By Glenda Winders
The friend who invited me to visit Columbus, Indiana, sent along a DVD about his town to seal the deal — and it worked. Before I watched "Different by Design" I had no idea that the American Institute of Architects had ranked this city of just under 46,000 people sixth in the nation for architectural innovation after such places as Chicago and New York — or that Lady Bird Johnson had dubbed it "the Athens of the Prairie" for its elegance and culture when she came to dedicate Lincoln Elementary School during her national beautification tour in 1967. After I watched the movie, I wanted to see the real thing.
Situated on the east fork of the White River, Columbus was incorporated in 1864, but it gained national recognition a century later at the hands of industrialist J. Irwin Miller, president and later chairman of the global Cummins Engine Co. Miller's vision was to create a city that could compete with the East and West coasts in attracting talented engineers and designers from all over the world and to foster an environment that would have a positive effect on the lives of people who lived there.
To this end he offered to pay the architects' fees for public buildings as long as they were selected from his preapproved list. The result was schools, churches, fire stations, a public library and even the post office that were — and remain — architecturally significant, most of them in the Mid-century Modern genre. Six of the buildings have been designated National Historic Landmarks.
The First Christian Church, for example, was designed by Eliel Saarinen and built in 1942. The first modern church in the United States, its furniture was designed by Charles Eames. Saarinen's son, Eero, designed the first all-glass bank here in 1954. The public library that was designed by I.M. Pei boasts an arch by English sculptor Henry Moore on its front plaza.
Once Miller had set his ideas in motion, the rest of the city took up the challenge. Today what look like huge whistles in primary colors are the air intake and exhaust vents behind the phone company. And during the frequent festivals and events downtown the barriers that block off the streets are actually sculptures. As Johnson said during her visit, "If architecture is frozen music ... Columbus is a symphony in stone." Even the bridges that lead into town were designed with aesthetics in mind.
The best way to see all of this is on a two-hour tour that leaves from the visitors center in the historic John Storey house. The tour starts with a short film, and then a guide fills in the details as the bus rolls past significant buildings and stops at some so visitors can go inside. A different tour that begins at the same place goes through J.I. Miller's home, also designed by Eero Saarinen, and the surrounding gardens by renowned landscaper Dan Kiley.
The beauty doesn't end with the architecture, however. Sculptures pop up in the most unlikely places, such as Dessa Kirk's dramatic "Eos," which separates two lanes of traffic on Fifth Street; Lucy Slivinski's "Yellowwood Coral" at the local recycling center; and Jo Saylor's "Crack the Whip" near the Robert N. Stewart Second Street Bridge. A large glass piece by Dale Chihuly hangs in the visitors center. Even the bike racks around town were designed in imitation of Bernar Venet's "Two Arcs de 212.5 Degrees," more affectionately known as "The Red C" and located downtown on Washington Street.
Sometimes the art here is intertwined with the area's history. The Bartholomew County Memorial for Veterans on Courthouse Square comprises 25 40-foot-tall pillars made of locally quarried limestone situated on a grid that mimics the city's streets. As visitors take a meditative walk among the pieces, they can read the names of 156 people who gave their lives in 20th-century wars, along with moving passages from their letters and journals.
For edible history, there's Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum, which dates back to 1900. The establishment was closed for several years but then lovingly restored with its original marble counters and Tiffany-style lamps in 2009. The ice cream here is outstanding, and my favorite from the menu, the generous hot-fudge sundae, comes with an extra pitcher of hot fudge — just in case. A Welte orchestrion provides a carnival-like musical ambience.
There's plenty here to warrant an easy side trip from Indianapolis, Louisville or Cincinnati, and locals say it's also a great place to live. The 19-mile People Trail that circumnavigates the city is a popular spot for walkers, bikers and skateboarders. The asphalt path connects significant points in the city and passes along the Driftwood and Flat Rock rivers and through Mill Race Park. I found it worth the climb to the top of the 84-foot observation tower in the park because from here it's possible to chart Columbus' evolution through its churches, library and post office, Irwin Gardens and "Eos" — all laid out at my feet.
A huge glass building downtown called The Commons hosts meetings, weddings and proms and is home to "Chaos I," the largest kinetic sculpture in the United States by Swiss sculptor Jean Tinguely. Across the street Kidscommons Community Children's Museum has areas where kids can climb, discover wildlife and create art. They can also slide down through a giant toilet in an exhibit that helps them understand how everyday objects in their homes operate.
In the summertime Columbus has a bustling farmers market, and for out-of-door fun there's CERAland Park, which offers facilities for everything from horseshoes, baseball, archery and miniature golf to camping, swimming and paddle-boating. The city also boasts its own philharmonic orchestra.
"One thing I've always appreciated about living here is how the community embraces and truly wants to engage diverse populations," said Diane Doup, who was raised here and returned after college. Today she works as community outreach coordinator for the Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center, and she was recently given a prestigious award for service to her community. "The possibilities of activities and cultural events to involve with are immense, and I'm proud to live in a community so rich with world-renowned architecture. The visionary leaders who came before us planted a society of pride."
In addition to being at the crossroads of several major cities, Columbus is close to some smaller places that are also worth a visit. Fifteen miles away is Nashville, an artists' community tucked into the picturesque hills of Brown County. Here are galleries, shops and restaurants as well as the studio (now a museum) of Indiana's most famous painter, T.C. Steele. Fifteen miles farther is Bloomington, home of Indiana University with its world-class music school, rare-books library and art museum.
IF YOU GO
The best way to get to Columbus is to fly into Indianapolis and rent a car for the 40-minute drive south on Interstate 65.
For general information: www.columbus.in.us
Columbus and its surrounding areas offer many restaurant choices. One of my favorite places to eat is the Story Inn in Nashville ("One inconvenient location since 1851"): www.storyinn.com. Another is Stream Cliff Farm near the village of Commiskey: www.streamclifffarm.com.
Glenda Winders is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
View Comments