Visit New Point Decatur Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the unforgettable friendship between people and animals at the "St. Urbans Animal Sanctuary" in New Point, Indiana. Here you can observe and support various species such as horses, sheep, pigs and birds. A must for all animal lovers!
Honestly, if you think Indiana has only corn fields and endless highways, then you haven't experienced New Point yet. The small municipality, which was built in 1855 as a stop for the railway, has since developed into a lush corner in the Township of Saltcreek, which sprays more charm than some big city centers. I usually drive Highway 67 from Indianapolis – a short, but picturesque 45-minute trip, where you already see the first sign “Welcome to New Point” and immediately notice that the time ticks a bit slower.
The story is not buried here in dusty posters, but in the old half-timbered houses that still bear the smell of wood and history. I don’t understand the hype about the alleged “historical” city tours, but the small town hall, built in 1902, has more personality for me than some hip coffee shop. And yes, the word New Point Attractions Sounds like marketing now, but the real highlight is the weekly peasant market meeting on Saturday, where you get fresh apples, homemade jams and the unbroken opinion of the locals – no joke, that's better than any brochure.
If you do the short trip to Decatur City to see the County Courthouse, you have the complete picture: a mix of rustic idyll, slightly cynical hospitality and a touch of nostalgia, which will make you look back more often. And this is only the beginning, because the true New Point sights are often off the beaten paths – just my favorite place.
I have to admit that I was never a huge fan of “towns you can only find on the map” – until I discovered the little jewel of New Point in Saltcreek Township. My first station was New Point Community Park, a place that has more charm than one would expect from a parking lot with a few trees. There is a baseball court that is transformed every weekend by local teenagers into a battlefield, and a playground that – honestly – is better maintained than some amusement park in the city. Parking is usually a Klacks, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the entire village comes together for a picnic.
A short walk down the main road leads you to New Point United Methodist Church. The building from the early 20th The century has this crisp wooden door, which gives a light squeak when opening – an acoustic souvenir I will never forget. I don't quite understand the hype about church architecture, but here the work has a certain rustic charm that almost makes you believe you were landing in a movie from the 1930s. If you're lucky, you're just listening to the quiet marble of a choir sample that gives the place an almost sacred atmosphere.
A few houses further New Point Public Library, a tiny building that houses more books per square meter than some city library. I once found an old yearbook from the 1950s that gave me an insight into the life of the city dwellers before I even came here. The staff is friendly but not exaggerated – they seem to think that reading books is already an adventure. Parking is practically always free here because most visitors prefer to walk.
If you ask yourself where the brave heroes of New Point store their equipment, then look at this New Point Fire Department on. The red brick house is not only a functional place, but also a social hub: every year in the summer there is a barbecue where the firefighters present their best burgers – no joke, they are actually better than those in the city. I found an old firefighter helmet there, which still wore the dust of past fires, and that reminded me that everyone knows everyone here.
A short detour to New Point Cemetery may sound macaber, but for me it is a silent history book. The tombstones tell about families who have lived here for generations, and a particularly artistically carved monument from 1889 has almost made me a selfie – but I have held back because I am not the type that poses at cemeteries. The way there is well signposted, and parking is free at the edge of the cemetery as long as you do not try to put your car between the graves.
A little away from the centre, but still in the heart of Saltcreek Township, the Salt Creek Trail through fields and small forests. I once lost my running shoes there – they were “learned” by a curious fox, but this is another story. The trail is well maintained and you can travel a few kilometers there without great effort while experiencing the rural Indiana in its purest form. There are a few small parking spaces at the beginning of the path that are usually free, except when the local group stops their weekly training.
Last but not least, I must not forget the old grain silo on Main Street, which today serves more as a photo background. The massive, rusty building reminds of the city’s agricultural roots and is a popular spot for Instagram photographers looking for a “authentic” rural life feeling. I once discovered an old sign that still shows the prices of corn from the 1970s – a real snapshot from the past. Parking is a children's game because the silo is practically in the middle of the village and parking is almost always possible.
So, if you think the next time you want to start your next ‘discovery tour’, remember: New Point has more to offer than you would suspect at first sight. And yes, I have the word New Point Attractions already in my head, because I am a bit more proud every time I tell someone about this little but fine spot earth.
The first place I put to every visitor is the imposing Adams County Courthouse in the heart of Decatur – a stone relic from 1872, which with its Italian façade and the artistic windows almost sprays a bit too much drama, but this makes the charm. I once tried to make a selfie there, and was corrected by an older gentleman with a magnifying glass because my picture did not look “historically enough”. Parking is usually a Klacks as long as you don't come on Friday night after the City Assembly, then the car park becomes a battlefield.
Only a few blocks further Adams County Historical Society Museum, residing in a converted part of the old court building. The exhibition is a patch carpet of local curiosities – from a 19-year-old cow bell to an original 1900-builder's handbook, which I borrowed from pure curiosity to see how people at that time had their potatoes. No joke, the museum is a real treasure for everyone who likes to sniff into the dusty corners of history, and the staff there always has a dry comment when you ask why the village never got bigger.
If you have enough of dusty halls, the path leads to Cedar Creek Trail, a former railway corridor, which today serves as a cycling and hiking trail. The path stretches through fields, past old barns and occasionally over a small stream that offers more mud than crystal clear water – perfect to ruin the shoes and then enjoy a warm beer in the local diner. I started a marathon race with a friend there, just to see that we missed half of the track, because a sign “End of the Trail” showed in the wrong direction.
A short detour leads to Decatur City Parkwhere a small lake is populated by ducks who seem to know more about life than most tourists. The park is ideal for a picnic, and grilling is almost a ritual here; I once tried to turn a steak there, only to establish that the crickets were from the 1970s and contain more rust than metal. Nevertheless, the noise of the water and the occasional quaken of the frogs create an almost meditative atmosphere that you rarely find in the city.
An absolute must for those who want to experience the real Indiana feeling is that Adams County Fairgrounds. The annual trade fair in August is a kaleidoscope of rumble, cattle shows and a lot of people who believe that Corn Dogs are the culinary nonplusultra. I won a competition for the biggest pumpkin there – not because I was a professional, but because I forgot the pumpkin in the backyard of my aunt and then he grew up overnight to a monster. Parking is an adventure for itself: the main parking places fill themselves faster than the popcorn in the booth.
For those who seek a little spiritual tranquility, there are St. Mary’s Catholic ChurchA Gothic gem from the 19th century The century, with its colourful glass windows and the crunchy wooden floor, almost already has a film set. I slept there once during a fair and woke up only when the pastor shouted “God bless you!” – a moment that showed me that even holy sites were not fleeing before everyday life. The small cemetery behind the church is a quiet place where you can read the names of ancestors buried here for generations.
A little adrenaline? That's it. Adams County Speedway That's right. The Schottertrack attracts a colourful audience every week, which loudly fires its favorite drivers. I visited a race where a local driver with squeaking tyres went over the finish line, only to find out that he had chosen the wrong track and drove into the exit zone – the audience cheered anyway, because the chaos simply belongs to the show. Parking is a bit chaotic here, but this is part of the experience.
Whether you prefer historical buildings, natural paths or the loud driving of a County Fair – the surroundings of New Point offer a colourful mix of experiences that surprise and amuse every traveler. The places mentioned show that New Point Attractions not only consist of a single highlight, but of a series of small, but fine moments that make the heart of Indiana beat.
Find more vacation destinations near New Point Decatur Indiana using our map.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
©copyright by POI-Travel.de
info@poi-travel.de
