Honestly, if you think Indiana has only corn fields and endless highways, you haven't experienced Monterey yet. This tiny little town hidden in Tipecanoe Township in the heart of Pulaski County was founded in 1849 â a year after the gold rush, but with less splendour and more sweat. The first settlers came here because the country was cheap and the railway (which today is hardly more than a few squeaking tracks) gave them the promise of âWestward!â. I don't quite understand the hype about the old railroad, but the sound of the sound when a train looks past has some charm.
If you arrive by car, take the USâ31 and then bend to the County Road 800 â this is the fastest route to find the âauthenticâ Indiana without standing in traffic. I tried this one time, and the GPS only took me to a field after 15 minutes because it thought I wanted to be âadventurousâ. On the way you can count the fields that extend like an endless corn and soybeans chess board â a perfect background for a selfie that you can post later on on Instagram while you philosophy about the âMonterey Sightsâ.
Once there, let yourself be enchanted by the old wooden houses and the small cemetery that tell more stories than any tourist brochure. I feel that the residents here know more about their ancestors than about the latest smartphone update â and that is kind of refreshing. So, grab your suitcases, forget the city heroes and get ready for a little real, slightly cynical Indiana magic.
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You can assess light, perspective and location before visiting the site â ideal for photography, sunrises and sunsets.
To find the exact point where the sun disappears behind the skyline, use the azimuth display on poi-travel.de. In Monterey, the sun travels further northwest below the horizon in summer, while in winter it takes a more southwesterly angle. With the embedded line on the map, you can determine your tripod position down to the metre.
The scent of freshly mowed hay is in the air as soon as you leave the dusty land road that leads from Monterey, Tippecanoe Township, to Winamac â and suddenly the Tipecanoe River State Parka piece of untamed nature that I underestimate every time I cross the cracking wooden bridges over the river. The river glitters in the sunlight, and I have tried more than once to make a photo that is not ruined by a passing duck. Parking is usually a Klacks, as long as you don't get out of the surrounding family on weekends â then the field becomes a battlefield of overcrowded picnic blankets.
A short detour leads to Winamac Riverwalk, a narrow promenade that sounds like a sleeping cat along the Tippecanoe. Here you will meet Jogger, who believe they are in the Olympus, and old men who are standing in the tow and tell of âgood old timesâ. I once tried to throw a piece of bread to lure the fish, and was promptly robbed by a curious raccoon â a small, furry reminder, that nature is not as tame here as the brochures promise.
A few miles further, this rises Pulaski County Courthouse in Winamac, an imposing brick building that has more stories to tell than most guides. I took a lead there with a retired judge who told me that the court building once served as a âSchauplatz for the most dramatic village festivalsâ â a sentence that led me to a sneaking, because I can hardly imagine the image of the bargains in cowboy hats. Parking is a bit trickier here because the old town hall has no own parking space; you have to fight with the residents for a free space, which is always a small social experiment.
For those who prefer to run into dusty archives, there is Pulaski County Historical Museum. I spent more time there than I would like to admit, because the exhibition about the early settlers and the railroad is so captivating that I almost forgot that I actually wanted to take a short stop. The exhibition is not modern, but it makes the charm â old photos, handwritten diaries and a dusty model of a steam locomotive that is more snaring than an old armchair. Practical: The museum is located right next to the town hall, so you can combine parking there with the court.
A little off but definitely worth a visit, this is Kankakee River State Park in neighbouring Illinois. I spent a weekend there because I thought a bit of âout-of-stateâ adventure would pop my Instagram story. The park offers hiking trails that lead through dense forests and a lake where you can swim in the summer â a real contrast to the shallow fields of Indiana. Parking is generous, but the approach can become a small odyssey in winter when the roads are smooth.
Back in Winamac, the Winamac Farmers Market every Saturday morning. Here there are fresh strawberries, homemade jams and the notorious âcheese crustâ, which is supposed to be the secret of the local population. I once discovered a stand where an older couple sold handmade wood carvings â a piece of Indiana that can be taken home without feeling a tourist. Parking is a bit chaotic here because most visitors turn off their cars directly on the lawn, but this gives the whole a certain charm.
Another highlight that is often overlooked is the Winamac Public Library. It is not only a place to read, but also a cultural centre that regularly hosts readings and small concerts. I experienced a Poetry Slam where a local farmer jumped over the âMĂŒhsal des Maisanbauâ â an experience that made me laugh and think at the same time. Parking is practical here because the library has a small but well organized parking lot, which is usually free as long as you do not come to lunchtime.
Last but not least, Winamac Fairgrounds do not forget, who awaken to life every year in August. The rides, the sugar cane empire and the local cattle show are a festival for the senses. I once tried to drive a carousel there, just to realize that I am afraid of heights â a short but educational moment. The site offers enough parking, but on the main days the field fills faster than a popcorn bag in a cinema.
So if you're looking for Monterey's sights that make the heart of a slightly cynical traveler beat faster, these surrounding attractions are just the right thing â a mix of nature, history and a bit of slanted charm that makes the whole experience something special.
I have to confess to you: my favorite place in Monterey is the old town hall, hidden in the heart of the town like a lost treasure. The building is not exactly an architectural marvel â rather a stubborn piece of brick that has been hosting the city administration since the 1880s â but the atmosphere there is really great if you are honest because you hear the sum of the old air conditioning system while you try to fill out the form for the building office. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the whole neighborhood comes together to grill and blocks the road.
A short walk over Monterey Bridge leads you over the Wabash River, and here comes the first time I understood the hype about âhistorical bridgesâ. The steel straps crawl every step, and you get the feeling as if you were playing in an old Western film â only without horses and with more mosquitoes. I once made a picnic with my mate, and we fought to see if the water smells like fish or old rubber. Spoiler: both a little.
If you're looking for a place where you can get rid of your energy, look at this Monterey Community Park on. The playground is not just a Disneyland, but the swing is stable enough to swing you up to the next sunset, and the baseball field is inhabited on the weekend by a group of seniors who still feel like teenagers when they hit a home run. I once lost a Frisbee game with a few teenagers because I was too busy googling the âMonterey Sightsâ on my phone.
A bit melancholic is the Monterey Cemeterya quiet place where the history of the city is written in weathered gravestones. I visited my great aunt, who was buried here in 1912, and had to laugh because the tomb still carries the word âeternal restâ, although the only thing that is truly eternal here is the weed. Practically, there is no parking, you just have to park at the edge of the road and run a few meters â this is almost a workout.
Another highlight I can't leave is that Monterey Historic District. The road that leads through the neighborhood is lined with old houses that look like they just left a time travel film set. I once met a local historian who told me that the house was used as a post office next to the old bakery building â a detail I had never noticed before, because I was too busy looking for the best coffee.
For those who prefer to eat something, there is the little diner on the main road, which calls itself âthe heart of Montereyâ. The food is not Michelin-worthy, but the pancakes are really good, and the service always has a sarcastic spell when you ask after the day menu. I ordered a burger there that was so big that I almost had to eat it with a spoon â a real test for your chewing muscle.
Last but not least a small secret tip: the old school house complex, which now serves as a municipal center. There are regular art exhibitions and small concerts that are usually organized by people who think they are the next big thing. I was once at a reading where the author talked more about his cat than about his book â a real pastime if you're looking for something off the mainstream.
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