Metamora, Indiana Tourist News - 1838 Historic Canal Town

Winking Owl

2011-09-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Sitting on the patio last night with my beautiful bride Brenda (a.k.a. the “Head Stinker” at our Smelly Gourmet Coffee Bar, Gift and Sandwich Shop), and Catrina (the proprietor of the Cat & Fiddle Inn), sharing a nice bottle of Winking Owl Merlot (vintage maybe yesterday morning, $2.59 at Aldi’s), we were again discussing what makes Metamora so unique to our visitors when we don’t have the glitter and glitz of larger tourist destinations.

We know there is a significant appeal to many who return time after time to visit us, because they keep coming back and enjoying life with us. But, when trying to nail down the specific aspects that make our village a desirable destination, for use in advertising to grow our tourist traffic, we always get stuck on identifying the specifics.

Our conversation turned to the experiences and positive reactions of recent visitors to our shops.

Brenda and I had an experience yesterday when a large group of visitors came in out of the rain at the same time, all looking for lunch. They were part of a tour group numbering about 80 that came into Metamora on a chartered train, and apparently their tour organizer had not made sufficient arrangements for lunch.

So we got busy and did the best we could to feed them all our fine grilled cheese Panini sandwiches (in eleven varieties!). Those who are familiar with our shop know that we have four small tables each normally with three seats. That is a total of twelve seats, and it is unusual for us to feed more than four or six at a time. But here we had eighteen hungry tourists all at once.

So we got busy and cranked out their orders. Some sat outside under the covered portion of our patio, we found some extra chairs to have four at each table, and a couple sat on chairs next to the fireplace with no table. Brenda ran the back cooking like a wild woman, and I ran the front furiously trying to keep everyone happy and cheerful while getting their food to them as fast as she could prepare it.

So our facilities were not satisfactory for such a group, and some of these fine folks had to wait awhile to get their orders. But as I ran around out front and back and forth to the kitchen, I talked with most of the diners, apologizing for delays and joking with them about weather, trains, tour group organizers, etc.

And ultimately they were all happy! When they left, they were full of compliments and seemed all in great spirits (well, there was one lady, the last to be served, that even the “Smelly Himself” charm could not charm.) Many of them commented on coming back in to see us in the future. While maybe not happy with their tour organizer, they were happy with their experience in our place even if food was a long time in delivery.

Then Catrina recounted the time in her shop when she was very busy multi-tasking, preparing breakfast for a group of her overnight guests while getting other things ready for the day. Extremely unusual for her, she told us she burnt the biscuits for breakfast- not black, but overdone. (I know I’m going to be in trouble with her for writing this.)

She said she went out to her breakfast guests and started apologizing, frazzled as she was. And she took the time to engage in conversation with them and they made her slow down and sit down and eat with them (without biscuits, of course.) And Catrina said it was just a wonderful experience for both her and the guests, who have come back to stay at her Inn again despite the biscuits.

Our conversation moved on to one of the local B&B’s that none of us thought was particularly well appointed and could use some facility maintenance (paint, new furniture), but we were all aware (due to talking with customers in our shop who were guests in this B&B) how much these folks LOVE that business and as a result, the village. And we knew the reason for their intense pleasure is the personality of the proprietor of that establishment, whom all the guests just love so much because of the proprietor’s outgoing personality and attention she pays her guests.

So with these stories fresh in mind and with the clarity evoked through the Winking Owl, we realized how visitors don’t necessarily come for glitz and glitter, or night life or a large assortment of fancy shops, or even for fine cuisine (though you can usually get fine cuisine at both of our places), but what they most enjoy, and return for, is the experiences with the personalities.

We care about our visitors, and want them to have a wonderful time. We interact with them and try to have fun with them, tell them about ourselves, our wonderful village and Whitewater Valley, and learn about them- who they are, where they are from, what they do.

Yes, we also try to provide them with the best services and our products we can, but when you are outgoing, and engage personalities with them, most people recognize that despite how hard you work, sometimes stuff happens and things will not be perfect. They are quite willing to overlook things as long as we share ourselves with them.

So, in a sense, we realized, we are prostitutes, keeping our businesses alive by selling ourselves. People come for the experience. That experience is unique in Metamora because this is the only place you will find a Catrina, or a Smelly & Head Stinker, and those characters are real people who work to make visitors and guests have a great time and enjoy our unique surroundings.

Sure, there are some shops in Metamora whose proprietors do not understand this concept. But there is a growing number who do. And we’ll be here when you come to visit us.

Metamora – It’s Not For Everyone

2011-08-23T05:53:00.000-07:00

If you crave 24-hour drive-through McDonald’s, or having a shopping mall or Wal-Mart just minutes away on the freeway, then Metamora Indiana may not be the kind of place for you. The nearest McDonald’s is in Brookville, nine miles away, and the closest Wal-Mart is either Connersville or Greensburg- both a half-hour or more away. Traffic on Main Street in the evenings is minimal- mostly local residents taking their trucks to the firehouse to get a load of water for their wells.

If you are in Metamora, full-fledged museums and zoos require a longer drive, though our area does have a fair amount of smaller historic homes, buildings and wildlife habitats open to the public a few days a week- you just have to check their schedules to catch them open. They are loaded with fascinating historic details. Most of these places don't make any money and are staffed by volunteers. In the village of Metamora itself, if you can’t find a local history buff to talk to you about the town, you can get a flavor of the history by walking the streets and reading the historic plaques on the sides of the buildings.

Nightlife in Metamora? Well, after Grannie's Ice Cream closes in the evening, there isn't much, except on the final Friday of each month when there is an open mic night in town (either at Tom's Cabana, or at the music stage on the east end of town, depending on the weather.) And then, Max has been organizing a cruise-in on Friday nights that has been bringing in some interesting cars on Fridays. So far up to six or eight cars. If that isn't your idea of nightlife, you could go out to the Hearthstone Restaurant on the outer edge of town- they have a full bar and pretty good buffet. Beyond that, you’re going to have to settle for a nice evening walk and/or conversation alongside the 170 year old canal with a good friend or loved one.

We’ve got a local bluegrass band and we practice most Wednesday evenings about 6:00, often outside on the street. One evening we were playing on the street when some tourists spending the night in a local B&B walked up and enjoyed the music. We got to talking afterwards, and one of the tourists asked about the nightlife in Metamora. We all chuckled, and I apologized to our guests saying that we pretty much rolled up the streets at five or five thirty. The response from the visitors was “don't apologize- that's why we LIKE it here so much.” Turns out those folks were from Chicago, where they said the city never shuts down, so they like to get away to our peaceful and quiet village.

Some of us with a shop in the village would like to figure out how to draw a few more visitors to town-there's not quite enough business to pay the light and grocery bills for a full time store without some other means of support. That's why a lot of the businesses are only open on weekends.

But, to draw visitors to town, one has to describe the attraction of the village. Now those of us that live here, and the many tens of thousands of visitors that come to visit the village throughout the year, certainly are attracted by something about the place. But describing that attraction in words? That's where things start to get tough.

It’s easy to name the water-wheel-powered Grist Mill, the Ben Franklin III canal boat, and the only working wooden aqueduct in the United States. But that doesn’t come close to describing the addictive qualities in the air.

Many of us who live here refer to our attachment to Metamora and the Whitewater Valley of southeast Indiana as a 'disease'. We're 'infected' by a love for this pre-civil-war canal boat town that is hard to explain. In an attempt to find words that will describe the wonders of our valley and village to potential tourists outside the area, we did a little research by looking at some tourist magazines. It seems that most of the articles and ads trying to draw tourist to their towns focus on the Arts, Food, and Music.

Well, Metamora doesn't rank very high in any of those categories. Yet seventy-something percent of our visitors are repeat visitors, many have been coming back all their lives for a day or weekend, according to a poll done for us a few years ago by a University in Indy. Those visitors, like us residents, have difficulty describing exactly what it is that brings them back.

Last night, as my bride and I were walking back home near dusk from getting our ice cream from Grannies, we came upon and talked with a couple from Indianapolis who were spending the weekend at one of our local B&B's. They were walking down the center of Main Street, holding hands, barefoot and carrying their shoes with them, clearly enjoying the evening. One of the things we talked about was this very problem of describing the magic in the village.

The woman told us that she didn't quite understand it, but just knew how much she loved it here. She said she had a real nice, new home in Indy which she loved, but a new home lacks a depth of character. Metamora is full of character with the amazing architecture of the past. Getting away to Metamora is a perfect retreat. She said she certainly didn't come for the pristine and manicured appearance you find in many tourist towns (which is a good thing because we don't have much of that here!); She said she just really appreciates the peacefulness, natural beauty, fascinating interesting appearance of the town's buildings. She repeated that everyone is so friendly. The people who run the grist mill, the volunteers who operate the historic Whitewater Valley Railroad here in town, and all the shopkeepers.

So, to experience the “Arts”, you’ll have to satisfy yourself with Pat Ramos’s hand-cut silhouettes, or stop in the Post Office building and enjoy a number of paintings by local artists Dorothy Humbarger and a few others. For "Food", you’ll have to satisfy yourself with one of the gourmet hot dogs at the Cat and Fiddle B&B in Duck Creek Crossing or one of nearly a dozen varieties of grilled cheese Panini sandwiches at the Smelly Gourmet. And for "Music", there’s the local Baggy Bottom Boys and other acoustic music on the Final Friday open mic night.

And while all of that doesn’t seem to rise to the level of most of those ads for other larger towns in the tourist magazines, it’s only the tip of the indescribable iceberg that is the wonder and magic of being in Metamora. It’s not for everyone. But it’s our little piece of America that is very satisfying.

Moose Tracks and Connie's Kisses

2011-06-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

My beautiful bride and I took our evening walk again tonight, as we do most nights after we close up our shop, and went down to Grannie’s Ice Cream and Cookie Jars shop in the center of Metamora for some ice cream. They (Grannie’s) are open until seven every evening these days, so we know we can count on them being there. There are few things better than some of their delicious ice cream to cool you down at the end of a hot day.

When we walked in, Doris (proprietor of Jackie B’s in the old Post Office building) and Pat (Ramos, of silhouette-cutting fame- her shop is on South Main) were sitting there talking while watching Connie make waffle cones.

Grannie had already gone home, so Connie was running the place by herself, not too hard since there was not too much traffic through the shop after six o’clock.

Connie interrupted her work to serve my wife and me our ice cream, in between pulling waffle cones off the special irons she makes them on. Brenda got to talking with Doris and Pat, as I studied what Connie was doing.

Probably most people just take waffle cones for granted. Buy ‘em full of ice cream, and they taste great and crunchy all the way to the bottom of the cone. But, as I came to realize, there is a real art and skill to making great waffle cones. They are so good that we’ve had people write emails to the Metamora website asking us where they get those great waffle cones from (we tell them they’ve got to go to Grannies to get them.)

Connie was turning out about two waffle cones every two minutes, using two grills. The work station is very hot and steamy as the waffle irons are closed on fresh batter each time. I asked her how many of the cones she had to make- she said three batches was her goal today. I thought, that doesn’t sound too bad- only three batches.

Connie and her waffle cone making art

Then she said that there were about sixty cones to a batch. That’s a hundred and eighty cones that evening. I asked her how many evenings a week she spent doing that, and the answer was Wednesday through Sunday, usually three batches each of those days, and sometimes more during the day depending on how much business there was.

