Rensselaer, Indiana in Jasper County

What Rensselaer, Indiana lacks in size it makes up for in loads of charm.

Rensselaer is just one of those small Indiana towns where you constantly find yourself saying, “Wow! Look at that house! There are a lot of fancy Victorians all over the place.

Rensselaer, Indiana in Jasper County

One of my favorite features of a small town is the presence of a stately courthouse. Rensselaer boasts an imposing Gothic styled three story courthouse.

Stone-carved figures and expressive (translation: creepy) faces line the doorways, keeping watch over the town since 1896!

Inside, well, let’s just say you are in for a surprise, but here‘s a hint: Marble flooring, stenciled ceilings…super sharp. Be sure to poke around!

Surrounding the massive courthouse, “The Square,”  is where much of the action in town takes place. Cobblestone streets line two sides and it isn’t hard to imagine the sounds of horse hooves once clacking along pulling carriages in front of the turn-of-the century buildings.

Downtown Rensselaer, Indiana

Sure, some could use a little TLC, but for the most part it is a really neat downtown with some fun little shops. Everyone is ready with a smile or a simple “hello.”  I love that!

The great thing about Rensselaer, Indiana, though, is that there always seems to be something going on, many times located on The Square itself.

Art in the Alley, Little Cousin Jasper, the County Fair, Oktoberfest, Art Camp…and the list goes on.  That doesn’t even count the events and activities that occur at the nearby St. Joseph’s College!

Go There

Rensselaer, Indiana is a great choice for a fun-filled, family-oriented small town escape.

See more Rensselaer, Indiana images and other pictures in Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Rensselaer, Indiana in Jasper County

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little Indiana: Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in Small Towns in Indiana. Discovering Indiana’s best small towns! Now get little Indiana on your Kindle.

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Related posts:

1. Rensselaer, Indiana: Architecture
2. Images From Jasper County Historical Society and Museum in Rensselaer, Indiana
3. Little Cousin Jasper in Rensselaer, Indiana or Nod to James Whitcomb Riley

By now, it’s probably pretty obvious that I love Victorian era homes and shops and the small town of Plymouth, Indiana certainly fits the bill!

Plymouth Indiana, Downtown

With bright colors and the unexpected flourish, this is a particularly handsome downtown. Especially when you include the stately courthouse.

Downtown Plymouth, Indiana

Park the car and walk around not only the downtown, but a chunk of Michigan Street as well.  This long main drag is lined with amazing home after amazing home.

Plymouth, Indiana has a rather large number of shops for a small Indiana town. There’s even a neat old-fashioned movie theater.  Clothing, antiques, and one of a kinds interrupted by the occasional café, restaurant, pub, or office.

Playtime!

Once the shopping is out of the way, reward the kiddies with a trip to Centennial Park.  There are a mess of paved running/biking/roller blading trails and a huge wooden playground that can’t be beat.

It has lots of creative nooks, crannies, and bridges for kids to climb up and crawl through — there’s even a jail!  I love it!  I mean, the kid loves it.

Things to Do in Plymouth

Anyway, Plymouth, Indiana is also home to the world-famous Blueberry Festival (ok, maybe not world famous, but you would think so to hear my husband talk about it!).

The Blueberry Festival does happen to be the largest three day festival in the Midwest, with the biggest craft section I have seen so far.

There are also carnival games, kids rides, and a bunch of those nausea inducing, gravity defying rides for brave souls (yeah, NO). A marathon and hot air balloon events round things out the weekend.

Plymouth Indiana Downtown

Summer Fun

Aside from the Blueberry Festival, the summer brings a nice farmers’ market on River and East Garro.

Choose from locally grown and mostly inexpensive farm fresh produce as well as a smattering of other locally made wares and crafts.

You never know what you are going to find. Tip: Do a walk-through first THEN buy after you have a chance to compare prices and quality!

It’s a really nice looking town. I’m hoping to get back there one of these days and stay in one of the super cute bed and breakfasts. When I do…you’ll be the first to know!

Find more Plymouth, Indiana images and other pictures in Indiana on my Flickr photostream.

Plymouth, Indiana in Marshall County

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little Indiana: Where to Stay, Play, and Eat in Small Towns in Indiana. Discovering Indiana’s best small towns! Now get little Indiana on your Kindle.

New! Offering affordable online advertising for your small Indiana business! little Indiana Businesses is the online presence that you’ve been looking for.

Related posts:

1. The Blueberry Festival: It’s a Berry Good Time!
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3. Summer Fest in Bourbon, Indiana