In the middle of the Indianapolis metropolitan area lies the city of Westfield, Indiana.
It’s also one of the cities in Hamilton County.
Like many American cities, Westfield has a proud history dating back to the 19thcentury.
Westfield’s history also shares a connection with the abolitionist movement.
In 1834, a trio of North Carolina Quakers traveled to the Hamilton County region and founded Westfield.
These people were Simon Moon, Asa Bales, and Ambrose Osborne.
Popular belief suggests that they intended to turn the town into a stop of the Underground Railroad.
Other religious congregations like the Religious Society of Friends and the Wesleyan Methodist Church supported the plan.
The United States government tightened up escaped-slave laws, including making the punishment for helping escaped slaves harsher.
As a result, the Anti-Slavery Friends meeting house came to be, after part of the Westfield Quaker Friends Meeting House split off.
In 1849, Westfield became an official town.
Today, the revitalization efforts in downtown Westfield continue, with expansions like a new library and city hall building.
Do you want to know more about Westfield, IN?
Here’s a list of the best things to do in the city:
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One of Central Indiana’s main attractions is the unique Monon Trail, made out of a paved-over railroad route.
This trail opened in 1996, paving over the former railway and turning it into a greenway for commuters and travelers.
As a recreational area, it’s available for hiking and cycling.
The trail stretches for 25 miles, connecting the towns of Sheridan and crossing southward through Westfield and Carmel.
Rachel Hoots, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Then, the trail cuts through Indianapolis, passing the Broad Ripple neighborhood.
It ends up linking with the Cultural Trail near downtown Massachusetts Avenue.
During your visit, you’ll see plenty of people enjoying this trail.
They might be families taking a walk with kids or their dogs, avid cyclists and runners, or people who just want to soak in the sun.
The Herron family opened the Urban Vines Winery & Brewery in 2017, right in the heart of Westfield.
It became only the city’s second brewery and its very first winery.
After buying the five-acre property, the family immediately started building the winery and brewery complex.
The construction also included the vineyard and tasting room.
Today, the tasting room can fit more than 80 people, with an outdoor patio and meadow area for larger parties and events.
This outdoor section also offers a majestic view of the pond and vineyard.
Besides wine and drink, the company also offers charcuterie boards, deluxe cheeses, jams, and bread.
All of these snacks pair well with either wine or beer, so you don’t need to spend too much time choosing the food.
Likewise, you can order their artisanal pizza or salad.
In 1999, MacGregor Park opened after the original owner, Sheila MacGregor Beals, donated 40 acres of land plus her home to the Westfield Washington Township.
What did she want in return?
Her condition was that the township should turn the land into a passive park.
She had also donated the land while she was still alive to see the transformation.
The 96-acre park has an extensive trail system, excellent for hikers, but all other activities are passive, including birdwatching and geocaching.
Likewise, the park also has wildflower prairies, a rain garden, open fields, and wetlands.
Many species of birds and other animals have made MacGregor Park their home.
If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of them.
Otherwise, you can bring your dog to the park.
The only press in Indiana devoted to unraveling the secrets of the paranormal invites you to join their historic ghost walks and tours.
During your visit to Westfield, make sure to sign up for Unseen Press ghost tours.
They employ the state’s most accomplished paranormal investigators, so you’ll always get your money’s worth.
Listen to the tour guides as they relate spine-chilling stories taken out of the history books.
Likewise, they are all expert researchers, investigators, and scholars of Indiana paranormal activity.
The tours are open year-round, so you may visit anytime.
One of the tours is the Haunted Underground Railroad Ghost Walk, bringing you in the presence of the ghosts of the Underground Railroad.
Listen to the stories of those who escaped, interspersed with stories of the gangsters emerging in Westfield’s history.
If you feel like swinging a club, head to the Wood Wind Golf Club in Westfield.
Bring your golfing buddies here and enjoy a nice day of games at the country-style course.
Who’s the best golfer of the bunch?
Find out at Wood Wind.
Likewise, you can celebrate special occasions at the course’s banquet rooms or visit the historic vintage clubhouse with its fully equipped golf shop.
If your kids want to learn how to play, bring them to The Academy for excellent golf instruction.
The Academy also offers other services like club repair, ladies-only golf clinics, club fitting, corporate clinics, and golf programs for juniors.
What makes Tim’s Shooting Academy a unique shooting range?
It’s the only range in the entire Indianapolis area to conform strictly to the standards of the United States Navy.
Tim and his group had toured the area’s indoor ranges and discovered they were lacking in terms of health and safety standards.
With the guidance of experts, the owners built the facility according to the specs and standards of the Navy ranges, assuring you a safe shooting experience.
Tim’s Shooting Academy has 15 shooting lanes.
There are five lanes for rifle shooting, while the other ten are for pistols.
Likewise, the rifle lanes span 75 feet, while the pistol lanes stretch to 50 feet.
Make sure to follow strict range protocols while letting off steam at Tim’s.
Historically, Westfield’s original inhabitants were the Delaware and Miami Native Americans.
They had lived in the Westfield and Washington Township areas before the European settlers landed there in 1831.