That’s a lot of waffle cones!

As I studied Connie’s fluid motions making the cones as she talked with me, I admired the skill involved. The perfect amount of batter must be dipped onto the iron- too much and there is too much waste (I saw very little waste around her waffle irons) and too little doesn’t give you a full sized cone. Close the iron slowly and carefully. When I asked, she said if you accidentally dropped the top half of the iron when closing it, you had to hurry up and dip more batter into that grill to make a full cone, because dropping the top would splash out about half the batter, making a mess on the clothing of the cone-making person.

Once the hot waffle comes off the grill, with her bare hands, she quickly places the soft waffle on a cute little waffle-rolling device, using a waffle-rolling aluminum-looking cone-shaped thingy with a handle to quickly roll the soft waffle into the proper shape, then shove the shaped cone into a paper cone-holder. She has to move quickly because the sucker is hot!

She can slow down once the cone is in the paper holder, but she isn’t done yet. We now get to the headline subject of Connie’s kisses.

The final step in making the waffle cone is to take a Hershey’s chocolate kiss (I hope I’m not violating any trademark laws here) of the saucer in front of her and place it in the bottom of the cone, pointy-side down. A visual check is immediately required to ensure proper positioning of the kiss.

As I watched and discussed this whole process with Connie, I noticed that about half the time she tossed or dropped the kiss in place and immediately put the cone in the rack to cool, whereas the other half of the time she had to use a table knife to adjust the position of the kiss. She told me it’s a skill thing- sometimes she has better aim.

As I continued to watch, her little saucer ran out of kisses. She went to her freezer and came back with the saucer full again- but they were all wrapped in foil, just like you see ‘em in the grocery store. While we talked, she patiently unwrapped each kiss. Let’s see, a hundred and eighty kisses an evening…. She said they buy them ten pounds at a time. Gotta unwrap them a handful at a time because if you unwrap them too soon, they’ll melt.

So, every time you eat a waffle cone at Grannie’s, you are getting one of Connie’s kisses. Which I guess doesn’t sound too bad, unless you go there when her dad, Paul, is making the cones, in which case every cone contains one of Paul’s kisses. Now there’s something to think about!

Intent on learning the entire waffle cone making business, I asked Connie about the batter. It’s a mix they purchase from Gold Medal supply in Indianapolis. But, of course, the mix is “doctored up” to make it “right” for Connie and Grannie. Secret process, of course. But she said the people at Gold Medal told them they go through more of the mix than anyone else they know. The stuff comes thirty pounds to a case, and they just got another ten cases in.

I didn’t tell you about Connie’s “bucketing” process to store the cones without crushing until used, but you can ask her yourself about that. The only thing I’ll tell you about this is that they are going to be in trouble when their current bucket supply gets used up, because there ice cream is now delivered in cardboard pails instead of plastic, and the cardboard ones can’t be re-used for storing waffle cones (or anything else, for that matter.)

So, to wrap up this article, Connie buys her kisses ten pounds at time at Sam’s, and passes ‘em out one at a time to everyone who buys a waffle cone full of ice cream.

Oh, and Moose Tracks? Absolutely my favorite ice cream flavor at Grannies- after all, it’s got both peanut butter and chocolate in it!

Rambling Thoughts on Metamora Log Cabins

2011-06-14T20:16:00.000-07:00

My wife and I just returned from an evening walk around our home town village of Metamora. It is so pleasant, with the corn coming up in the fields (finally, after a late start due to all the rain) and the low-in-the-sky sun casting wonderfully bright shadows (bright shadows ?!) over the quaint buildings.

We walked down Main Street through the heart of the historic district, down to the Firehouse and then around the back of the village down Mount Street past Al and Pat’s house (the big yellow house whose historic name is the Gordon Brother’s Double Residence), where we continued on into Duck Creek Crossing past the two beautiful log cabins owned by Bonnie.

The shop in the one cabin (Brook Hollow Creations, log cabin number one) will not be opened until Labor Day, and may not open again next year, another sign of the ongoing economic shrinkage of Metamora. The other (The Red Sleigh, log cabin number two) Bonnie opens every weekend. Walking past these two fascinating, well-kept cabins caused us to count how many log cabins there were in Duck Creek Crossing. While there were no log cabins in town originally, their presence since the early 1970's are sort of a Metamora icon to many tourists. We came up with the number ~~eleven~~ twelve.

Besides Bonnie’s two cabins, the next one up is Pam and Ron Colvin’s (Wood Works Etc., where they make a lot of their wood furniture) (log cabin number three), followed by Dorothy Wagner’s cabin (Country Peddlers) (log cabin number four) with her great smelling candle selection.

Number five is right next to Country Peddler’s, and I think the people who were in that shop finally gave up on business in Metamora as they had been promising to do for years. A look through the window showed it to be empty.

Number six is at the end of the row, just before the public restrooms, and is known by many as Button’s & Bow’s, a great little place full of miniatures and hand-crafted padded photo albums and other cool stuff. The three ladies that run this shop are faithfully open several days a week.

Before we got to number six, we had already passed numbers seven and eight on the opposite side of the walkway. Both are owned by Jeannie, neither is a shop and both are for sale.

We continued walking up past the Cat & the Fiddle B&B and Food/Gift Shop now run by Catrina (of great local fame, currently the Catrina of the local Baggy Bottoms Boys music group) , and Don’s long-present Wood Shack (Don is thankfully still with us after beating cancer last year) into the Duck Creek Crossing gravel parking area. Turning east in the parking lot, you find yourself staring at log cabin number nine, Angie’s delightful Serendipity Frog.

And just on the other side of the parking lot is Bob O’Rourke’s log cabin (number ten) that doesn’t look like a log cabin from the outside because of the siding now installed, but once you step inside, it is unmistakably an 1811 log cabin moved into Duck Creek in the early 1970’s from Tanner’s Creek in Dearborn County. I know a bit of the history of this cabin because it was our first shop in town eight years ago. Bob’s got the place for sale, price recently dropped to about $80K, if you’re looking for a great little shop in town. Bob’s health hasn’t been the greatest lately- his doctor just made him quit his position on the local Sewer Board. His wife, Chi, had a pretty bad fall recently, so they are both hurting lately. These two have been a significant part of the village life over their close to thirty year business presence.

As we kept walking, we passed Marc and Rachel’s place, the Metamora Country Store, now sadly closed. The bottom half of the structure looks like a log cabin (the upper half has siding) so, right or wrong, we’re counting that as log cabin number eleven.

And I almost missed number twelve- The Leather Hatchery. Rose Marie would be upset with me if I forgot them. Her hubby Dale used to work with my Dad back when they were both Air Traffic Controllers. The Hartledges are still open for business with their leather products on weekends.

Bear with me for a minute: Log cabins closed with no business in them- numbers five, seven, eight, ten and eleven. Open, at least on weekends, numbers two, three, four, six, nine and twelve. Open late in the year and probably not next year- number one.

Almost half the log cabins have no businesses in them. That’s sad. It’s also typical of the non-log-cabin buildings in the village as a whole. That’s sad also. These log cabins represent so much of our nation’s history, just like so many of the other buildings in town.

The past couple of years has been pretty rough on Metamora. We think its mostly due to a lousy economy, but for whatever the reason, tourism is down, resulting in a number of businesses closed. And that makes it even more of a challenge for those of us still here to keep the history alive. But we’ll keep at it, regardless, because we love this place, the beauty and history of the canal and railroad era, and the gorgeous Whitewater Valley. It's like a disease some of us have contracted- this places infects you to where you just love it so much. A number of Metamorons have contracted it- there doesn't seem to be a cure.

p.s.- Lest my nostalgia make anyone think the place is dead, very much the opposite is true. Besides the people already mentioned by name in this post, there are also a number of others thriving in the diminished business environment.

In Duck Creek, there is also Tom and Monica at the Fudge Shop, Janice at Kaleidosaurus, Kathy at the restaurant, Joy with a lot of handmade things and that gorgeous Lenox porcelain at the Briarpatch, Mr. Ed’s Shop, and of course the jewel of Duck Creek, the Cranberry Junction Gift Shop run by Paul and Shari.

And then on down Main Street there’s still Chris and Myrna’s Unique Creations, antique shops run by Nancy, Dave, and George and Gail train and book shop, Anne’s two shops, Donna’s fudge shop, and others. Not to mention our own shop, the Smelly Gourmet. And Doris just opened Jackie B's where Jane & Friends used to be. (It still up in the air if Tom will actually open a restaurant or juice bar where Jane's Road Less Travelled Cafe used to be- time will tell.) Can’t name ‘em all.

The big move of the year award probably goes to Grannie and Connie for moving Grannie’s Ice Cream and Cookie Jar shop into the corner stone building at Columbia Street and Lover’s Lane building recently vacated by Judy (who retired after 30+ years and closed her shop, the Lace Place, to have time to take care of her father.) They’re moving a lot of ice cream and cookie jars these days.

So there’s still a lot going on in Metamora. The State Historic Site still anchors the village by running the Grist Mill and Canal Boat. So come out and check us out.

Small Towns Are Like A Little Baby

2011-04-03T04:41:00.000-07:00

Metamora in some ways is like a little baby- it needs a lot of attention from caring people in order to flourish.

I suppose big towns and cities are the same way, but there are more people to go around and do the work in a large population center- and more money too. But our little village of Metamora only has a few hundred people in residence, and many of those just sleep in their quaint little historic homes, mostly on the north side of the canal.

The number of Metamora shopkeepers or business owners that are lucky enough to live in or near the town and care about keeping the history intact, and have the time or resources to actually work at it, is pretty small. Maybe 20 or 30 people. This number includes several local people who don't operate a business in the historic district, but are just as fascinated with the village, and willing to help out.

Those are the ones that make most of the plans and arrangements for the annual Metamora events throughout the year, try to keep the business directories up to date for our visitors (the tourists), get the advertising things made up, decorations put up and taken down, etc. And of course, work their own jobs or operate their own business at the same time.

So if some things aren't always perfect, you'll have to forgive us. We'll try harder next time. If we can just figure out how to re-arrange or stretch some more hours.

But I think we all do it because we think Metamora is one of the most fascinating places in the country. We certainly don't do it for money- there isn't much of that around.

Metamora is truly beautiful and unique. You can almost taste the history of a bygone era that was so important to forming our great nation. So our "little baby" is older than the civil war, but still needs a lot of care to see it flourish.

And that is why we give it our energy- we do it for love of history and the American small town.

Fourth Time's A Charm

2011-04-01T04:39:00.001-07:00

See the article below to understand the headline here.

Old Towns and Modern Computers

2011-04-01T04:37:00.000-07:00

I guess the 1850's vintage town of Metamora was never supposed to be modernized- it resists most forms of modernization.

Take internet access for example: There is no cable internet access, nor DSL or high-speed wireless. You CAN get Verizon broadband, but it works only when it feels like it, which is a lot of the time, but fails at the critical moment. As best I can figure, there must be a few of the old town ghosts that monitor people's computer usage and send out disruptive energy waves at just the right time...

Then, there is cell-phone service. None work unless you've got Verizon, so don't bother with your AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile- you get the picture.

