Discoveries in Montgomery County range from historic collections and architecture to trails by the water. At the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County, history, culture, science and art come together in an interdisciplinary museum. It is housed in the 1902 Carnegie Library building, the first Carnegie library to open in Indiana. The building’s architectural history thus becomes part of the cultural theme, too.
Buildings, Collections and History
The General Lew Wallace Study & Museum preserves General Wallace’s personal mementos and hosts educational and entertaining programs each year for learners of all ages. The collection and recurring program have different emphases: personal remembrance and educational offerings for a broad age range.
Lane Place is the Greek Revival-style home of Senator Henry S. and Joanna Lane. As a museum, it preserves and displays furnishings and objects belonging to the Lane and Elston families, as well as items from Montgomery County. The grounds are also home to the Speed Cabin, once a refuge for escaped enslaved people. The same grounds thus bring together the history of the house and a site with its own significance in the history of escape from slavery.
Elston House was built between 1880 and 1882. Architecturally, it is considered an outstanding example of the Eastern Stick style; it is also significant for its connection to a family that played a major role in shaping Crawfordsville. The Linden Depot Museum is housed in an original, fully restored 1908 railroad junction station. The Montgomery County (Rotary) Jail and Sheriff’s Residence are also part of the area’s history: both were designated National Historic Landmarks in 2023. The Rotary Jail Museum is one of three surviving rotary jails.
Trails, Water and Local Gatherings
The natural destinations also differ considerably in scale. Sugar Creek Nature Park covers nearly 64 acres and has more than 4,000 feet of trails. Shades State Park spans 3,541 acres. These figures provide a concrete comparison of the two parks’ sizes.
The Sugar Creek Community Trail is 4.5 miles long and intended for walking and cycling; in part, it follows a former Big Four rail line. The Sugar Creek Trail, in turn, connects Crawfordsville High School to the Big Four rail corridor and continues on to R.R. Donnelley Trailhead Park and Sugar Creek. The different details help visitors distinguish between the similarly named trails: the Community Trail is described by its length and activities, while the Sugar Creek Trail is defined by its connections.
Deer’s Mill Covered Bridge was built by J. J. Daniels in 1878. It was named for the gristmill and woolen mills located there. Access to Sugar Creek for canoeists is also maintained in the area around the bridge. The bridge’s history, the origin of its name and its connection to the creek come together here.
TASTE of Montgomery County offers a seasonal perspective on the county: Every year in late summer, restaurants, caterers, craft breweries and wineries from Montgomery County gather there. If you’d like to include the festival in your travel plans, check the dates for that year.
To reach downtown Crawfordsville, drive west on I-74. Take Exit 34 onto US-231 North toward Crawfordsville and continue for another six miles to downtown.
Discover more destinations: Crawfordsville, Vigo, Grant County, Ripley, Dubois County, Huntington County, Howard County, Morgan
For the main travel overview: Indiana.
