Introduction to Crawfordsville, Indiana
Crawfordsville, Indiana, in Montgomery county, is 26 miles S of Lafayette, Indiana and 42 miles NW of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Crawfordsville History
Henry Ristine, Major Ambrose Whitlock and Williamson Dunn first visited this region in 1813 and noted that it was an excellent place for a settlement. It was surrounded by fertile land and a deciduous forest, and there was also a creek nearby, which is now known as Sugar Creek. In 1821, William and Jennie Offield built a cabin by Offield Creek, which was four miles away from the present day city of Crawfordsville. Major Ambrose Whitlock returned here in 1823 and laid out the town. He named it Crawfordsville after Col. William H. Crawford. The area was incorporated as a town in 1834 and achieved the status of a city in 1865.
Crawfordsville and nearby Attractions
- General Lew Wallace Study & Museum
- Shades State Park
- Clements Canoeing
- Sugar Creek
- Pine Hills Nature Preserve
- Milligan Park Pool
Things To Do In Crawfordsville
At the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum, items collected by General Lew Wallace, who wrote "Ben Hur," are on display. Those who enjoy the outdoors can take kayak, canoe and tube trips at Sugar Creek. Shades State Park and Pine Hills Nature Preserve have peaceful hiking trails and are also very popular among residents. One can also swim and fish at Lake Waveland.
Crawfordsville Transportation
Indianapolis International Airport offers domestic and international air transportation.
Crawfordsville Higher Education
Wabash College is the local institution and provides facilities for higher education. Purdue University and Depauw University are also in the area.
