What a wonderful little town...
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6/4/2006
Having been born and raised in Crawfordsville, I was constantly immersed in many social circles within the community. The school system is wonderful, led by a competent and well-informed board. There is a dedicated school for all the city's kindergarteners, then regional elementary schools, a junior high school, and one large high school in town with two large high schools in the northern and southern parts of the county. Although the town is heavily industrialized, it is also balanced by Wabash College, a highly regarded, well-endowed, academically competetive foundation. The college integrates very effectively with the community on all levels....arts, employment, consultation, volunteerism, etc... The local topography offers a great deal of hiking, biking, jogging trails, canoeing/kayaking, fishing, hunting, and yes, winter sports. The summers can be sultry and the winters can be harsh and unforgiving. There is an excellent public library, and if that isn't good enough the public has access to the Eli Lilly Library at Wabash as well. If you like to dine out, there are several mom-and-pop choices, and some token franchises...but if that isn't your cup of tea, the 50 minute drive to Indianapolis offers a great deal! The cost of living is very affordable, and there are beautiful victorian homes at very reasonable prices available. The area screams history and nostalgia, with several museums of national interest. The summer home of General Lew Wallace(Civil War General and author of Ben Hur), the Henry S. Lane Place(former governor of Indiana), Underground Railroad, the famous Circular Jail(still operational), just to name a few. Produce is abundant annually in this area where sweet corn and beans grow like your typical lawn. Having lived in several states and abroad, I've yet to find a suitable comparison to the Indiana tomato. It's as much an icon as the state seal itself. Local craftsmen(I say craftsmen because the term carpenters seems unfitting) are willing and very capable of delivering high quality work for the person seeking new construction or remodeling. A typical night on a Crawfordsville street yields the sounds of happy crickets and a light breeze through the several types of trees indigenous to the area. There are a few privately established ice cream places that date back over 50 years to help convince one that life is really good.
Robert | El Paso, TX