Things to Do in Grant County

On the campus of Taylor University, the Butz-Carruth recital hall hosts a wide variety of programming.

Community School of the arts offers classes in visual and performing arts. Get passionate about the arts with CSA!

The CSA Art Gallery is open to the public Monday-Thursday from 9:00am – 8:00pm. View local artists’ work and purchase your favorite piece to display in your favorite place. New artist the first Monday of each month.

The 181-foot covered timbered bridge, built in 1877 and restored in 1999, spans the Mississinewa River at Matthews and is the last remaining covered bridge in Grant County. It was swept from its abutments by the great 1913 flood, and floated a quarter mile downstream. It was later returned to its abutments by horses. The bridge is the site of an annual festival on the weekend after Labor Day.

This 1500 seat auditorium hosts an annual series of national performers as well as local events.

A historic landmark, the Museum was founded in 1975. Exhibits showcase authentic artifacts of hometown film star James Dean, Garfield cartoon creator Jim Davis, community history, and much more. The gift shop includes James Dean items, Garfield items, and Fairmount items. The Museum sponsors the annual James Dean Festival and James Dean Run Car Show during the last full weekend in September. Guided tours up to 50. Museum requests advance notice for large groups. Handicap accessible.

The Gas City museum displays a wide range of artifacts from Gas City’s past. The displays include artifacts from Gas City Hall, the Avalon Hotel, the Arcade Theater, glass factories, railroad, local artists, and world skating champion Jackie Courtney. See basketball memorabilia of Larry Hedden, Mississinewa High School class of 1954, who set scoring records for the county conference, sectional and regional. Larry was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1958, and inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998.

1/4 mile clay track racing sprints, modified and street stock. Special races each season. Open Friday nights, Mid-April through Mid-October.  Just off I-69, exit 259, State Road 22.

Indiana Wesleyan University is an evangelical Christian comprehensive university that is committed to liberal arts and professional education. U.S. News & World Report ranks Indiana Wesleyan University as “one of the best Master’s universities in the Midwest.”

Over 3,200 students live and learn in state-of-the-art residence halls and academic facilities on IWU’s residential campus in Marion, Indiana. More than 80 majors are offered, covering everything from Art to Theology and Ministry. An increasing number of honors students on the residential campus has led to the formation of the John Wesley Honors College.

Another 12,000 adult learners attend classes at regional IWU Education Centers in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, as well as through our online degree programs, including Associate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s Degree offerings such as the Master of Education, certificates, and electives. The innovative adult education program, which was established in 1985, has received national attention.

IWU has been Indiana’s fastest-growing University for the past two years. The University’s total enrollment, which now exceeds 15,000 students, makes IWU the largest private university in Indiana. One result of this growth has been the establishment of the IWU School of Nursing, a premier nursing school in its own right.

Indiana Wesleyan University stands ready – with the resources and the passion – to equip future generations of learners with skills they will need to meet the challenges of our rapidly changing world.

The Elms Station of Farmington. Tour this beautifully renovated 1840s National Register property with ties to the Underground Railroad. The Jenkins House is a ‘Hoosier Homestead’ and is listed on the ‘Indiana Historic Sites and Structures’ . The owners wish to share the legacy left by the early abolitionists who settled in this area and offer a rich, informative and educational experience. View the historic golf collection and Civil War era artifacts.