A Travel Guide to Wabash County, Indiana: What to See & Do
Last month, I had to chance to visit Wasbash County, Indiana, which is about 3 hours from Grand Rapids. Before this trip, I had never heard of Wabash County. This was my first time visiting Indiana. Prior to this trip, I have only driven through Indiana to get to Chicago. Wabash, Indiana is located in central Indiana, making it a great Midwest weekend getaway. Whether you are planning a romantic getaway or a girls weekend, Wabash is the perfect spot!
While visiting Wabash County, we had the chance to visit three cities in the county: Wabash, Roann, and North Mancester.
where to stay:
During our visit we stayed at Charley Creek Inn, a historic hotel located in downtown Wabash. Charley Creek Inn was originally built in 1920 with 80 guest rooms. The hotel was turned into apartments before it was purchased in 2007 by local philanthropist Richard E. Ford, of the Ford Meter Box family. He purchased the building and restored the hotel back into a stunning Georgian Revival boutique hotel, opening back up in 2010. The hotel now has 30 beautiful guest rooms and suites.
My favorite part of the hotel room was the bed, which is handmade. The bed was so comfortable, it was hard to get up in the morning!
What to see & do:
ride trolley no. 85
During our stay we were able to ride Trolley No. 85, Wabash’s own trolley! It was fun to ride around the county in the trolley. The trolley runs during Wabash’s public events. It can also be rented out for private parties and weddings. They also offer holiday events on the trolley. You can even ride with Santa on the trolley!
visit covered bridges
During our stay, we were able to visit two covered bridges: The Roann Covered Bridge and the North Manchester Covered Bridge. At one time there were over twenty covered bridges located in the city.
The Roann Covered Bridge was constructed by the Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio, in 1877. The bridge crosses over the Eel River in Roann.
The second bridge that we saw was the North Manchester Bridge, which was much smaller than the Roann Bridge. This covered bridge also has a pedestrian walkway to use when crossing.
have a drink at Chapman’s Brewery
If you are looking for a great place to grab a beer in Wabash, be sure to check out Chapman’s Brewery while you are there. They are conveniently located across the street from Charley Creek Inn.
The stockdale mill
The Stockdale Mill is an old water powered flour mill and dam. It sits on the Eel River in north-central Indiana in the town of Roann. The mill is open for free historic tours on Saturdays from May until the end of October. You can purchase flour and cornmeal that the mill grinds.
See a concert and show at The Honeywell Center
While we were visiting Wabash, we had the chance to see 1964 The Tribute, a Beetles tribute show, at The Honeywell Center. The Honeywell Center is operated by The Honeywell Foundation, which was established in 1941 by Mark C. Honeywell, the developer of the thermostat and automatic controls for heating systems. In 1994 the 1500 seat theatre was added to the center. The center offers a wide range of shows and concerts throughout the year.
Dr. James Ford Historic Home
Visit the home of a 19th Century physician. Tour the home to see how Dr. James Ford family lived in the years before, during and just after the Civil War. Dr. Ford purchased the property in 1839 and moved his family into the unfinished home in 1841. The Honeywell Foundation assumed ownership and operation of the house in 2015. Come and visit the home to see what life looked like in Wabash during the mid-1800s. They offer tours Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm and Sunday -Thursday by appointment.
The Honeywell House
The Honeywell House is the former home of Mrs. Eugenia Honeywell. She wanted the house to be accessible to the community. You can even sit on her furniture. They offer a wide range of educational programs and chamber music concerts throughout the year. The outdoor grounds are just beautiful. They host quite a few events outdoors.
Explore Downtown Wabash
When we arrived Saturday morning, we were excited to find quite a few things happening. The local farmers market was so cute! If you have followed me for awhile, you know that I love going to the farmers market. I wish that we could’ve bought some of the gorgeous produce back with us!
There are also some amazing local shops and galleries in downtown. There are also quite a few different art galleries and studios in Wabash.
My mom and I also got a wine slushie from the wine shop located inside the Charley Creek Inn. It was the perfect beverage to sip on while strolling downtown.
My mom and I had a great visit to Wabash County. We definitely would love to go back soon! We had such a great time exploring all that this charming town had to offer. If you are looking for a small town with lots of charm and character, make Wabash your next Midwest travel spot!
Thank you so much to Visit Wabash County for hosting our stay.
XO Jeni
I grew up in Roann, and was born a few hundred feet from the Stockdale Dam, then lived around north corner of bride till I was 5. I visited “home” last year and thank you for taking the time to share what I saw all my life growing up. My father was a blacksmith in Roann , he was born and raised 1 mile south of Stockdale Bridge. Kenneth Black
Thank you for commenting! I loved visiting and had a great visit! 🙂
Great article. Thanks so much for writing about Wabash (my hometown). There are certainly tons of wonderful things to do there and nearby.