Visit Hope Bartholomew Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Hope, Indiana - Small local life in nature: The idyllic settlement offers a quiet trip from the city. Discover the beauty of the Hoosier National Forest and the waterfalls of the Blue River.
Honestly, if you ask yourself why I want to talk about Hope at all, this is due to its history: Founded in 1850 as a small railway hub, the town has tried several times over the years to sell itself as a “gate to the Middle West”, while the inhabitants prefer to polish their tractors. I don't quite understand the hype about the old post carriage, but the honest, slightly cracking wooden door of the former railway station, which today serves as a café, is just fantastic. Whoever comes by car can take the I‐70 and then bend a few kilometers on land roads – this is the fastest way to feel the rural flair without you getting caught in a dam.
A short trip to the historic cemetery, where the gravestones tell more stories than some city tours, is a must. There you will meet the descendants of the founding families who still swarm from “good old times” while the young people near the old water tower are turning their Instagram stories. And yes, if you’re looking for “Hope Sights”, you’ll quickly realize that the real highlight is not a museum, but the feeling that every day is a bit slower – a rare luxury in our racist world. So, grab your car, let the GPS shake a bit and enjoy what this little spot has to offer in the heart of Bartholomew County while you ask yourself if you shouldn't stay in town...
I have to admit right at the beginning that I would never have thought that a place called Hope has something to offer me – until I get the old one Hope Methodist Church have discovered. The nave is not only a piece of Indiana history, but also a parade example of how to squeeze a little spiritual charm out of a simple brick building. I stood there on a sunny Saturday afternoon, the light fell through the colourful glass windows and I thought: “Here you could almost believe that God really has a potential for small cities.” Parking is usually easy, except when the weekly choir sampling meeting blocks the street – then it becomes a real problem.
A short walk further (approximately five minutes if you don't always take photos) leads to Hope Cemetery. Yes, a cemetery, but not some – the tombstones tell stories of pioneers here in the 19th century. Centuries stopped their carts and hoped that the land will give them a better life. I found an old veteran there, whose inscription “Here rests a man who never gave up” almost seems poetic when you look at the whole scenery. There is no official visitor information, but a small, unattended parking behind the gate is completely enough.
If you have enough tombstones, that is Hope Elementary School the next destination – not because you take lessons there, but because the building itself looks a bit like a living museum. The red brick façade has remained unchanged since the 1950s, and the night of the playground, which echoes some afternoons through the corridors, reminds me that there is still real hope (in the truest sense of the word). I visited a parent's evening where the teacher explained that the school's food is "not the best, but not poisonous" – an honest comment I rarely hear.
A bit further, just outside the actual village core, lies the Haw Creek Trail. The path stretches through fields and small forests, and I used it several times to give my head a break from the city noise. The trail is well marked, and parking on the trailhead is virtually always free – unless the local running team has a training right now, then you just have to walk a bit further. I met an older gentleman there who told me that he knows the trail since childhood and that he counts the wild flowers every year in spring. No joke, he had a little notebook.
Back in the center of Hope there is the Hope Volunteer Fire Department, which I always describe as underestimated highlight. The guys and girls there are not only ready to extinguish any fire, but also to give you a cool drink when you look past a long walk. Once I heard the alarm, I was relocated and was immediately invited to a short tour through the workshop – a view behind the scenes, which is rarely offered to tourists. Parking is available directly in front of the door, and the sign “Free entry – only for heroes” makes you smile.
Another piece “Hope Sights” that I can’t leave is the small, but fine Hope Community Park. The park is not big, but it has a playground, a picnic table and an old, slightly cracking fountain that looks a bit like a mini oasis in the summer. I made a picnic with friends there, and we made fun of the fact that the sign “Please don’t dogs” is a hint that the city doesn’t like dogs, not that the dogs are not welcome. The parking lot is a small, sandy area behind the playground – enough space for a few cars as long as you do not come to the main event of the year.