Computers just don't seem to function well in the rarified Metamora air- I'm sure some geek could come up with a technical reason for this, but I just know it's true. Probably why a lot of local people just don't bother with them- half our locals can't even spell "PC". But then again, more modernization will just erase the term "PC" anyway as it gets replaced by "Smart Phone", another challenge for the old ghosts to take on.

Attitudes of some long-time residents are the same way- they resist modernization of such concepts as incorporation, new sewer systems, working WITH other local merchants and county officials instead of bellyaching ABOUT them.

But then again, I guess the lack of modernization is part of the charm of living here. Sure reminds of me of living in Andy Griffith's Mayberry RFD. Which really IS charming, knowing that this form of community still exists as a part of living history.

Now trying for the FOURTH time to publish this blog article from my computer throught the Verizon broadband thing.....

Innaugural Towpath 10K Dash

2011-03-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

Many of the handful of visitors that come through Metamora during the winter ask when the "season" begins in Metamora. While there is no official "season", the best answer to the question for this year 2011 is probaby the innaugural Towpath 10K (10,000 meter) Dash that will take runners through the town (past scenes like the old canal boat pictured below) and down the Whitewater Canal Hiking/Biking Trail. More than 500 runners are expected Saturday morning, May 21, 2011, to participate in this new event sponsored by the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site.

Starting around 8 a.m., the events will include a breakfast at the Metamora Firehouse for everyone who comes (free will offering) and live music by Metamora's own Catrina and the Baggy Bottom Boys leading up to the awards presentation at the gazebo in the park.

The Grist Mill reopens for the year on April 1st, and the canal boat begins running again on May 1st, so both will be open that Saturday for all. Full of scenic images and rich in transportation history, our village welcomes back the hundreds of thousands of annual visitors that breathe life into the pleasant springtime scenery.

Christmas Walk 2010

2010-12-12T05:59:00.000-08:00

The third weekend of the 28th Annual Christmas Walk is nearly done. Visitors enjoyed the late evenings of lights and holiday music, food and shopping despite a little cold and drizzly rain. We apologize for not posting more often. Will try to do better next year.

Cute Drop-off

2010-03-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

This little feller and one or two of his siblings was simply dropped off in the village of Metamora a couple of days ago. He's cute as a button, scared, probably hungry, and one of several dozen dogs a year just let out of someone's car, apparently in the hopes that someone will take them in. Why do people DO that? We love dogs, but there are only so many we can absorb. If you are looking for a puppy, call us very soon at 513-314-5693 for info on where to pick this little guy up. Otherwise his fate will unfortunately likely be the Franklin County dog catcher :(

Christmas Walk

2009-12-04T03:51:00.000-08:00

The town merchants are getting ready for the second weekend of Christmas Walk. The first weekend was huge, with the town full of visitors out to see all the lights, the lanterns along the canal, and start preparing for Christmas. The Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony event was a big success two weeks ago, with the biggest crowd ever- over three hundred people came to enjoy the sing-along Christmas carols with the Baggy Bottom Boys Band, and enjoy the choral music of the Roamin' Catholic Choir.

Idyllic Metamora

2009-08-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

The town of Metamora today embodies the natural beauty of the Whitewater Valley while retaining many wonderful elements of a significant period of US history. The water-powered Grist Mill, the horse-drawn canal boat, and the only working wooden aqueduct in the nation, all restored and operated by the State of Indiana as a state historic site, continue to be a wonderful draw for tourists from all over the United States. Their park, with the beautiful gazebo, provides an often used idyllic backdrop for weddings, music, private picnics, and many other events throughout the year.

Many of the remaining buildings in town constitute an amazing collection of most forms of architecture that were popular in this country in the nineteenth century. Such a variety of different architectural styles all located within a few minute’s walk of each other is rare in this country, and continues to provide great enjoyment to visitors to Metamora as they relax and wander the town, many reading the bronze plates on the buildings to learn some of the history of the building.

The shops that grew up around the historic site continue to change. Despite Metamora’s general appearance of time stopped in the mid-1800’s, the local shops have not been exempted from the ravages of a lousy economy. Many of the shopkeepers have to work weekday jobs to pay their electric and grocery bills, and thus cannot be open five or six days a week.

While there are many shops that carry some made-in-China products, visitors can see the great home-made furniture and other products in Don Buchanan’s and the Colvin’s shops. Then there is the hand sewn dishtowels next to handmade fudge in Tom and Monica’s full service restaurant, Joy Hayes’s beautifully detailed hand painted crafts, and the gorgeous hand-painted glass next to the hand-made flower arrangements in Bill and Jay’s shop. Authentic documented Native American products can be purchased at Cranberry Junction, and fine leather products are found in two shops. All of that, along with a gourmet coffee bar and another full service restaurant, and other made-in-USA items, is located within the Duck Creek Crossing shopping area of Metamora.

Other shops in Metamora today include hand-made gemstone jewelry (made while you watch on weekends) and bath and body products in the same store that wows tourists with the unique handmade wood clocks with old computer parts. There is a collection of more than 2100 cookie jars, mostly made in the USA, with a bazillion flavors of ice cream products that draws people back to town time and again. One can watch a copper-smith at work fabricating beautiful unique products. Between at least seven antique shops, (Antiques and Uncle Junques, Meeting House, Antiques and More, Martindale Hotel, Salt Creek, Banes House, and Words and Images) there is probably at least one example of every gadget ever manufactured in the last century. Gail has a huge assortment of books to suit every taste, including many vintage books. And then there’s Donna making her baked goods and fudge as tourists try free samples of the fresh –made delicious products.

In my travels up and down the east coast of the US and in Italy while I was in the service, it was my experience that many local people never realize what wonderful sightseeing treasures are hidden just outside their back door. I have no reason to believe it is much different with the residents of Franklin County with respect to the historic village of Metamora. But there are tens of thousands of our tourist visitors who keep coming back year after year who know the truth as I write it here.

In my shop, we have many times heard from older visitors to town that the atmosphere in and around Metamora today reminds them of the way Nashville, Indiana and Branson, Missouri were 25-35 years ago. That observation usually comes with a plea to keep Metamora just the way it is, avoiding the slick commercialism that has taken over those other places. This echoes the desires of many residents in Metamora.

While largely sleeping in the winter (even though there are several shops open year-round), Metamora awakens in spring and blossoms throughout the year into a colorful, vibrant, peaceful village enjoyed by many visitors from afar. While the details in the town change, the character and beauty that is the essence of Metamora remains timeless.

This Weekend Only: Old Tyme Streets!

2009-08-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

We have had the streets modified for a short period of time to try and envision what the town would have looked like in the 1850's with dirt roads. Upon completion, the roads will be restored to near new, but several inches lower than the sidewalk and slanted to carry away rainwater. This photo taken Friday morning (Aug 22). Work should be completed by next Friday. Come on out this weekend and enjoy the view!

Repair Work on Main Street in Metamora

2009-08-17T05:08:00.000-07:00

The county will be repairing Main Street in Metamora on the south side of the canal from about Aug 17 through Aug 28. All work should be complete by August 28. The first week it is anticipated they will do the work on the east side of Columbia Street, and the second week on the west side of Columbia. Traffic will obviously be impacted during the work, but sidewalk access will always be available to all shops.

This road work should dramatically help the problems of drainage forcing our town visitors to walk down the middle of the street and threats from icing of pooled water, plus stopping much of the storm water entering building basements because the streets are too high.

Please be patient- it will be an inconvenience, but only for a short time.

Thank you.

FREE outdoor Movie in Metamora

2009-08-14T05:34:00.000-07:00

Plan to visit Metamora, Indiana on Aug 15 for a FREE outdoor Movie featuring "Race to Witch Mountain". Movie will be at 9 p.m. in front of the Historic Banes House. Bring your lawn chair or blanket and enjoy a free movie with family and friends. Pop, hotdogs and of course popcorn will be available at a small fee.

Metamora offers free events throughout the year. For more information visit http://www.metamoraindiana.com

FREE Concert by the "Tillers"

2009-08-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

The "Tillers" are coming to Metamora August 15 from 1 to 4 at the Gristmill. Opening for the Tillers will be Metamora's own "Baggy Bottom Boys". Come enjoy this free family friendly concert. It doesn't cost anything to visit Metamora and you can enjoy a day to totally relax and let the stresses of the real world behind.

Visit Metamora Indiana for FREE FUN

2009-08-14T05:25:00.000-07:00

You're looking for something family fun to do but don't have much money to spend. Metamora, Indiana is your answer. You won't find another place like this and it is FREE to visit. There are many free events and activities scheduled throughout the year. This is the perfect family friendly town to enjoy history, shopping and just relaxing and enjoying the beauty. Visit http://www.metamoraindiana.com to see what upcoming activities are planned.

Tillers coming to Metamora

2009-08-12T04:40:00.001-07:00

August 15, Come and hear the Tillers in Metamora at 1:00 at the Grist Mill. The Tillers came into being while busking for nickels, dimes and burritos in the gaslight Clifton district of Cincinnati. In August 2007, Westside comrades Mike Oberst and Sean Geil united their fondness for thumping out old-timey folk and street-style blues. With Oberst on banjo, Geil on guitar, and soon finding a bassist in Jason Soudrette, the trio plunged into the Cincinnati pub scene, serving a concoction of old-time traditionals, labor standards, and some less typical songs of the people's perspective. The band is both traditional and progressive. They resurrect songs of America's past, touching on themes both historical and timeless. The dusty songs of dead generations take new life and energy before spry young audiences. Clawhammer banjo, accoustic guitar, and wooden upright bass meet high mountain harmonies that belt and croon, lament and rejoice. Stories of work and struggle are revived and rekindled. Country blues classics meet new, less known ballads while we all stomp and sing along. Opening for the Tillers will be Metamora's own "Baggy Bottom Boys" which will take the stage at 12 noon.

Metamora Indiana 4th of July

2009-06-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

Metamora, Indiana 4th of July Celebration

Next week is the 4th of July and Metamora, Indiana goes all out for Independence Day. Come spend the day in Metamora and enjoy all the great features of this 1838 town as well as a hometown parade (you can even be in it), a ducky durby, a Firemens Festival and Indiana's 3rd largest Fireworks Show! There will be many games and eats for everyone to enjoy.

Spend Independence day in an old fashioned town.

Metamora Indiana Strawberry Days

2009-06-08T20:25:00.000-07:00

Metamora, Indiana is an 1838 Historic Canal Town that attract thousands of visitors every year. People enjoy visiting Metamora because there is no other town simular to this amazing old world town.

On June 6th and 7th the town held its annual Strawberry Festival/1838 Days. For 23 years, Metamora has welcomed the summer with their famous Strawberry Day Festival. Visitors enjoyed strawberry shortcake loaded with ice cream and whipped cream.

The weather was perfect - a beautiful sunny weekend that was not too hot. Visitors could hear old time music around town by one of Metamora's favorite musicians "Pappa Joe".

Music was also onboard the Canal Boat and riders enjoyed the songs by John Kogge while they were pulled by horses down the canal.

Of cource you can't have a Strawberry Festival without a pie eating contest.

Metamora's next event will be held on June 20th. This is a special day for Red Hatters.

You can find more information about Metamora, Indiana by visiting the website: http://www.metamoraindiana.com/

Three new chimneys

2009-04-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

Workman completely rebuilt the three chimneys on the
Banes House on the finest day of the year so far, April 15. If it's 'Beware the ides of March', it's 'Hurray the ides of April" at least this year.
The original brick crumbled so bad when it was removed that it was useless for anything except the land fill.

