Madison: The Heart of the American Story
Tour Description
The flow of history is preserved in this quaint river town.
Via boats and barges along the Ohio River, migrants from Virginia, Kentucky, Germany, and Ireland arrived in Madison, Indiana—a narrow, gentle bend of the river that provided access to rich farm land, a developing commercial industry, and a thriving town.
Each migrant brought their own story that would take advantage of opportunities Madison provided.
Locations for Tour
Ben Schroeder Saddletree Factory Museum
Almost untouched since the day it closed in 1972, the Ben Schroeder Saddletree factory is the nation's last intact 19th century shop where craftsman built the inner workings of saddles. Sawdust from the last run of saddletrees and the internal…
Jeremiah Sullivan House
Could Jeremiah Sullivan ever imagine how important he and his family would become? Or that his house would jumpstart a nationally recognized preservation movement?”
In 1816 twenty-three year old Jeremiah Sullivan joined a rising flood of emigrants…
The Former Second Presbyterian Church
In October of 1847, Henry Ward Beecher, the popular Presbyterian minister, came to Madison to visit friends. Riding the very first train from Indianapolis to Madison, a huge crowd gathered at the station to celebrate this new rail line. Beecher…
Dr. Hutchings Office and Museum
At this rare, historic medical site, walking through the door takes you into April 1903. William Davies Hutchings, a Kentucky-born and trained doctor, moved to Madison in 1876. He practiced medicine at this location until his death in 1903. He…
Shrewsbury-Windle House
The Shrewsbury-Windle House is an 1849 Greek Revival masterpiece designed by the renowned architect & master builder, Francis Costigan. Built of brick, stone and wood, it is an example of design, high quality craftsmanship, and preservation.…
The Railroad Incline--The "Cut"
The Madison, Indianapolis & Lafayette Railroad (MI&L) was first conceived in 1836 when Indiana state legislators included it as part of the Internal Improvement Act. Indianapolis, the new state capitol, was in the early stages of becoming a…
The Georgetown Neighborhood: Network to Freedom
Proximity to the Ohio River gave rise to Madison's Georgetown Neighborhood, a community of free Blacks dating back to the 1820s. About 50 black families lived in the Georgetown neighborhood, located along Walnut Street north of Main Street.…
St. Michael the Archangel
Madison was officially surveyed by Colonel John Paul in 1809. Surveying was intended to establish the town boundaries to mark out where white settlers could establish homes and churches. Some early settlers to Madson practiced the Catholic faith and…
Costigan House
Much of what makes Madison a popular tourist destination is the impressive and abundant historic architecture. For this, Madison owes a significant debt of gratitude to the architect and builder, Francis Costigan. He oversaw construction of the…
A Model for "Main Street"
If a town’s Main Street is often the heart of the community, then Madison has one of the biggest hearts in the United States. Its Main Street stretches two miles and spans 90 feet. The core of Madison’s National Historic Landmark District, urban…