Croy’s Creek, Marvin’s earn spots on Hoosier Bucket List

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Things to try. Things to see. Things to do.

All are part of the 200 -- count ‘em, 200 -- people, places and things on the Indiana Bicentennial Bucket List created by the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.

The list, which includes something to do in all 92 Hoosier counties, was created as a way to promote traditions and oddities across the state during this year of celebration.

Among the “Things to Try” listed by the museum folks are some Putnam County favorites, including the famed garlic cheeseburger -- more familiarly known as the GCB -- at Marvin’s, the longtime DePauw University campus eatery in Greencastle created by the late Marvin Long and now owned and operated by Kevin Sullivan.

Suggested as a bucket list “Things to See” item is Cataract Falls, where two sets of falls on Mill Creek create a cascade that drops 86 feet as Indiana’s largest waterfall. The upper falls has a sheer plunge of 20 feet, while the lower falls -- about a half a mile downstream--- has a fall of some 18 feet.

Among the Bucket List “Things to Do” suggestions is “to shop for anything and everything” at Croy’s Creek near Reelsville. Founded by John and Hazel Lynch, the country swap meet owned by the Lynch family is in its 45th year.

Meanwhile, attending the Monon Bell Classic football game between DePauw University and Wabash College also made the “Things to Do” list. The Monon Bell game was voted Indiana’s best football rivalry by ESPN fans.

The gridiron battle between DePauw and Wabash -- the oldest continuous football rivalry west of The Alleghenies -- began in 1890. The two schools have faced each other 122 times with Wabash holding a 60-53-9 advantage. Since the Monon Bell, a 300-pound locomotive bell from the Monon Railroad, was introduced in 1932, Wabash holds a 41-37-6 lead.

A number of other area attractions and events made the Things to Do list, including:

--Visit the Maple Syrup Festival in Parke County.

--Walk across the suspension bridge at Turkey Run State Park.

--Find all 31 Parke County covered bridges.

--Stay overnight in a former jail cell at the Old Jail Inn at Rockville.

--Spend a day paddling Sugar Creek in Montgomery County.

See “Andy Griffith Show” impersonators during the Mayberry in the Midwest Festival at Danville. “We’ve put the bicentennial bucket list together for Hoosiers and non-Hoosiers alike to experience something new about Indiana this year,” Aja May, vice president of marketing for the event, explained. “We get asked all the time what is fun to see and do in Indiana, so our staff of Indiana experts put together the list to share.”

The 10 categories include sports, museums/memorials, holidays/seasons, arts, food/drink, outdoors/state parks, general fun activities, shopping, unusual and festivals.

The rest of the Indiana Bucket List includes ...

Things to see:

--Clabber Girl clock billboard. Indiana’s oldest billboard, erected by Clabber Girl with a working clock in the 1930s just east of Terre Haute.

--The famous “Big Peach” in front of the produce market near Bruceville. It’s 20 feet tall and stands next to a Washington Monument replica.

--Two trees growing out of the towers of the courthouse in Greensburg. They’ve been there more than 100 years.

--Giant popcorn box at the Jasper Gift Basket and Popcorn Co. It’s 17 feet tall.

--Touchdown Jesus at Notre Dame.

--The Jackson home in Gary, where Michael, Janet and all the Jackson 5 grew up.

--Giant shoe at Basketball Hall of Fame.

--Giant sneakers at the Steve Alford Inn and Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in New Castle.

--A calf being born at Fair Oaks Farms.

--The world’s largest ball of paint in Alexandria.

--The giant limestone table and chairs in downtown Bloomington.

--The giant Nestle Quik bunny sign near Anderson.

--The Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, with the columns from the original Ball family mansion at the entrance.

--The dome on the hill at the Sisters of St. Benedict.

--The League Stadium in Huntingburg, where “A League of Their Own” was filmed.

--The George Rogers Clark Memorial in Vincennes.

--The Tulip Tressle in Greene County, a 2,295-foot railroad bridge built 100 years ago, known as the most spectacular in Indiana.

--A themed water ski show by Lake City Skiers in Warsaw.

--Rescued animals at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Center Point.

--The rainforest animals at Evansville’s Mesker Park Zoon.

--The giant dome at West Baden, once known as the 8th Wonder of the World.

--The Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and one of only eight saints from the U.S.

--The Fourth of July flotilla contest and parades on the northern lakes.

-- The animals and historic buildings at the Washington Park Zoo in Michigan City.

--The restored pipe organ at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Michigan City.

--The balloon race that opens the State Fair.

--The Miller House in Columbus.

--Incredible collection at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum.

--The grave in the middle of the road in Franklin.

--The T.C. Steele home and studio.

--The Old Fashion Barbershop in a Caboose in McCordsville.

--Eleven statues of that lasagna-loving fat cat, Garfield, in Jim Davis’ hometown in Grant County.

--The lights on Monument Circle at Christmastime.

--Angel Mounds State Historic Site in Evansville.

--Fall foliage on the hills of Brown County.

--The beautiful pieces at Zimmerman Art Glass in Corydon.

