Cultural Trail expands into Putnam County

DANVILLE – The Rural Routes to Main Street Cultural Trail kicked off its eighth year this week welcoming a third county into the fold and debuting a new logo and guidebook.

The Rural Routes to Main Street Cultural Trail has become a true visitor destination over the past seven years. The self-guided driving tour, which features sites such as art galleries, local studios, restaurants, confectionaries and many other locations that make or sell handmade goods, began in 2010 as a partnership between Visit Hendricks County and the Hendricks County Arts Council.

A state grant made expansion into Morgan County possible in 2013 and now another Indiana Office of Tourism Development grant awarded late last year starts a new chapter just in time for the holidays by adding locations in Putnam County.

Packaging talented artists, amazing attractions, one-of-a-kind products and local eateries, the trail and its accompanying guidebook give visitors and even locals an insider’s perspective of the destinations that should not be missed in Hendricks, Morgan and Putnam counties.

The redesigned 47-page guidebook details every stop making it easier for visitors to choose the attractions that interest them while boasting a journal feel allowing them to take notes before and during their visit to detail what they want to see and what they loved about the trail.

New 2017 Guidebooks are now available and free and can be picked up at any of the locations along the trail, at the Visit Hendricks County office in Danville, Visit Morgan County office in Martinsville or the Putnam County Visitor Bureau in Greencastle. A copy is available online at RuralRoutestoMainStreet.com.

The 2017 Rural Routes to Main Street Cultural Trail includes 34 members in the three counties who are open a minimum of Thursdays-Saturdays year-round. A Second Saturdays component opens the trail up to 10 additional sites on the second Saturday of every month.

Putnam County participants (all new this year) include:

-- Almost Home Restaurant and Swizzle Stick Bar

-- Bugle Valley Elk

-- Charlie’s Restaurant

-- Completely Nuts & Candy Co.

-- Conspire: Contemporary Craft

-- Designs by Donna & Friends

-- Harris Sugar Bush

-- The Moonstone (Second Saturday site)

-- Putnam County Museum

Hendricks County participants on this year’s trail include:

-- Arcane Coffee Co. (new this year)

-- Artistic Designs Gallery

-- The Beehive (new this year)

-- Black Swan Brewpub

-- Bread Basket Cafe & Bakery

-- Chateau Thomas Winery

-- Confection Delights

-- Fleurs de Beausoleil (Second Saturday site)

-- Frazee Gardens

-- Gallery on the Square

-- Hendricks County Historical Museum (Second Saturday site)

-- Hot Blown Glass (Second Saturday site)

-- McCloud Nature Park Art Gallery

-- Nomad Yarns

-- Oasis Diner

-- PeaceTree Mountain Truffles at the Olive Leaf (new this year)

-- Perillo’s Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen

-- Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library Art Gallery

-- The Porch

-- Sally Ann’s Ceramics (Second Saturday site)

-- Seize the Night Designs (Second Saturday site)

-- uPaint Pottery Studio

Morgan County participants include:

-- Academy of Hoosier Heritage Museum (new this year)

-- Art Beyond Crayons (Second Saturday site)

-- Art Sanctuary

-- Berries & Ivy

-- Come ‘n Git It (new this year)

-- Hunter’s Honey Farm

-- JK’s Cheesecake Cafe (new this year)

-- Martinsville Candy Kitchen

-- Mooresville Arts Partnership (Second Saturday site)

-- Monrovia Mudworks (Second Saturday site)

-- Ralph & Ava’s Cafe & Catering

-- The Sterling Butterfly

-- Zydeco’s