Visit Royal Center Cass Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover the beautiful city of Royal Center in Indiana! Experience the historic centre and the beautiful parks. Visit the famous Turtle Creek Park with its large outdoor area for picnics and sports. Recommended time: spring to autumn.
Honestly, if you're looking for "Royal Center Sights", you won't be served a tourist paradise, but that makes the charm. The city was crossed in 1856 by the Chicago St. Louis- and the Michigan-Southern-Railroad founded a bit of railway history, a bit of pioneering spirit, and the little town was in the heart of Boone Township, Cass County. I usually drive over the US-35 by car, because the bus is more of a myth here, and that's also good: you can hit the old grain silos, which today serve more than a photo motif than a functional building.
I don’t understand the hype around the annual “Royal Center Fall Festival” but the nearby café, which has been run by a family since the 70s, is really great – here there’s the best apple cake wide and wide, and that at a glance at the historic town hall, which is still the original building of 1885. If you're still doing a detour to the nearby Cass County Courthouse, you'll get a bit more of the story that's here in stone. And yes, the weather here can be moody, but this is just what makes a road trip so lively by the rural Indiana.
I have to admit right at the beginning that I would never have thought that a place like Royal Center has something to offer me at all – until the first time I had the Public library entered and realized that more than just dusty books are kept here. The library is a tiny but surprisingly cozy retreat in the middle of the city centre, and the staff knows every visitor as if they were part of a small, slightly overwhelmed book club. Parking is usually a children's game, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the weekly Bingo tournament takes place in the community room and everyone tries to get a place.
A short walk further leads you to Community Park, which is actually more a collection of baseball diamonds, a playground and a picnic area than a “park” in the classic sense. I once organized an improvised barbecue with some locals; the highlight was an old tractor that served as a seating place – no joke, the thing was still functional and almost got us the beer. So if you're looking for a place where you can rest with a cool drink on an old land machine, you're right here.
Royal Center sights can be found not only in parks and libraries, but also in the Historic Main Street. The street is a bit like a lively museum for 19-year-old—before—the internet age: old wooden showcases, a few faded advertising signs and a café that claims to bake the best apple cake throughout the county – I didn't test it because I rather eat the cake in the park, but the rumor kitchen is hot. The shops here close early, so your “Shop‐till‐you‐drop” rather than a quick browsing before the lights start.
Another jewel I can hardly overlook is the United Methodist Church on the south side of Main Street. The building is a real example of neo-Gothic architecture that can be found only in city centers of 1800s. I took part in a Sunday divine service there, just to see if the organ really sounds like everyone talking about it – Spoiler: it sounds like someone planted an old train motor in a piano. The church is friendly, but if you don't want to take part in a choir, you shouldn't stay too long on the benches, otherwise you will suddenly be appointed an honorary member.
You can't talk about Royal Center without the iconic Water Tower to mention that projects like a lighthouse over the fields. It is not only a practical piece of infrastructure, but also the unofficial landmark of the city – everyone who comes here makes a picture of it as if it were the new selfie object. I once tried to climb the ladder to enjoy the view, but the city administration quickly stopped me; apparently this is not exactly the recommended tourist activity.
For those who want to sniff a bit of history, there is the small Railroad Depot Museum on the edge of the city. The old railway station building has been lovingly restored and houses a few exhibits on the railway history of the region – including an original signal generator and a yellowed road map from 1912. I learned more about the importance of the railroad for the development of Royal Center than I would have ever found in a school book, and all this in a space that is barely greater than an average classroom.
Lastly, a reference to the annual Fall Festivalthat is not a fixed place, but definitely one of the Royal Center sights, because it turns the whole cityscape for a weekend. Stands with homemade jams, a giant wheel that snores more than an old ship, and a competition for the best pumpkin costume – that is what the locals really bring together. I once won a pumpkin that was so great that he almost blocked the entire stage; that was a real audience magnet, though not especially practical to take away.
The old tractor, which has been on the edge of the field road for decades, is the first sign for me that history is not just a word, but a smell – a hint of hay, engine oil and a bit of dust that creeps into the lungs when you inhale the air. Even before I get lost in the real city, Logansport's headstone paver leads me to the imposing **Cass County Courthouse**, whose dome in sunlight almost seems as dazzling as the smile of a tourist who just discovered that Indiana has more to offer than corn fields. I spent a few minutes there to admire the artistic pillars, and must admit that the tour of the small museum in the basement – full of old court records and yellowed photographs – was surprisingly captivating, although I wondered why someone was so much trouble in the documentation of cattle taxes from 1883.
A short trip south leads directly to the **Wabash River**. The river is not only a water run here, but a real magnet for anglers, canoes and the one or other group of young people who spend their weekend with an improvised barbecue on the shore. I once tried to catch a carp, just to realize that my fishing was more of a decoration – the animal swept away elegantly while I wondered if the water here is perhaps too deep for my humble experience. Practical: Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, when the local anglers lay their boats and the car park becomes a battlefield of crowded picnic baskets.
Continue east, barely half an hour drive, is the **Potawatomi Indian Museum** in Peru. The building itself looks like a venerable stone hill, surrounded by a small garden where you can occasionally observe native birds. I was there because I was curious if the exhibition really tells about the culture of Potawatomi or is just a collection of old tools and dusty textiles. Surprisingly, it was both: the interactive stations, where one was allowed to rebuild a bow, made the whole thing alive, while the well-preserved artefacts awakened a deep respect for history. A hint for visitors: The entrance is free, but the café next door serves the best homemade apple cake in the area – a real comfort when you have to rest your legs after a long walk.
Just a few miles further north, hidden between fields and old barns, the **Wabash & Erie Canal Park** is near Delphi. The canal, once the backbone of transport in the Middle West, is today a quiet place for walkers and cyclists who want to visit the old lock plant. I remember stumbled over the wooden bridge on a windy afternoon, while an older gentleman told me that once steamships brought the goods from Chicago to Cincinnati – an image that today seems almost too romantic to be true. The park has a small parking lot, but it is quickly full on sunny Saturdays; a small way around the side street saves you the annoying circles.
Another highlight I can't leave is the **Cass County Fairgrounds** in Logansport. The annual fair in August is a true spectacle of carousels, cattle shows and a selection of local food stands that offer more than popcorn and sugar cane. I once tried a piece of freshly grilled pork there, which was so tender that it practically broke on the fork – a proof that farmers here not only cultivate their fields but also their cooking skills. Practical: The approach is straightforward, and there are enough parking spaces, as long as you do not try to find a place on the last day of the event when the visitor numbers are shooting up.
Last but not least, the **Peru Riverwalk** must not be missing. This narrow path along the river connects the historic centre of Peru with the modern business district and offers a magnificent view of the old warehouses, which have today been transformed into art galleries and boutiques. I spent an afternoon there to read a little while enjoying the quiet strollers of the water – a rare moment of rest in an area that is otherwise dominated by agricultural sounds. The path is well illuminated and barrier-free, so that you can easily travel with the stroller.
Whether you admire the imposing architecture of the Cass County Courthouse, try fishing a bit on the banks of the Wabash River, explore the history of the Potawatomi in the museum, enjoy the tranquility of the Wabash & Erie Canal Park, experience the colorful driving on the Cass County Fairgrounds or just follow the Riverwalk in Peru – the surroundings of Royal Center offer a surprisingly diverse range of experiences that go far beyond the small town. For those looking for authentic experiences, these **Royal Center attractions** are a must to satisfy both the curious explorer and the easy cynical traveller.
Find more vacation destinations near Royal Center Cass Indiana using our map.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
©copyright by POI-Travel.de
info@poi-travel.de
