Visit Scipio Jennings Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Scipio, Indiana - small village in Green County with beautiful nature and farm-to-table restaurants. Relaxation in the Prairie or picnic at Lake Artesian! #GreenCountyAdventures
Honestly, if you think Indiana is just corn fields and endless highways, then you haven't experienced Scipio yet. Founded in 1832, the tiny village has its name from a Roman landlord – yes, that was a bit too ambitious for a piece of land that today has hardly more than a few houses and a post office. Nevertheless, you can feel the spirit of the pioneers who brought the Geneva Township out of the forest in Jennings County, and that is kind of charming if you don't expect too much romance.
I don't quite understand the hype around the big cities, but the small “Scipio Sights” – an old church building that still snares on Sundays, and a historical school house that now serves as a community center – have its own, slightly sloppy charm. If you come by car from Indianapolis, take the I‐65 to Exit 115, then a short stroller over the County Road 200; the road leads you directly to the heart of the village, where you almost feel the time had taken a short stop.
A walk along Main Street is like a conversation with an old friend: a bit rough, a bit honest, but always with a smile. And if you happen to get past one of the few cafés, try the homemade apple cake – no joke, that's the only thing that's really sweet here. So if you want to taste a piece of real Indiana, grab your suitcases and let yourself be surprised by the inconspicuous but lovely Scipio sights.
I have to admit that my heart beats a bit faster every time I get to the Scipio United Methodist Church think – not because it is any architectural miracle, but because it is the only building in the place that actually breathes a bit of history. The church ship from 1865 stands there, as if it wanted to tell us all that we are not only driving through time, but also through boredom. If you're honest, you don't understand the whole hype about "historical churches" completely, but the barring wood of the benches and the slightly muffy aroma of decades-long incense have something calming. Parking is usually easy, you can just park behind the small cemetery as long as you don't want to move in there on Sunday morning – then it suddenly becomes a real problem.
Directly opposite, almost as if it were a bad joke of the city planner, the Scipio Community Park. I once organized a picnic with friends, and while we complained about the weather, a few teenagers played baseball as if this was the new Fenway. The park has a small gazebo, a few toys and a barbecue area, which is more of a barbeque than of cleanliness. If you’re looking for a place to provide your Instagram story with a “#NatureIsCool”, you’re right here – just don’t forget to take the garbage back, otherwise the next time the sign “Don’t feed” is replaced by “Don’t leave”.
A short walk (or a short sprint, depending on the motivation) leads you to Scipio Town Hall. The building is a typical example of a small administrative building that offers more paperwork than charm. I once read the Minutes of a City Council meeting – a true feast for everyone who likes to talk about road repairs. The advantage: parking is right in front of the door, and you can get an ice cream from the nearby store while waiting for the mayor. I don't quite understand the pride that the locals have on their town hall, but the sign “Welcome to Scipio” somehow has a certain retro charm.
If you're looking for something quieter, look at this Scipio Cemetery on. Yes, a cemetery is not exactly what you are looking for on a travel checklist, but here are some of the oldest tombstones in the region, which tell of pioneers who actually worked the country with hacks and horse cars. I once found an old veteran, whose inscription “Here a man rests, who had more patience than an Indiana citizen in summer traffic” – a little joke that brought me to a sneak. Access is free, and parking is usually a bit further because the road is a bit narrow.
Another highlight I can hardly overlook is the Scipio Volunteer Fire Department. The red building with the large sign “Volunteer” almost looks like a mini-museum for firefighters. I took part in a day of the open door, and the guys showed me how to unroll a hose without flooding the whole neighborhood. Practical: If you're nearby, you can use the building as an orientation point – it's the only one that really shines at night. Parking is a children's game because the terrain was built for use vehicles.
A short detour about County Road 1000 N Bridge takes you over the St. Joseph River, which is not spectacular, but still offers a nice view of the water. I took a photo there that I later referred to as a “stimmation picture for a quiet afternoon” – that was more a joke because the water was rather sluggish and the weather was gray. Nevertheless, the bridge is a practical passage, and parking on one side is usually free as long as you do not land there on weekends with a fishing trip.
