Honestly, if you're looking for "Jonesville Sights", you don't get a tourist book right now, but rather feel like strolling with me – a slightly cynical local – through the dusty veins of Wayne Township. Jonesville was born in the early 1830s, when brave pioneers populated the fertile land in the heart of Bartholomew County and gave the place the name of a then popular land council. The old wooden houses, which still line the main road today, tell of a time when the rail race was the loudest noise – today it is the occasional squeaking of a tractor.
I usually drive over the I‐65, then a short trip to the US‐31, before I turn into the quiet road that leads directly to the heart of Jonesville – no joke, that is the fastest route if you want to avoid the city traffic. As soon as you get out of the car, you immediately feel that time is a bit slower here. I don't understand the hype around large metropolises, but the small café on the corner that exists since 1902 has the best apple cake wide and wide – and this without Instagram filters.
A walk along the old cemetery is almost meditative; the tombstones are more history than decoration. And yes, if you ask yourself if there is anything to see here – the “Jonesville Sights” are exactly what you need to understand that authenticity is sometimes louder than any advertising board.
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The first stop I put to every new man's heart is that Mounds State Park – a piece of prehistoric Indiana Desert, located just half an hour north of Jonesville. The huge earthworks that were created by the Adena and Hopewell cultures over 2,000 years ago almost seem like a bad film set, only that no director, but nature wrote the script. I once travelled along the Sunrise Trail, while an elderly man in the Park-Ranger-Hut told me that the hills once served as astronomical observatories. Parking is almost always a Klacks, as long as you don't get out of the circle on Saturday night with the families – then the field becomes a small battlefield of sheet metal and stroller.
A few miles further, practically in the heart of Columbus, waits Columbus Museum of Art. I don't understand the hype about the minimalist exhibitions, but the building itself is an artwork designed by the famous architects Eero Saarinen and I. M. Pei. My favorite place is the atrium where the light falls through a huge glass window and the sculptures seem almost to float. Admission is free if you are lucky to come by one of the many free community days, and the café serves an espresso that is stronger than most of the conversations I have ever had here.
If you have enough of paintings, the path leads to Miller House and Garden, one of the few still preserved houses of Saarinen. The house is a little off the main road, so you almost feel like stumbled into a secret chapter of architecture history. I remember walking through the central courtyard and suddenly surprised by a swarm bees that apparently used the flowerbed as their personal clubhouse. Parking is a bit tricky here – a small, unsatisfied parking behind the house, but this is a price you pay for a piece of design icon.
A short detour to Indiana Central Canal brings some water to the dry Indiana landscape. The canal once intended for the transport of goods serves today as a picturesque walk, lined with old brick buildings, which now house trendy cafes. I once met a local historian who told me that the original sluice still works – at least in theory. The path is well developed, and the bicycle rental system at the end of the main road makes the whole a relaxed mini-tour as long as you do not collide in summer with the swarms of tourists who use the water for selfies.
For those who want to sniff a little more history, this is Bartholomew County Historical Museum A must. The museum is located in a renovated old bank building and shows exhibits from the pioneering period to modern times. I found an old map that shows that Jonesville was once an important hub for the railway – a detail that escapes most of the guides. Parking is practical here because the museum is located directly on the main road, but you should be aware that the building has no elevators, so no excuse for a short walk.
A little further south, almost on the border with Indiana, this stretches Hoosier National Forest. I spent a weekend in a rustic hut to escape everyday life. The trails are well marked, and the forest area offers a welcome change to the more urban attractions around Jonesville. The only thing you should note: the mobile radio network is here sparse, so no more excuses for the continuous check of Instagram. Nevertheless, the noise of the trees is a better soundtrack for each trip.
Whether you are looking for a fan of prehistoric hills, modern art, architectural masterpieces or just a bit of nature – Jonesville's environment has more to offer than you would suspect at first glance. This selection Jonesville Attractions shows that even a small place in the heart of Indiana provides a surprisingly wide range of experiences.
I have to admit right at the beginning that I would never have thought that I would write a guide for a tiny spot of earth like Jonesville – but here I am, and the first thing I want to show you is that Jonesville United Methodist Church. The building is a real relic from the 1880s, with a stone facade that has more stories to tell than some Instagram influencers. I snooped around a little bit on a Sunday morning because I thought it was a good place to find some rest. Instead, I heard the murmuring of a group of seniors chatting about the good old times – no joke, that was almost a live podcast about the history of the place. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem, because then the weekly community meeting takes place and everyone stops their car there.
A short walk further Jonesville Cemeterythat I would personally call the quietest sight of the city. The tombstones are not only old, they are also surprisingly well preserved – a real treasure for genealogy fans. I once found my big aunt there, from which I never knew she was buried here, and that warmed my heart a bit, even though the weather was quite gray. This is one of the few places where you really feel undisturbed; parking is a klack here, because the terrain is hardly visited.
If you're looking for something that brings a little more life into the bud, look at this Jonesville Community Park on. The small playground is not just a Disneyland, but it has a baseball-diamond, a few benches and a barbecue area where the locals have their sausages brutzeln in the summer. I once organized a spontaneous picnic with a few neighbors – that was really great because we talked about the latest developments in the city, while a little boy tried to catch the ball and almost threw the grill. The parking lot is right next to the park, so no stress as long as you are not there at the same time as the weekly football training.
Another highlight I cannot leave is the old Jonesville Schoolhouse. The building has been empty since the 1920s, but the facade is still a good example of classical American school architecture. I once made a photo shoot for a friend there, because the brick walls and the large window have a perfect retro vibe. There is no official visitor info-desk, but that's just the nice thing: you can just put in, enjoy the silence and imagine how the children have carved their chalk drawings to the table at that time. Parking is a bit tricky because you have to go on the small side street, but this is a small price for a little nostalgia.
A little more modern Jonesville Volunteer Fire Department. This is not exactly a tourist destination, but I think it has a certain charm when you see the red fire truck standing there for years and still shines as if it were fresh from the workshop. I spent a day with the volunteers there because I thought a bit of action would be good, and they showed me how they were waiting for the old hose system. That was really interesting because you realize that real community work is being lived here. Parking is practically right in front of the building, but only if you don't miss the weekly meeting of firefighters – that's a bit full.
A small but fine secret tip is that Jonesville General Store, a shop that has existed since the 1950s and still radiates the typical “small city feeling”. I once tried a glass of homemade apple must that not only tastes super, but also was personally recommended by the owner. The store is not big, but the shelves are full of local products, and this makes shopping here a small experience. Parking is a klack here because there is a small parking space right next to the store, which is usually free as long as you are not there on the first Saturday a month when the “Farmers Market” takes place.
I would like to see the Jones Bridge mentioning leading over the nearby White River. The bridge is not spectacular, but it is a popular photo pot for locals who want to run their dogs or just watch the river. I once captured a sunset that was almost too beautiful to be true – and that, although I am not really a fan of romantic sunsets. Access to the bridge is free, and parking is possible at the edge of the river as long as you are not there at the same time as the annual fishing event.
So, next time you think about where you want to spend your weekend trip, remember: Jonesville may be small, but the Jonesville Attractions have their own distinctive charm. And if you've experienced all this yourself, you've got not only a few nice photos, but also a few stories that you can tell your friends – and that's what it's about traveling, right?
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