Ben Franklin back in Metamora

2009-04-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Ben Franklin, the third, made her less than distinguished appearance last week from a long winter's nap inside a lock. She came up scratched, dirty, and not quite ready for prime time play. Still, there's no surer sign summer these days in Metamora.

Lower The Street Project

2009-04-15T04:10:00.001-07:00

Last June a letter was sent to the Franklin County Commissioners describing the problems and requesting repairs on Metamora's Main Street on the south side of the Canal. The road has had so many additions of paving through the years with apparently none of the old paving underneath being removed, that the level of the roadway is at, or in some cases, higher than the sidewalks.

This presents issues with storm water when it rains, with rain water threatening the foundations of many of the historic buildings along the street. In addition, the puddling and pooling of the water presents safety issues to the visiting public who try to walk around the pools. This is particularly dangerous in the winter when the water freezes- there is often no way to walk around the ice ponds formed as a result of the rain because they are so large.

The fix seems to be removing ten or more inches of old paving, then repaving with a new layer, bringing the level of the street down a net six inches or so. And while regrading, careful attention must be paid to dealing with the storm-water runoff.

At a recent County Commissioner's Meeting they indicated the project has been studied, but there are still some unresolved concerns about the appearance of the final street vis-a-vis the overall historic appearance of the town, and about potential safety issues with the access to sidewalks and storefronts from the newly-lowered street.

We'll keep our ear to the ground to keep up with status.

Riding along the canal

2009-04-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

Spring brings a chance for horseback riding along the Whitewater Canal into Metamora.

First train 2009

2009-03-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

The first train of the year pulled into Metamora almost on the stroke of spring. This was an all caboose train filled with recent railroad tech graduates. The next Saturday another train brought in a load of folks from Connersville Station.

Where else but Metamora?

2009-02-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

Jim's pig roams over the streets of Metamora on a bright winter day. Could it be that he is trying for the coveted Freshest Sausage in Town award?

Solutions from the Green Economy

2009-01-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

-an editorial from Green America-

Everyone now understands that the economy is broken.

While many name the mortgage and credit-default-swap crises as culprits, they are only the most recent indicators of an economy with fatal design flaws. Our economy has long been based on what economist Herman Daly calls “uneconomic growth” where increases in the GDP come at an expense in resources and well-being that is worth more than the goods and services provided. When GNP growth exacerbates social and environmental problems—from sweatshop labor to manufacturing toxic chemicals—every dollar of GNP growth reduces well-being for people and the planet, and we’re all worse off.

Our fatally flawed economy creates economic injustice, poverty, and environmental crises. It doesn’t have to be that way. We can create a green economy: one that serves people and the planet and offers antidotes to the current breakdown.
Here are six green-economy solutions to today’s economic mess.

1. Green Energy—Green Jobs
A crucial starting place to rejuvenate our economy is to focus on energy. It’s time to call in the superheroes of the green energy revolution—energy efficiency, solar and wind power, and plug-in hybrids—and put their synergies to work with rapid, large-scale deployment. This is a powerful way to jumpstart the economy, spur job creation (with jobs that can’t be outsourced), declare energy independence, and claim victory over the climate crisis.

2. Clean Energy Victory Bonds
How are we going to pay for this green energy revolution? We at Green America propose Clean Energy Victory Bonds. Modeled after victory bonds in World War II, Americans would buy these bonds from the federal government to invest in large-scale deployment of green energy projects, with particular emphasis in low-income communities hardest hit by the broken economy. These would be long-term bonds, paying an annual interest rate, based in part on the energy and energy savings that the bonds generate. During WWII, 85 million Americans bought over $185 billion in bonds—that would be almost $2 trillion in today’s dollars.

3. Reduce, Reuse, Rethink
Living lightly on the Earth, saving resources and money, and sharing (jobs, property, ideas, and opportunities) are crucial principles for restructuring our economy. This economic breakdown is, in part, due to living beyond our means—as a nation and as individuals. With the enormous national and consumer debt weighing us down, we won’t be able to spend our way out of this economic problem. Ultimately, we need an economy that’s not dependent on unsustainable growth and consumerism. So it’s time to rethink our over-consumptive lifestyles, and turn to the principles of elegant simplicity, such as planting gardens, conserving energy, and working cooperatively with our neighbors to share resources and build resilient communities.

4. Go Green and Local
When we do buy, it is essential that those purchases benefit the green and local economy—so that every dollar helps solve social and environmental problems, not create them. Our spending choices matter. We can support our local communities by moving dollars away from conventional agribusiness and big-box stores and toward supporting local workers, businesses, and organic farmers.

5. Community Investing
All over the country, community investing banks, credit unions, and loan funds that serve hard-hit communities are strong, while the biggest banks required bailouts. The basic principles of community investing keep such institutions strong: Lenders and borrowers know each other. Lenders invest in the success of their borrowers—with training and technical assistance along with loans. And the people who provide the capital to the lenders expect reasonable, not speculative, returns. If all banks followed these principles, the economy wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in today.

6. Shareowner Activism
When you own stock, you have the right and responsibility to advise management to clean up its act. Had GM listened to shareholders warning that relying on SUVs would be its downfall, it would have invested in greener technologies, and would not have needed a bailout. Had CitiGroup listened to its shareowners, it would have avoided the faulty mortgage practices that brought it to its knees. Engaged shareholders are key to reforming conventional companies for the transition to this new economy – the green economy that we are building together.

It’s time to move from greed to green.

--Alisa Gravitz

Canoefest meets Wednesday

2009-01-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

An organizational meeting for the 2009 Canoefest will be Wednesday, January 21, at Ye Olde Shack. The meeting starts at 6pm, but come at 5:30 and order some dinner. This year, Canoefest meetings will be held in various local restaurants to help support Brookville and Franklin County’s economy.

Canoefest will be on Friday June 26 and Saturday June 27, with the races occurring on Saturday June 27. After such great success in 2008, we are looking to keep that momentum going in 2009, and hope to get many new volunteers for this year’s events. Canoefest is Indiana’s largest canoe race, with 205 boats entered in 2008.

If you have never volunteered for Canoefest before, this is a great meeting to get started. If you have volunteered before, bring a friend to the meeting. New people, and new ideas for events are very welcome, to keep making Canoefest a great event.

Please call Jim Suhre, 765-647-4116, or email jsuhre@fcnbank.com for more information.

Pipe line crosses Salt Creek

2009-01-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

Pipe line crosses Salt Creek

The gas pipeline cutting its swath across the middle of Franklin County went under Salt Creek last night. According to one of the workers the crew had 24 hours to make the crossing. It went under the creek and they had to make it look like they’d never been there, he said. It took the crew until 1 a.m. to finish to finish.

I got the feeling talking to a worker in newish overalls and a hard hat, he was ready for more. He looked about 19, might have been 29. I talked with him and took these pictures from the road around 3:30 Monday afternoon, January 19, 2009. I got the feeling he was really proud of getting the job done, maybe standing up to a -7 degrees Indiana winter.

I wasn’t able to see what they’d done to the creek bed, but this would be a worthwhile spot to monitor to see if they lived up to the bargain.

Pipe Creek Bridge to get rehab

2009-01-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

Alley Ford Bridge, Franklin County bridge #48 over Pipe Creek, is going to be renovated to the tune of an estimated $830,000. It will be funded with local and federal funds.
“The project will restore functionality and safety to the historical structure by replacing deteriorated members and installing a steel grid deck,” according to a legal notice filed by the Federal Highway and the Indiana Department of Transportation.
The highway and transportation people expect it to have no significant impact to wetlands in the project area. It is thereby exempt from what appears to be proving the project will not have a significant impact to the adjoining wetlands. Besides carrying Pipe Creek Road over the creek, low ag fields on the western side of the crossing which apparently was known as Alley Ford, are prone to flooding.
Alley Ford Bridge is a riveted pratt through steel truss, 105 feet long and was built in 1927. Clark Deitz, Inc. has been retained by Franklin County to provide engineering services for this project.
The bridge is currently closed due to structural failure. Among other damage the concrete on the southeast stanchion is cracked and the steel girders are rusted through.
Local residents are anxious to get the bridge back in service. The detour presently in place runs from Haytown Hill Road, along Pipe Creek to where it ends at Silver Creek Road, then along Silver Creek Road to Snail Creek, a distance of around five miles.
Anyone interested in either requesting a public hearing on the project or giving their opinion have until Wednesday, February 4, 2009 to do so. Franklin County Auditor’s Office has copies of the environmental documents and preliminary plans for public inspection. Their number is 765 647-4631.
The engineer to contact at Clark Deitz in Indianapolis is Kevin R. Loisell, P.E. Phone 317 844-8900 or email kevin.loiselle@clark-dietz.com.

Winter shots of MacLyn campus

2009-01-15T11:22:00.000-08:00

High-speed Metamora

2009-01-15T11:11:00.000-08:00

When I first arrived here in 2002, I had a Verizon cell phone on a plan called something like All Across America. Since I was in fact driving my VW Westy all across America, it was perfect for me. I remember getting a call from the lovely Lisa in California one evening while I was camping beside the Clearwater River just east of Missoula, Montana. My phone worked fine there, but when I got to Metamora, nothing. It was like Metamora was not part of the plan. So it is today when it comes to high-speed Internet access. Metamora is not part of the plan.
High-speed Internet access is something we need in Metamora, like immediately. When the purchase of the MacLyn campground and campus is complete some time soon, the Whitewater Canal Byway Association will not be able to operate anywhere near as efficiently without a high-speed hook-up. Since this is a five-county regional effort, it seems to me high-speed Internet will be needed for administration as well as promotion.
Business runs on high-speed Internet.
Shopkeepers in Metamora itself are operating at a disadvantage to their counterparts in towns which have high-speed Internet. While it will cost them more for the service, it is a legitimate business expense and if used — I was going to say ‘wisely,’ but just used is enough — it means business, more business, at least potentially. And that’s what shopkeepers in Metamora deserve and should be demanding, the potential of making more money with e-commerce.
It isn’t really that we should have, it is more that we have to have it. Today, traffic on the Internet demands high speed. It just assumes you have high speed. The axis has shifted in the past couple of years, a subtle change and for people who don’t use computers, an invisible one, but you see it everywhere on the Internet.
Here’s a quick tale of woe: Yesterday I tried to listen to a tutorial which was less than two minutes long and for every two seconds of sound, I got— something like:” Hi, I’m Bob Ga.” Gone! Twenty seconds later my land-line connection had gathered enough data to blurt out, “glione. I’ll be your.” Gone again!
By my figuring I needed 20 seconds to get two seconds worth of tutoring, which at that rate could honestly be called merely a ‘toot.’ The lesson was 114 seconds long. I’m not good at math but by my rough estimate that would have been way too long. With high-speed Internet access, tutorials happen in real time.
Since Metamora does not have high-speed Internet service available to its many computer users (‘many’ is more than ‘several’, I hope), Metamora cannot quite operate in that virtual world of real time. (Virtual real-time, passive-aggressive behavior, what an a-contradictory world we live in.)
But maybe the strongest point in favor of establishing high-speed Internet in Metamora is education. With it we, the people who live here, can take advantage of the vast and growing free library of educational opportunities available on the World Wide Web. I was too frustrated to finish that tutorial, therefore I am a living example of the power of ignorance over intelligence, ignorance, in this case, in the form of a 46567 bps, low-speed hook-up.
Not having high-speed Internet available is detrimental to the intelligence of our citizenry and to our ability to partake in the wild world of e-commerce. What it really comes down to is Metamora’s staying on par with Brookville, Batesville, Connersville and the rest of the ‘villes’ when it comes to technology.

