Centrally located east of Indianapolis on the Indiana-Ohio state line, Richmond was settled in 1806 by North Carolina Quakers and is one of the older cities in Indiana.
Planning a visit? Stay at Grandpa’s Farm RV Park.
Quakers (called Friends) were drawn to the Northwest Territory by its cheap, fertile land and its prohibition on slavery. By 1809, nearly three hundred Friends had settled here. They formed the Whitewater Monthly Meeting of Friends (now Richmond’s First Friends Meeting), the oldest Quaker congregation in the state of Indiana.
Discover where pre-Civil War runaway slaves hid at the Levi Coffin House, the Underground Railroad, where over 2,000 slaves escaped to freedom. One of the many slaves who hid in the Coffin home was “Eliza,” whose story is told in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”.
Historic districts and buildings are a reminder of the hard work and success of the past. Richmond has one of the finest early Victorian neighborhoods in the nation. The area also consists of late Federal and Greek Revival townhouses and cottages, early 19th century farm homes and sturdy barns, ornate churches, mansions, and the majestic Wayne County Courthouse.
Find more great Spring destinations here.
Just west of Richmond lies the charming community of Centerville, dotted with historic early 19th century row houses with magnificent archways. With this architectural treasure not found elsewhere in Indiana, Centerville is truly an architectural gem.
Kick start your summer at the Cope Environmental Center, also in Centerville. The Center offers over 100 acres of natural and developed wildlife habitats including wetlands, ponds, wooded ravines, and a native Indiana prairie. The Jim Cope Conifer Trail features 55 species of pines, spruces, larches, and firs from around the world.
