In 1906, Dan Patch set a world record of 1:55 over one mile, and the mark stood for 32 years. He became famous in Grand Circuit racing and never lost a race. A look at Benton County thus brings you to a distinct chapter in sports history, before its architecture, landscape, and events reveal more facets of the region.
Architecture and Public Spaces
The Earl Park Library is a Carnegie library dating to 1913, and its original fabric has been preserved. The construction date places the building in its historical context, while the preserved fabric also draws attention to its architectural design.
At the center of the Oxford Town Square Historic District is a rectangular public space that serves as a town park. Commercial buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries stand around the edge of the district. In this way, an open public space in the middle and historic commercial buildings around the perimeter meet—two distinct elements within the same streetscape.
The Benton County Courthouse was built in 1874 in the Second Empire style. Another architectural highlight is the Historic Fowler Theatre: its design conveys an Art Deco look and atmosphere, and its restoration preserved defining elements of the style. Its film history is also remarkable: the theater was one of only five movie theaters in the United States where “Gone with the Wind” premiered.
A Landscape of Farmland and Prairie
More than 90 percent of Benton County is used for agriculture. Earl Park lies at the far eastern edge of the historic tallgrass prairie. These details describe different scales: agricultural land use across the county and Earl Park’s location on the edge of a historic landscape. When considering the region, you can distinguish between the two rather than combining them into a single landscape picture.
The habitat around Earl Park is home to white-tailed deer, mink, beavers, badgers, rabbits, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and opossums. Canada geese, pheasants, quail, great egrets, and numerous birds of prey are also associated with the area. The range of wildlife thus includes both mammals and a variety of bird species.
Another point in the history of regional energy development can be placed in time precisely: in 2016, the Benton County Wind Corridor Kiosk was an educational stop on wind farm tours and covered the history of wind energy development in the county.
Seasonal Events and Getting There
The Earl Park Fall Festival takes place annually over Labor Day weekend and was established in 1972; the exact date varies from year to year. The program includes different evening meals each day, such as a fish fry, chicken noodle dinner, and chicken dinner. The food offerings may change from year to year. In 2016, the program also included bluegrass music. If you’re planning your trip around the event, check the dates and program for that year.
In Oxford, the Downtown Oxford Farmer’s Market takes place on the paved town square annually from mid-June through the first weekend in October. As the seasonal schedule should be confirmed each year, check the dates for your intended travel year.
As a general guide for getting there: Benton County is accessible via US Highways 41 and 52 and Interstates 65 and 74. When planning your trip, you can take into account both seasonal events and the region’s varied historical and landscape-related themes.
Discover more destinations: Fowler, Spencer County, Posey County, Laporte, Harrison County, Hamilton, Delaware, Shelby County.
For the main travel overview: Indiana.