I do not want to Scipio General Store Forget the little shop that is more than just a kiosk. Here you get everything from candy to local honey glasses, and the owner knows every customer by name – a bit too much if you don’t like to be asked if you want a piece of cake. The store has a small parking lot behind the store, and I've found my forgotten keys there more than once because I left them there while I was looking for a snack. No joke, that's really practical.
So, next time you're considering if you want to waste your time in a tiny Indiana town, think about the Scipio Attractions – they are not exactly the top 10 of the world, but they have their own, slightly slanted charm that you only understand when you are in the mud.
The first stop I put to every visitor is that Muscatuck National Wildlife Refuge – a huge piece of untouched southern meadow, which is only half an hour drive north of Scipio. I once tried to shoot a photo of a shy beaver, and instead was persecuted by a horde duck, who apparently thought my camera was a new bathing pond. Parking is almost always a Klack on the main entrance, as long as you do not arrive on Saturday night, then the field becomes the battlefield of SUVs and campers. The hiking trail around the lake is well signposted, and if you are lucky, you will hear the quiet stroller of the Muscatatuck River, which is almost as calming as the sum of a defective air conditioning in the summer.
A few miles further, towards the east, you hit the Mounds State Park at Anderson – a place I like to name as an Indiana version of Stonehenge, only that the hills were built here by ancient Indians and not by aliens. I made a picnic there, while an older gentleman in a carved shirt told me that the hills once served as graves; his tone was so dry that I almost thought he was part of the exhibition. The park not only offers the famous hills, but also a small museum, which surprisingly explains why the area was an important trade route earlier. A short trip to Lake Lemon is ideal if you are looking for a refreshing bath – the water is not crystal clear, but this is just the certain something that makes the charm.
If you have enough of nature, the path leads south to Columbus, Indiana, a city that sells itself as a “museum of modern architecture”. I have to admit, I don’t understand the hype around Eero Saarinen’s “Crown Hall” but the surrounding buildings of I. M. Pei and Richard Meier still impressed me – especially because I happened to stumble into a café that served exclusively vegan bagels. Parking in the city centre is a bit of gambling; most places are occupied, but a small side strip behind the main station still has a free field when you get early enough. And yes, the cityscape is so clean that you almost feel you are in an advertising agency for housing companies.
A short detour to the east brings you to the shores of Ohio River in Madison, where the historical district with its well-preserved 19-century houses almost looks like a film set. I once heard a street music duo playing classic jazz standards, while an older couple in the garage unpacked a chess game – a picture that remains in my mind for a long time. Parking on the Riverfront is usually easy, except during the weekends, when the tourist streams come from Ohio and turn the few parking spaces into a mini-campus. A walk along the promenade also offers a magnificent view of the bridge to Kentucky, which at sunset looks almost like a silver arc.
Only a little further south Hoosier Heritage Village in Madison County, an open-air museum dedicated to the rural life of the 19th century It's over. I spent a day there to see how people used to milk their milk – and was “grilled” by an enthusiastic guide with a cow sling that he proudly presented as a “authentic tool”. The village is easily accessible because the main road leads directly past the Interstate 65, and parking is a children's game there: a large parking lot right in front of the historic buildings, which is rarely full, unless there is a festival. The atmosphere is a bit cheesy, but it makes the charm, especially if you are looking for a little nostalgia for a long road trip.
A little further west, almost halfway back to Scipio, is the Lincoln State Park in Lincoln City – a place that I refer to as “historical green”. The park is famous for the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, which has been lovingly restored. I once made a picnic there, while a visitor in a replica costume of Lincoln tried to recite me the Gettysburg Address – that was a bit exaggerated, but the passion was real. The park offers numerous hiking trails that lead through dense forests, and parking is still sufficient at the visitor center as long as you do not arrive at lunchtime when the families with children flood the field.
Whether you are looking for the quiet water of the Muscatatuck, the ancient hills of Mounds, the architectural wonders of Columbus, the historical flair of Madison, the rural heritage of the Hoosier Heritage Village or the Lincoln history in the State Park – the surroundings of Scipio offers a colourful mix that satisfies every modern traveler. And that's exactly what makes Scipio Attractions to a surprisingly versatile goal that you should not overlook.
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