Three years after they arrived, the three North Carolina Quakers founded West Field.
This museum features various historical artifacts that tell the story of Westfield and the people who lived there.
Likewise, the museum holds events for interested residents and travelers.
You can also buy gift items at their online store; you’d help them raise funds for the museum’s general upkeep and maintenance.
If you want to bring home a unique gift, look no further than Root 31, a floral studio and plant boutique in downtown Westfield.
The owner, Angela Gapinski, went to many arts and crafts shows, where she met various artists.
Many of these artists now sell their wares at her second store, Remedy, right next to Root 31’s backyard.
You can buy corsages, boutonnieres, bouquets, and flower vases at Root 31.
Bring home a colorful and fragrant souvenir.
After all, who doesn’t like flowers?
Besides selling plants and flowers, Root 31 also offers classes in building terrariums, arranging flowers, and creating wreaths.
Likewise, the shop offers classes in drying herbs and using herbs for cooking, gardening, and beekeeping.
In 2018, Turn the Page Books & Gifts opened to the public as a small bookstore.
The years saw the store develop into a community hub and gathering place for local readers and tourists.
Besides selling books, Turn the Page also hosts literary events from book clubs to author signings.
The bookstore offers everything from children’s books, literary classics, contemporary fiction, and cookbooks, among others.
During your visit, you might even receive complimentary coffee, hot chocolate, or tea while you browse the custom bookcases.
Just try popping by when you’re in town.
Who knows?
Maybe you’ll make new friends at Turn the Page.
Otherwise, just bring home an interesting book for your friends, kids, or significant others.
If you want to spend a night at the theater, you should drop by the Basile Westfield Playhouse in downtown Westfield.
It had gone by the name Westfield Playhouse before Indiana philanthropists Frank and Katrina Basil donated money to Main Street Productions, which operates the theater.
Today, the playhouse stages dramatic productions, musicals, and other live performances.
Introduce your family to the magic of theater by watching a show at the Basile Westfield.
The playhouse has also seen productions of popular plays and musicals since 1992.
This 6-acre park is unlike any other park, even though it’s got miles of green space, a trail system, a children’s playground, and an amphitheater.
What makes this park unique?
It’s an initiative to redevelop the historic district through public and private enterprise, transforming the place into a top destination for tourists and residents alike.
Nearly all hiking trails in Hamilton County cross Grand Junction Plaza.
You can follow the Monon Trail, the Midland Trace Trail, and the Natalie Wheeler Trail, and you’ll end up inside this park.
Likewise, the playground is a perfect play area for kids.
They can ride the self-propelled merry-go-round or jump around the massive rope play structure.
Just 11 minutes away from Westfield lies the town of Noblesville, where you can find Potter’s, Bridge Park.
What makes this park interesting?
The Potter’s Bridge is the last covered bridge in all of Hamilton County, making the place a highly sought-after photo opportunity for tourists.
Around the bridge stretches the 66-acre Potter’s Bridge Park, where you can launch a kayak or canoe along the White River.
You can fish there, too.
The park also holds the White River Greenway Trail, stretching 3.25 miles along the river, cutting through Forest Park, and ending at downtown Noblesville or Morse Park.
Josiah Durfee built the covered bridge from 1870 to 1871.
After getting renovated in 1999, the bridge has become the main attraction of Potter’s Bridge Park.
Cross the bridge to find majestic views of the White River and observe wildlife in their natural habitat.
One of Hamilton County’s most popular parks is the aptly named Cool Creek Park, which also houses the Cool Creek Nature Center.
You can find this place at Carmel, Indiana, just seven minutes away from Westfield.
The 90-acre park is open year-round.
You can bring your family there and enjoy its 4 miles of trails.
Explore the woods while walking or jogging.
Stop for a while and look out for birds in the area.
Bring your kids to the Cool Creek Nature Center and let them explore the Indiana woodlands.
The Nature Center will teach them why we need to preserve plants, animals, and their natural habitats.
Step into the lush farmland air at Stuckey Farm Orchard and Cider Mill, and treat your kids to some delicious apple cider donuts.
You can find this place at Sheridan, a little over 13 minutes away from Westfield.
Moreover, your kids will love running around the big red barn containing several gift products for the fall.
They will also enjoy riding a wagon and playing the fun games inside Adventure Acres.
Likewise, you might want to take your kids to the Pumpkin Patch, where you can pick pumpkins for Halloween.
Make sure to bring home a batch of apple cider donuts for your late-night cravings.
Go back to Carmel, but this time bring your bike.
You’d want to bike along the Hagan-Burke Trail, a 1.4-mile paved trail connecting the north side of Monon Greenway to 146th Street.
The park gets its name from Ed Burke and Judy Hagan, local officials who served on various Carmel Councils.
For several years, they have also served the Carmel community with utmost dedication.
You’ll find other travelers passing along the trail because it’s not too challenging.
Besides biking, you can follow the trail on foot.
You can also bring your dog here.
Visit Westfield if you’re looking for a pleasant adventure in the heart of America.
Its nearby towns offer charming activities and sights to complete your journey.
Set aside a weekend and come by Westfield.
You won’t regret it.
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