Winchester

Snow was beginning to fall as I headed east from Muncie to Winchester. The note scribbled on the map was a reminder of the detour around the town of Farmland, which took you halfway to Fort Wayne before dropping you back on the correct path.

Farmland recently undertook a project to totally renovate its Main Street, requiring drivers to explore country roads for an alternate route or suffer the state suggested route. Driving country roads is fun in the summer, but not the same on dark, wintry evenings.

To my surprise, the project was done and no detour was required. Instead, I was treated to Farmland's new, vibrant Main Street with sidewalk lighting that was nothing short of festive. Undertaking the project must have been a big decision, but the results look terrific. I wanted to stop, but the meeting in Winchester beckoned, so I drove on, past the famed Winchester Speedway, into the city.

Like many smaller cities in Indiana, Winchester has numerous beautiful older homes that beg to be photographed. But the outstanding feature in Winchester is the city square, dominated by a memorial to veterans of the Civil War. The stores around the square are open for business, and people are shopping. Many cities across the country would be envious.

The Winchester City Hall is just off the square. The Council Chamber features a large mural done by a local artist. It is intended to portray the Winchester that the artist dreams he would like it to be someday. To my eyes, it is very close to Winchester now.