Many people think what’s happening at The Back Door is culturally transformative,” Zak Szymanski writes about Bloomington’s only queer bar. In a post-Orlando world, places like The Back Door, with “its diversity and ideology,” are becoming sanctuaries for the disenfranchised — and “the future of LGBT space." Click here to read the full story.
Bloomington’s downtown landscape has changed dramatically in the past decade — influenced more by college students who desire modern amenities than by longtime residents who want to preserve their hometown. Writer Sarah Gordon considers how the conflicting goals of property development and historic preservation affect our “sense of place.” Click here to read the full story.
In parts one and two of her “Farm to Yarn” series, Lindsay Welsch Sveen procured yarn from its source and learned how to dye it. In this finale, she finds help with knitting “magical creations” — socks! Click here to read the full story.
Are your travel plans more likely to favor French Lick over France, or Yellowwood over Yellowstone? Do you find road maps more interesting than flight plans? If you’re tempted to hit the road this summer to explore Indiana for its bicentennial, several new books can help guide your way. Click here to read the full story.
Every year since 1830, a small town in southern Indiana has celebrated the 4th of July, making it what the townspeople (and The Library of Congress) say is the “Oldest Consecutive 4th of July Celebration in the Nation.” Writer Michael Waterford looks into this event, which rivals those in towns hundreds of times its size. Click here to read the full story.
Jeff Mease, co-founder of One World Enterprises, has long shared his business knowledge — and even his commissary — with numerous startups. Now the guy who’s “fascinated about localism” has doubled-down on his collaborative business model with a new, bigger commissary, which he will share with other entrepreneurs in his KitchenShare program. Click here for the full story.
Adventure-travel writer, outfitter, and explorer of the unknown, Michael Waterford says some of the best excursions can be had in southern Indiana. In this introduction to paddling, he offers suggestions on how to get on local lakes and rivers. It’s the first step, he says, to saving them. Click here to read the full story.
The news about Rooftop Quarry suddenly becoming inaccessible has made many people sad. But during Indiana Limestone Month in June, you can take guided tours of three nearby quarries — and even swim in the quarries at White Rock Park near Shelbyville. Limestone Post’s Editorial Director Lynae Sowinski has all the details. Click here to read the story.
Rooftop Quarry has been a local landmark for generations. But, citing “public safety concerns,” the company has taken measures to make the popular swimming hole safer by making it less accessible. View new photos of the quarry, which was featured in the 1979 movie Breaking Away. Click here for the full story and to view the photos.
Even before Bill Monroe's first “Blue Grass Celebration” in 1967, Bean Blossom, Indiana, was a home to the style of music Monroe created. Fifty years later, it’s still considered the cradle of bluegrass music. As writer Samantha Eibling tells it, Monroe’s — and Bean Blossom’s — influence reaches far and wide. Click here to read the full story.
Concluding her three-part series on food insecurity, writer Sarah Gordon found the obstacles to getting healthful food are different for college students than for others — everything from insecurity within their social groups to disasters in their hometowns or countries. She also found an IU student who is doing something about it. Click here to read the full story.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has been the only presidential candidate of either party to visit Bloomington during this campaign season. An enthusiastic crowd greeted him inside and outside of Indiana University Auditorium on Wednesday. Writer/photographer TJ Jaeger captured the event in words and photos. Click here to read the full story.
