Visit Westport Decatur Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Westport, Indiana: Discover the small, charming settlement with the historic Westport Mill and the Angelika State Park. Ideal for hikers and nature lovers!
Westport attractions are for me less a marketing hat than a personal treasure that I like to share with anyone who finds the way to Sandcreek Township in Decatur County. Honestly, the tiny village, founded in 1830 by a few brave pioneers and named after the famous Westport in Missouri, has more charm than one would suspect at first sight. The old postal shed, which opened its doors in 1835 and was shut down in 1905, is still a crumbling relic – a perfect spot for everyone who prefers to feel history with their hands instead of reading it from dusty brochures.
When you arrive by car, take State Road 3, which leads you directly to the heart of the village; The trip is a short but picturesque trip from the surrounding fields, which look almost like a green sea in summer. I don't quite understand the hype around the big cities, but here, between the old barns and the only café that still serves a real piece of cake, you suddenly feel much less like a tourist and more like a local resident.
A walk along the old main road leads you past the few but fine shops that are still run by families who have lived here for generations. And yes, that's exactly what I love at Westport: the mix of honest, slightly cynical self-iron and an uninterrupted but deep connection to a place that hardly has anyone on his Bucket-List – and that's just the best of it.
So if you ask me, this is Westport Historical Society Museum the first thing that comes to my mind – and not just because I had my first real encounter with a dust grain from 1883. The small building on Main Street looks like an oversized closet full of yellowed newspapers, old tools and a few photos that let you ask if you just landed in a movie from the 30s. I don't quite understand the hype about hip art galleries, but here, between the old boxes, you suddenly feel part of a story you only know from school books. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the annual “Westport Fall Festival” blocks the road.
Located next to the museum Westport Community Park. I once tried to make a picnic and was attacked by a horde ducks that seem to have a secret agreement with the park visitors to steal every sandwich. The playground is not the latest, but the swing is stable enough to catapult you in the air for a few minutes while you ask yourself why you don't just spend a little more time in the café at the corner. The baseball court is usually empty unless you happen to be on Wednesday night when the local senior league organizes a game – then there is more peep and less rest.
A short walk down the main road leads you to Westport Library, part of the Porter County Public Library network. I spent more time there than I want to admit, because the WLAN is faster than the water in the nearby Sand Creek. The librarian, Mrs. Hargrove, knows anyone who has ever borrowed a book, and likes to give you a hint which criminal you should read next – no joke, she has a sense of when you need a thriller to survive the gray everyday life.
If you are looking for something that conveys a little more “authentic” Westport feeling, then look at this Westport Town Hall on. The building is a relic from the 1900s, and the interior reminds of a classroom from the time when most people still worked with typewriters. I once visited a Citizenship Meeting there, just to see that the discussion about the new garbage collection was almost as exciting as a thriller – at least if you have a potential for local politics.
A little further north, away from the main road, lies this Westport Cemetery. Yes, I know that sounds like a strange place for a guide, but the old tombstones tell stories you wouldn't find in any guide. I found an old veteran there, whose inscription says that he is “always still on the way home” – a bit melancholic, but somehow comforting when you think about life.
For those who want a little action, there is the Westport Fire Department. I helped there once a day when a tractor in the barn started fire. The firefighters are not only fast, but also quite talkable – they have explained to me why you should never put up a grill near hay. And yes, parking in front of the fire station is always a bit messy because the use vehicles always reserve a place you can never use.
Another highlight I can't leave is that Westport Elementary School Field. I have a spontaneous football match with some kids from the 4th. They were better than me, and that made me humble and happy at the same time. The field is well maintained, and the noise of the cheering children is the loudest thing you will hear here, apart from the occasional horn of the trucks on the US‐20.
And because I must not forget everything: Westport Main Street (US‐20) is what one might call the heart of the city. Here are some shops that have more charm than what you find in the big shopping malls. I bought an old record player who is now in my living room and remembers the dusty shelves of the city every time he cracks. Parking is a bit of gambling here, especially when you arrive on Friday night – then there are more cars than people.
If you now think it's too much, just look at the Westport Attractions on a map and consider which you want to flap first. I promise you that you will not only find empty roads and abandoned buildings, but also some real, slightly slanted moments that remind you why traveling sometimes goes more about watching people and less about visiting monuments.
The old courthouse in Greensburg looks like a relic from a time when dishes were still real monuments – massive sandstone walls, a clock tower that seems to sound every time a tourist takes a photo. I once tried to shoot a selfie, and was almost braked by a group of historians who discussed the “meaning of the thorn crown”. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, as it becomes a real problem, because the weekly “Courthouse-Kaffee-Klatsch” takes place.
Just a couple of miles away Decatur County Historical Museum, a tiny cellar full of dusty artefacts that tell more about the boredom of the 1800s than about real adventures. I have to admit, I don't quite understand the hype about old saw blades, but the exhibition about the local railway is actually fascinating – especially because I accidentally found an old roadmap that still shows the departure times of 1892. The museum is free, but the number of visitors is so low that the staff is almost a bit bored.
When you get through Greensburg Downtown Historic District strolling, you feel like entering a set of films from the 1930s. The old brick building, the ornamental Carnegie library building with its huge reading lamp, and the small café that supposedly serves the best apple cake in the whole county – I tried the cake and can confirm that it is actually better than what you read in the guides. However, the café has no WLAN reception, so please throw the phone out of the window if you want to work there.
A short trip after Westport Bridge over the White River is a must if you are looking for a little romance. The bridge is not particularly high, but the water below is clear enough to see the fish that take their morning bath there. I once tried to throw a fishing hook, and instead almost throws my own hat into the water – a real highlight moment I will never forget. Parking at the foot of the bridge is usually easy as long as you do not come to lunchtime when the local anglers put their “prime time”.
The White River itself offers more than just a photo scenery: kayaking, fishing and a bit of wild water adventure for the brave. I once rented an old inflatable that had more holes than a Swiss cheese, and I was almost driven to the next city. Nevertheless, the noise of the river and the occasional ploughs of ducks are a real pleasure if you want to escape the city noise.
A little further south lies Greensburg City Park, a small but fine place with a historical bandage that is played by a local bubble band every year in the summer. I made a picnic there while an older couple played chess – an image that is almost too cheesy for my ironic veins, but somehow beautiful. The park has enough benches to read a whole book, and grilling is allowed as long as you don't disturb the neighbors too loudly.
In conclusion, you can Decatur County Fairgrounds do not forget that every year in August comes to life. The rides are not exactly the most modern, but the popcorn smells better than in any big city, and the local farmers proudly show their freshly harvested pumpkins. I once tried to climb a giant wheel there, just to find out that the seats for people over 1.80 m are too tight – a real indication that not everything here is made for the big city people.
So, the next time you think about what you can experience in the surroundings of Westport, Township of Sandcreek, Decatur, Indiana, the mix of historical architecture, quiet natural spots on the White River and a little rural charm makes the region a underestimated jewel. And yes, these are my personal Westport Attractions, which I would recommend to anyone looking for a bit of authenticity and less tourist crowds.
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