Thursday, November 23rd, 2006  »  Family Fun

Indiana’s Antique Alley

Due east of Indianapolis and only a few miles shy of Indiana’s eastern border with Ohio is Richmond, Indiana. With about 40,000 souls, Richmond has a rich and intriguing history, having been originally settled by Quakers and German immigrants in 1806. Sprinkled across the 250 acres of the Old Richmond Historic District are more than 200 historic buildings, representing Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian architecture.

This collection of grand old homes and churches was one of the reasons my wife and I came to Richmond. The other motivation, of course, was Antique Alley. Richmond, you see, is the anchor for the two trails of this famed antique itinerary, hailed by Midwest Living as a premier antiquing destination.

The area represents one of the largest concentrations of antique shops in the country. Webb’s Antique Mall, in nearby Centreville, is touted as the nation’s largest. It houses more than 400 dealers in a sprawling 70,000 square feet of space. Checking in at a close second is the Jay Garment Antique Mall in Portland with 66,000 square feet.

From mall to small

Antique Alley is about a lot more than large numbers of dealers crammed under one roof. For me, the hundreds of individual antique shops that dot the two trails of the Alley are the real draw.

Trail No. 1 traces the historic National Road (U.S. 40) from Richmond on the east to Knightstown on the west. From there, the trail turns north and then back east, following state road 38. Amidst all of this is Centerville, home to Webb’s, that mega mall I mentioned. The trail is about 60 miles or so from beginning to end, and along the way you’ll encounter about 900 antique dealers.

Following Trail No. 2 north out of Richmond on U.S. 27 will lead you to Portland, east to Fort Recovery, Ohio, back south to Lewisburg, OH, and then west again to Richmond. Total round trip is about 115 miles.

Three if you can, two if you must

When we toured Antique Alley, we went for the weekend. You can get your feet wet in two days, but you’ll appreciate spending more time if you have it. I would recommend making Richmond your base of operations. It’s the jumping-off point for both trails and there’s plenty to look at in the town itself.

Although there is the usual cast of characters when it comes to overnight lodging, I would definitely opt for one of the B & Bs. They’re a lot more interesting and generally about the same price.

Our visit was in early June, and it coincided with an annual parade to celebrate their rose festival. One of my fondest memories is of sitting on the lawn of the Phillip W. Smith Bed and Breakfast at 2039 East Main watching the parade with the innkeepers. They were a couple about our age with similar aspirations and an identical fascination with grand old houses.

Their inn was a gem. Built by a man who owned several lumber mills, he could afford to pick the best of the best to detail his own home. And it shows. I believe the inn has new owners now, but it would still make a great headquarters for your assault on Antique Alley. If you want to consider it, call 800/966-8972 or visit www.pwsmithbnb.com. For information about Richmond, the surrounding area and Antique Alley, call 800/828-8414, or visit www.visitrichmond.org.

 

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