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Northern Hamilton County is a area of Central Indiana comprised of four largely rural communities full of scenic drives and agricultural heritage.

[edit] Towns

Northern Hamilton County is comprised of Arcadia, Atlanta, Cicero (Indiana) and Sheridan. Each town has some notable attractions worth the drive. Hamilton County is located just north of Indianapolis.

[edit] Other destinations

When combined with other Hamilton County towns and cities of Noblesville, Fishers, Carmel (Indiana) and Westfield (Indiana), the county provides a nice weekend getaway that combines urban, rural and historic tourism options. A few highlights from other areas in Hamilton County include:

• Conner Prairie [1] 13400 Allisonville Road 1-317-776-6000. One of the best known outdoor history museums is right in Fishers. You can go back in time through five historic areas that depict the late 1800s and early 1900s. When you talk to interpreters, they stay in character the whole time, from the Lenape Indians to the temperance ladies of the Conner Homestead. Other areas include Prairietown and Liberty Corner. Kids can go to a prairie school, train for the militia or talk to the town doctor about “modern” cures. Check out the new 1859 balloon voyage, based on the Lafayette, Ind. Launch of John Wise’s “flying machine.”

• Indiana Transportation Museum [2] 825 Park Dr. in Forest Park 1-317-773-6000. [5] A volunteer-run museum specializing in the railroad history of Indiana. Ride along in an old steam or diesel train along 35 miles of rails the museum maintains along the old Nickle Plate Road. Regular excursions include Dinner in the Diner, the A Train, and the family-oriented Pizza PLUS Express or Dinner or a Movie trains. Seasonal excursions include the FairTrain, the Polar Bear Express, Pumpkin Train, New Earth Festival Train and the Pork Festival Special. Check out more then 50 rail cars of all shapes and sizes on the museum grounds, open April through January. Admission $2-3, excursion fees vary.

• Carmel Art & Design District [3] 111 W. Main St. 1-317-571-2787. Downtown Carmel’s recently created district features more than 100 interior designers, art galleries, furnishings showrooms, home décor and specialty shops in addition to retail and restaurants. Stately brick buildings, with open-air dining, line the streets, which close to host several festivals each year. District is accessible and connected via the Monon Trail, a linear greenway park that extends south all the way to downtown Indianapolis.

• Coxhall Gardens [4] 2000 W. 116th St. 1-317-896.5874. 125-acres of park and gardens include a children’s garden, conservatory, reflecting pools and two bell towers.

• Downtown Westfield Many charming buildings have been renovated in the downtown area and host retail businesses, including a restaurant, pharmacy, flower & gift shop, village pizza parlor and ice creamery, quilting shop, and gift & garden shop. Known for its Quaker heritage and role in the Underground Railroad, Westfield is a great town for walking tours. The Westfield Washington Historical Society can provide information on tours. Call them at 1-317-804-5365.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By car

Cicero is north of Noblesville, the Hamilton County seat, on State Road 19, followed by Arcadia and Atlanta. All are within 10 minutes of each other off of SR19. Sheridan is in the northwest corner of Hamilton County, off State Road 38, a few minutes north of Zionsville.

[edit] Get around

The region is connected by a series of State Roads and highways. General speed is between 55-70 on interstates and highways, and generally 35 on other roads unless otherwise posted.

[edit][add listing] See

• Sheridan Historical Society [5] 308 S. Main St. (Sheridan) The museum collections document the Native American, rural and industrial history of Sheridan. A new museum is being planned in conjunction with Boxley Cabin. Volunteers chronicle family histories of more than 500 families and can provide genealogy research upon request.

• George Boxley Pioneer Cabin Veterans Park (Sheridan) Built circa 1828, the log cabin home of George Boxley, an anti-slavery activist has been recently restored. Additional archeological excavations for pioneer artifacts are still underway on the property around the cabin. By appointment or call for hours.

