Distinctive Richmond: A Great Place to Explore

Richmond/Wayne County is filled with well-known adventures and flavors and home to several hidden gems. This summer, we will be highlighting the major towns and cities that make up Wayne County and show off what they have to offer.
 
No matter what brings you to Richmond, Indiana, we guarantee you will be surprised by how much you’ll find to see and do.
If you’re lucky enough to be here Wednesday, June 6, be sure to head over to Glen Miller Park for First Bloom and Glow, an extraordinary fundraising event for the Richmond Rose Garden. Watch at dusk as a host of hot air balloons are fired up along East Main Street. It’s an unforgettable, magical sight!

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Getting into the park and up close to the balloons is free. The fundraising comes from a meal featuring several local food vendors to take place in the Rose Garden from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Old National Road Welcome Center, 5701 National Road E., or the Wayne County Foundation office at 33 S. Seventh St. Advanced purchase only. No tickets will be available on the day of the event.
But don’t fret if you couldn’t get a ticket. Ice cream, chips and soft drinks will be sold in the park and the Rose Garden will be open to everyone to view after 8:30.
Organizer Ann Herrman said the event is designed to showcase the garden, which she calls “one of Richmond’s treasures.” The fact that families can experience a little magic in a public park at the same time is a bonus!
Roses are part of Richmond’s history. The American Beauty was developed here and the city used to be one of the world’s leading producer of rose bushes – hence the dedication of more than 50 volunteers to keep the city’s Rose Garden in top form.

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Richmond also is known as the Birthplace of Recorded Jazz. Gennett Recording Studio was responsible for early recordings by Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, and many other well-known names. Stroll through the Gennett Walk of Fame to learn about other great artists who recorded here! The Walk is located in the Whitewater Gorge! There’s a permanent exhibit on display (one of many great things to see) at the Wayne County Historical Museum, 1150 N. A St.
And these days, there’s another kind of Jazz in town – our Great Lakes Summer Collegiate Baseball League team!

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The Richmond Jazz home season starts June 12 at Historic McBride Stadium, 201 N.W. 13th St., and ends July 28. Deanna Beaman, president of the board for the sports foundation that manages the Jazz, encourages everyone to root for these players from all around the country who have chosen to spend their summer living with Richmond families and improving their game.
The range of players from a variety of divisions and states gives the Richmond Jazz its “minor league feel,” Beaman said. Along with player diversity providing a “minor league” feel, the promotions and special events tied into the home games enhance this sensation. For more details, go to www.richmondjazzbaseball.com.
Beaman also draws fans’ attention to stadium itself, in use (with updates and adaptations) since 1936, McBride Stadium is “a facility that is a landmark in Indiana.” It’s well worth a drive around the city’s historic districts to see them. Details about the history of each district are available at www.RichmondColumbianProperties.org under “More.”
“Richmond has a tremendous inventory of historic architecture,” said Matt Stegall of Richmond Columbian Properties. These buildings not only tell stories of the people who used to live here, they “represent the soul of a community,” according to Stegall.
The Historic Depot District, for example, is filled with unique shops and eateries – a perfect place to explore on foot. The Richmond Railroaders have a model train exhibit on the third floor of the Richmond Furniture Gallery, 180 Fort Wayne Ave. While you’re in the Depot, stop by the Model T Museum, 309 N. Eighth St., for a family treat.
Downtown Richmond, just a few blocks away, is the scene of some major roadwork this summer, but still walk-able and home to some gems bound to please shoppers.
Want to escape the heat and explore indoors? The Richmond Art Museum, 350 Hub Etchison Parkway, features paintings by the Richmond School of impressionist artists as well as a variety of contemporary works and special exhibits.

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Want to walk in the woods? Hike the trails at Hayes Arboretum at 801 Elks Road or stick to pavement on the Cardinal Greenway. The D Street trailhead is right in the center of Richmond.
Do you have kids who need to let off some steam? There are splash pads at Glen Miller Park and Jack Elstro Plaza, on North “A” between Sixth and Seventh streets.
Elstro Plaza also is the scene of live music every Wednesday in June and July from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (food trucks available) and the Richmond Farmers Market on Saturday mornings and, starting in July, Tuesday evenings.
Hungry? Richmond has a unique flavor thanks to our many locally owned diners, ice cream parlors, sandwich places, and fine dining establishments. These local flavors go beyond American taste buds. Richmond is home to Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and Thai restaurants. All it takes is a little initiative and a hungry stomach!
So no matter why you’re here, it’s worth looking around.
You just might have an unexpected adventure!
All the details you need to plan your getaway in Richmond can be found at www.visitrichmond.org.
 
 
 
By Louise Ronald