Connersville, seat of Fayette County, is in Central Indiana and has a smattering of historical and natural attractions.

Understand

Connersville is like the American industrial Rust Belt darling that imploded, not to say that it was the only one. From its origins as a fur trading post belonging to John Conner and platted in 1813, it grew up to be this unlikely industrial giant, with operations varying from air turbines to furniture and buggies. When the automobile age arrived, it became known as "Little Detroit" for all the inputs it had on automobile manufacturing there, including as a provider of components for major auto production centers nearby. This all translated into about 150 years of light industry for Connersville up until 1990, when deindustrialization that was all too common for Rust Belt towns hit home. Connersville's industrial scene largely collapsed, and the city nearly fell into bankruptcy by 2014.

Despite the spate of impoverishment these days, you can still find some interesting things to do here.

Get in

By car

Connersville is about 55 miles east of Indianapolis along US Route 52 and state highway 44, or 15 miles south of Interstate 70.

By train

See also: Rail travel in the United States

• 1 Connersville station, 1012 Eastern Avenue. (updated Nov 2023)
  • Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates trains throughout the United States of America. (updated Dec 2020) Route stopping in Connersville:
    • Cardinal operating three trips weekly between Chicago and New York City with stops in Dyer, Rensselaer, Lafayette, Crawfordsville, Indianapolis, Connersville, Cincinnati, Ashland, Huntington, Charleston, Hinton, White Sulphur Springs, Staunton, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Alexandria, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.

See

• 1 Historic Connersville, 200 W 5th St (on same grounds as Whitewater Valley Railroad depot), ☏ +1 765 825-0946. Sa-Su 10AM-3PM. A museum that covers aspects of this town, including its industrial heritage. (updated Nov 2021)
• 2 Elmhurst, 779 IN-121. An estate owned by one of Lincoln's cabinet members, Caleb Blood Smith. It also served as the Elmhurst School for Girls and is now a Masonic Lodge. Somehow it looks a bit like the White House from afar. Only viewable from highway. (updated Nov 2021)

Do

• 1 White Water Valley Scenic Railroad, 455 Market St, ☏ +1 765 825-2054. season is roughly May-Oct, with some special events like a Polar Express ride around holidays. This restored branch line railroad offers train tours to Metamora, another community on the Whitewater Canal. You can also find more trains on display at their rail yard at 399 S Eastern Ave. (updated Nov 2021)
• Robinson's Whitewater Tubing, 1614 St Rd 121 South, ☏ +1 765 309-3116. Here you can rent tubes to float down the calm Whitewater River. (updated Nov 2021)
• 2 Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary, 3499 S Bird Sanctuary Rd1, ☏ +1 765 205-1255. Daily 5AM-9PM. This Audobon nature center offers the chance for ornithological study. (updated Nov 2021)
• 3 Shrader-Weaver Woods, 5299 N County Rd 450 W. Daily 8AM-6PM. Offers a natural respite among Tulip Poplars and other trees. (updated Nov 2021)
• 4 Whitewater Memorial State Park, 1418 S State Rd 101, Liberty, ☏ +1 765 458-5565. Daily 8AM-11PM. This park centered around Whitewater Lake offers the chance for swimming, kayaking, hiking, and horseback riding. (updated Nov 2021)

Sleep

• 1 Robinson's Whitewater River Campground, 1618 St Rd 121 South, ☏ +1 765 377-0066. Two cabins (though for adults only) and tent sites are available here along with trails and tubing on the Whitewater River. (updated Nov 2021)