• Arcadia Heritage Depot 107 W. South Street (Arcadia) 1-317-984-3436. Listed on the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures, the Depot was originally built in 1869. It now is home to town artifacts including the ticket booth for the old opera house, WWII memorabilia, and authentic “Arcadia Glass.” It is open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 5 p.m.

[edit] Landmarks and Arts

• Arcadia Arts Initiative [6] 1-317-984-3512 This cooperative currently features downtown Arcadia artists at the Tabby Tree Weaver, Heritage Art Center and Hedgehog Music Showcase but has recently put out a call to other artisans in the hopes of growing an arts community in downtown Arcadia. In partnership with other Hamilton County merchants and artists, the initiative also hosts a variety of events each year.

• Nickel Plate Arts Trail [7] Extending 30 miles from Fishers to Tipton, the Historic Nickel Plate Arts Trail runs through Fishers, Noblesville, Cicero, Arcadia, Atlanta, and Tipton. The first of eight Indiana artisan trails adopted by the state, the Trail is accessible by rail through the Indiana Transportation Museum or automobile on Allisonville Road and State Road 19 as well as by river. The trail focuses on the more traditional forms of the arts and encompasses food, culture, and community heritage.

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Festivals

• Atlanta New Earth Festival (Late September) Main Street. 1-765-292-2626. This weekend-long event features arts, antiques, crafts and collectibles. Hundreds of vendors line the main street selling everything. Woodcrafts, t-shirts, racing memorabilia, even knives. The Indiana Transportation Museum offers a train shuttle from Noblesville at Forest Park.

• Sheridan Harvest Moon Festival (First weekend in October) [8] 1-317-758-5293 x 134. This annual event is held in Biddle Memorial Park (at the junction of State Roads 38 and 47) A classic car and motorcycle show is the centerpiece to the festival but it also has music, food, crafts booths, carnival rides and a pumpkin throwing contest.

• Lights Over Morse Lake (4th of July) The town of Cicero partners with the Indiana Transportation Museum [9] to provide a transportation train to and from this annual festival. Activities include music, kids’ carnival and, of course, fireworks. This is a great small-town way to celebrate Independence Day. If you want to spend the night, riding the train connects you to Fishers hotels.

• Arcadia Autumnfest (October) Sponsored by the Arcadia Arts Initiative, Autumnfest is a festival of arts and crafts, food and special events. Experience the joy of traditional crafts like painting, weaving, and woodworking against the scenic, rural landscape of Arcadia.

[edit] Music

• Atlanta Music Showcase 135 W. Main St. (Atlanta) 1-765-292-2312. Open Wednesdays and Saturdays only. Wednesday is Jam Night and Saturday offers live entertainment, which ranges from Big Band and Dixieland to blues and jazz.

• Hedgehog Music Showcase 101 W. Main St. (Arcadia) 1-317-984-3560. Located in a 115-year-old historic brick building, this music venue offers jazz, bluegrass and other genres of music. Open Fridays and Saturdays. No alcohol or smoking.

[edit] Family Friendly

• Weekends in October Pumpkin Train (Indiana Transportation Museum excursion) 825 Park Dr. in Forest Park 1-317-773-6000. The train excursion includes a visit to an area pumpkin patch, straw bale maze, petting zoo, face painting and more autumn related activities. The highlight is the ride on the train, which leaves from the Noblesville train station. Reservations are STRONGLY recommended.

[edit] Outdoors

• Biddle Memorial Park (Sheridan) At the intersection of State Roads 38 and 47

• Community Park Stringtown Pike (Cicero) 1-317-984-3475. Park includes four picnic shelters, walking paths, basketball, skateboard ramp, tennis courts and playground.

• Morse Reservoir (Cicero) This man-made lake, located between Cicero and Noblesville has 1,500 acres for boating and water activities and 35 miles of shoreline. More than 95% of the shoreline is residential, but recreational boating is allowed. Launch your boat from the Carrigan Road Bridge marina. Morse Lake Park, by the dam on the east side of the lake, allows supervised swimming in the lake and year-round picnicking as well as fishing.

