Montgomery County: Culture, History, and Trails along Sugar Creek
Accommodation in Montgomery County
Montgomery County combines impressive cultural history with trails, waterscapes, and special places for shared exploration.
Museums and Historic Places
The General Lew Wallace Study & Museum preserves personal memorabilia of General Wallace. It also hosts educational and entertainment programs for learners of all ages every year. The Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County takes an interdisciplinary approach and focuses on history, culture, science, and art. It is housed in the 1902 Carnegie Library building, the first Carnegie Library opened in Indiana.
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 also include the Speed Cabin, which was once a refuge for escaped slaves. Those interested in the history of individual buildings can also include Elston House: it was built between 1880 and 1882 and is significant because of its historical connection to a family that played a major role in shaping the development of Crawfordsville.
Other notable examples of regional history include the Montgomery County (Rotary) Jail and the Sheriff’s Residence, which were designated National Historic Landmarks in 2023. The Rotary Jail Museum is one of three surviving rotary jails; its cell block rotates. The Linden Depot Museum is housed in an original, fully restored railroad junction building from 1908. These different places each add a distinct historical touch to your trip, without requiring you to focus on a single museum theme.
Trails, Water, and Landscapes
Several trails with different characteristics are available for active days. The Sugar Creek Community Trail is 4.5 miles long and can be used for hiking and biking. In part, it follows a former Big Four rail line. The Sugar Creek Trail connects Crawfordsville High School with the Big Four rail corridor and continues to R.R. Donnelley Trailhead Park and Sugar Creek.
Sugar Creek Nature Park covers nearly 64 acres and has more than 4,000 feet of trails. Shades State Park covers 3,541 acres and expands the selection with a larger landscape setting. Access to Sugar Creek for canoeists is maintained near the Deer’s Mill Covered Bridge. The bridge was built in 1878 by J. J. Daniels; it was named after the grain mill and woolen mills located there.
Trip Planning and Choosing Accommodation
When searching for a vacation rental in Montgomery County, you can first decide which type of trip matters most to you: museums and architecture, trails and biking, or experiences on the water. If you are traveling with children of different ages, the annual educational and entertainment programs for learners of all ages are another factor to consider. To reach Crawfordsville, take I-74 westbound, exit at 34 onto US-231 North toward Crawfordsville, and then continue another six miles to downtown.
The regional food culture can also be incorporated into your plans. Every year in late summer, restaurants, caterers, craft breweries, and wineries from Montgomery County come together for TASTE of Montgomery County. Those who want to focus their stay more on the town can consider Crawfordsville as a destination in its own right. This allows you to choose your accommodation based on the experiences you want to explore in greater depth during your trip.
For the broader travel overview: Indiana.
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