About Tourism in Indiana

• Identification

  Indiana is bordered by Michigan and Lake Michigan to the north, Ohio to the east, Illinois to the west and Kentucky to the south. Indiana is divided into three land regions, with the north being the Great Lakes Plains, which are fertile lowlands as well as Dunes along the lake shore. The middle, which is Till Plains, this is known as the Corn Belt and is typically low hills and valleys. And the Southern Plains and Lowlands to the south which is the hilliest part of the state consisting of several caves that are carved into the limestone by underground streams.

• History of

  On December 11, 1816, Indiana became the 19th state. Corydon in southern Indiana was the state capital until 1825 when the capital was renamed as Indianapolis located at the middle of the state. Indiana got it's name from the land of the Indians because of the large population of Indians that were located in the state when settlers arrived. People from Indiana are called Hoosiers. It has been referred as the Hoosier state as early as 1830. There are a number of tall stories about where the name Hoosier originated.

• Geography

  Longitude: 84° 49' W to 88° 4' W Latitude: 37° 47' N to 41° 46' N Indiana is 270 miles long and 140 miles wide. The state is shaped similar to a boot with a pointed toe on the left side.

• Significance

  What is significant about Indiana? Many famous people hale from Indiana like Larry Bird from French Lick, Bill Blass from Fort Wayne, James Dean from Marion, Virgil (Gus) Grissom from Mitchell, Michael Jackson from Gary, David Letterman from Indianapolis, John Cougar Mellencamp from Seymour and Wilbur Wright from Millville just to name a few. Universities that might bring you to Indiana would be Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana University in Bloomington, Ball State University in Muncie, Notre Dame in South Bend, and Rose Hulman in Terre Haute. If you are looking for culture you might find it at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway (link below) home to the Indy 500, Brickyard 400, and the US Grand Prix. Connor Prairie in Fishers (link below) is a living history museum where you can experience life in the 1800s. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (link below) is the largest children's museum in the world and the top pick for attractions in the state of Indiana. The NCAA headquarters (http://www.ncaa.org) are in Indianapolis and pay homage to collegiate sports while providing a museum like setting of information. The Eiteljorg Museum (http://www.eiteljorg.org/) iis unique in that it specializes in American Indians and Western Art. Different from the museums already mentioned, the Indianapolis Museum of Art (http://www.imamuseum.org/) housed on the original grounds of the Lilly Mansion has a vast art collection spanning a variety of themes. The Museum grounds alone are worth spending time as are the other buildings on property, but don't forget the art. The Indianapolis Zoo (http://www.indianapoliszoo.com/), a rather neophyte to the attractions list is gaining a name for itself with themed areas. A nice afternoon spent walking through the Zoo while viewing the animals could be a nice addition to your visit. A few products that hale from the great Hoosier state are Bar Keepers Friend, Batesville Casket Company, Clabber Girl Baking Powder, Cummins Engines, Eli Lilly pharmaceuticals, Indiana Limestone, Red Gold Tomatoes, The Saturday Evening Post, and Vera Bradley bags.

References & Resources

• Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Connor Prairie
• The Children's Museum of Indianapolis