2024, Business, Food, History, Mysteries, Travel

Where in the World is VS?

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Sliced bread was invented here. That’s right — the Taggart Company was the first place to start selling pre-sliced loaves of bread.

This is home to the world’s largest Children’s Museum, with over 130,000 artifacts, including an indoor carousel and dinosaurs guarding its walls

The original Union Station in this city was the country’s first “union” passenger rail station. Its initial construction was in 1853, but was rebuilt 30 years later. Union Station was frequented by many prominent figures, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman + Woodrow Wilson.     

The downtown Athenaeum was designed by Kurt Vonnegut’s architect grandfather.  It was originally used as a gymnasium and clubhouse by German-Americans striving to preserve their culture.

This city’s beloved Slippery Noodle Inn was a stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War, with enslaved people hiding out in the building before catching the northbound train nearby. Not only that, but it was also a watering hole during the prohibition era + a mobster hangout.

Speaking of Kurt Vonnegut, this is the home of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library!

Where am I?  Extra points for knowing WHY I am here!

56 thoughts on “Where in the World is VS?”

  1. I’ve never loved Indianapolis but I understand Kurt’s family also had Vonnegut department stores there similar to daytons

    enjoy the eclipse I hope the clouds stay here in our part of the world and don’t screwup the big event . Wish I was there with you

    i got to do an eclipse in Chicago 20 years ago and it’s tucked away in the cobwebs as a life’s memory

    that gray green sky is ominous

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    1. In the words of Miss Piggy, “I knew that.”

      But I did not know that. I figured the trip was eclipse-related, though. My son, DIL and their niece and nephew travelled to Illinois for the event. I am awaiting pictures. And stories of the adventure.

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  2. St Elmo’s fire is a restaurant there worth checking out

    maybe it’s just st Elmo’s I don’t remember but it was pleasant on the older part of downtown

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  3. Guess I made it too easy today. Although I was really sure tim would be all over the Kurt Vonnegut stuff. It’s wild here. I’ve already claimed a spot in the parking lot at the White River State Park, which is in downtown Indianapolis. I probably didn’t need to come quite so early but it’s actually starting to fill up right now. Cooler my stadium chairs, and my glasses, as well as a good book since it’s gonna be a few hours yet.

    Last night my Indy friends took me out to a restaurant called Capri- Italian restaurant who made an excellent cheese and spinach filled ravioli with a Pomodoro sauce. I had a wonderful time and actually slept fairly well (for a first night in a new place) last night.

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  5. Enjoy Indy and the Eclipse.

    Here in Franklin, Ohio, we get totality for about 2 minutes and total elapsed time of 2 and a half hours.

    Currently cloudless sky.

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  6. It’s cloudy and damp here. I don’t think we will actually “see” the sun here today. And here I was ready with my approved eyewear.

    Enjoy the big event, VS!

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  7. The sun was just out here a bit ago, but forecast says Mostly Cloudy. : |

    I too am ready with my approved eyewear, and my book club moved out time to 1:00 in hopes of seeing something.

    And I’ll re-post this – should’ve saved it for today:

    I just remembered a book of short stories by Lee Smith – Me and My Baby View the Eclipse…

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  8. A Solar Eclipse

    In that great journey of the stars through space
         About the mighty, all-directing Sun,
         The pallid, faithful Moon, has been the one
    Companion of the Earth. Her tender face,
    Pale with the swift, keen purpose of that race,
         Which at Time’s natal hour was first begun,
         Shines ever on her lover as they run
    And lights his orbit with her silvery smile.

    Sometimes such passionate love doth in her rise,
         Down from her beaten path she softly slips,
    And with her mantle veils the Sun’s bold eyes,
         Then in the gloaming finds her lover’s lips.
    While far and near the men our world call wise
         See only that the Sun is in eclipse.

    Ella Wheeler Wilcox

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  10. We leave Tacoma today. First to Denver, then home. I don’t know what it will be like flying today during an eclipse.

    We lived in Columbus, IN for a year, about 60 miles south if Indianapolis. It was noted for its modern architecture. My main memories of Indiana are the heat, humidity, and insects. It was also described as the most politically corrupt state in the US. There were good muskmelons grown locally, though.

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  15. they’re leading a standing yoga session from the stage right now. There’s actually quite a few people throughout this area taking part. It’s just hysterical.

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  20. Kelly and I had a good conversation about what animals must think about this. You’d think some of them are smart enough to know it can’t really be nighttime. And there’s probably not too many that have been through an eclipse before to pass that knowledge along to their offspring.

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      1. There were quite a few dogs at White River State Park today, where I was watching the eclipse. They all seemed perfectly fine with the fact that the sun was getting dimmer, and it was getting darker and a little bit cooler. The only thing that happened was that right at totality there was an enormous amount of cheering and chanting and whooping and yelling (by the humans) and there were a couple of dogs that seemed a little thrown off by that, but otherwise dogs don’t care.

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  25. I went to Harriet Island to walk around after my volunteer shift today. It was gloomy all morning, and a slightly darker shade of gloom around the eclipse time. I had heard that it might get dark and all the birds would stop singing, bt that never happened. The eclipse, on Harriet Island, was kind of a big nuthin’. 

    On the plus side, my Merlin app picked up numerous yellow-rumped warblers, robins, cardinals, chickadees, tufted titmice, and a very assertive red-winged blackbird. Possibly a kildeer, but I’m not sure about that.

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