--Carmel Art and Design District.

--The amazing handiwork at Clay City Pottery Company.

--Grissom Memorial in Mitchell.

--Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in Jasper.

--Fireworks at Thunder Over Louisville in Jeffersonville.

--How they build automobiles at the Toyota Visitors Center in Princeton.

--Vintage and current cars at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.

--The old Lerner Theater in Elkhart.

--Indiana’s oldest zoo, Potawatomi Zoo.

--The giant candle outside Warm Glow Candle Store in Centerville.

--The 15-foot statue of Larry Bird outside Hulman Center in Terre Haute.

--Collections at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art.

--The Dancing Ann electronic sculpture on Mass Ave in Indianapolis.

--Thousands of sandhill cranes at the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Widlife Area as they migrate in the spring and fall.

--The Historic Hoosier Gym, home to the fictional Hickory Huskers, in Knightstown.

--The campus of Culver Military Academy, including the Logansport Gates donated as a thank you for help during a flood.

--A show at the Derby Dinner Playhouse in Clarksville.

--The community museum at Lyles Station near Princeton, where freed slaves made their home in 1849.

--A Fort Wayne Tin Caps game at Parkview Field.

--A sunset over Lake Michigan.

--Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail in Amish Country.

Things to do:

--Zoom down the Toboggan Run at Pokagon State Park.

--Climb to the top of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown Indy.

--Ski or snowboard at Paoli Peaks or Perfect North Slopes.

--Go to the Bean Blossom Blues Fest.

--Conquer the three Dunes Challenge.

--Howl with the wolves at Wolf Park in Battle Ground.

-- Climb in the world’s largest toilet at kidscommons in Columbus.

--Face your fears at Eagles Wings Zipline in Leopold.

--Ride a Segway at White River State Park.

--Tailgate before eating at Bonge’s Tavern in Perkinsville.

--Go to the Indiana State Fair.

--Walk in Abe Lincoln’s childhood footsteps in Spencer County.

--Mail a letter postmarked “Santa Claus, Ind.”

--Tour the City Market Catacombs.

--Visit every cave.

--Sleep in a floating cabin at Patoka Lake.

--Take a dinner ride on the Spirit of Jasper train.

--Have some laughs at the Red Skelton Museum in Vincennes.

--Enjoy all four seasons at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis.

--Pedal the Handlebar with a group of friends in downtown Indy.

--Visit the Stations of the Cross at the Shrine of Christ’s Passion in St. John.

--Take a tour and sample not-yet-released products at Annie Oakley Perfumery in Ligonier.

--Walk the labyrinth at New Harmony.

--Visit the Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse at Ball State University.

--Sit with the Brickyard Battalion to cheer on the Indy Eleven.

--Stroll 5,000 square feet of collectibles at Indiana’s oldest independently owned toy store: -----Kokomo Toys & Collectibles.

--Do the chicken dance at the Jasper Strassenfest.

--See a show or concert at the Lincoln State Park Amphitheatre.

--Go to the Indianapolis 500 at least once.

--Hike the northern hardwood forest, wooded swamp and wet prairie of the Maple Wood Nature Center in LaGrange County Nature Preserve.

--Go to the Apple Festival of Kendallville.

--Go cliff-diving at White Rock in St. Paul.

--Rent a pontoon on Lake Shafer.

--Put the pedal to the floor at Badlands Offroad Park in Attica.

--See the amazing collections at Indianapolis Museum of Art.

--Go skydiving in Michigan City.

--Go to a basketball game at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler Univerisity.

--Visit the historic canal town of Metamora.

--Go back in time at the Pioneer Village in Spring Mill State Park.

--Find gems at Squire Boone Caverns.

--Take a tour at Crown Hill Cemetery, where notable people like James Whitcomb Riley, Benjamin Harrison and Col. Eli Lilly are buried.

--Go to the James Dean Festival.

--See a concert at Klipsch Music Center.

--Check out the independent films at the Indy Film Festival.

--Go to the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Fort Wayne.

--Take a picnic to Symphony on the Prairie.

--Compete in the homemade raft race at the Three Rivers Festival in Fort Wayne.

--Shop and dine along the brick roads in Zionsville.

--Visit the International Circus Hall of Fame in Peru and see their local circus.

--Take your picture with every Santa statue in Santa Claus.

--Stay overnight at Clayshire Castle, a medieval castle replica in Bowling Green.

--Ride on a gondola in White River State Park.

--Go to a Pacers or Fever professional basketball game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

--Visit the NCAA Hall of Champions.

--Learn about the triumph of forgiveness and the human spirit at CANDLES Holocaust Museum in Terre Haute.

--Ride the Thunderbird and the famous wooden roller coasters at Holiday World.

--Gather with friends at the Lake James Sandbar, a favorite hangout for water volleyball and Frisbee.

--Take in a concert at the Vogue in Broad Ripple in Indianapolis.

--Watch practice and meet some players at Colts Camp at Anderson University.

--Attend a cross country event at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.

--Attend a concert of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at the Hilbert Circle Theatre.

