story by GLENDA WINDERS
Winter’s frosty months are the best time of year to partake in the indoor activities you enjoy most. Whether you fancy bowling a few games, seeing a live performance, antiquing, or curling up with a good book, you’ll find plenty to keep you busy in Wabash, North Manchester, Roann, and Lagro —` some of the towns of Wabash County.
“Exploring should not stop just because there is snow on the ground,” said Biz Bishop, content manager at Visit Wabash County. “You just have to adjust what exploring looks like in the winter in Indiana, by moving the fun inside or hitting one of the snowmobile trails at Salamonie.”
If bowling is what you like to do best, you’re in for a special treat at Cannonball Lanes, where you can try out their signature Cosmic Bowling. This is when the house lights go down, the music goes up, and lighting effects play artfully across the lanes.
If a roller rink is more your style, then lace up your skates at the Honeywell Center Skating Rink. Have a birthday or other special occasion coming up? Host your next party there!
Enjoy classes at Wabash Woollen Works where you learn to hand dye fibers with dyes made from plants grown in the garden on the property.
Honeywell Center is also the place to go for wintertime entertainment, with shows such as “Madagascar the Musical” and movies at the, recently renovated, Eagles Theatre. Have dinner at Eugenia’s Restaurant before the show and browse the Clark Gallery for pieces by artists from Indiana and beyond.
Creative types have lots of options, and one place to explore them is Wabash Woollen Works, where you can learn to dye raw sheep and alpaca fiber, knit socks, and make herbal tea, in an 1870s limestone building. At Make It Your Own, you’ll be able to paint your own pottery, create mosaics, and paint on canvas or board. Jojo’s Olfactory & Co. offers the opportunity to make your own custom candles and lotions by selecting scents from their fragrance bar.
Winter is also a perfect time for browsing museums such as the Wabash County Museum, where a collection of some 175,000 pieces of local history provides material for the displays. They offer special activities throughout the winter for kids like transforming the museum into a lifesize board game. Also, check out their adult-only event History & Hops for trivia and beer flights.
The North Manchester Center for History has made it its mission to preserve the history of North Manchester and the Eel River Basin, so they have a large collection of books, documents, and cultural artifacts since the time of early Native Americans displayed in mini vignettes.
Or explore a Civil War-era home and surgery center at the Dr. James Ford Historic Home. In addition to rooms outfitted with period furnishings, you’ll also get to see the stone barn that housed the doctor’s faithful horse, Barney.
Winter afternoons spent looking for treasures in antique shops never get old, and an excellent place to begin is the Antique Boutique at Hopewell in Urbana. While in North Manchester check out KM Pickers Paradise, Shabby Owl, and Velveteen Rabbits, then head to Brimso’s Antiques in Downtown Wabash. Log Cabin Antiques, Mom and Pop’s Jazzy Junk, and The Barn make for a full day of antiquing in Roann.
But if what you really want to do is cozy up with a good book, the Wabash Carnegie Public Library, North Manchester Public Library, or Roann Public Library would be the best place for you. Choose a title from their collection to take home, or settle in for an afternoon of reading pleasure.