The new Metamora momentum

2009-01-12T10:33:00.000-08:00

The new Metamora momentum

Let me start off by saying, what follows is my opinion. It is admittedly incomplete, but who among us has the whole picture? About anything! But in this case about the purchase of the MacLynn property.
As you know the 33-acre campground and campus (that’s a high falutin’ way of including the restaurant, museum and excellent utility barn) is soon to become public property, sort of. Indiana DOT announced they would be kicking in $689,600 towards the purchase of the property by the Whitewater Canal Byway Association, a group headed by Candy Yurcak of Metamora.
As I remember it — I’ve been gone for almost three years — this was the result of a group of people with various interests in Metamora getting together and doing one of those Andy Hardy film things where Mickey Rooney jumps up and says “Lets put on a play!” But instead of a play this group decided to think even bigger, bigger than a play, bigger than a production to hold the play and bigger even than a single season, play or otherwise. They looked around, inventoried every conceivable opportunity and decided the best single-swoop effort they could make was to buy the moribund property across US 52 and churn it back to life.
Now, it seems, they can say, “We did it!” And I can say, “Congratulations!” As a property owner and citizen of Metamora, your success has made my life much more interesting.
Did I say this was a group from Metamora and Metamora being what it is, for anyone attempting a step forward, there is another one trying his or her best to anchor that offending leg. If momentum is any phenomenon with which to judge the economic vitality of a place, Metamora had little when these folks began to dream. By the success of their action, this group has worked mojo on that old Metamora momentum, which amounted to ‘a body at rest stays at rest’.
Things are now moving in Metamora. Like I said, I’ve been gone for several years and so I am seeing the town and the county from an outsider’s perspective. I remember things looking worse when I left in 2006.
So they started with not much more than a pipe dream and a head full of optimism for steam. They ran into obstacles, they ran into setbacks, they spent a lot of time spinning their wheels. But in retrospect those spinning wheels which may have seemed so frustrating when they were whirring away, were actually doing something. Those spinning wheels were sliding along trying to get a grip on that old momentum. And through their continued and determined effort they were able to slide over that tar baby ooze and put together, by a tally from the county commissioner’s minutes, $1,583,200. This is the big piñata!
Does that mean the old Metamora malaise has been conquered? Yes! Does it mean it is subdued? I doubt it.

2009-01-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

The big news is that the purchase of MacLynn Campground is pretty much a done deal. If you’ve been to Metamora anytime in the last four or five years you’ve seen the big For Sale sign on the side of the buildings across US 52 from Metamora itself.
On November 14, 2008 Indiana DOT announced they awarded Franklin County $689,600 in Local Public Agency (LPA) funding. The money will be used to purchase the campground which includes 33 acres of land, including campsites and restrooms, a building which housed MacLynn’s auto museum and a restaurant which was used with the cooperation of the owners as a site for various activities to raise funds for this purchase.
The property will be used for the development of a visitor’s center, museum and interpretative center at the Whitewater Valley Regional Interpretative Park.
Two days before this announcement, on November 10, Franklin County Commissioners heard of the award and nominated Don VonderMeulen as the contact person for the grant.
But before they did they asked questions about matching funds and the county’s obligation. They were assured by their attorney the county would have no obligation for funding it. VonderMeulen reported that Franklin County National Bank (FCN) has made a commitment for $831,600. Other donors he mentioned included Steve & Shirley Beyer ($30,000) and Harold & Lyn McNeeley ($32,000).
The county will keep the budget item listed in the name of the Whitewater Canal Byway Association, a group comprised of area representatives from counties along the canal. As a regional park its managing board has interests beyond those of Franklin County alone. The park will then be promoted in these outlying counties and is expected to be a destination for area field trips as well as a boon to commerce in Metamora itself.
Yogi Gus Parnett

Red and Purple

2008-06-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Metamora was awash with the bright red and purple colors of the Red Hat Ladies club on their second annual Red Hat Ladies day in Metamora last Saturday. The air was full of music and fun, as the contest for best red hats was conducted. Fifteen gift baskets were given away as prizes, all items donated by Metamora Merchants.

The Redbud At Its Peak

2008-04-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

Spring is definitely returning to Metamora. with the daffodils already about gone but the gorgeous redbud across from Trappers just peaking.

Wednesday Mornings Before Going to Metamora

2008-03-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

You might want to stop at White's Farm. Watch the video for part of the reason why (explained to you by one of Metamora's most talented characters...)

Hibernatory Creativity

2008-03-04T00:04:00.000-08:00

When Paul Baudendistel hibernates for the winter, he keeps active by building models - at least, he has for this winter. We felt priveleged to be allowed into his home for a preview of these two models, one of a canal boat (lower photo) and the other of the Metamora aqueduct (top photo.)

Both models are built with open spaces to allow the viewer to see inside the structure to be able to understand how it is structured. The aqueduct, in particular, is amazingly complex. Both models are wonderfully executed.

Paul is not sure yet of what will happen to his work once it is complete. He really would like it used as part of an interpretive center for the canal, but there is no permanent facility on the horizon yet. He did discuss the possibility of setting up some sort of temporary interpretive display on some Metamora property. We shall hope with him.

Back Home Again in Metamora

2008-02-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

After being gone from the place of his birth here in Metamora, Roy Kitchen returned home after 30 years in Tennessee, Texas and Arizona.

Roy was a singer/songwriter in Nashville, enjoying some success, recording an album ("Someday Arizona" available by calling 765-265-2272) and getting some radio airtime.

He continued playing as a professional musician while working the oil fields of west Texas.

Roy continued his music on weekends while working as a heavy equipment operator in the open pit copper mining industry in Arizona. Music specialties here included expanding into western swing and top forty country music.

He got homesick for Indiana after 30 years away, and decided to return after learning of an opportunity to purchase a local Metamora water delivery service company. Glad to be back home, Roy can be found many days hanging out in the Smelly Gourmet Coffee Bar on Main Street in between thousand-gallon deliveries practicing music with Metamora's own "Catrina and the Baggy Bottom Boys" Band.

Welcome home Roy!

New Website for Metamora Inn

2008-01-10T14:55:00.001-08:00

Be sure to check out the great new website for the Metamora Inn.

Christmas Walk Wrap-Up

2007-12-30T05:13:00.001-08:00

The Merchants of Metamora would like to thank all their visitors for a successful Christmas Walk. Though weather seemed to interfere with some of the fun, a fifth full weekend before Christmas was enjoyed by many and helped make the season successful.

Thanks again.

Welcome to Town!

2007-12-30T05:05:00.000-08:00

Mr. David Story and family from Cincinnati told us they are purchasing the building in Duck Creek formerly known as "Rachels" and most recently known as the "Side Track Cafe" (which has now moved into the former Duck Creek Palace Restuarant building) to open a new shop this spring.

They will sell religious articles, Mrs. Story's hand-made jewelry, hot sauces and perhaps other items. They will spend the winter months getting the place ready to open, with opening tentatively planned for April 2008.

Their building is number 60 on the Metamora website map.

Welcome to town!

First Weekend of Christmas Walk

2007-11-25T17:03:00.000-08:00

Christmas Walk weekends seem a marathon to shopkeepers, with hours from 1o am to 10 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, but Sunday is a bit better closing at 5 pm. The first weekend of the 2007 Christmas Walk is now over.

Crowds seemed to be a bit lower than expected, but still steady throughout Friday and Saturday, though dampened even more by afternoon drizzle on Sunday.

None the less, the town is beautiful decked out in a wondrous array of laterns on the canal, lights on the buildings bushes and bridges, and the candles on the streets. A great time and place to do some Christmas shopping.

The new "Side Track Restaurant" is now open under the astute cooking skills and guiding hand of Nancy Johnson, a "Taste of Home" field editor, located in the former "Duck Creek Palace" restuarant building. A fine addition to places to dine while visiting historic Metamora.

Getting Ready for Christmas

2007-11-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

Today was a gorgeous weather day, 60+ degrees temperature, beautiful sunshine. Probably not many of those kind of days remaining in the year. A number of shopkeepers took advantage of the weather to get out and start putting up their Christmas decorations. Only two weeks left 'til the annual Christmas Walk shopping season begins, Fridays and Saturdays until 10 p.m.

Several new shops in town- at least two in the Duck Creek Crossing area. More variety for you shopping pleasure!

There are now new residents in the Mount Holland house on the north side of the canal in the center of town. They are a large extended family, and are busy restoring this lovely building.

The canal is currently drained for maintenance (dredging) but will be refilled before the Christmas Walk begins.

Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

2007-11-06T15:46:00.001-08:00

Our Christmas Tree lighting ceremony is rapidly coming up. Last year we had nearly 100 people attend. This year promises to be an even better event. The Baggy Bottom Boys band will again lead in singing Christmas carols. The Christmas season will officially be kicked off with a very special guest of honor.

There will be free hot chocolate and snacks, and a fire pit to help you keep warm. Come on out and join us!

Metamora Corn Maze

2007-10-09T03:58:00.000-07:00

Just want to let you all know that the Whitewater Canal Trail's 2nd Annual Corn Maze did very well on its first weekend. Very well, considering the unbelievable heat, humidity and competition from Canal Days in Metamora. We doubled our number of visitors from the same weekend last year and expect a great weekend coming up!

This weekend brings cooler weather as well as the grand opening of the Twin Locks section of the trail on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Metamora Trailhead. WCTI is also hosting the Ohio Canal Society for a tour of locks and canal structures following the ceremony. For those of you who haven't seen the project yet - this is your big chance! It has been very well used already - so worth all of the effort.

The Corn Maze is open every weekend in October from 1 to 5 and all proceeds benefit the Whitewater Canal Trail.

Jenny
Thanks for your support
Mick Wilz
Whitewater Canal Trail Inc.
P.O. Box 126
Brookville Indiana 47012
Work 866-324-7842
Home 765-647-6457
Cell 513-295-4820

Canal Days In The Heat!

2007-10-07T03:11:00.000-07:00

The 39th Annual Canal Days festival is in full swing with record temperatures approaching 90 degrees. Usually the October weather is much cooler, but the heat does not seem to affect the desire of either the vendors or the crowds to come out. While no good count is available on the number of visitors to town, many long-time residents and shopkeepers believe this year's crowd has surpassed last year's for both Friday and Saturday. (We'll see about Sunday's crowd today.) The heat is making large demands on the supplies of ice and drinking water, but the vendors and stores are keeping up.

Summer

2007-07-23T05:10:00.000-07:00

Crowds flocking to Metamora for the glorious weather and a peaceful, relaxing day of family fun. The photo at left shows a recent wedding that took place on the canal boat.

Spring Has Arrived

2007-04-24T05:02:00.000-07:00

Come on out and see the great weather here in Metamora! The beauty is about to explode as the trees green up and the ducks work on conditioning the canal.

The Canal Boat returns to service along with the Whitewater Valley Railroad during the first week of May.

