For all you Hoosiers and others with an interest in the Monon, there is a museum/restaurant just north of Monon, Indiana. I stopped and ate breakfast Saturday morning and the food was excellent.
The museum pieces are really special. There are outdoor items such as caboose, semaphore signals, small depot, crane, and wooden cars, but the real enjoyment is the collection inside. In the restaurant itself were Pennsylvania Railroad calendars (mint condition) from about 1929 thru 1957. The artwork on those calendars is really special, for those who have not seen them.
There is a huge collection of dining car china and lanterns. An interesting exhibit is of Gus Grissom, the Hoosier astronaut. He worked for Monon RR as a summer laboror. His employement records are displayed, including his application for employment.
I did not enter the museum as it wasnt open, but the outer area was really neat. I have been told that the owner has considerable “paper” which he has collected over the years which hasnt even been processed yet. The owner (I believe his name is Ward) was the owner of the local quarries in the Monon area.
I highly recommend a visit, not only for the historical collection, but for the breakfast. It was one of the best breakfasts in a while. Simple, yet well prepared food at a very fair price.
So, if you are between Chicago and Indy and I65 seems a bit boring…drive over to Monon and check it out. Well worth the time, effort, and $$ involved.
Nice to read a post from a Valpo resident. The roasted turkey at The Strongbow in town is absolutely fantastic. I travelled through that area on many trips with my folks to visit the grandparents in Decatur, IN and I remember pressing my face against the car window straining to see the approach of a PC freight along Hwy. 30 on the old PRR main, and looking for EL freights along Hwy. 224 starting at Markle (saw plenty of EL action in Decatur). Great railroad country - at least it used to be. I may have to try that restaurant in Monon.
Speaking of the Monon, 30 miles south of Monon on the line to Indianapolis, is/was a trestle over Wildcat creek. It is shown on this WEBSITE (page down a bit) as being on the verge of colapse this spring. Does anyone know if it has gone done yet ?
Strongbow’s is still there. To be honest with you, I dont eat there, unless there is an outing. The food is very good, borders on excellent, but it just isnt a place I go to. Personally, I like to put a turkey breast on my grill and eat at home…or better yet, a plump chicken. If you are ever in the area, stop in there and check out their bakery. EXCELLENT.
Dale, that bridge doesnt look too good! Amazing it is still standing. Quite a website.
Ed, sounds like a trip to Monon (via Valpo, for more trains?) might be in the works. Just need a free day. Maybe in three or four more years.
I’ll be interested in hearing more about that place, especially info on when the museum portion would be open.
As for the PRR calendars, I think one of Al Staufer’s books on Pennsy Power had a color section (when color was rare in books) featuring the PRR calendar art. Those original calendars must be nearly priceless! The wartime painting of Uncle Sam rolling up his sleeves has become almost iconic.
Would be glad to have you and fellow Chicago trainheads drop by. I googled Pennslyvania Railroad Calendars and was directed to a website with artwork of all calendars. I agree, the one with Uncle Sam rolling up his sleeves nearly brought tears to my eyes when I read the cover memo from the VP Traffic to the customer.
I am not a big museum guy, but this place is amazing.
The fact you mention of The Strongbow restaurant and the turkey really gets my attention.
About 40 years ago my wife and myself along with another couple stopped at that restaurant and I had a turkey leg {of all things}, as it was almost larger than the plate…and it was excellent…!
Now so many years after that experience, sounds like the same excellent choice is still being prepared and served. Wild…! But great.
Q sounds like we are going to have a Tuesday field trip (hopefully after the weather cools down a bit and while we are at it…after school starts up again). Come on over and we will have a turkey leg on the way down to Monon, then eat there too.
Carl…I am up for it, based on the above stipulations (cooler weather in Sept).
From the sound of those turkey legs, we’d better go to Monon first for a light lunch, and hit Valpo on the way home! That probably doesn’t work for Quentin, though (the supper part, anyway).
…Boy, fellows…Carl and ed, that’s amazing, a business is still getting praise after 40 years for similar food way back when…!
We will certainly wait a while, not in this heat…but will seriously think of making a road trip up there even just for another attempt at some of that turkey once again…Must be near 200 miles from here but guess one could make it an overnight trip.
I regularly make the Valpo Muncie trip (son is a sr at Ball State) in 2:45. Not an easy drive, but if you plan it correctly you get a few neat railroad stops.
…It is not an easy direction from here…roads in general run east and west and north and south and it would take a bit of jogging.
Just made my 400 mi. trip back to our home area in Pennsylvania over this past {made it a long}, weekend and i’ve been doing that now for over 45 years and it’s not too much fun anymore.
Was in place to pass a vehicle and I was following another several cars doing the same thing this past Sunday and it started to rain harder and harder…{rt. 1 70 across Ohio}, and the semi decided to run over me…{literaly}, first the high lights on me then the air horn, then about to bump me in the trunk…had to pull over to survive and I don’t know what he did to the cars that were in front of me…It started to pour it down in sheets, and I thought I’d see him laying in the middle, but somehow all made it through…
The last time I was there was in 1994 on a Cedar Rapids - Decatur, IN road-trip to visit my uncle, and to hike the former EL main in Decatur (man that was sad - my beloved Erie Lackawanna). I stopped-off at The Bow and managed to squeeze-in during the Sunday brunch-time crunch, and I had the turkey. I ate so much I had to drink about a gallon of coffee in Illinois to stay awake the rest of the way. If I didn’t distrust the airlines so much, I’d zoom down to Monon and I’d surely stop-off at Valpo for dinner.
Question for any NW Indiana railfan:
Once on the way east, my dad told me to look to my right and I was surprised to see an eastbound PC freight pacing our Oldsmobile along Hwy. 30. It was lead by an F unit, most likely an F7. What’s weird is I recall the F7 being almost pink in color - not the PC black. It was very faded and worn, and I’m 44 now and I was probably 9 or 10 then so my memory may be somewhat distorted. But I distinctly recall the unit being a pinkish color. Could it have been a very, very faded PRR brown? Or could it have been a unit that was sandblasted and primed, and was being rushed-into service?
US 30 to US 31, south to Indiana 18, east to Indiana 13, south to Indiana 26, east to Interstate 69, south to Indiana 332 to BSU.
According to notes on my map, that is 155 miles and and 2:50 minutes. I have made it a bit quicker, but at 5-10mph over speed limit you can make it 2:45 or so. This route avoids Kokomo.
Interesting, my daughter is a soph @ BSU. It takes an hour each way. It’s a little longer if the wife isn’t with me and I keep NS’s New Castle District in view all the way.[8D]
…Thanks Ed…Looks like a good route. Sure takes jogging to go at an angle in this state. I copied it and if we happen to make that run I’ll have it…Looks good.