Area parks offer many opportunities for recreational pursuits. Hiking, nature and cross-country ski trails; a well-stocked fishing lake; gardens; a Native American museum and a nature center are on the 105 acres of Dobbs Park at SR 46 and Poplar Street. Fairbanks Park contains the birthplace of Paul Dresser, who wrote Indiana's state song, “On the Banks of the Wabash.” Deming Park has an arboretum containing 400 species of holly trees. National Road Heritage Trail, a 6-mile-long paved multipurpose trail, connects several of the parks.
Next to the business district is the Farrington's Grove Historical District, an 80-square-block area with more than 800 historic buildings. The 7th Street Arts Corridor has galleries, museums, a historic movie theater and a sculpture of Max Ehrmann, a native poet who wrote “Desiderata.”
Notable attractions on the campus of Indiana State University include an anthropology museum and the John C. Hook Memorial Observatory; phone (812) 237-2444.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, the oldest Catholic women's college in the United States, occupies 67 wooded acres northwest of Terre Haute on SR 150. Art collections, dioramas and the Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin are among the noteworthy features on campus. The Sisters of Providence offer guided tours of the college grounds; phone (812) 535-5151.
Highland Lawn Cemetery, east on US 40 at 4420 Wabash Ave. is noted for its elaborate tombs and elegant Victorian buildings. The 1894 Bell Tower features a stone gateway arch and 60-foot tower. The Highland Lawn Chapel, which features original stained-glass windows, is a fine example of Romanesque architecture.
Visitor Centers
Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau 5353 E. Margaret Dr. Terre Haute, IN 47803. Phone:(812)234-5555 or (800)366-3043
Self-guiding Tours
Maps for tours of the historic district, the arts corridor and the riverfront are available from the visitor bureau.