Lafayette, Northwest Indiana, is a lively college town that sees a population boom when classes are in session at nearby Purdue University.
The city was established in 1825, and its rapid growth as a river town led to the development of a thriving commercial district along the river. Click here for Composite Fencing.
A lot of the buildings from that era are still around, giving the three sections of downtown Lafayette in Lafayette a lot of personality and adding to the fun atmosphere created by the eclectic shops and restaurants.
Lafayette has a rich history dating back 300 years to the time of French fur trappers, whose exploits are commemorated with the annual Feast of the Hunters’ Moon in October. Check out 25 fun things to do in Lafayette Indiana.
The Heart of Lafayette
The cross-river downtown area of the Lafayette-West Lafayette metro area consists of three distinct and interesting neighbourhoods that are connected by a pedestrian bridge.
There are three distinct areas in West Lafayette, beginning with Chauncey Village near the Purdue campus, moving eastward to the Wabash Riverfront, and finally ending at the Arts & Market district further down Main Street.
All are energised by the nearby Purdue campus, and all offer a wide variety of unique shops, exciting nightlife, fascinating cultural events, and delicious restaurants.
There are many 19th and early 20th century brick and stone buildings to see on a stroll.
The Long Center for the Performing Arts, a former vaudeville theatre built in 1921 that now houses the city’s symphony and theatre, is just one of the city’s many architectural marvels.
Tourists who are interested in learning more about the past of Lafayette and West Lafayette can do so by downloading an architectural tour.
Indiana’s Haan Family Art Museum
This museum in Lafayette houses the world’s largest collection of Indiana art in a grand Colonial Revival mansion built in 1904.
That same year, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition was held, and this structure served as the Connecticut building. After the fair closed, it was moved to Lafayette.
Works by William Forsyth, Richard Gruelle, J. Ottis Adams, Otto Stark, and TC Steele are among the highlights of the Haan Museum’s Impressionist collection.
More than sixty paintings by Indiana’s preeminent artists are on display in the permanent exhibit, along with exquisite works by prominent modern and historical ceramicists.
Furniture, glassware, architectural elements, sculpture, and much more are just some of the other examples of Indiana’s handiwork that can be admired here.
There are more than twenty pieces in the sculpture garden, and a mile of the grounds is covered in native trees from Indiana (all of which are labelled).
Academic Institution: Purdue
Purdue University, which dates back to 1869 and counts Neil Armstrong among its alumni, is located directly across the Wabash River is one of the best things to do in Lafayette Indiana.
The university’s Welcome Center is located in the Stewart Center, or you can stop by the Admissions office to pick up a booklet for a self-guided tour of the campus.
Campus buildings are open to the public when classes are not in session; there are ten must-sees, including the Art Deco Elliott Hall of Music (1940) and a statue of original benefactor and industrialist John Purdue (1802-1876).
The Robert L. Ringel Gallery is located in Stewart Center, and the Patti and Rusty Rueff Gallery is located in the Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts.
Sports-wise Mackey Arena seats 14,804, while Ross-Ade Stadium can accommodate 57,236 fans to watch the Purdue Boilermakers play. Both venues are part of the Big Ten Conference, which Purdue helped found.
