Honestly, if you're looking for a place where history and a little rural buck, then the Odon sights are just right – at least from my slightly cynical point of view. Odon was founded in 1850 as a small railway hub, and although the city never mutated into the metropolis, it kept its charm because no one wants to renovate large-scale here. Madison Township, which surrounds the town, is basically a huge field of corn and a few old barns that tell more stories than some Instagram feeds.
I usually drive over the US route 50, because the highway is barely crowded here and when you turn into the city you see the sign “Welcome to Odon”, which almost seems ironic – as if the city welcomes you, although it has hardly anything to offer. Nevertheless, there are a few corners that I do not want to miss: the old town hall, which today serves as a café, and the small cemetery area, where the founders of 1850 have their last resting places. I don't quite understand the hype about the annual autumn parade, but the community feeling behind it is really great.
So if you arrive by car or bus (the line 69 stops here twice a day), take your time to stroll through the main road and check the Odon sights with your own eyes – you will be surprised how much character can be stuck in so little space.
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To find the exact point where the sun disappears behind the skyline, use the azimuth display on poi-travel.de. In Odon, 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 old Odon Bridge, which runs over the White River, is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the surroundings of Odon – a crunching piece of steel, which was built in 1905 and today still holds the traffic from land roads 300 E to the next field. I parked there once with my old pickup, parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the local anglers occupy the whole shore. The view of the water is not spectacular, but the rush of the river has something soothing that you rarely find in a city.
A couple of miles further Davies County Historical Museum in Washington, which I visit almost every year because I feel like inhaling a piece of Indiana there. The exhibition is a mixture of old agricultural machinery, photos of horse-drawn carriages and a collection of everyday objects that show how hard the people used to work here. I don't quite understand the hype about “interactive” museums, but here there is at least a real original telegrapher device that still works – a small triumph of history.
The Washington Courthouse, an impressive brick building from the 1920s, is another highlight that I like to knock on to test the acoustics. The hall sounds like a concert hall when you take a few steps there; This is a trick I like to do with tourists who think they'd be watching a trial here. Practical: The building is located directly at the main square, so there is always enough space to escape when the city festivals go.
If I want to escape the urban hustle, I'm going to Patoka Lake, about 30 miles east. The lake is a popular destination for anglers, boaters and families who plan a picnic on the shore. I tried a carp fishing there once – the result was a wet but happy fish that I immediately put back into the water because I didn't feel like being a tourist that exploits the ecosystem. The parking lot is large, but on hot summer days it can be full, so it's better to be there early.
A short detour leads to Odon Cemetery, a quiet cemetery that tells more stories than some city library. I found the tombstones of my great-grandparents there and read a few old, weathered inscriptions that report to pioneers who are the country in the 19th century. the century. The place is freely accessible, parking is a simple field path, and the whole thing has an almost meditative charm when breaking the silence.
Another small jewel is the Odon Community Park, a place that locals use for barbecues and children's birthdays. I once experienced a spontaneous street music festival where a local Banjo player and a few young people improvised with a guitar. The playground is not huge, but grilling is a children's game thanks to the existing fire places, and parking is practically directly at the entrance – no stress, no crowd.
Finally, I must mention the Odon Methodist Church, a simple brick building from the 1880s, which is still open on Sundays. I took part in a church service there, only to test the acoustics, and was surprised how clearly the organ sounds were echoed by the high ceilings. The entrance area offers enough space for bikes, and the small Kirchhofsfeld next door is a quiet place to stay.
Whether you are looking for history, nature or a quiet place to shut down – the surroundings of Odon have more to offer than you would suspect at first glance. From historical bridges to museums to lakes and small parks – here you will find a kaleidoscope of experiences that make the picture of Odon Attractions shape and give every traveler a little Indiana charm.
I have to admit that my favorite place in Odon Town Hall is a red brick building that looks like an architect from the early 20th. century had a bad day and decided to overdo everything a little. I once visited a small city archive because I thought I could learn a bit more about the city's history, and instead found some yellowed photos of horse carriages that reminded me more of an Instagram filter experiment than real history. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because then the annual “Odon Summerfest” takes place in the front garden of the town hall and everyone tries to get a place for his tent.
Directly next to the town hall, the Main road through the heart of the city – a piece I like to call “Odon’s Mini-Main-Street” because it acts as charming as well as surviving. There are some antique shops that have more dust than goods, but that's what makes the charm. I found an old radio there, which is supposed to still work, and after a few attempts it was clear: It is a nice piece of decoration, but not a working device. Nevertheless, if you have a little time, it is worth a stroll, because you can feel the real “small city life” here – without the usual tourist crowd.
A short walk further leads you to Odon Public Libraryhoused in the former school building from the 1920s. I was there because I was looking for a book about Indiana history, and was instead greeted by a friendly librarian who offered me some local magazines that report more about the current weather in Odon than about anything historical. The building itself is a good example of how to transform old walls into a functional, though somewhat narrow, public space. If you have a car, there is a small garage behind the building – usually empty, except when the school has an event.
The Community Park is what I would call the “green heart” of Odon. A simple but well maintained place with a small pavilion, a few baseball-diamonds and a playground that offers more rusty climbing stands than modern attractions. I once made a picnic with a few friends, and we were amusing that the only “light show” was the flickering of the old street lights. On sunny days, parking at the edge of the parking lot is a children's game, but if the local high school team has a game, the field turns into a battlefield from cars.
Another highlight that I do not want to conceal is the St John the Baptist Catholic Church. The building is a classic example of neo-Gothic architecture that is rarely found in Indiana. I took part in a fair once, just to find out that the acoustics inside is so good that you can hear every whisper from the back row – a real blessing if you are a shy tourist who doesn't like to speak loudly. The parking lot is small, but sufficient as long as you are not at the Sunday fair with the whole village there.
If you really want the full Odon experience, you should Odon Summerfest do not miss – an annual spectacle that extends across the entire city centre. I visited the festival once because I thought there were a few local artisans there, and instead was spilled with a mixture of rides, barbecue stands and a local band playing “Country Rock”. The best places to watch are the empty benches in front of the town hall, where you can observe the colorful driving without suffocating yourself in the crowd. And yes, this is definitely one of the Odon Attractionsthat you should not overlook if you want to experience the real life in a small town.
Last but not least there is the old School building, which today serves as a community centre. I once visited a yoga course that was led by a former teacher who knew more about the city's history than about the correct execution of the sun's green pots. The room is large enough to hold a few hundred people, and parking is almost always free thanks to a small field behind the building – a rare luxury in a city that is otherwise plagued by parking problems.
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