Edinburgh, Indiana, can be explored through two distinct interests: local history and golf. The first trading post in Johnson County, a historic district, and a mural commemorating an anniversary offer different ways to connect with the local past. The public Timbergate Golf Course adds a distinct sporting option.
A Historic District as a Starting Point
The Edinburgh Commercial Historic District lies in the heart of Edinburgh and covers about two and a half blocks. This gives the district a clearly defined physical scale. Its local significance is identified under Criteria A and C in the areas of transportation, commerce, government, and architecture. These four themes offer different perspectives on the same district: transportation and commerce provide different historical points of entry than government and architecture. Those interested in local history can start with this clearly defined area and then explore individual historical connections.
Places with Stories of Their Own
The site of the Edinburgh Public Library was home to the first trading post in Johnson County. Horizon Bank/Thompson Bank was a station on the Underground Railroad. These two connections lead to different aspects of the past: the trading post represents the county’s early commercial history, while the bank represents a chapter in the history of the Underground Railroad. The congregation of Holy Trinity Catholic Church moved into its current church building in 1883; the Pixy Theatre was built in 1907. This brings church and theater history into the picture, with two clearly distinct dates: 1883 marks the congregation’s move into its current building, while 1907 is the theater’s year of construction.
Transportation history is also represented: Edinburgh’s Interurban Depot served an electric railway whose Dixie Flyer cars passed through town six times a day. This brings a specific transportation episode into focus alongside the buildings.
Anniversary Motif and Tour
A mural in Edinburgh helped commemorate the city’s 200th anniversary in 2022. Its imagery combines the river’s location and the dam with fish, along with a secondary, almost subtle allusion to Camp Atterbury. This offers a different perspective from the history of buildings and transportation: the anniversary is expressed as an artistic motif connected to the river and dam. Those interested in public art can consider this alongside the historic sites as another way of seeing Edinburgh.
The Historic Edinburgh Tour offers a chance to explore the history of downtown on site. It focuses on downtown history as a theme, while the places mentioned above bring specific events and construction dates into view. This lets you give different weight to a broader historical perspective and individual local stories.
A Different Focus: Golf
If you want to shape your stay differently, you can make golf a focus in its own right. Timbergate Golf Course is a public golf course in Edinburgh. It offers an alternative to the cultural and historical attractions. When looking for hotels in Edinburgh, your reason for traveling can be the first filter: do you want local history to be the focus, or would you like to include golf in your trip? You can then compare accommodations based on your own requirements.
Discover more destinations: Greenwood.
View the broader travel overview: Johnson.
