Ulen Boone Indiana - Top Sights 

• Ulen Attractions – An Inside Guide
• Ulen Sights & Attractions
• - Ulen Public Library
• - Ulen Historical Museum
• - Ulen Community Center
• - Ulen Town Park
• - Old Grain Elevator
• - Miller's Diner
• Other special sights in the vicinity of Ulen, Indiana
• - Conner Prairie
• - Eagle Creek Park
• - Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• - Newfields – Indianapolis Museum of Art
• - Zionsville
• - Boone County Historical Society Museum
• - Lebanon Courthouse Square
• Conclusion
• - Ulen Attractions

Ulen Attractions – An Inside Guide

Honestly, if you ask yourself why anyone ever should talk about Ulen, Indiana, let me serve you a little story: The city was built in 1873, when the Chicago, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad grabbed their land and named the small village after one of the railway directors. Since then, Ulen has hardly changed – and that is somehow the best of it. I usually drive over US‐20, because the highway is cutting right past the city, and if you prefer to travel by train, there is a small stop nearby, which is hardly more than a shop window, but at least sprays a little nostalgia.

I don't understand the hype around the big cities, but the small Ulen Country Club next to the old grain silo is a real highlight for me. There you can drink a cool beer in the summer, while the sun sinks over the fields – no joke, this is almost meditative. And then there is the Ulen United Methodist Church, a building from the 1880s, which still holds every Sunday fair; this is a piece of living story for me, which should not be overlooked.

If you are looking for a place where you can feel the real Central Germany feeling in the Middle West, then the Ulen sights are just right – a mix of rustic tranquility and a touch of past splendour that you rarely find.

Ulen Sights & Attractions

So, next time you climb over Highway 30 and suddenly the sign “Ulen” flashes, let me put the first station to your heart: the Ulen Public Library. I know libraries sound for some after dusty temples of boredom, but here there are more than just squeaking reading lamps – this is the true heart of the city. I once borrowed a book about local history, only to find out that the staff almost gave me a personal exhibit about the founding families of the city. Parking? Mostly a Klacks, as long as you don't want to go there on Friday night after the weekly Bingo – then the car park chaos is almost a local spectacle.

A short walk down the main road leads you to Ulen Historical Museumhoused in the old school building from the 1920s. I don't quite understand the hype about miniature models of tractors, but the original tools of the first peasant families here are really fascinating – and the staff doesn't just let you run away with a “Many Fun!” but tells you why the old barn gate was never repaired (a family secret that still echoes in the walls). The entrance is of course free, and parking is directly in front of the museum a small, unflagged spot you hardly missed when you look at the old brick kiosk.

If you're looking for a place where you can get rid of your energy, look at this Ulen Community Center on. I once experienced a bowling tournament with a few locals – and that was not an ordinary tournament, that was a social experiment in which most players wanted to talk more about the local policy “The Mayor has replaced the light in the hallway” than about their strikes. The bowling tracks are surprisingly well maintained, and the café on the ground floor serves the best coffee I've ever had in a small town center. Practical: The center has its own parking, but it fills up quickly when the weekly fitness boot camp starts.

A little bit of nature? Let's go Ulen Town Park. I have experienced my first (and so far only) Frisbee competition night, where the local youth team showed more enthusiasm than I was when I first visited the museum. The park has a small lake, a few baseball-diamonds and a playground that looks like he got an update in 1995 – and that's a praise. The best thing: there are a few benches that are perfect to watch the drive while you mample your sandwich from the nearby bakery. Parking is at the edge of the park a small, unflagged area, which is usually free except when the annual city festival starts.

Now a bit of industrial charm comes into play: Old Grain Elevator on the edge of the city. I shot a photo that now hangs in my living room, because the silver silhouette almost seems poetic against the night sky – and that, although the building has not been in operation for years. You can climb up there (according to the owner who happens to be the local historian) and have a look at the fields that form the backbone of the region. Access is a narrow field path that becomes slippery in winter, so wear fixed boots if you don't want to end like a wet poodle.

And at the end, because I know you're hungry after all the streaking: Miller's Diner. That's not some diner, that's the only one that still serves real milk shakes that don't taste for artificial syrup. I once tried the “Ulen Special” there – a burger with homemade mustard, which was so sharp that I almost accidentally sprayed the glass of water into the nose. There are seats inside and outside, and the staff knows you by name as soon as you're here for the second time. Parking is a small car park right in front of the diner, which is usually free, except when the local high-school football team celebrates a festival there after the match.

So next time you think about which Ulen Attractions You shouldn't miss, then take these seven points to your heart – and don't forget that the true adventure is not in the brochures, but in the conversations with the people who live here and tell a little more about the little but self-willing Ulen every day.

Other special sights in the vicinity of Ulen, Indiana

I must admit that I would never have thought that a place like Ulen would serve me at some point as a starting point for a mini-roadtrip adventure – until I first follow the dusty road Conner Prairie in Fishers. The museum is not a classic exhibition building, but a huge outdoor experience that makes the history of Indiana live. I stood there while a disguised colonist told me that the daily bread was corn and hard work at the time, and thought: “No joke, that is better than any Netflix documentary.” Parking is almost always a Klacks, as long as you don't come on Saturday morning, then the field becomes a small battlefield of cars and strollers.

A short detour to the north leads you to Eagle Creek Park, one of the largest city parks in the USA, which feels surprisingly close to Ulen, as if he were a hidden jewel in the backyard. I rented a kayak there and I paddled over the lake, while a swarm duck chased me with curious looks – an image that I still see in my head when I think of “quite nature”. The trails are well marked, and the visitor center has enough toilets so you don't have to suddenly search in the forest for a quiet place.

Now a little speed: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway lies only about 30 miles south, and yes, I experienced the famous “Indy 500” race live – this is not just a race, that is a cult. The smell of burned rubber is still in the air for hours later, and parking is a logistical puzzle that you will only solve with patience and good navigation. I put myself in the back rows because I thought it was cheaper, and instead got the best view of the boxes where the mechanics like bees floated around the cars.

A little culture? Then off Newfields – Indianapolis Museum of Art. I was there because I thought art was something for people with a lot of leisure, but the gardens are a true paradise for photography lovers, and the museum itself has a collection ranging from old masters to contemporary installations. The entrance is free when you sign up for the annual program, and parking is still a bit chaotic at the main building, but this can be solved with a short walk through the sculpture gardens.

If you're looking for a small but fine little town that has more charm than an Instagram filter, then drive to Zionsville. The cobblestone streets and antique shops feel like the time has stopped here – until you suddenly discover a hipster café with avocado toast. I drank a cappuccino there while I enjoyed the view of the historic houses, and had to laugh because I wondered if the city did not try to be a bit too much “rustic chic”.

Back in the heart of Boone County lies Boone County Historical Society Museum in Lebanon. The museum is small but full of local stories that you never hear – for example the legend of the “Ulen bear”, an alleged bear, who allegedly made the area unsafe in the 1920s. I saw an old photo of a horse car that reminded me of my childhood when I drove with my grandpa over field roads. Parking is right in front of the museum, and you can park your car almost right next to the entrance, which is a real plus point for me.

Another highlight I cannot leave is the historical Lebanon Courthouse Square. The square is the center of the city, surrounded by restored 19th buildings. Century, and every summer there is a small market where local farmers sell fresh vegetables and homemade jams. I once tried an apple cake there, which was so good that I almost forgot that I actually wanted to “show in short”. Parking is limited, but a short walk from the main railway station is enough.

Conclusion

So the next time you think about what you can do in the area of Ulen, Center Township, Boone, Indiana, remember: Ulen Attractions are not only a few points on a map, but a mix of history, nature, speed and a bit of hipster romance – all packed in a slightly cynical but passionate narrative that hopefully brings you to start and get rid of the engine.