• Red Bridge Park (Cicero) State Road 19, north of 236th Street, 1-317-984-3475. On the western edge of Morse Reservoir, the park has a boat dock rentals as well as a pool and community shelter building. Fishing is allowed within the park with the proper permits, but you can’t swim in the lake or launch your boat here.

[edit] Golf

• Bear Slide Golf Club [10] 6770 E. 231st Street (Cicero) 1-317-984-3837. Golf Digest gives this course 4 ½ stars for its Scottish links style front nine, with a traditional back nine. I’m not a golfer, but I know Scots invented the game and let Mother Nature “design” the early courses. Area hotels offer a “Stay and Play” package for this course.

[edit] Learn More

• Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce [11] 70 N. Byron St. 1-317-984-4079. Serving Cicero and neighboring towns of Arcadia and Atlanta, the Chamber can provide information about area businesses and upcoming events. The Chamber of Commerce also is home to a Visitor Information Welcome Center, open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

• Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau [12] 37 East Main Street, Carmel 1-800-776-8687. Not-for-profit tourism organization that promotes and encourages the development of Hamilton County tourism, conventions, festivals and other special events. Staff are very helpful and welcome visitors who need information. Visit HamiltonCountyTowns.com for a full event calendar and interactive map of destinations, golfing, restaurants, shopping and places to stay.

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit] Arts and Crafts

• Tabby Tree Weaver [13] 103 E. Main St. (Arcadia) 1-317-984-5475. Not only does this store sell yarns and knitting supplies – including spinning wheels – but they will teach you how to weave, spin, warp and other crafts.

• Atlanta Mercantile 175 W. Main St. (Atlanta) 1-765'-292-2431'. An old-fashioned mercantile full of arts and crafts from Hamilton County and Indiana artists, including fiber art, paper, ceramic, glass, wood, clay, metal and fine art.

[edit] Indulge

• Lisa’s Pie Shop [14] 5995 S. U.S. 31 (Atlanta) 1-317-798-6944. Lisa Sparks has been making pies for 18 years and, man, are they good. She only takes cash or check if you go to the shop, so be prepared. 23 varieties of pie, plus the best road food; a “pie in a jar” that only costs $3 - $4 (depending on the variety).

• Uncle Henry’s Candies [15] (Cicero) 1-888-757-8099. The original Uncle Henry is long gone, but his nephew Carl Harvey has continued the family candymaking tradition. Choose from chocolate pecan bark, white chocolate bark with M&Ms or peppermint, pecan logs, peanut clusters, or turtles. Carl also offers sugar free turtles, but I recommend the fully loaded caramel, pecan and chocolate version.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Moderate

• Alexander’s on the Water [16] 369 W. Jackson St. (Cicero) 1-317-984-8173. Open seven days a week during the summer (closed for winter), this old-fashioned ice cream shop offers 16 ice cream flavors for Morse Reservoir boaters. (A full-service shop, which also offers sandwiches, is located in Noblesville.)

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit] Coffee and Tea

• Cicero Coffee Company 150 S. Peru St. (Cicero) 1-317-984-2739. If you want to get the flavor of a small town, visit it’s coffee shop. Not only can you get a decent cup of coffee, owner Earl Tharp might just play you a song on his Native American flute. The shop also displays and sells art work from local artists.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Crop-A-Doodle-Do [17] 12120 E. 266th St. (Arcadia) 1-888-317-2767 If you are into scrapbooking, this bed and breakfast is worth a trip. The owners renovated am 1865 country farmhouse on a 100-acre property to include a custom-designed scrapping room and three bedrooms that can accommodate a total of 11 people. It also has a spa room for massage, aromatherapy, mani/pedi and facials. The B&B has been featured in Day Spa Magazine, Ladies Home Journal and by Martha Stewart.

[edit] Contact

For more information about Northern Hamilton County, contact the Hamilton County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-776-8687 or visit HamiltonCountyTowns.com for a full event calendar and interactive map of destinations, golfing, restaurants, shopping and places to stay.

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