Last but not least I have to Hope Historic District mentioning that is not officially designated as such, but consists of a number of old houses that still radiate the flair of the 1800s. I visited an old farm where the barn is still built with original wooden beams. The owner, a real Indiana type, told me that he only uses the barn for “special occasions” – which basically means that he rarely opens it, but if, then that is a real highlight for everyone who wants to feel the real country life. Parking is a bit tricky here, because the street is narrow, but a short maneuver maneuver maneuver maneuver is enough, and you are in the middle of the historical flair.
The Haw Creek Covered Bridge is the first thing to look at when you leave the road from Hope – a carousal wooden frame that has been swept over the brook of the same name since 1875 and seems to tell more stories than some city leaders. I once tried to make a selfie there, only to establish that the light will always come when the tourist crowd has already been deducted; that makes the whole thing kind of romantic, but also a bit frustrating, because you have to drive back home before the picture looks really good. Parking is almost always a Klacks, as long as you don't want to collide with the local anglers on Saturday night.
Only a few miles further lies Columbus, the city that sells itself as a “museum of modern architecture” and actually houses some real jewels. The Miller House, designed by Eero Saarinen, is an example of how a house can be an art work and a habitable place at the same time. I have seen a guided tour there with a somewhat too enthusiastic guide that called every piece of wood as a “living poem” – no joke, I had to tear myself together to not laugh loudly. The property is surrounded by a well-maintained garden that humps in the summer full of bees, and parking is free at the main entrance when you arrive early enough.
A short detour to the Columbus Indiana Art Center is worth it, because there are regular exhibitions of local artists who are rarely viewed across the country. I was there when a former art student from Indianapolis presented an installation of recycled car parts; that was not exactly “high art”, but the idea that you can do something beautiful from scrap really impressed me. The entrance is free, and the café next door serves the best homemade apple cake in the area – a small comfort when you have to rest your legs after a long walk through the exhibition.
If you have enough of modern art, the way back to Columbus leads to the Bartholomew County Historical Museum, which is housed in an old courthouse. There you will find exhibits on the history of the region, from the first settlers to the railways that have crossed the country. I remember stumbled over the old mill in a dusty room and suddenly heard the sound of an old steam press – an acoustic relic that reminded me that history lives not only in books but also in sounds. Parking is always available at the museum's precinct, but it can be a bit fuller on Saturday afternoons.
A bit further south stretches the Hoosier National Forest, a huge forest area that is perfect for hiking, mountain biking and occasional mushroom gathering excursions. I discovered a trail that leads along a small stream and suddenly opens into an open field where you can feel the vastness of the Indiana sky. There are several official parking spaces that are usually free as long as you do not come to the high season – then it can become a bit chaotic because the camper places are quickly occupied.
A little further east lies the Lincoln State Park, named after the famous president who lived here as a young man near his family. The park offers hiking trails, a lake for fishing and a small visitor centre that surprisingly informs about local history. I once made a picnic, while an older gentleman spoke loudly about the “good old times” – that was a bit cheesy, but the peaceful atmosphere made it up again. Parking is generous at the main entrance, but on weekends you can quickly find a full parking space.
A last but not less interesting stop is the Indiana Central Canal, which swells through Columbus and today serves as a leisure trail for walkers and cyclists. The canal is a relic from the time when waterways formed the backbone of the trade, and today you can stroll along comfortably while admired the old stone bridges. I once met a local historian who told me that the canal once transported more than 30 ships a day – a detail you don't hear every day when you think of the quiet promenade. Parking is available in several places, usually directly on the water, and they are rarely crowded, unless a local festival takes place.
Whether you are looking for historical architecture, nature experiences or a small shot of local art, the surroundings of Hope have more to offer than you would suspect at first sight. The mixture of venerable bridges, modern houses and vast forests makes the region an underestimated treasure for travellers who appreciate the authentic. So the next time you drive over the country roads of Bartholomew County, you should take the time to explore these places – they are definitely a highlight among the Hope Sights.
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