Happy National Indiana Day!
The following is from NationalDayCalendar.com:
"On November 16th, National Indiana Day revs up its engines for the state that’s the home of the Indy 500 and Hoosier hospitality, too.
Indiana was the 19th state to enter the Union. James Monroe had just defeated Rufus King in the 1816 presidential race to become the 5th President of the United States. The second state to enter the Union from the Northwest Territory, Indiana grew rapidly.
As the “Crossroads of American, we can thank the many interstates and railroads transversing the state for getting us across the country. Indiana’s highways and byways do not keep the state from a rural feel in a growing urban world. With an abundance of rivers, streams and farmland, Lake Michigan to the North, words don’t fail Hoosiers. Her authors, poets and songwriters have a continuous source of inspiration.
They are also inspired by a sport that started with a peach basket long ago. Basketball fills hearts of Hoosiers, as the movie with the same name would tell you. As far as the citizens of the fine state go, it’s a mystery how they earn their name.
From miners, farmers, inventors, entertainers, industrialists, and many more, Indiana grows more than corn. There’s plenty to see as the heartland helps keep the country moving right along."
There are a few really cool things in Indiana I'd love to check out, so I'm here to share them with you! If you live in Indiana, have visited, or want to visit, let me know what is on your list of must-see's! Here's mine:
Parke County Covered Bridge Festival
There are 31 covered bridges in Parke County, but almost 100 across the whole state of Indiana! They're charming and full of history. I think they'd be the perfect place to take some vintage-style photos. I've never seen a bridge quite like the covered ones they have. It's almost like a tunnel but it's not going through anything. There's a couple theories I've found as to why they're covered. One of the theories is that it helped animals cross the bridges - if they were covered they wouldn't be scared by the rushing water. Another theory was that covering the bridge helped prevent decay and rot. I thought that was kind of interesting! The oldest ones were built all the way in the 1800's!
You can read more about it HERE.
Belterra: Indiana's Premiere Gambling Boat
Belterra is a resort and casino in Indiana, but what I think is really cool about it is that the casino part is on a boat that floats in the Ohio river! I am not really into gambling, but I think it'd be a unique thing to visit. I'd love to go just for a good show and good food, and then to walk around the casino just so say I did ;) They have thousands of games and even a smoke-free area which I think is a huge plus.
Find out more about it HERE.
The Indy 500
It's highly unlikely that you've never heard of the Indy 500. It's a 500 mile race that's held in Indianapolis every year. Yes, you read that right: 500 miles. That is so far! The cars go as fast as 230 MPH. Imagine taking a ride with one of the professional drivers... I don't think I could ever do that. This race is the largest single-day sporting event in the entire world, and I'd love to go even just once. I can already feel the rush!
You can find out more about it HERE.
*photos have been linked to sources*