--Attend the Headless Horseman event at Conner Prairie.

--Walk across the Big 4 Bridge in Jeffersonville.

--Walk the fossil bed at Falls of the Ohio State Park.

--Hunt morel mushrooms in the spring.

--Take in an Indianapolis Indians game at Victory Field.

--Go boating at Lake Monroe.

--Get fresh produce at Kercher’s Sunrise Orchard.

--Shop at Edinburgh Premium Outlets.

--Go hiking at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis.

--See a movie at the drive-in theater in Rockport.

--Ride horses at Natural Valley Ranch in Brownsburg.

--Go to the Feast of the Hunters’ Moon in Lafayette to revisit a 1700s Fort Ouiatenon.

--Take a tour of Lucas Oil Stadium.

--Tour Gen. Lew Wallace’s study in Crawfordsville, where he wrote Ben Hur.

--Explore 125 acres of fields, wood and gardens surrounding author and naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter’s cabin in Rome City.

-- Ride a sky-high bicycle at Science Central in Fort Wayne.

-- Challenge yourself on The Village of Winona Bike Trails.

-- Go to the Lotus World Art & Music Festival in Bloomington.

Things to try:

-- The Big “Z” colossal sundae at Zaharakos in Columbus.

-- Old Fashioned Cream Pie at the Blue Gate Restaurant and Bakery in Shipshewana.

-- The famous shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo Steak House or Harry & Izzy’s.

-- The Duane Purvis burger at the Triple XXX Diner in Lafayette (peanut butter on burger).

-- Burgers and shakes at Cammack Station in Muncie.

-- The world’s best gummies at Albanese Candy Factory in Merrillville.

-- Wine made from honey at New Day Meadery.

-- The award-winning pretzel bratwurst sandwich at the Schnitzelbank in Jasper.

-- A glass of tomato juice at French Lick Resort, where Chef Louis Perrin first created and served it in 1917.

-- Something delicious from the Overlook Restaurant, beautifully situated over the Ohio River in Leavenworth.

-- Cookies from the Abbey Bakery at St. Meinrad Archabbey.

-- Blueberry soft serve ice cream at the Blueberry Festival in Marshall County.

-- Baked oatmeal with steamed milk at The Electric Brew in Goshen.

-- The Dark and Stormy drink at Constant Spring in Goshen.

-- The yeast rolls at The Beef House in Covington.

-- Chestnuts roasted on an open fire (for real) at Santa’s Candy Castle in Santa Claus.

-- Anything deep fried at the Indiana State Fair.

-- Your luck at any of Indiana’s casinos.

-- Wine tastings at any of the 70 Indiana wineries as you wander along nine wine trails.

-- Ice cream at Lucy’s in Amish country, an amazing walk-up ice cream parlor.

-- Seafood at Captain’s Cabin on Crooked Lake.

-- Homemade root beer at Carson’s Drive-In in Michigan City.

-- Pizza at the New Bethel Ordinary in Wanamaker.

-- A delicious meal at Indiana’s oldest restaurant, The Log Inn in Haubstadt.

-- Crab Cake Mac at the Scenic View Restaurant in Bloomington.

-- A Hearth Side Supper at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park.

-- The Pot Roast Sandwich at Hobnob Corner in Nashville.

-- Ice cream or a shake at Ivanhoe’s in Upland.

-- Breaded tenderloin at Mug-n-Bun in Speedway.

-- A cup of house-roasted Rex Coffee at the Clabber Girl Bakeshop in Terre Haute.

-- A combo meal at Mr. Happy Burger in Logansport.

-- Java Haute’s “Toddy Iced Coffee” in Terre Haute — the original cold brew.

-- Oliver Winery’s red.

-- Steak at Janko’s Little Zagreb in Bloomington.

-- Superior meats, seafoods and cocktails at Old Colonial Inn in Kentland.

-- Stuffed pizza at Key Pizza in Hammond.

-- Dessert at Glory Days in Clay City.

-- Anything at Umi Grill in Terre Haute.

-- A handmade and hand-tied tamale at The Tamale Place in Indianapolis.

-- Pizza at Papa’s Culver with walls covered in vintage album covers.

-- Hot chocolate at South Bend Chocolate Co.

-- Pork brain sandwich at the West Side Nut Club Festival in Evansville.

-- A tall sandwich at Shapiro’s Deli in Indianapolis.

-- The Red Geranium in New Harmony.

-- Everything delicious at Gray Brothers Cafeteria in Mooresville.

-- A burger at Bub’s Cafe in Carmel.

-- Ice cream at Jiffy Treat in Ellettsville.

-- A treat at Zesto Ice Cream in New Albany.

-- A cinnamon caramel roll from the Rise and Roll Bakery just east of Middlebury.

-- Fried chicken at Fireside Inn in Enochsburg.

-- A Spanish dog at Gene’s Root Beer in Anderson.

-- A homemade cinnamon donut and apple cider slushie at Anderson Orchard.

-- Favorite toppings at Volcano Pizza in Elkhart.

-- A new wine at Huber Winery in Starlight.

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