiny park where the locals – mostly older men with fishing rods – spend their lunch break; this is the most authentic “sight point” for me, which is not found in every guide. When you arrive by car, take the I‐64 until exit 12, then a short trip to County Road 550 takes you directly to the center where the only café in the city, the “Red Brick Diner”, serves a coffee that is almost as strong as the opinions of the residents over the annual pumpkin competition.
I don't understand the hype around the big metropolises, but here, between corn fields and old barns, I find a rest that is rarely mentioned in the usual “Bainbridge Sights” lists. And that makes the visit here a small, slightly cynical adventure that I recommend to anyone who has enough of crowded hotspots.
I have to admit that what I love most about Bainbridge, Public library is – yes, the old venerable library in the middle of the city center, which looks like it just survived a few decades too much of the time. I came to a rainy Thursday afternoon because I actually only wanted a coffee, and finally landed between dusty shelves full of local history, while the old watch ticked loudly as if she wanted to remind me that I should not only read here, but also return a little time. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because the weekly book club meetings and the “Bainbridge-Kunst‐Kaffee-Morgens” will take place simultaneously.
A short walk further (and yes, this is a bit of a walk, because the main road here is rather a narrow corridor) leads you to Historical Museum, which is housed in a converted classroom from the 1920s. I don't quite understand the hype about miniature ice rinks, but the original tools of the first peasant families here are fascinating – especially if you ask yourself why your grandmother still has old linen pillow covers. The museum does not have a large parking lot, but a few free places are always behind the old vegetable store, and that is enough to confuse the few visitors who think they had found the wrong building.
If you have enough of dusty exhibits, look at this Town Hall a real piece of jewelry from the Victorian era, which today still serves as a town hall. I was there at a city meeting where a local politician tried to sell the new Skate Park project – a real circus, because the “project” was just a piece of concrete that someone from the neighborhood called “Skate-Ramp”. Nevertheless, the building itself is a great photo motif, and parking right in front of the door is almost always free as long as you do not come to the election on the first Tuesday in November.
A bit further, where the road suddenly becomes a little wider, this is Community Center. Here, most of the “Bainbridge Sights” events take place, from the annual autumn fair to the occasional karaoke nights, in which I have singed “Sweet Home Alabama” in an Indiana scene – no joke, the audience was thrilled. The center has a huge parking lot, but it's a labyrinth of lines, so keep your phone ready, otherwise you'll get lost faster than you can spell “Bainbridge”.
A short detour to Fire Department Museum is a must if you are interested in old fire trucks (and I do that because I secretly dream of having a red fire truck at some point). There are a few antique engines that have more rust than paint, but the stories that the former firefighters tell are unpaid – especially the anecdote, how a cat once triggered the siren, because he thought it was a new toy. Parking is practical here because the fire department store has its own courtyard, which you can almost always use as long as you do not visit the annual “Flammen-und-Fackeln-Festival”.
Finally, if you're looking for a place to just sit and watch the little town, go to Town Park. The small square with the old, slightly sloping pavilion is what I call "Bainbridge Chapels" – a place where you can settle with an ice cream from the local ice cream parlour while forgetting everyday life. There are a few benches, a few trees, and parking here is a children's game, because the supermarket's car park is directly opposite and is usually empty if you are not there on Saturday morning to survive the weekly peasant market crisis.
The first impression you get from the area around Bainbridge is the unobtrusive noise of the Wabash River, which moves like a loud marble through the flat fields – a sound I forget every time I try to focus on urban life. The river is not only a popular fishing spot, but also a silent witness of history, as pioneers have already driven their boats to unlock the country. Parking is usually easy as long as you don't come together with the other enthusiasts on Saturday night, then the shore quickly becomes the battlefield of picnic baskets and folding camping chairs.
Only a few kilometers upstream lies the Bridge, an inconspicuous steel carrier that spans the Wabash and is lovingly called the old iron woman by the locals. I don't quite understand the hype about spectacular work bridges, but this simple construction has something calming – almost as if they say: “There is nothing to see here, but you can still take a picture.” Access is free, and parking directly on the river bank is convenient as long as you do not try to arrange a picnic at the same time and shoot a selfie.
A short trip to Greencastle, about 12 miles east, leads directly to DePauw University Campus. The red brick buildings look like a film of the 1930s, and the well-maintained green spaces invite you to stay – at least if you do not want to be disturbed by the students with their endless posters and loud protests. I once visited a Poetry Slam event; that was a mix of profound poetry and the occasional “I forgot my homework” moment that made the atmosphere something... authentic. The campus has a visitor centre with free Wi-Fi, and parking is almost always possible thanks to several small parking spaces at the main entrance.
Only a stone's throw, right next to the campus, is this Putnam County Historical Museum. The museum is a collection of old agricultural machinery, photos of horse cars and a curious collection of 19. Centenary cash boxes that express more about the local economy than any economic statistics. I found an old apron there, which was supposed to be one of the first women who had a café in the region – a piece of history that you don't see every day. The entrance is free, and the small visitor center has a small parking space, but is overrun by school classes on Saturdays.
If you are travelling in Greencastle on Saturday morning, you can Greencastle Farmers Market do not miss. There are fresh vegetables, self-baked bread and the obligatory honey, which is supposed to come from bees that fly only in the fields around Bainbridge. I once tried a piece of pumpkin bread there, which was so dry that I almost thought it was a piece of cardboard – but the seller insisted that it was “authentic”. The market is outdoor, so bring an umbrella when the weather suddenly hits; Parking is usually sufficient as long as you do not try to buy a whole field at the same time.
Another highlight I expect every year with a light sigh is the Putnam County Fairgrounds. The annual fair in August is a colourful mess of cattle shows, carousels and a selection of snack bars that contain more sugar than one would recommend for a healthy lifestyle. I once won a competition for the biggest pumpkin – well, I only took second place, but that was a reason to celebrate. The parking lot is huge, but on the main days it fills itself faster than you can say “ pumpkin”.
For nature lovers who want to escape the hustle, there is Monroe Township Nature Preserve, a small protected area with hiking trails that lead through ancient oaks and over gentle hills. I once saw a fox staring at me, as if he wanted to say, “You are in the wrong place.” The trails are well marked, and parking is easy to find at the small entrance next to the visitor center – unless a local hunting trip has just begun.
Whether you’re looking for the calm power of the Wabash River, the sober elegance of the Bainbridge Bridge, the academic flair of DePauw, the nostalgic flair of the Putnam County Historical Museum, the lively drive of the Greencastle Farmers Market, the shrill atmosphere of Putnam County Fairgrounds or the quiet beauty of the Monroe Township Nature Preserve – Bainbridge’s surroundings have something to offer. And that's exactly what makes Bainbridge Attractions to a surprisingly versatile goal that you should not underestimate.
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