Back in time to Madison, IN

My husband and I spent some time in the river town of Madison, IN this weekend. Madison, on the Ohio River, about halfway between Louisville, KY and Cincinnati, OH, was a bustling town when paddle steamboats were king. When steamboats faded away and the railroad took over, Madison lost prominence. This was a blessing, however, because most of the historical character of the riverfront town was preserved. In the past 20-30 years, Madison has found new life as a tourist destination. The city is beautiful, wineries and tasting rooms abound, many quaint shops, restaurants, and antique stores are within easy walking distance of each other, and Clifty Falls State Park, home to two beautiful waterfalls, is just outside the town limits. And of course, the town is filled with historic architecture and remnants of the world of steam power. The town has something like 200+ blocks on the National Register of Historic places, more than any other town in America. The Belle of Louisville still offers steamboat rides on the Ohio:

We stayed in a lovely B&B called the Schenck Mansion, about 25 minutes away in Vevay, IN (pronounced vee-vee). The Schenck Mansion was built in the 1870s and has its own fascinating history. Built by a steamboat captain who unfortunately died before the mansion could be completed, it has never been finished on the inside until  now. Did I mention it's supposedly haunted? We didn't run into any ghosts during our stay, however: