Honestly, if you think New Goshen is just a slept spot of earth in the heart of Vigo County, then you donated the historical foundation: Founded in the early 1830s by German settlers who named their new “goshen” after a biblical paradise, the town has survived more than a few barns and a post office. I like to drive over the old US‐41, which sounds like a sleeping giant through the township, and then stop at the small intersection where the only sign proclaims “Welcome to New Goshen” – a bit cheesy, but somehow charming.
A short trip with the bus from Terre Haute (yes, the line actually goes here, if you don't get lost) takes you to the heart of the place where you see the old town hall, which today serves more as a photo motif for Instagram stories, as a functioning administrative building. I don’t understand the hype around the “rustic” atmosphere, but the small cafés that pop around the corner serve really super homemade cakes – a must if you want to taste the sweet taste of history.
And yes, if you are looking for activities, look at the New Goshen sights that are not in every guide: a quiet cemetery, an old grain silo that now serves as an art gallery, and a field that is transformed by local musicians into an improvised festival in the summer. This is the real New Goshen – a bit rough, a bit ironic, but definitely worth a detour.
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The first stop of my little Odyssey leads you to Prophetstown State Parka place where history and nature are a little too loud. I made a picnic there, while a group of school classes spoke loudly about the “Mound Builders” – a soundtrack that you only hear in documentary films. The parking lot is surprisingly large as long as you don't arrive at the weekend at 5:00, then this will be a little patience game. The hiking trail around the Indian Mound is well signposted, and if you're lucky, you'll see a few trails posing in traditional robes – a photo motif that brings more Instagram lovers than your last avocado toast.
A short detour to the south brings you to Terre Haute Museum of Art. I have to admit, I don't quite understand the whole hype to modern art, but the collection here has at least a few works that don't look like a misfortune DIY project. The building itself is an architectural snippet that you do not miss if you happen to drive over the main square – parking is right in front of the entrance, and the staff is so friendly that they almost convince you to complete an annual subscription, even though you are only there for the café.
If you have enough of shiny galleries, go to Vigo County Historical Museum. This is the place where you find out why people used to spend more time stealing corn than Netflix binge-watching. I discovered an old photo of a horse car that reminds me of my childhood when I drove with my grandpa over field roads. The museum has a small parking lot behind the building; that is usually a free place, except when the local school organizes a trip – then you have to walk a few meters further.
A bit further north Rose‐Hulman Institute of Technology, which is not only famous for its engineering students, but also for a campus that looks like an architect used Lego for a day. I visited an open laboratory where students worked on a robot that could tell more about local history than I did. Parking is free, but you have to fight through a few student weighers who have hired their bikes everywhere – a small test of your patience before you really understand the Campus-Motto “Learning by Doing”.
A short detour to the east leads you to Deming Park, an old amusement park, which today is rather a nostalgic relic. The rollercoaster is quiet, but the old carousel still turns, and the sound of the squeaking horses is almost calming. I watched some locals play chess, who know more about life than any guide. The parking lot has several entrances, and parking is usually easy as long as you do not arrive on the first Saturday of the month when the local senior ballet fills the hall.
Finally, if you like the water, take a look at the Wabash River at the New Goshen Bridge. I rented a kayak there and I paddled down the river, while a fisherman swung along me loudly over the “good old times”. The shore is easily accessible, and parking on the small boat dock is usually free – only on hot summer days you have to walk a bit further to find a place.
Whether you are looking for history, art, technology or just a little fresh air, the surroundings of New Goshen have more to offer than you would suspect at first sight. These New Goshen Attractions show that the small town and its neighborhoods are full of surprising moments – if you are ready to walk a little off the beaten path.
I have to confess that New Goshen United Methodist Church for me the true heart of this tiny little spot in the Middle Indiana is not because the architecture won some Nobel prize, but because the church clock is loud enough every morning at 6 a.m. to tear you out of sleep if you haven't gotten used to the day. I once shared a Sunday breakfast with the locals; the bread was dry, but the marmalade bread was poured over with a portion of honest, rural hospitality. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the youth meeting takes place in the municipal house and everyone tries to get a place next to the old tractor.
A short walk down the main road leads you to New Goshen School, a red brick building that still carries the echo of chalk sprays in the corridors. I visited a classroom that now serves as a small venue for local art exhibitions – yes, this is actually a thing here. The board is still there, and if you're lucky, an old man named Mr. Hargrove still sits there and tells you how he didn't know the word "Gum" in the 60s. This is the true New Goshen landmark experience: history that lives not in dusty museums, but in a space with a flaking color.
Go on New Goshen Cemeterythat you should not confuse with a gloomy cemetery from a horror movie. Here are the founders of the city, and the tombstones tell more about life here than any city tour. I once found an old veteran whose tomb was decorated with a hand-painted picture of a corn disc – a hint that he spent his whole life in the field. The terrain is freely accessible, and parking is a Klacks as long as you do not arrive with the tractor.
If you are looking for a place to represent your feet, then the New Goshen Community Park That's right. A small baseball court, a playground from the 80s and a picnic table that has more nails than screws – this is the true flair. I have arranged a spontaneous picnic with a few teenagers who explained to me that the “hashtag life” here only means that you lose your phone in the grass and then look for the device all day. The park is free, and the only “ticket” is the smile of the children who reminds you that there is still life pulsating here.
A short detour over the old bridge spanning the White River – the New Goshen Bridge – delivers the perfect photo motif if you want to feed your Instagram feed with something rustic. The bridge is not particularly spectacular, but it has this lightly sounding when you drive over it, and that reminds you that you are not in a big city, but in a place where the water is still a bit wilder. I found an old bike there that someone had forgotten, and that was the highlight of my day, because I could cycle a few meters over the river before I realized that I had no pedals.
Finally, but by no means less important, this is New Goshen Volunteer Fire Department. The building is small, but inside there is a mini-exhibition with old fire brigades and a rusty extinguishing vehicle from the 40s. I met a former fireman there who told me that the loudest noise here is not the siren heul, but the laughing of the volunteers when they share a beer after a long use. Parking in front of the building is always free because most people prefer to walk – this is almost a tradition here.
So, next time you ask about Indiana and ask yourself if you should make a detour to New Goshen, remember: New Goshen Attractions are not the shiny attractions of a metropolis, but the small, slightly sloppy moments that remind you that life sometimes tastes better when it is a bit dusty.
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