Indiana

Country

USA

Continent

North America

Best Cities to Visit

Indianapolis
Bloomington
Nashville
Madison
South Bend

Size

94,321 KM²

Population

6,785,528

Spending Budget

$1,609 - $1,646

Famous For

Limestone
Basketball
Vast Farmlands

Best Time to Visit

January
February
September
October
November
December

History

People have lived in the land that is Indiana for thousands of years. The Woodland culture inhabited the area until 1000 AD when the Mississippian culture emerged. There were a number of Algonquian speaking Native American tribes living in the region when the Europeans arrived. The first European to explore Indiana was French explorer Robert de La Salle in 1679. Many French settlers came down from Canada to trade for furs with the local Native American tribes.Later, British colonists arrived in the area and began to vie for control of the fur trade.The British and the French went to war over the fur trade in the Americas. The Native Americans in Indiana allied with the French and fought the English. However, in 1763, the British won the war and the land became part of the British Empire.Despite the French losing the war, the Natives, they continued to fight. Many tribes allied under the leader Pontiac and fought the British Army. The Indians eventually lost the war, but the British did make a law that said English settlers would not take over their land. Unfortunately for the Indians, many Europeans still settled their land despite the new law. After the American Revolution, the United States took control of Indiana. It became part of the Northwest Territory in 1787. The Northwest Territory was a large area that also included the future states of Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. In 1800, the region was renamed the Indiana territory when Ohio became a state.

Present Day

Indiana is a state of the United States of America. The state is placed, as its motto claims, at “the crossroads of America.” It borders Lake Michigan and the state of Michigan to the north, Ohio to the east, Kentucky to the south, and Illinois to the west, making it an integral part of the American Midwest. It ranks 38th among the 50 U.S. states in terms of total area and, except for Hawaii, is the smallest state west of the Appalachian Mountains. With a name that is generally thought to mean “land of the Indians,” Indiana was admitted on December 11, 1816, as the 19th state of the union. Its capital has been at Indianapolis since 1825. Indiana’s shoreline with Lake Michigan is only 40 miles long, but Indiana is still considered a Great Lakes State. More than 100 species of trees are native to Indiana. Before the pioneer’s arrive more than 80% of Indiana was covered with forest. Now only 17% of the state is considered forested. Although Indiana means, “Land of the Indians” there are fewer than 8,000 Native Americans living in the state today.Indiana was part of the huge Northwest Territory, which included present day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, which were ceded to the United States by the British at the end of the Revolutionary war. Indiana’s first major railroad line linked Madison and Indianapolis and was completed in 1847.

Future

Indiana's population will grow by roughly 660,000 residents between 2015 and 2050—a 10 percent increase over this 35-year stretch—according to new population projections released by the Indiana Business Research Center. Growth over this period will be heavily front-loaded, with 60 percent of these gains taking place by 2030. All told, the state’s population total will climb from an estimated 6.61 million residents in 2015 to 7.27 million in 2050.Indiana will continue to grow over the next 35 years, but the state will likely see wide differences between a relatively small number of mostly metro-area communities that will fuel this growth and a large number of mid-sized and rural communities that are projected to see population declines. Between the years 2000 and 2010, 63 of Indiana’s 92 counties saw an increase in population. The number of counties to add residents between 2010 and 2015 fell to 35, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. These projections indicate that only 33 counties will see a population increase between 2015 and 2050.The Indianapolis metro area will continue to be the state’s primary source of population growth over the coming decades. This 11-county region is projected to see its population climb from 1.99 million residents in 2015 to 2.51 million in 2050—a 26 percent increase. As this region adds more than half a million residents over the next 35 years, its share of Indiana’s total population will rise from 30 percent in 2015 to nearly 35 percent in 2050.

Must Visit Places ------------

Cataract Falls

The largest waterfall in the state of Indiana can be found inside Cataract State Park. Cataract Falls drops for a total of 86 feet, with the upper falls making up 20 feet of this figure. The hike to the falls is of moderate difficulty and less than three miles in length, with the best time to visit between December and May.

Brown County State Park

Brown County State Park is the largest state park in Indiana, attracting over one million people every year. The park is named after Commanding General of the United States Army, General Jacob Brown. The state park is often referred to by its nickname the Little Smokies due to its resemblance to the Great Smoky Mountains.

Kissing Bridges

Kissing bridges are one of the main tourist attractions Indiana has to offer, with these beautiful structures found all over Brown County. Some 21 of these covered bridges are still in use across Indiana’s Parke County, with many of them now covered in romantic notes that have been left by visitors. The covered bridges are known as kissing bridges as they were one of the few places courting couples could find some privacy hundreds of years ago.

Kesling Wetland and Farmstead

Kesling Wetland and Farmstead is one of the best places in Indiana to get up close with the state’s nature. The 10-acre marsh and slough wetland community is ideal for those who want to learn about how important it is to conserve the natural environment. Sunset and sunrise are two of the best times of the day to visit Kesling Wetland and Farmstead due to their spectacular sights.

Turkey run State Park

Turkey Run State Park in Parke County features 14 picturesque miles of challenging trails, as well as the Rocky Hollow Falls Canyon Nature Preserve. Cut into the sandstone of the park, the canyons can be seen and experienced from six trails through the park.

Clifty Falls State Park

Clifty Falls State Park is home to some of the most popular events in Indiana, such as the July Regatta hydroplane boat race and the Madison Chautauqua Festival of Art in late September. Located near Madison, the park features many beautiful nature trails and its highlight is Clifty Creek Canyon, which runs through the heart of the park.

Nappanee

Nappanee is one of the most beautiful locations within the state of Indiana, with its wide of range of tourist attractions, including the Arts

Bean Blossom

Bean Blossom – sometimes styled as Beanblossom – is one of Indiana’s most beautiful places and is home to one of the many covered bridges that Parke County is famous for. Bean Blossom is home to the Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park and Campground, which hosts an annual bluegrass festival known locally as the Bean.

Lake Michigan

Among the most popular tourist attractions in the state of Indiana is the stunning Lake Michigan, which is the only one of the Great Lakes of North America to be located wholly within the boundaries of the United States. Indeed, Lake Michigan is so massive that it is sometimes known as the third coast of the States, with many beaches to explore and enjoy.

South Bend

Set on the southernmost bend of the St. Joseph River, South Bend lies right in the north of the state, not far from the border with Michigan. Home to some large corporations and companies – and an important economic and cultural hub – the city is most known for the University of Notre Dame and its Fighting Irish football team.