The story at Culbertson Mansion begins with a specific year: construction of the French Second Empire-style building began in 1867 for William Stewart Culbertson. Tours explore the family, his life, and his philanthropy. Here, architectural history and biography come together, offering an engaging introduction to the historical themes you can discover at sites throughout Floyd County.
Architecture, Museums, and Historic Trails
Town Clock Church was completed in 1852. It is Second Baptist Church and was recognized as an official National Park Service Network to Freedom site on July 5, 2017. The Carnegie Center for Art and History brings together two distinct functions: it is a local history museum and a contemporary art gallery.
At the Padgett Museum, the permanent exhibition “By the River’s Edge” tells the story of New Albany and Floyd County. The museum is housed in the historic William Young House, built in 1837. Its Federal style shows strong influences of Greek Revival architecture. The exhibition and the building therefore offer two different ways to explore the past: through the history on display and through the architecture of the house.
The New Albany Downtown Historic District reflects the city’s historical development and commercial growth. It includes outstanding examples of commercial and institutional buildings from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as some residential buildings. Another early trace of New Albany’s history is the Scribner House: considered the city’s first wood-frame house, it was built by Joel Scribner in 1814.
The Buffalo Trace tells a story of changing uses: Indigenous peoples used the route, which later became an important travel route for early settlers and the military. In 1800, it became a federal post road; in 1824, a scheduled stagecoach route; and in 1836, the New Albany-Paoli Turnpike.
The Floyd County Carnegie Library Cultural Arts Center also offers several cultural perspectives: it is an art gallery with rotating exhibitions, family workshops, and permanent exhibits about the Underground Railroad and Lucy Higgs Nichols. Harvest Homecoming offers another perspective on New Albany. The festival has been held there since 1967 and has grown and evolved ever since.
Parks and Trails with Different Features
Sam Peden Community Park covers 104.5 acres and is the largest park in Floyd County. Kiwanis Lake offers opportunities for fishing and for boating with certain types of boats. Campbell Woodland Nature Trails covers 122 acres of land and features a paved trail, footbridges over streams, and a waterfall. The trails are open seven days a week, from morning until evening.
Loop Island Wetlands is a 47-acre natural wetland on the Ohio River in New Albany. Melvin and Vickie Jensen Nature Preserve and Trails evokes a hilly landscape with more than 200 acres of woods, streams, and farmland. It has hiking trails and a trailhead. For a direct comparison of length, the walking path in Greenville Park and the walking trail in Kevin Hammersmith Memorial Park are each 0.75 miles long.
The Ohio River Greenway is a 7.5-mile multi-use trail connecting Jeffersonville, Clarksville, and New Albany. It is suitable for walking, biking, jogging, and picnicking. In the wider region around Floyd County, the greenway along the Ohio River provides access to the river from each of the connected riverfront communities. This differs clearly from the trails at Loop Island Wetlands, which are for foot traffic only.
Special Experiences
At Mount Saint Francis, the self-guided Self Guided Outdoor Pilgrimage highlights 19 outdoor visitor sites. Owl Prowl offers a different experience: the annual event includes a guided nighttime hike along the trails at Mount Saint Francis, where participants look for owls and other nocturnal wildlife. If you plan to take part in either experience, it’s worth checking the dates in advance.
For the broader travel overview: Indiana.
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