Laurel Feeder Dam #4 is located one mile south of Laurel on Dam Road. It was restored in the 1940’s and is a part of the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site and also one of the contributing structures to the Whitewater Canal as listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. Located here also are the Regulator which is used to control the amount of water than enters the canal. This feeder dam supplies water to the canal from this point to Yellow Bank Creek. Jinks Lock #29 is also at this site.

Points of interest at Laurel Cemetery

The graves of Elizabeth C. Smith Willson and her husband Byron Forceythe Willson. Willson is the person who wrote The Old Sergeant" in 1863. It appeared in the Louisville Journal and Abe Lincoln liked it. Both Elizabeth & Forceythe,as he wanted to be called are buried in the Conwell Cemetery in Laurel. Oliver Wendell Holmes, visited the both of the graves of his two friends.

Aunt Nel, Passed away in July 1852 at the age of 115 years, liberated from slavery in 1812 by James Conwell.

 

Historic Marker for Francis Asbury Shoup, a Confederate general born in Laurel, IN in 1834.

Francis Asbury Shoup was remembered for service in the Confederate States of American army, 1862-1865, and for the “Shoupade” fortification design.  He fought in the battles of Shiloh, Vicksburg and Atlanta.  Advocated the recruitment of African Americans for the CSA.  After the war he was a university professor, published author and Episcopal rector.  Born near present day Laurel in 1834.  Attended Indiana Asbury University, Greencastle.  Graduated 1855 from the United States Military Academy at West Point.  Served in Federal Army 1855-1860; resigning to pursue a career at law in Indianapolis.  Died 1896, Columbia, TN; buried at Sewanee University Cemetery, Tennessee.

The Laurel Bandstand is located on the highest point in Laurel at the intersection of High and Washington streets.  Author Meridith Nicholson described this as one of the loveliest spots in Indiana.

 The site, once known as Monument Square for the Adena Indian mound at the summit, was donated to the town for a park by James Conwell in 1836.

Laurel Library  

Local history, archives of old photos, oral history and folklore stories and genealogy are all available at this library, making it an excellent place to begin a tour of the village.  Copy of a walking tour of historic structures can be made here.  They display and maintain a photographic record of local artists.

Historic Homes in Laurel
(Historic Home tour may be copied at Library) 

The Murray house, Washington and Baltimore Streets.  Birthplace of motion picture comedian Charles Murray who is reported to have held amateur theatricals in Laurel.

 The Benjamin Maple house is said to be the oldest home in Laurel.

The James Coulter house, built by James Conwell in 1830, located at the corner of Conwell and Lafayette Streets.  Birthplace of Elizabeth Conwell Smith Wilson, popular Indiana poet of her era.

The James Coulter house, built by James Conwell in 1830, located at the corner of Conwell and Lafayette Streets.  Birthplace of Elizabeth Conwell Smith Wilson, popular Indiana poet of her era.

The White  Hall Tavern, built prior to 1832 on the corner of Baltimore and Franklin Streets, a pre-canal establishment that housed many a weary traveler.  Featured in 'Haunted Hoosier Trails'.  This historic structure was heavily damaged by fire in 2006.

 The O’Hair house, Built by James O’Hair in 1848, located at the corner of Lafayette and Pearl Streets.  O’Hair had the only foundry in Franklin County, and work bearing his name can still be seen in the basement of the courthouse in Brookville.

 Laurel Academy       

This three story brick building at the corner of Pearl and Lafayette streets was erected in 1852 as the Laurel Collegiate High School.  The building is presently owned by the Laurel Masonic Lodge.

Laurel Hotel       

Canal era structure at the corner of Pearl and Franklin Streets, formerly known as Hunsinger’s Tavern.  It is located immediately west of the Whitewater Valley Railroad tracks and is the destination of the “Train to Dinner.”

Laurel Jail                             

Built of Laurel limestone in 1891 the Laurel Jail is located on Commerce Street which was once the Laurel Canal Basin.  The Jail has two small cells and was used as a calaboose where a customer could be held until they recovered or until the Co. Sheriff sent someone to pick them up.

Whetzel Trace  Historic Marker  (Wetzel)            

The first road built in the State of Indiana.  The route to the settlement of the State Capitol. 

By permission of Delaware Chief William Anderson, Jacob Wetzel, his son Cyrus, Thomas Howe, Thomas Rush, Richard Rush and Walter Banks cut a road, wide enough for an ox cart, from Somerset (Laurel) to what is now Waverly, IN a distance of over 60 miles due west.  He struck the west fork of the White river at a point just five miles north of his point of beginning. The Wetzel’s were true frontiersmen and knew how to navigate through the wilderness. 

 With a Federal Land Office opening in Brookville in 1819, Wetzel’s Trace was of great service to the settling of Rush, Shelby, Decatur, and parts of Johnson, Bartholomew, and Brown Counties, IN.   
 

Mount Metamora                                    

 A recent (2005) Medieval Reconstruction, one mile west of Metamora on U.S. 52.  The main purpose of the structure seems to be to attract attention, and inspire questions like.....

What is it ? 
Who built it ?
Why ?

Mount Metamora Castle
Castle Road
Metamora, IN  47030

Metamora Historic District

Whitewater Canal State Historic Site

Canal era village with substantial number of 19^th century structures intact.

Whitewater Canal Trail        

www.whitewatercanaltrail.com

 2.6 miles open in Metamora

Metamora trail head is located east of town, follow Main Street east along the south side of the canal.  Past the Duck Creek Aqueduct is a parking area, trail begins past large red barn.

 1 mile open near Yellow Bank

Yellow Bank Trail Head, located 3 mile west of Brookville and 5.5 mile east of Metamora on U.S. 52.

When completed, the Whitewater Canal Trail will provide access to 15 canal structure sites.  It is, in most places, following the Tow Path of the old canal.  There is nature habitat and scenic beauty at every turn.  The history of the valley unfolds before your eyes as you travel the time line we call the Whitewater Canal Trail.

Millville  (restored lock # 24)

Located ½ mile east of Metamora on U.S. 52.

Part of the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site
 

Boulder House                                                    

 A unique landmark along US 52 between Brookville and Metamora, near the Yellow Bank Trailhead of the Whitewater Canal Trail,  is the Boulder House.  It is located just north of the Whitewater Canal Trail Head, and built on, what was prior to the building of the highway in 1930, the north edge of Hendeickson’s Pond. 

 It is said that William Mittendorf, a Cincinnati candy manufacturer, bought a 5 acre tract here overlooking a popular fishing pond and commence laying stone.  Commuting from the city nearly every weekend by train, getting off at Yellow Bank Flag Station, he obviously found total relaxation and delight in fitting stones into his house, garage, walls, porches, and a few columned porticoes, fences, arches, gate posts, steps, foot bridges and benches.  What started as a weekend vacation evolved into a 40 year obsession with laying stones.    It is said that there is at least one boulder, purchased or acquired, in the work from every state in the then 48 states.

 What would have been the final blow to any normal man occurred about 1929 when plans were presented for the construction of the new Federal highway.  It was to go not only through his back yard, but right through the middle of the old Hendrickson’s pond. 

 Prior to this revolting development the old road, Harrison Pike from Cincinnati, or Brookville Road from Indianapolis had gone on the other side of the house as we see it today.   But even this did not deter Mr. Mittendorf, he simply rebuilt what was the front of the house including porch onto the back of the house, creating a house with two fronts.

Boundary Hill

Marker noting Greenville Treaty Line, Canal and Railroad remains on south side of hill.