Visit Oldenburg Franklin Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover Oldenburg, Indiana - a beautiful village in the northeast of Indiana! Experience the old windmill and the historic village centre. Enjoy traditional dishes in local restaurants or on farmer markets. A must: The Oldenburg Festival in August with music, food and craftsmen!
Honestly, if I take the word “Oldenburg Sights” in my mouth, most immediately think of a North German coastal town – but here we talk about a tiny spot in the heart of Ray Township, Franklin County, Indiana, which has more charm than one would suspect at first sight. The history of this place begins in 1836, when pioneers from Pennsylvania bought the country and named it after their home town in Germany; Since then, the village has hardly changed, apart from a few modern shops that do not completely cover the old stone pavement.
I don't understand the hype around the big metropolises, but the quiet drive along Main Street here is really great – a few old barns, a café that serves more history than coffee, and a small cemetery where the graves still bear the names of the founders. When you arrive by car, take the State Road 1, which leads you directly to the heart of the township; a short detour to County Road 13 brings you to the best views over the gentle fields surrounding the area.
A short walk takes you to the old town hall, which today serves as a community centre – a place where I experience the village festival almost every year, and where the locals talk about the “big” cities with a mixture of pride and light cynicism. And yes, the “Oldenburg sights” are not only the town hall: the small museum, which is housed in a former school building, shows artefacts that remind you that once real pioneers lived here, not only tourists with Instagram cameras.
So, next time you stumble over Highway 41 and ask yourself if you don't want to put a stop somewhere between Kornfeld and Kuhstall, let me give you my absolute favorite attraction in Oldenburg, Ray Township, Indiana: St. John‐the-Baptist-Catholic Church. I mean, this is not just a building that has a few benches and a weathered cross – this is a piece of lively history that almost reminds you of a small German village that has secretly hidden in Indiana with its brick shape and the artistically carved windows. I don't quite understand the hype about modern glass constructions, but here there are honest craftsmanship, which reminds you when you enter, that someone has swung a hammer over 150 years ago. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturdays, when the municipality hosts a small concert and suddenly every place on the edge of the street is occupied by a flapping picnic basket.
A short walk (or a short sprint if you have a hurry) leads you to Oldenburg Heritage Museumhoused in the former school building. The museum is not exactly a shiny high-tech temple, but that's exactly what makes the charm – old school benches, an abandoned classbook and a few dusty tools from agriculture that remind you that more cow bells were heard here earlier than car horns. I once saw an old photo exhibition where a picture of me almost disappeared in the background – no joke, that was a real spot the tourist moment. The museum has a small parking space behind the building; on sunny Saturdays this is a battlefield of picnic blankets and strollers.
If you're looking for a place where you can recover from the hustle and bustle of the church and the museum, look at this. Oldenburg Town Hall on. The building is not particularly spectacular, but it has this slightly sloppy charm that you only find in small communities where the city administration is still managed by people who still knew their grandparents personally. I once experienced a civic service Wednesday – that was a real spectacle of long queues, quiet despair and an officer who seemed to talk more about the weather in Indiana than about my request. Parking is practically right outside the door as long as you are not there at the same time as the monthly community meeting.
A short detour leads you to Oldenburg Cemetery, a cemetery that has more stories to tell than some pub-Quiz-host. The gravestones are not only stone blocks, but small works of art from marble and granite, which originate from generations of German immigrants. I once discovered an old family name that I had randomly read in a Genealogy Forum – a real “Aha-Moment” when you realize that history is not only under the feet of books but also in the earth. Access is free, and parking is a small, unconsolidated way that can hardly accommodate more than a few cars, so be ready to walk a bit.
For those who want to catch some fresh air, there is the Oldenburg Community Center, an old gymnasium that now serves as a venue for local events. I once experienced an improvised jazz concert where the musicians came out of the neighborhood and used the acoustics of the old wooden floor to create a sound that was both clenching and surprisingly clear. The center has a small parking lot behind the building, which is usually empty, except when there is a basketball tournament – then you have to arrange yourself with a few parking cars and a touch of popcorn smell.
And if you ask yourself what else you can see in Oldenburg, take a look at the Oldenburg Park – a small but well-kept green area that is described by locals as “the place where you can run your children while drinking a coffee”. I once saw an older gentleman who went over the lawn with a remote-controlled model airplane while his grandchildren were playing in the background. The park has a few benches, a small playground stand and a few trees that bring a little color to the picture in autumn. Parking is a bit easier here because it's just a small side strip, but on sunny weekends it can be filled quickly because the whole city comes together here to enjoy the weather.
If you now think that all this is a bit too much to make it in a day, let me tell you: this is exactly what Oldenburg makes so charming. The Oldenburg Attractions are not hidden in huge museums or glittering shopping malls, but in the small, honest corners that you only find when you are ready to run a bit, wait a bit and marvel a bit – and I think that is the true recipe for a successful trip.
The first stop I always recommend is that Johnson County Museum of History in Franklin – a place where Indiana’s past is presented with more dust than shine, but that’s exactly what makes the charm. I found an old diary there, which was a German emigrant from the 1850s; that was almost as exciting as the actual museum, because I suddenly felt like a part of the story. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, as it becomes a real problem because the weekly flea market event floods the parking spaces.
A short trip to the historic city centre of Franklin is like a leap into another time, only that the cafés here have Wi-Fi and the shop windows are full of antique furniture that you would never buy. I once discovered an old suitcase, which is supposed to be a sailor from the 19th century. Century belonged – I did not buy it because I did not have enough space for another relic in my apartment, but the conversation with the owner was a real highlight moment. The pedestrian zone is well signposted, and parking at the town hall is free as long as you don't get late for dinner.
Next south, almost one piece from Oldenburg, this is Culbertson Mansion State Historical Site in New Albany. The mansion is a parade example of Victorian opulence, and I must admit that I do not fully understand the hype about the elaborate wood carvings – until I lost myself in one of the rooms and suddenly felt like living in a film of 1880. The entrance is free when you visit the annual “Heritage Day” event, and parking is still a secret tip at the back entrance of the museum, because hardly anyone goes there.
A little further down the Ohio River, in Madison, this is waiting Lanier Mansion with its imposing colonnade and a view of the river that is almost too beautiful to be true. I watched the sunset there once, while an older gentleman told me that the house was once built by a rich cotton dealer – a bit exaggerated, but the story has its charm. The small parking lot behind the house is rarely occupied as long as you don't come on weekends when the Riverwalk Festival fills the area.
If you have enough of historic buildings, you will find a trip to Hoosier National Forest near Bloomington. The trails are well marked, and I turned a round around Griffy Lake, which almost left me forget that I had actually planned a short trip. Parking at the trailhead is free, but during the weekends it can be traffic jams because the families with picnic baskets are the same ways I use.
Another highlight for nature lovers is the Muscatatuck River at Seymour, where you can go great canoe. I rented a canoe there and I paddled down the river while a squirrel bravely balanced on my boat – no joke, the animal seemed to enjoy the ride. The access point at Riverside Park has a small parking lot, which is usually free as long as you do not arrive at lunchtime.
Whether you are looking for history, architecture or nature, the surroundings of Oldenburg offer more than enough reasons to pack and get rid of the car. My personal favorites show that the region has far more to offer than the small but fine ones Oldenburg Attractionsthat you can easily overlook if you only stay in the place.
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