Visiting Jackson County Jackson County, in South central Indiana, is a paradise for nature lovers. Lakes, rivers and hilly “knobs”grace the landscape of this rich farm area, and round barns and covered bridges add even more character. For art lovers, the Southern Indiana Center for the Arts is an active art center which houses the only collection of John Mellencamp’s work, and those who enjoy shopping are sure to appreciate The Tanger Factory Outlet Center. Join us as we tour Jackson County, one of Indiana’s treasures. Tiemeyer's Produce, a featured stop on the Agricultural Tour Living Farms of Jackson County - A Self-Guided Tour Jackson County offers visitors a unique way to explore: a Self-Guided Agricultural Driving Tour. Pick up a map at the Jackson County Visitors Center, and enjoy a drive through the countryside, visiting “living farms”, farm markets, and seeing Jackson County’s historic round barns and covered bridges. Some of the sites on the tour include the largest nursery in Southern Indiana - Schneider’s Nursery, and Long Lane Farm, which has been owned and operated by the Nierman family for over 140 years. They specialize in Brown Swiss Cattle that are sold throughout the world. Dee Nierman, from the Nierman Llama Farm, spins llama wool into rugs and other products. The Burcham Sheep Farm and Round Barn is another site on the tour. This round barn was built in 1909-10. The Stuckwish Round Barn The Stuckwish Round Barn, built in 1910-11 is another of the three round barns that remain in the county. Round barns are rare in the United States today, and to celebrate them, Jackson County has an annual Round Barn Bike Ride, which will be July 8th this year. The Medora Covered Bridge is the longest three-span covered bridge in the United States The driving tour also goes by two covered bridges, the Shieldstown Covered Bridge, built in 1876, and the Medora Covered Bridge, built in 1875, which is the longest three-span covered bridge in the United States. The Bell Ford Bridge, currently undergoing restoration, is the only Post truss covered bridge in the world. Constructed of both metal and wood, this type of bridge is considered transitional, as engineers switched from wooden structures to metal. Crops grown in sandy soil at Tiemeyer's Farm One of the favorite stops on the Agricultural Tour is Tiemeyer’s Produce. This farm has been in the family for three generations, and is operated by Tim and Patty Tiemeyer. They now grow produce on 120 acres, which they sell throughout Indiana and other states. Did you know Jackson County is famous for its cantaloupe? The soil is perfect for melons, and cucurbits because of its sandy quality. In fact, the Tiemeyers were once camping in Kentucky and stopped at a produce stand that boasted “Jackson County Indiana Cantaloupe”. Tim set the operator straight, telling him, “I’m a Jackson County cantaloupe farmer and they aren’t in season yet!” The Tiemeyers are proud of what they grow, and present a beautiful example of a working Indiana farm. The Tiemeyers are happy to show off their crops in the fields and explain their farming methods. Their market offers an attractive display of mouth-watering fresh fruits, vegetables, and plants. In the peak of the season they will pick 10,000 cantaloupes and 1,500 to 3,000 watermelons per day. They grow 50 varieties of squash, 66 acres of melons and 20 acres of pumpkins. The Tiemeyers invite everyone to come and visit in the fall when they will have a huge variety of pumpkins, gourds and squash from which to choose! In all, there are 13 featured sites on the Agricultural Tour. Others are the Driftwood Valley Farm, a hobby farm with exotic animals such as peacocks, black swans, and miniature donkeys. The Vallonia Nursery grows over 3 million tree seedlings annually, while the Driftwood State Fish Hatchery raises 400,000 largemouth bass and other fish annually. The Kamman’s Farm Market also raises cantaloupes, melons, produce and bedding plants. The Kammans are also the third generation to farm here. The agricultural tour is a great way to not only see the county and some of its historic sites and small towns, but also inspires appreciation for Jackson County’s rich agricultural heritage. The Southern Indiana Center for the Arts (SICA) in Seymour The Arts The arts are thriving in Jackson County, in large part because of the Southern Indiana Center For the Arts (SICA) in Seymour. The home which houses the arts center is owned by John Mellencamp, who “leases” it to the center for a very nominal amount. SICA offers art classes and summer art camps for children, plus speakers and workshops. One of John Mellencamp's paintings The paintings of musician John Mellencamp, who grew up just across the road from the art center, are on permanent display here. The house served as headquarters for the filming of Mellencamp’s movie, Falling From Grace, and the house and barn were also used in several of his videos. SICA houses a permanent display of the works of Indiana artists, and also traveling exhibits. Debuting October 17th of this year will be “Japan Before World War II” - paintings by Toshi Ito. Her watercolors depict every-day life and culture in Japan before the war. Seymour’s Japanese-American community has been active in supporting this event, which will coincide with a series of Japanese cultural events to be held throughout Seymour. The exhibit will run through November 18. On July 15th they will host the Mid-Summer Art Show, where the public can purchase the work of area artists. The lawn gives artists room to work and demonstrate their skills. Visitors will also be treated to a full day of entertainment in the amphitheater. Camping beside Starve Hollow Lake The Outdoors Jackson County is the perfect place to get back-to-nature. Starve Hollow State Recreation Area offers camping, hiking, a swimming beach, a nature center, and fishing. The Starve Hollow Lake, once Indiana’s largest lake, is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, redear, channel catfish and crappie. The camping areas are shaded, and it is one of the few places that offers camping sites right on the lakeshore, so you can fish right from your campsite. The Jackson Washington State Forest offers hiking on nine different trails, primitive camping, fishing, and a scenic Skyline Drive. A portion of the Hoosier National Forest also lies within Jackson County, with camping at Hardin Ridge, hiking, swimming, fishing, and scenic drives. Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, which was featured in our May issue, also has scenic drives and good wildlife viewing. Hemlock Bluffs, near the Jackson-Lawrence county line contains some of the largest Hemlock trees in Indiana. The Country Mansion Gift and Coffee Shop in Brownstown Shopping Everybody loves a bargain, and you can find bargains galore at some of the county’s outlets. The Tanger Factory Outlet Center, just off of I-65 in Seymour. Cooks will enjoy a visit to Marion-Kay Spices, in Brownstown, which has been offering seasonings that are sold throughout the U.S. since 1922. There is also a Childcraft factory outlet store in Seymour. The Russell Stover Distribution Center, in Brownstown, is a chocolate-lover’s dream. Stock up on candy for a great price! There are also antique malls and shops in Seymour and some of the smaller communities like Reddington and Brownstown. Festivals Jackson County offers a big variety of festivals, many of which draw crowds from afar. Fort Vallonia Days celebrates the history of Vallonia, where a fort was built when Jackson County was founded in 1812. Thousands of visitors enjoy this festival each year, which is held the third weekend in October. The Oktoberfest celebrates the area’s German heritage and is held the first weekend in October. Seymour is also one of only a handful of communities that still celebrates VJ Day, which carries on a tradition that started at the close of World War II. This event is popular with veterans, who come from throughout the state. Check out the Jackson County web site for information on other festivals. Visiting Jackson County Whether your passion is nature, the arts, agriculture, shopping, or even John Mellencamp, Jackson County has a lot to offer! The folks at the Jackson County Visitor & Convention Bureau will be glad to provide Travel Guides to help plan your stay. See their web site http://www.jcvcb.com or call 1-888-524-1914. Enjoy your visit! <back to top>

All Feature Articles, artwork and photographs ©2000 by Southernin.com. Some information on the 'County Info' pages is taken directly from brochures published by Visitors Bureaus and Chambers of Commerce.