Lots planned for the year. Strawberry Days and Celebrate 1838 coming up the first week in June. The Red Hat Ladies Society will be welcomed by the Metamora Merchants on the 9th of June. After July 4th activities (including the parade in town and the great fireworks show) you might gaze upon a bunch of Mustangs belonging to the Tri-State Mustang Club from West Chester Ohio on July 28th.

On the weekends, you might catch a free concert with Metamora's own Catrina and the Baggy Bottom Boys, a local bluegrass acoustic band who likes to play outside the Smelly Gourmet coffee bar when the weather is nice.

Beautiful Weather Brings Out the Tunes

2007-04-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Metamora's own Baggy Bottom Boys jamming in the street lately. With the warming weather, the toe-tapping music helps lift the spirits. The jam sessions have been happening more frequently lately, usually outside the Smelly Gourmet Coffee Bar on Main Street.

Christmas Walk a big Success

2006-12-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

As we draw close to Christmas 2006, the fourth weekend of the Christmas Walk has now been completed. It is generally agreed that this year was a bigger success than last, and the crowds were awed not only by the beautifully decorated and lit town but also by the awesome weather!

There is still a full week till Christmas day, and the questions are rolling in fast from the website about store hours and activities for the remainder of the year.

Some shops will be open during the week and on the weekend through the end of the year, but trying to determine who all will be open is like trying to nail jello to the wall- almost impossible.

So come visit the town and enjoy the beauty and the shops that ARE open.

Henry Ferguson - Mayor of Metamora

2006-11-05T04:56:00.000-08:00

The Metamora Economic Development Corporation announces Mr. Henry Ferguson as the winner of the honorary Mayor of Metamora election today. Mr. Ferguson won with 706 votes/dollars collected. Runner up, and already appointed by Mr. Ferguson as the Vice-Mayor of Metamora in his first official act as Mayor, is Crystal Fraley, the four-year old granddaughter of local shopkeepers Roz and Don Fraley. Crystal, whose campaign was managed by Mike McCain, captured 502 votes/dollars.

The unusual election has been going on all summer long in Metamora as a fundraiser to help complete the construction of a new public restroom facility in the village. All together, the election fundraiser generated about $2,300 dollars. This is expected to be enough funds to complete the restroom facility construction and placing in service as soon as the local sewer system construction is complete later this year or early next year. The 12 candidates for mayor each paid a $20 registration fee to get on the ballot, then collected votes which were purchased for $1 each. Metamora is an unincorporated town, thus, the position of Mayor is purely an honorary one, with no legal standing or true responsibilities.

Third place went to “Grandma” Shirley Beyer, a local shopkeeper, and 4th place to Ms. Shelly Walls, a Metamora-loving tourist from Bedford Indiana who has been collecting votes for herself from her customers at the Bedford restaurant where she is a waitress. Both had well over 300 votes. Fifth place went to Whiffy the Skunk, a mascot of the Metamora “Smelly Gourmet” gift and coffee shop, with 221 votes.

The final two-hours of voting took place at the town park in Metamora on Saturday, with live music presented by Metamora’s own band known as the Baggy Bottom Boys. The gala event included free food and drinks donated in part by Pavey’s BP in Metamora, the IGA in Brookville, and Kroger’s in Batesville.

At the end of the voting time, Henry Ferguson was presented the Key to the Village of Metamora by Franklin County Commissioner Lou Linkel in a short but emotional ceremony.

In the photo: Franklin County Commissioner Lou Linkel (left) presents the Key to The Village of Metamora to Henry Ferguson (right), long-time resident of Metamora and now the Honorary Mayor of Metamora.

Autumn Approaching

2006-09-24T05:23:00.000-07:00

The car show and soc hop on September 16 was a lot of fun for the participants. Not huge crowds, but still quite enjoyable and some really cool cars there to look at.

The Merchant Association is sponsoring a Scarecrow Contest for decoration of the town, with judging to be accomplished by tourists in town on September 30.

Then the residents and shopkeepers brace themselves for the onslaught of tens of thousands of people for the Canal Days weekend, where visitors will find all sorts of wondrous things offered by the shops and the hundreds of outside vendors. Should be a lot of fun-- we are praying the weather will cooperate to enhance the experience.

Hope to see you then- October 6, 7 and 8.

Metamora Indiana Car Show and Sock Hop

2006-08-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

Sept 16 at 4:00. Wander down main street and see all the amazing cars and chat with the owners. Enjoy a 50's dance on the street featuring all your favorite oldies. More info... To register your car print the registration form or email us and will send you the form. Awards, trophies and dash plaques to be given out as well as many other prizes. Call Ron at 1-765-647-3360.
This is a fundraiser for the "I Believe" campaign sponsored by Metamora Economic Development Corporation

Metamora Music Festival Sept 2 - 3

2006-08-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

The 2006 Metamora Music Festival founded by local musician Jim Wendel is Labor Day Weekend. This years events are sure to please everyone of all ages.

What better way to spend your Labor Day weekend than in relaxing Metamora. Not only can you enjoy the music scheduled throughout the town, but you can visit the grist mill where you can watch them make corn meal; take a ride on the canal boat pulled by horses and get a history of the canal era; walk around the historical town and enjoy this relaxing, quaint village; do a little shopping and enjoy a wonderful meal.

WORKSHOPS SCHEUDLE Saturday, Sept. 2 (subject to change)
11:00 AM Pete and Sarah Walthery-Harp/Dulcimer/Flute
12:00 noon Tom Shinness-Harpguitarist
1:00 PM Chris Carlisle-Dulcimer
1:30 PM Jim Wendel-Harmonica, Washtub
2:00 PM John Gates-Mandolin
3:00 PM Tom and Missy Strothers-Mountain Dulcimer

PERFORMANCE(subject to change, please check back)Meadow Mainstage
11:00 AM Baggy Bottom Boys
12:00 PM Jim Innis and Flatrock River Boys
1:00 PM Pete and Sara Walthery
2:00 PM Old Friends
3:00 PM Calvary Gospel Quartet
4:00 PM Missy and Tom Strothers
5:00 PM Folkgrass Explosion with John Gates and Harvey Mosteller

GRISTMILL PERFORMANCE
Noon and 2:00 PM Music Americana
American history told through story and songpresented with the support of: The Whitewater Canal State Historic Site Indiana Arts Commission

6:00-9:00 PM EDT EVENING CONCERT Meadow Mainstage
Jim Innis Flatrock River Boys
Shawnee Valley Dulcimer Society
Old Friends
Calvary Gospel Quartet
Baggy Bottom Boys

Sunday, Sept. 3
PERFORMANCES Metamora Gristmill
Noon and 2:00 PM Music Americana
American history told through story and songpresented with the support of: The Whitewater Canal State Historic Site Indiana Arts Commission

Beginning at 12:30 Performances(subject to change)

For More Information Call:
Jim Wendel at 765-629-2662
Al Rogers at 765-647-2194

Mayor Campaign Status

2006-06-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

The Mayor of Metamora Campaign is underway. Henry Ferguson continues to lead the election currently with 222 votes, but Crystal the 4 year old girl is catching up rapidly with nearly a hundred votes, and Grandma Shirley, grandmother of ten, not too far behind Crystal. Whiffy the skunk is catching up with 74 votes.

Remember, ANYONE can vote- even YOU. Votes are $1 each, and you are encouraged to vote early and often. You can cast your vote(s) at several places in town (see the large posters in the windows) or on the web at www.MetamoraIndiana.com/Mayor.htm.

All proceeds from the election are for a new Public Restroom facility on the east end of town, and then the "I Believe" campaign to raise funds for the Whitewater Canal Corridor Interpretive Center. Super causes that will preserve our heritage for our kids! Please help by giving - er, donating - uh, VOTING!

Bluegrass Music "Baggy Bottom Boys"

2006-06-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

Some local musical talent has been getting together and jamming in the evenings after the shops close. They are calling themselves the "Baggy Bottom Boys". Guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, acoustic bass and some pretty good singing might be heard Wednesday evenings at the gazebo in town if you happened to pass by.

Not quite ready for Nashville yet, but they're having a lot of fun and making some toes tap...

Summer "I Believe" Fundraising Campaign

2006-06-16T19:15:00.000-07:00

The planning is shaping up for the fundraising events this summer designed to help us purchase the MacLyn Campground property on US 52 for the purpose of developing an Interpretive Center for the entire Whitewater Canal Corridor Region, consisting of several counties in Southeast Indiana and probably a couple of counties in Southwest Ohio.

A big project- nearly a million dollars are required for the project, but we have identified a grant that will cover 80% of the purchase price, and have secured commitments for some significant chunks of our 20%. We still need to raise on the order of $20,000.

July 4th will be a big day in Metamora with the parade getting underway about 6:00 p.m., the Ducky Derby at about 6:30, a stage show at 8:30 pm consisting of the Mayor of Metamora candidates debate and maybe some live music, followed by the annual fireworks show at dusk.

The 2nd Annual "Metamorons Actors Guild" Dinner and Show is scheduled for two nights this year, August 4 and 5, at the Depot Restaurant in Metamora. This is a fundraiser dinner at $30 per ticket (call 765-647-3360 to make your reservation or email copperron@aol.com ) and a live stage show/variety/comedy show with local Metamora talent. Last year's show was such a success that it was planned for two nights this year.

September 16 will see the 2nd Annual Car Show and Soc Hop. This year the show will take place on the streets of the town itself, and many more cool cars are expected. Show starts at 3:30 pm, food and dancing starts at 5:00 pm while judging of cars goes on. Awards presented at 9:00 pm.
Call 765-647-3360 or 4328 for more info.

You can be the Mayor of Metamora Indiana!

2006-05-17T04:14:00.000-07:00

You can be the Mayor! Metamora is going to elect an honorary Mayor as a fundraising event for the "I Believe" Southeast Indiana Whitewater Canal Corridor Regional Interpretive Center.

There are no residency requirements to run for Mayor. In fact, there are only TWO requirements to get on the ballot: You must 1) be breathing, and 2) have no more than four (4) legs!

Did you ever want to be the Mayor of your own little town in the Midwestern U.S.? How about putting up your daughter, friend, or your favorite pet (not more than four legs, please)? And not just any town, but the wonderful historic village of Metamora! All you have to do to register to get on the ballot as a candidate is go to www.MetamoraIndiana.com/Mayor.htm and sign up yourself or your friend(s), paying the $20 registration fee with your credit card or Paypal account.

Registered candidates will receive a very nice frameable certificate stating they are on the ballot for the Mayor of Metamora in 2006.

Voting for yourself or other candidates can be done online also from the Mayor election web page. Just like in small town politics the world over, money talks! All votes are purchased for $1 per vote. VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN! Get your friends, family and co-workers to vote for you, and you can actually be elected as honorary Mayor. You need not be present at the final voting event in early August to win, and duties of the person elected are whatever the Mayor wants them to be.

All funds received will be used first to finish the new Public Restroom Facility on the east end of the historic district, then all remaining funds raised will be used towards the $1 million purchase price of the property for the Whitewater Canal Corridor Regional Interpretive Center near the middle of town.

So get in on the fun, help a wonderful cause, and start by registering yourself as a candidate now through the web by going to http://www.MetamoraIndiana.com/Mayor.htm. Your certificate will be mailed to you.

