Visit Mount Auburn Shelby Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights 2025. Mount Auburn, Indiana: Experience the beautiful nature of the Hoosier National Forest and visit the Falls of the Ohio State Park. For dinner try regional specialties like the Hoosier Pie or the Indiana style Barbecue in local restaurants.
Honestly, if you think you know Indiana, you don't have Mount Auburn on your card yet. The city was founded in 1836, named after the famous cemetery in Cambridge – yes, that was a real gag of the founders who thought a bit of east coast romance would upgrade the whole village. Today the whole is cozy in the Jackson Township, Shelby County, and looks like a forgotten chapter I like to hit again. I usually drive over State Road 44, because the highway here is more of a myth, and this is half the adventure: the country stretches in endless corn fields while you ask if you are in the 19th. The century has landed. I don't understand the hype about the small Main Street shops, but the old diner on the corner is really great – a piece of history that still serves pancakes as if it were in 1952. And then there is this small park where the locals organize their barbecue parties on Sundays; that is true for me Mount Auburn Attractions- Experience because life is pulsating here, not because a sign explains something. So if you're looking for a place that has more charm than an Instagram filter, get in, take the road and let you surprise yourself from this sleepy jewel.
So, if you're going to Mount Auburn for the first time, I'll let you know that Old Town Hall put to the heart – this is my personal favorite place because it smells a bit like “dusty charm” that you can only find in movies. I once organized a spontaneous picnic, because the roof window was right in the direction of the sun and the light through the yellowed curtains seemed like the building itself was applauding a bit. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the whole village comes together to grill.
A short walk down the main road leads you to Mount Auburn Community Park. Here there is a small lake that is populated by ducks in the summer, and a playground that has more rust than color – but that makes it somehow authentic. I once tried to throw a frisbee there, and the thing landed directly in the water, whereupon an older gentleman gave me a smile and said that it was “as traditional as the village itself”. When you arrive by car, there are a few free places behind the basketball field, and this is practical because then you can use the picnic tables without making a walk from a parking lot at the other end of the village.
Go on Mount Auburn Public Librarya tiny building that houses more books than people. I found an old yearbook from the 1950s that gave me an insight into the history of the place – and that was a real lucky handle because I would never have known that the village had once a small railway station. The library is not open around the clock, but it's not a reason to stop by for a few hours; the staff is friendly and even lets you taste a coffee from the small coffee maker, which is more flaky than brewing.
If you want to know a little more about the past, you must do that Mount Auburn Historical Society Museum visit. The museum is housed in a rebuilt school cellar, and the exhibitions are designed so that you feel almost like in a treasure chest. I remember how I discovered an old tractor steering wheel statue there, which is supposed to come from a local farmer who never left the field – a bit cheesy, but somehow also a witness to the pride of the municipality. The museum has no big parking space, so let your car stand at the end of the main road and walk, this saves you the eternal search for a free parking space.
Another highlight that I do not want to conceal is the Auburn River Trail, which is not located directly in the center of Mount Auburn, but only a few minutes by bike. The path stretches along the river and offers a few quiet places where you can throw out your fishing or just enjoy the view. I watched a sunset there, while some young people played guitar on the shore – that was almost too beautiful to be true. For cyclists there is a small field next to the trail entrance where you can safely park your bike.
And yes, if you ask yourself what else you can do in this little spot Indiana, just look at the Mount Auburn Attractions an – this is almost the keyword that leads you through the city, without feeling like a tourist that takes off everything. I mean, there's no huge amusement park here, but there are real people who give you a smile when you ask for the way, and that's worth more for me than any attraction you might find in a guide.
The old railway shed on the edge of Shelbyville, where the Shelby County Museum residing, is my personal favorite place because he packaged the whole “small town charm” in a building that has already heard more stories than most people in my circle of friends. I found some yellowed maps that show how Mount Auburn once consisted of corn fields and a few wooden bridges – an image that is almost romantic today, considering that the museum is now a modern place for genealogy workshops. Parking is usually a Klack, except on the first Saturday of the month when the “Old-Timer” takes place and the parking space of 30 old tractors is blocked.
A short trip to Indianapolis (about 30 km south) takes you to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I don't quite understand the hype around the Indy 500 – the whole 500 miles per hour is a loud background noise for me, which you could hear when grilling in the backyard – but the museum next to the racetrack is really great. There you can see an original B‐17 bomber, and this is the highlight for me, because as a child I have always dreamed of sitting in an airplane that was built before the jet age. The parking lot is huge, so don't worry, your car will not have to park in the circle.
A bit further east, almost halfway between Mount Auburn and Columbus, lies Conner Prairie – an interactive history museum that is called “life” more than “exhibit”. I took part in a workshop in which we held in the 19th century. century-style bread had to bake; the result was a half-way edible fladen bread and a good example of why you should not follow every historical experience. Admission is not cheap, but the experience is worth it, and the staff is so friendly that they almost let you forget that you just opened your wallet for a few hours. The parking lot is right at the main entrance, so no stress.
If you're on your way in the autumn, you're gonna have to Brown County State Park a must – this is the largest state park area in the state and famous for its bright leaves. I made a hike there that led me through a maze of beech and oak, watching a squirrel brave enough to steal some nuts. The park has several entrances; the northern access at Nashville is least overrun, but that means you need to spend a few extra minutes in the car to find the right way.
A short detour to the south leads you to Hoosier Hill, the highest point Indiana hidden near Bellefontaine. The summit is not just a mountain, rather a slightly rising hill, but the sign there is a popular photo motif for those who want to “close the highest point of the state”. I did a picnic there, because the weather was surprisingly mild this day, and that was the only time that I really felt like standing on the roof of the world – at least for a few minutes until a passing tractor overtoned the noise of engines.
A little further west, almost on the way back to Mount Auburn, lies this Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. The combination of classical art, modern sculpture and a spacious garden is a real secret tip for people who are not only interested in cars and history. I spent a few hours there to photograph the sculpture “The Scream”, which surprisingly blends well into nature – a bit like a modern artwork that secretly sneaks into the landscape. The parking lot is big enough that you don't have to fight for a place as long as you don't come at the weekend.
Whether you want to enjoy a history scare, a motorsport fan or just a bit of nature – the surroundings of Mount Auburn offers a colourful mix of experiences that go far beyond the small town. This selection Mount Auburn Attractions shows that there is more to discover here than one would suspect at first glance.
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