Introducing the Starke County Tourism Board
Jerry Gurrado – President
Deb Mix – Vice President
Mark Rippy – Treasurer
JoAnne Bailey – Secretary
Shannon Hoekman – Executive Director
Many volunteers work with the executive board to make plans and create events. We are grateful to them all for all the hours of work it takes to make things happen in our community. Thank you.
2020 Visitor Guide can be found here.
Learn about the places that make Starke County a wonderful place to live and visit. There are many hidden gems that we will guide you to. If you are planning a trip, set aside time to check out what is here.
This section is dedicated to Starke County Tourism. The Chamber of Commerce Executive Director is charged with running the department so by adding a tourism area to our Chamber page we are able to provide amazing coverage of Starke County. The businesses on this Tourism page may or may not be members of the Chamber of Commerce. Here we are showing what is available within all of Starke County, Indiana.
This page is a work in progress, over time there will be more information added to the Tourism page. If you have additions please send us photos and information to have them added to our website.
This page is a work in progress, over time there will be more information added to the Tourism page. If you have additions please send us photos and information to have them added to our website.
400 N Heaton Street, Knox, IN 46534
The Nickel Plate Depot is the home of the offices of the Starke County Tourism and the Starke County Chamber of Commerce. Hours are: Monday, Wednesday & Fridays from 9 am – 12 pm excluding holidays. There are maps and brochures in the box attached to the building by the south entrance door, please help yourself in our off hours.
You can find maps and event fliers for local businesses as well as purchase momentoes of your trip such as Starkeopoly, the Starke County version of the board game everyone loves, we have our ornaments from our 150 year celebration, showcasing 1850-2000 Starke County in Mint condition.
Get information on the Nickel Plate Depot itself by watching a short 8 minute video describing a time when this beautiful and functional building was a hub of activity.
Bass Lake, Indiana
Beautiful lake, campground, wonderful restaurants, this area is a vacationers paradise. Many people choose to purchase summer cottages and then decide it is the retirement dream. Check out our fishing, boating and the community mentality in beautiful Bass Lake, Indiana.
Hamlet, Indiana Every year the town of Hamlet is the home of the Starke County 4H Fair. If you have not been to a 4H Fair this is the one you should visit! Children ages 8-18 are taught to care for projects both living an inanimate. They are grouped into clubs and these clubs are there to teach the children life skills of working together for a common good, how to respect one another and how to handle lifes ups and downs. You will find a grand champion winner consoling a fellow club member that did not place as they wished. You will find young people out feeding and watering and caring for their animals in the scorching heat of the day to ensure they are ok. In our community 4H is a respected and long held tradition of friendship and bonding that takes these kids far in life. Visit our fair, you will fall in love with what you see. Yellowstone Trail Festival is another festival held annually in Hamlet, Indiana. The people who put this festival on have a desire to educate others about the history of the Yellowstone Trail which went right through our small community. In addition to the history, you will find performers such as singers, ventriloquists, magicians, car show, tribute bands and more. Don't forget the amazing food to be found at these little festivals. If you are planning a trip to Indiana in August, try to come through and give us a little of your day. You won't regret it. Tourism is actively searching for amazing people, businesses and non-profits that would like to participate in the festival parade! The form can be found here to register. Hamlet Haunted Fairgrounds is a hidden treasure for all you haunt lovers. Nominated for the 2019 Readers' Choice Best in Michiana Haunt! This little haunt has some big scares. majority of the props are made by hand and proceeds are given to town charity. Wonderful non-profit full of big-time screams! Octobers open weekends.
Knox, Indiana
Each year the City of Knox puts on a variety of events dedicated to the community, there is an annual Car and Bike Show on Memorial Day weekend, there are concerts and movies in the park throughout the summer, there is an amazing Fireworks Show and Family Fun Day, a Fall Bash and the Peppermint Parade complete with Mr & Mrs. Santa Clause. These events all showcase the strides our officials and community members have taken to become a united front in bringing our area into a new light.
Koontz Lake, Indiana
Koontz Lake is a beautiful sporting lake, full of fishing, boating, swimming, skiing, and more! The surrounding area is a quiet small town atmosphere with residents that were once vacationers that decided to make Koontz Lake home.
North Judson, Indiana
North Judson owns and is the headquarters of the Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad. The Hoosier Valley Railroad is also a major point of interest in North Judson. The Erie Trail has a 9 mile stretch starting at the Hoosier Valley Railroad and going to Bass Lake. This trail offers walkers, runners and bikers a safe path to explore. The tranquil beauty is a perfect setting for a stroll.
San Pierre, Indiana
Each year San Pierre briefly becomes home to more than ten thousand Sandhill Cranes during the fall migration. It is not unusual to see these remarkable birds as you are driving through the area.
Recently the San Pierre Parks and Recreation Society have worked to beautify the area. Determined to bring the town up this group of men and women have brought back the traditions of the past such as caroling door to door in the holiday season and arranging Easter Egg hunts for the children in the spring.
Toto, Indiana
There is a story that Lyman Frank Baum, the man whom wrote The Wizard of Oz named the dog Toto after our little town, now this may or may not be true but what is true is that the writer did in spend summers in Starke County, Indiana and could have very well taken the name for his book. I do not know that anyone will ever know for sure but it is a fun thought.
Toto, Indiana is also home of a few shops and discount stores where many people visit every year. For such a small town it sees a lot of traffic.
Outlying/Shared Areas of Starke County
Ora, Monterey, Grovertown, English Lake
There is much to see and be proud of in Starke County, it is a wonderful place to live.
10655 E Division Rd, Knox, IN 46534
Ideal location for a short day hike. Family friendly, easily accessible, and wide trails to follow.
1520 S Heaton Street, Knox, In 46534
https://starkehistory.org/
Taken from the About Us section of the website listed above:
Starke County Historical Society was founded June 27, 1974 by a local group of citizens concerned about preserving our county’s rich heritage for future generations.
The Society has been quartered in the home of banker, publisher, and businessman, twice-elected Governor of Indiana, Henry F. Schricker since 1977.
Our Purpose is the Fostering of Interest in Local History and the Preservation of Items of Historical Interest.
Our Executive Board consists of the Officers of the Society; the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer; (9) Township Directors, (3) At-Large Directors and (2) School Representative Directors.
Geodes & Gemstones is located at 300 N Hwy 35, Knox, IN 46534
They offer classes as well as a retail store specializing in fossils, minerals, rocks and jewelry making items.
8774 W 700 N, Winamac, IN 46996
www.kerstingscycle.com
The following was taken from the website listed above.
Kersting’s Cycle Center sits between the tiny Indiana towns of North Judson and Winamac about 110 miles due north of Indianapolis. “We’re in the country, so it’s us and horses and Harley® H.O.G.®,” Jim says, adding that some of those horses and hogs have served as payment over the years. “I’ve taken them in trade before, everything anybody wanted to trade,” he says. “I still think it’s a pretty good system. There’s always someone wanting to buy horses and the pigs got put in the freezer.”
In 1960, he married Nella, and they began work on their dealership’s new home. “We built it out of cement blocks, and it was 28 feet wide and 70 feet long,” Jim says. “The first 30 feet on the west end was our living quarters.” Jim and Nella’s two eldest children, Sandy and Randy, were born during the seven years the Kersting’s lived in that building. The youngest, Jason, was born after they moved into a little home in North Judson.
Thing’s have changed a little since 1960. Kersting’s Cycle Center has grown to 27,000 sq. ft. of showroom and service space. We carry Harley-Davidson®, Yamaha®, and Excelsior-Henderson® motorcycles. Kersting’s also offer a full line of used vehicles. Our service departments are staffed with factory trained technicians specializing in Harley-Davidson®, and Yamaha, motorcycles, dirt bikes, and ATV’s.
Kersting’s needs every bit of space it can find because of Jim’s vintage collection, which boasts more than 100 bikes…and is still growing. “I’ve got them from Ariel to Zundapp,” he says. “No duplications. They all run, too, even the ones up in the rafters. All I have to do is put in gas and oil. I don’t want them if they don’t run.” When you come to visit Kersting’s Cycle Center, just ask Jim to tell you about his latest favorite in the museum. He may even start it up and take it for a ride out in front of the store. Admission to the museum is a $5.00 donation and it’s a great way to spend the afternoon cruising through yester year.
Kersting’s Cycle Center is located 4 miles South of North Judson, Indiana, on Hwy. 39. It is easy to find and always a scenic ride or drive from anywhere, USA.
Walk, Bike or Run on the Erie Trail! Starke County welcomes its residents and visitors to come enjoy the trail. Visit https://www.prairietrailsclub.org for more information!
The Erie Trail is a free access, public greenway in southern Starke County with more than nine miles of paved trail eastward from North Judson to US 35 near Bass Lake. In Monterey to the east in Pulaski County is a shorter paved trail. The non-motorized route is for hiking and bicycling. An equestrian trail shares the corridor from Starke County 100 W to US 35.
On the rail-banked right-of-way of the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad, the Erie Trail has great views of the Kankakee sand country. You will see rich Indiana farmland, as well as natural groves of oak savannah,
wildflowers, prairies and marshlands. The level rail bed allows easy hiking and cycling.
The Erie Trail is part of the American Discovery Trail (ADT) that extends from Delaware to California. The trail is also part of USBR 35 that extends from Ontario to near New Orleans. