Visit Hoagland Allen Indiana and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Hoagland, Indiana: Discover the "Buchtel Park Zoo and Nature Preserve" - a small but interesting animal enclosure in the heart of the forest!
Hoagland sights are perhaps not what one expects in a guide, but that makes up the charm – a small village founded in 1850 as a “Middletown”, later renamed after the influential Hoagland family name, and since then sneaked in the heart of Madison Township, Allen County. To be honest, the story here is not a Hollywood blockbuster, but rather a quiet whisper of railroad rails, which once formed the backbone of the grain export, and of a village school, which today serves more as a community center. If you take the I‐69 by car, take the exit 104 and follow the County Road 800 – this is the fastest way to get here without having to torture you through endless city bus lines.
I don't understand the hype about big cities, but the small café on Main Street, which I visit every morning with a black coffee, has more soul than some hipster lounges. And while you're sitting there, you'll take a look at the old water tower mooring that has been overlooking the village since the 1920s – a perfect photo motif that you can later hide in your Instagram feed without having it look too cheesy. Next to the café there is a small park where locals run their dogs and you can ask why you don't want to stay longer. If you're still doing a detour to the nearby Allen County Fairgrounds, you realize that the “Hoagland Sights” are more than just points on a map – they are a piece of real, slightly cynical midwestern authenticity that calms you at the same time and challenges you a bit.
I have to admit that my favorite place in Hoagland is not some hipest café, but that Hoagland Community Park. There, where the old oaks almost cover the sky, you can finally recover from the urban noise – without a WLAN signal that constantly reminds you of your To-Do list. I lit a campfire with a few locals on a lukewarm summer evening; the grilling was nothing special, but the laughing of the kids who flick up and down on the playground was really great. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the annual Hoagland Fall Festival starts.
If you have enough of the green, I'd like to make Hoagland United Methodist Church. Yes, this is really a church – not a hip art gallery, but the brick building from the early 20th. Century has character. I don't quite understand the hype about modern glass soldering, but here every sticky wooden bench has its own history. At the last worship I set myself next to an older gentleman who told me that he married here in 1952; that was a short but fine insight into the local timeline.
A short detour leads you to Hoagland Cemetery, a place you would easily overlook if you were not to Hoagland Attractions search. The tombstones are not only stone, they are almost works of art from another era. I found a specially crafted stone there that carries an old family coat – a real eye-catcher if you are interested in genealogy. The cemetery is right behind the church, so this is a quick roundabout if you want to count your steps.
A little more “local flair” you get Hoagland Feed & Farm Supply. It's not just a shop, it's the heart of the agricultural community. I bought some fresh eggs there, and the seller immediately suggested a recipe for an omelette with herbs from her garden – no joke, that was better than any food blog video. The parking lot is a small, unsealed stripe, but this is part of the charm, because here you meet again and again real Hoaglanders who stop the door with a smile.
Another highlight I can't leave is that Hoagland Fire Department. Sounds like a place where you only extinguish fire, but the building is a small museum for the history of fire protection in the region. I saw an old, rusty fire truck from the 1960s, still in the courtyard – a real eye-catcher for those who love retro machines. Admission is free, and the staff even lets you touch a few hoses if you want to feel like a child in the playground.
If you're looking for a place to sniff a little culture, then look at this Hoagland Historic Grain Elevator at the County Road 600 N. The old wooden shaft is no longer in operation, but it reminds us of the importance of cereals for the economy. I took a few photos there while a tractor passed – the picture now has an honorary place in my Instagram feed, although I must admit that I consider the whole as a “rustic photo motif” rather than as a tourist attraction.
Last but not least, if you're looking for a little snack, this is Hoagland Bar & Grill That's right. The restaurant is not just a gourmet temple, but the burgers are solid and the beer from the barrel tastes like real Indiana brewery. I once tried a “Hoagland Special” there, which consisted of a thick Patty, Cheddar and a secret sauce – I swear, that was better than any food truck creation I ever had. The seats are outdoors, so you can enjoy the weather, and the staff is so friendly that you almost forget that you are only looking past for a quick bite.
The first stop of my little Odyssey leads me to Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, a place that parents and grandparents call a “must”, although I could never fully understand the hype about the giraffe feeding. The way from Hoagland is a straight stretch of about 20 miles, and parking is almost always a Klack until you arrive there on Saturday night and suddenly see a small battlefield of strollers and picnic baskets. I got my daughter there trying to steal a piece of apple from a cheeky straw male, and that was the highlight of the day because the animal returned her with a look “No, that’s my snack!”.
A short detour to the east brings you to Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory. I have to admit that all the time I thought it was just a chic greenhouse until I saw the tropical orchids that were almost bigger than my hand. The entrance is free, parking is a bit tricky at the rear end of the park, but a short walk through the surrounding avenues is worth it. I met an older gentleman there who told me that he came here every Wednesday to smell the roses – a ritual he never missed because “the urban air is otherwise too boring”.
If you're looking for history, that's Allen County Courthouse in Fort Wayne a must. The imposing brick building from 1902 looks like a relic from another era, and the interior is decorated with marble columns and artistic ceilings – a real Instagram spot if you believe it. I once discovered a small museum of local jurisprudence that hardly anyone mentions because the city prefers to talk about the “big” courthouse. Parking is usually easy at the main square, except when a local festival takes over the city centre.
A little further south lies Johnny Appleseed Park, a green spot that has more to offer than just a playground. The lake there is ideal for a spontaneous paddleboat adventure, and I once walked in one of the small cafes on the shore because I thought the sign “Only for anglers” was a hint of a secret menu. The park is well signposted, parking is free at the main entrance, and the paths are perfect for a cozy walk after lunch.
For those who love the water, River Greenway an endless band of paths along the St. Joseph and Maume River. I spent a few hours there to just walk and see the city from a different perspective. The special thing is that you can rent a bike almost everywhere – a service I discovered when I was looking for a place to relieve my tired legs. Parking at the access points is usually a children's game as long as you don't arrive at the main traffic time.
A little further north, almost at the border to Ohio, this is Fort Wayne Museum of Art. I was there because I thought it was a small local museum, but the collection is surprisingly extensive, from contemporary art to regional artists. The building itself is an architectural jewel that you should not overlook, and parking is in the back courtyard where you almost never have to find a place as long as you do not arrive with a group of school classes.
The Wabash & Erie Canal Park not missing. The old canal, once the backbone of the trade, is today a quiet place for fishing and picnicing. I once found an old rowing boat there, which was apparently there since the 70s, and worked it short to an improvised raft – a fun I wouldn't recommend to everyone, but definitely an experience you don't forget. Parking is free at the main entrance, and the terrain is well maintained so you don't have to fight through mud.
If you are looking for a mix of nature, history and a bit of urban flair, the above goals around Hoagland offer a surprisingly wide range. Whether you prefer the animal inhabitants in the zoo, the flowering plants in the Conservatory or the quiet waterways of the Rivergreenway – there is something to discover for everyone. And yes, all that counts among the Hoagland Attractionsthat you should not miss if you want to experience the real Indiana.
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