Things to do
On the last night of March in 1880, four arc lamps were hoisted onto the courthouse dome and Wabash became the first electrically lighted city in the world. People came from all over to stand in the square and look up. There's still a reason to come.
Performing arts
An Art Deco performing arts complex that books touring Broadway, national comedians, and country headliners into the Ford Theater — and sells them out. It is the single biggest reason out-of-towners drive to Wabash, and it runs year round.
Historic cinema
A 1906 theatre a few doors down Market Street, reopened after a full restoration. Great sightlines and, by common agreement, top-notch sound. Ask for the second-floor balcony.
March 31, 1880
Four Brush arc lamps went up on this dome and lit the entire town at once — the first city in the world electrically lighted. Thousands stood in the streets below. One of the handsomest courthouses in Indiana, and free to walk around.
Museum
Interactive exhibits and two short films, regularly called one of the best regional museums in the state. Visitors who plan an hour routinely stay longer. Ask about Modoc the elephant.
Historic home
A preserved mid-1800s physician's house showing what life in Wabash looked like before the lights went up.
Gardens
Twenty-five acres of themed gardens, walking paths, and a historic barn, minutes from downtown. Quiet in a way the rest of a day trip usually isn't.
Riverwalk
Green space and winding walkways a few blocks off Market Street, built on the ground where the 1826 treaty was signed. An easy stretch of the legs between lunch and a matinee.
Nature preserve
Over 300 species of plants, more than 140 species of birds, real hiking trails, and an aviary housing rescued raptors you can spend time with.
Time your visit
Monthly
Every first Friday except January. Street musicians, food trucks, shops open late, and Trolley No. 85 running loops downtown. The best single day to see Wabash working.
June to October
A walking food tour of downtown restaurants run out of the Visit Wabash County Welcome Center, bookable for groups of six to fifteen.
Year round
Check the Honeywell and Eagles calendars before you pick a date. A show turns a good day trip into an evening, and it's the reason half the town's kitchens are busy on a Friday.
Stay over
A 1920 Georgian Revival hotel restored to thirty rooms in 2010 — wine shop, candy counter, and the Twenty dining room downstairs. Three blocks from the theatre door.