Current candidates include Bonnie, the horse that pulls the carriage ride in town, Grandma Beyer, grandmother of ten, Crystal, the three-year-old daughter of a local shopkeeper, Whiffy, the skunk mascot of a Metamora coffee bar, and Sheri Riggs, a local shopkeeper.

Make yourself the next candidate!

Please note: Only for those who wish to participate: There will be a formal public introduction of all registered candidates on the June 3/4 weekend in Metamora, and a candidates debate on the July 4 weekend (candidates may have a human or adult campaign manager speak for them if desired).

Ready For Visitors

2006-05-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

Metamora is greening up quite nicely as we head deeper into springtime! The Grist Mill is now open, and the Canal Boat is back in service after a winter "hanging out" in Gordon's Lock.

Horse Controversy for Metamora Mayor

2006-05-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Steve Collier
President, Metamora Economic Development Corporation
Post Office Box 95
Metamora, Indiana 47030
(765) 647-4328 (Daytime except Mondays)
(812) 623-1114 (Home)
stevecollier@suscom.net
http://www.metamoraindiana.com/

CONTROVERSY OVER HORSE FOR MAYOR LOOMS BETWEEN STATE AND METAMORA

Metamora, Indiana – May 1, 2006 – In the first-ever election for honorary Mayor in this small historic town in Southeast Indiana, candidates must meet only two requirements—they must be breathing, and they must have no more than four legs. Jerry, the Belgian draft horse that pulls the state-owned canal boat down the state-owned canal for tourist rides, meets those two requirements. But some think that it would be a conflict of interest for a state employee to hold the only public office in the town. So the question facing the State of Indiana today is whether or not a draft horse is truly considered a state employee.

This small historic canal town and tourist village is conducting an Honorary Mayor election as a fundraiser for additional public restroom facilities and for the construction of a Southeast Indiana regional Interpretive Center. Since this is an honorary position, there are no residency requirements for the job of Mayor. Anyone who meets the two requirements can run for the office. But, as is frequently the way in small-town American politics, there is always someone trying to stretch the rules- such as, in this case, running Jerry, an employee of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, for Mayor in the town in which he works.

With Candidate registration just beginning Saturday, the only candidates currently on the ballot are Bonnie, the horse that pulls the carriage ride through the scenic town, and Whiffy, the skunk- mascot of the Smelly Gourmet coffee bar on Main Street in Metamora.

It is believed there will be several other candidates on the ballot, which only requires a $20 fee to register—and gets the candidate a nice frameable certificate stating they ran for Mayor in the town. Other possible candidates include one of the town’s ducks (who better to deal with the duck poop issue?), a fish (which brings up the question about whether or not the thing fish do with their gills is actually “breathing”), and several humans including possibly Trapper the local chicken hypnotizer known for hypnotizing his rooster into thinking it’s a duck. But since the job is open nationwide to anyone with $20, its hard to tell who might materialize as the election continues through the summer.

And in any case, its hard to tell which candidate might win the election- voting will continue through the summer as the campaign progresses, and electors are genuinely encouraged to “vote early and often”. As is usually true, but frequently denied, in all elections, all votes are purchased – in Metamora’s case, for $1 each. Voting commences June 3 and continues through August.

But the overriding issue at the moment seems to be whether or not Jerry’s candidacy will be allowed by the state of Indiana, and would it violate Indiana’s conflict of interest laws by Jerry’s running as Mayor while he is a state of Indiana employee in the town.

No response has yet been obtained from the Indiana Secretary of State of Department of Natural Resources (Jerry’s boss) offices.

Anyone can buy their way onto the ballot, and cast their votes, with their credit card by going to www.MetamoraIndiana.com/Mayor.htm

END OF PRESS RELEASE

The Delware Rangers

2006-04-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

The Delaware Rangers pose for a portrait after the April shoot-'em-up at Metamora. Be sure to bring earplugs if loud noises bother you!

Civil War Shootout!

2006-04-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

The bad guys were taken out, the good guys were heros, and the town visitors were well pleased by the show put on by the Delaware Rangers when the train arrived at Metamora recently.

The action occurred April 1st with the first arrival of the Whitewater Valley Railroad train in Metamora. This arrival signals the end of the winter and the beginning of another season of great things to do and see in our great little town. The Delaware Rangers will be making periodic visits with the Railroad to town throughout the summer. If we can get a schedule, we'll post it on the MetamoraIndiana.com website.

"I Believe" needs your support

2006-03-31T19:06:00.000-08:00

The Metamora Economic Development Corporation is working hard to raise the $200,000 to purchase the 35 acre property on highway 52 to build an Interpretive Center. This project is a huge undertaking that will impact Metamora and the surrounding counties. By completing this project we will be able to preserve the history of Indiana and pass it on to tourist and schools. This will be a remarkable educational and cultural breakthough.

Many fundraisers are planned for 2006. Please help us with this endevor by attending these fundraisers. We are also accepting dontations. Any amount would be greatly appreciated. Help Metamora share the history of Indiana. If you are interested in donating to this worthy cause please email us at mail@metamoraindiana.com.

History is to important to forget!

Metamora Indiana's Smelly Gourmet Coffee Bar Passes the European Test!

2006-03-20T08:28:00.000-08:00

The "Smelly Gourmet" in Metamora Indiana is an unusual shop! It's a handmade bath and body shop and European Coffee Bar. You'll know were open when you see the Italian flag flying outside.

You'll most likely be greeted by Steve, the owner and he will tell you, "I make the best Cappuccino this site of the Atlantic!" He's not shy about it, he'll even guarantee it! You won't leave the Smelly Gourmet unhappy.

True coffee drinkers agree with Steve. We had one lady from California tell us she as been all over the U.S. and has never had a drink as good as this. Another customer told Steve to move to Chicago and open the Smelly Gourmet there so she can have a good drink everyday. We get comments like this all the time.

But the real critic was Pietro, an Italian man! Nobody knows espresso better than the Italians!
Pietro walked in and began speaking in Italian. My guess is that Pietro did not expect Steve to respond in Italian but he did. To say the least watching the two of them talking Italian was a very fun experience. Steve is so passionate about Italy so spending 45 min or so with Pietro and Debbie was a real treat. I love the sound of the Italian swirl of the tongue!

Later that evening we receive the below email from Pietro.

Debbie and I stopped at the Smelling Gourmet this afternoon. Steve Collier prepared an espresso coffee that was just like being in Italy.

It started even before I took a sip of it to realize that the thick ceramic cup contained the creamy miscela the way is supposed to be.

Visually and aromatically the small content of the espresso cup brought to mind the Bar Roma in Sabaudia, where I used to stop few times per day for the espresso, 33 years ago, before leaving Italy for the USA.

Intentionally I prolonged the time before drinking, fearing it was only a dream. But wow, the taste was also there, full force, unadulterated, just like Italy!

Thank you Steve,

Pietro

He'll never claim he's better than the Europeans but he is not shy about telling you he's the best here in the states!

Steve spent 7 years in Italy where he learned the art of making true European coffee. Come in and test the coffee!

Metamora in Winter

2006-03-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

For those familiar with our quaint little burg during the October Canal Days festival, or during the December Christmas Walk, Metamora is a much quieter place in the winter. Few tourists roam the streets, few shops are open.

But, for those who venture out for a visit anyway-- and there are actually quite a few of those sort of adventurers-- Metamora will still be found as a lovely little gem hidden just off of Indiana Highway 52 about eight miles west of Brookville. The Whitewater Canal waters still flow melodiously over the waterfall next to the 1800's vintage Grist Mill. Most of the ducks do NOT fly south for the winter, instead choosing to remain local in hopes of handfulls of corn from a few of the local shopkeepers who brave the winter months in town.

During the week, when they get tired of walking through the village to take in the fascinating historical buildings and talking to the ducks, visitors can always count on warming up with one of the self-proclaimed "Best Cappuccinos this side of the Atlantic Ocean" at the "Smelly Gourmet" European Coffee Bar and beauty products manufacturing store on Main Street (closed on Mondays, open the other six days of the week.) And the engaging Master Barista who runs the coffee bar is always ready with animated conversation about his years of living in Italy before he retired from the US Navy Submarine Force.

On weekends, you'll almost always find George and Gail open in their shop on Main Street called "Words and Images/The Train Place". Between George's excitement over his antique lanterns and model trains, and Gail's knowledgeable conversations about art, history and her books (she is also known as "the Book Lady") a visitor will have an enjoyable time.

Next door to George and Gail, in the building with the tall letters spelling out "HOTEL", is the "Walnut Creek Home and Garden" shop, a name that doesn't do justice to the many wonderful handcrafted items by more than twenty artists and craftsmen. In addition to Ron's copper items, you will find handcrafted jewelry, paintings, Candy's wood furniture, long-beard Tony's stained glass, and much more. This place is usually open six day a week, and you'll usually find Ron the coppersmith working away at his craft while Candy, Ron's wife, keeps turning out beautiful art works when she is not (as she usually is) engaged in activities to help get the word out about the wonders of the town of Metamora.

Even in winter, there are still the occasional visitors who spend a weekend or an overnight stay at the Metamora Inn, one of the towns' best-known Bed and Breakfasts, which remains open throughout the winter. The proprietors, Glenn and Jo, live at the Inn and thus remain open throughout the winter. They won't find much night life in town, but for a peaceful, quiet getaway, the natural beauty of the town and the interesting buildings and people make for a very satisfying retreat from the hustle and bustle of life in the big city or annoying corporate environment.

Welcome to Al Payette

2006-02-28T12:37:00.000-08:00

Al recently purchased Shiela and Paul's building, the former Tea Room in Duck Creek, and is in the middle of renovating the building to (among other things) improve the kitchen facilities. The Hen House (location C-6 on the website map) will remain in business with Al.

After years of visiting Metamora, Al purchased the property to give himself something to do since retiring from a career with Delta Airlines.

Say hi him when you see him.

MEDC MEETING VOTING FOR NEW OFFICERS

2006-02-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

If you are a member of MEDC please attend the meeting on March 4th at 5:00 in the church basement. The meeting is for electing new officers. Come and make your vote count!

Local Author Rose Bush to Celebrate Women's History Month

2006-02-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

To celebrate "Women's History Month" in March, local authoress Rose Bush will be at the Brookville Library discussing her book Falling Blossom. Rose will also touch on the aspects of writing historical fiction and what it really takes to create an accurate background for fictional characters.

There will be a book sale and signing after the program and a sneak preview of Rose's next book due to be released late fall of 2006.

Come and join Rose on Tuesday, March 7th at 6:30pm at the Brookville Library.

Arts Grants Program Information Meeting

2006-01-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

There will be an information meeting to tell you about the Arts Grants Program of the Indiana Arts Commission administered through the Columbus Area Arts Council Region 9 (Franklin County is part of region 9.)

This program has grants available to non-profit organizations in the county to support the arts.

Jeff Kuehl, the Region 9 grants program coordinator, will be presenting on Monday, January 23 2006 at the Franklin County Community Foundation Building, 527 Main Street, Brookville Indiana. Start time is 7:30 p.m. Everyone is invited- this is a public meeting.

For more information, e-mail Gail Ginther at metamora@gmail.com.

Working Together

2006-01-05T07:27:00.000-08:00

An ad-hoc meeting was held last night (January 4) to exchange ideas on preserving the local history of the town. A “brainstorming” approach was used to attempt to recount all the good things that have happened in the past year in town, and to identify the most significant obstacles to improving the town along with possible solutions to these obstacles.

The meeting was considered a landmark gathering because those present at the meeting last night represented all of the other civic groups in the town, including the Merchant Association, Commissioner’s (town) Council, Historic Metamora Inc., Metamora Economic Development Corp (MEDC), Duck Creek Property Owners Association, and the Lion’s Club.

Several people volunteered to do some research on specific areas identified and report back to the group at a follow-up meeting scheduled next month.

Comments From Town Visitors

2006-01-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

A survey of about 200 visitors to the town of Metamora was conducted during the recent Christmas walk. Much information about the demographics was collected, and is available for those interested by contacting Candy Yurcak at Walnut Creek Home and Garden. The survey also included a section for visitor comments on the town. A few are reprinted here:

"Nice, friendly, clean placde to bring family and visitors."

"This is a wonderful place!! Great history for children, great learning too!"

" I am out here at least six times a year. Need more bathrooms!!!!"

"All of the stores are very nice."

"Our family loves Metamora- we want to spend more time here."

"We love this place and we'll keep coming back as long as stores stay in business."

"Very interesting and quaint."

"Wonderful place to visit- I plan on coming back year after year."

"Been coming since I was a child. Love the older town and unique stores."

"Keep Metamora alive!"

Metamora Duck Rescued

2005-12-29T04:33:00.000-08:00

One of Metamora's esteemed citizen ducks stranded in the frozen canal recently was rescued early one recent morning by new Metamora shop owner Lloyd Stamper (Lloyd's Photography).

The duck apparently had some form of injury preventing his escaping the ice by flying. The ice was so slippery that the duck could not get a foot-hold to get himself out.

Lloyd risked his own safety by getting close enough to the duck to help him to the side of the canal, then pulled the duck out of the canal. After rescue, the duck appeared to be fine strutting up and down the canal.

Stop by Lloyd's and tell him congratulations!

New Postmaster

2005-10-29T05:12:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Nadine Simmermeyer on her appointment as the new postmaster of Metamora. She replaces the former postmaster who has moved on to the Milan Indiana post office. Nadine shared her new appointment with the townspeople by bringing in snacks and baked goods. We wish you well, Nadine!

Canal Days dates

2005-09-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

The annual Canal Days, sponsored by Historic Metamora Inc., will be on October 7, 8, and 9 this year. The easy way to determine the dates for future years is that Canal Days always starts the FIRST FRIDAY in October. This year that happens to fall on October 7.

Some people have mistakenly understood that Canal Days is the first weekend in October, but that is incorrect at least for this year.

REMEMBER: The FIRST FRIDAY IN OCTOBER is when Canal Days starts, running for Friday Saturday and Sunday.

Metamora Is Lovers

2005-09-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

The following is a www.MetamoraIndiana website visitors comment:

From: Remote User:
Date: 29 Sep 2005
Time: 13:31:16

Comments:

My hausband and I have spent an Anniversary in Metamora and I can't imagine a more romantic place than this. And we're trying to arrange one now. Thank you to the towns people for making it such a wonderful place to visit.

Jamie M.
from Cincinnati

Fundraising Black-Tie Dinner

2005-09-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

Like the little engine that could, Metamora, Indiana is steaming ahead with plans to buy a 32 plus acre museum building, visitors center, campground, restaurant, lecture hall and whatever the creative minds of the small canal town can dream up. And they are offering a gourmet dinner to help make that happen.

“Our first big public bash, a ‘Fun Raiser’ by our own Metamoron Actors Guilt, was so successful we’ve decided to go in a new direction with this special evening of fine food, first class entertainment with an art & antique auction thrown in,” said Candy Yurcak, co-chair of the Metamora Community Development’s black tie committee.

Scheduled for Saturday, October 1 at The Depot on US 52 in Metamora, this black tie optional dinner is a mere $100 per individual with all proceeds going to the group’s tax deductible effort to buy the Mac-Lynn Campground and turn it into a much needed public facility.

The evening begins at 6 pm with aperitifs and art browsing while the venerable and well-loved Indianapolis jazz vocalist Everett Greene entertains. For those who get too hungry for dinner at eight, at seven a five course dinner begins with iced caviar in a cream cheese cake, smoked salmon on pin wheel flat bread, and a shrimp and seafood spread on fancy crackers.

Next it’s toasted onion soup with trimmings. A special salad follows with enough exotic ingredients to make a Californian blush. A palate cleansing pineapple sorbet will be served before the main course of chicken breast pounded like it stole something (and got caught) then stuffed with an irresistible secret, stacked high and surrounded with colorful steamed vegetables.

The menu is supervised by the famous chefs of Rileybrook Hall and prepared by the soon-to-be famous cooks of Metamora who remind diners to leave room for carmel apple pie ala mode sloshed with homemade syrup too fancy to name.

Round and about all this the well known and colorful Maggie Beckmeyer of Cincinnati’s own Auction’s by Maggie will be presenting fine art and antiques at auction.

For reservations call 765-647-3360 or 765 647-5425.

Mac & Mike Come To Town

2005-07-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

Two new canal-boat-towing horses have arrived and been put to work. Stop by to meet Mac & Mike, or, as some have called them, M&M. Young (3 1/2 and 4 years) and hard-working, they bring a lot of "vinegar" to the job, which will help you enjoy a canal-boat ride with an interpretive presentation about the canal system.

Model T Cars Come to Metamora

2005-07-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Sept 4th, (Labor Day Weekend) over 100 Antique Model T cars will be rolling into Metamora. Don't miss this added attraction. For more information call Steve or Brenda 812-623-1114.

Old Metamora Photographs

2005-07-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

Some old photographs of the town of Metamora have been posted on the MetamoraIndiana website in the History section at this link for a fascinating views of the town as it once was. These are published on the website courtesy of Marie Anness, a long-time resident of Metamora.

We would like to obtain more information about the photos, such as the approximate year they were taken, and more information about such things as the train derailment pictured, and the old Broom Factory.

There is a fascinating view of Clayborn Street before it was paved, and (soon to come) a photo from near where the foot-bridge now is looking past the old Odd Fellows Hall towards the Mill and what is now Duck Creek- before there were any buildings in Duck Creek!

We will get the rest of the photos on the site as soon as possible. Check back often. And if you have any info about the photos, please call us at 812-623-1114 or e-mail us.

A Train to Dinner

2005-07-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Join with us in a train ride from Metamora to Laurel for a Chicken and BBQ Ribs dinner at the Laurel Hotel restaurant on July 30, 2005.

This is a fundraising trip for the "I Believe" campaign. Tickets in clude train ride, meal and tips, and cost $40 per adult and $30 per child.

The train departs Metamora at 6:00 pm, and returns at about 8:30 pm.

Additional questions? Contact Cheryl at 765-647-3863, before Monday, July 25.

Merchant Changes in Town

2005-07-22T06:15:00.000-07:00

We'd like to welcome Mike and Sharon Tackaberry to town, now located in the former Bradway's Studio building just inside the entrance to town. Their shop, "Anything and Everything" will sell many unique gift items not found elsewhere in town.

Also new in town is the "Hen House" operated by Rhonda Kracht and Patricia Beck, serving delicious pan-fried chicken and many other delectables in Duck Creek, located in the former Tea Room building (map locator number 33.)

Also, stop in and say hello to Shirley Beyer, the proprietor of the "Metamora Engraver." She continues the Nordic Ware engraving the previous shop owner had done, and has really cleaned up the appearance of the shop interior, adding many wonderful other gift items, notably here tree-clinging outside bears! (See a picture HERE.)

We are sorry to see that Brenda Means has been unable to continue with her Gingerbread Hut shop. Brenda was very active with the Merchant Association and will be missed. The building she previously occupied now houses Ray Bryant, who has moved his "Memories of Yesteryear" shop into the building from his former location next to the Thorpe House.

We know that the Pizza Shop on the main drag of town has been reopened under new proprietors, but we do not yet have any information to share about them. If you see them, tell them to contact Steve or Brenda at the All Occasions Gift Shop so we can get them introduced 'in the news'.

Historic Metamora Meeting/Dinner July 30 2005

2005-07-22T03:25:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 30, 7 p.m. there will be a presentation at C.J.s by Susan Lankford, Project Coordinator, Center for Historic Preservation, Ball State University regarding preservation projects undertaken by graduate students working with the Center, with emphasis on work done in Metamora.

Dinner will be at 6 PM EST at C.J.'s Italian Sausage along the Whitewater Canal in Metamora Indiana. Dinner entree will be a choice of Meatloaf or Veggie Pizza. Dinner cost is $7. RSVP for dinner reservations by July 23 to Gail Ginther or by telephoning Pat Rogers at 765-647-2194.

All are welcome to attend the presentation at 7 PM without attending dinner.

News service back in commission

2005-07-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

This news service about Metamora has been unavailable for awhile, but we should be back in business now. Call us at (877) 332-5787 to have an item of interest posted here.

Metamora Indiana Train Schedule For May

2005-05-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

The following schedule has been provided by the Grist Mill. We will post these schedules as we receive them. If you know of any other groups coming to town please forward that information to us so we can post it.

May 12 - 360 Passengers
May 13 - 116 Passengers
May 19 - 30 Passengers
May 20 - 400 Passengers
May 25 - 31 Passengers

Volunteers Needed for Strawberry Daze

2005-04-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

Step up to the plate and volunteer to help make June 4 & 5 2005 Strawberry Daze a huge success! Volunteers are need for cleaning strawberries prior to the weekend and servers to work in the Strawberry Shortcake tent. Contact Sherry Chandler at the Old Fashioned Candy Store. Help make Metamora prosper by give a small portion of your time.

Merchant Association of Metamora Breakfast

2005-04-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

The Merchant Association of Metamora is holding the annual kickoff to the Metamora season on Saturday May 7th at 8:00a.m EST with a breakfast at the Hearthstone restaurant. Tickets are $7.00 and available from Roz at Ma & Pa's Emporium, Monica at Robin's Nest, or Norma at the Old Fashioned Candy Store. All merchants are welcome to attend. Come and learn what's going on in town this year!

Sewer Project Public Meeting

2005-03-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

Sewage in Metamora is on its' way OUT! The project is flowing forward at a rapid pace.

We anticipate a committment of $1,300,000 in grants and $1,109,000 in low cost loans from USDA-Rural Development.

The Sewer District Board is currently working with South Central Regional Planning Commission to comply with final application requirements for a $500,000 Department of Commerce Grant.

These monies will NOT be available in the future...and we're competing Statewide for them. All lose ends must be tied up this month.

The entire community needs remaining easements/waivers NOW. Also, the DOC wants to see lots of "letters of support" for the project. If you feel so compelled, simply address it "To Whom it may Concern" and state your reasons favoring sewers...good for environment, good for business, customer complaints, etc.

Technical questions should be referred to Joe Tierney, GRW Engineers, Inc. at 1-800-310-5066 (ext. 225). Feel free to contact me, 765-932-2365, home phone.

A special public meeting will be held Friday, March 25, 7:00 pm at the Metamora Methodist Church. This meeting is required by the Department of Commerce and large attendence/ participation will reflect well on our grant application.

Please plan on attending-and bring your letter of support (or mail to M.R.S.D. P.O. Box 36, Metamora, IN 47030).

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Mike & Jean Owens
The Thorpe House Country Inn
(765)647-5425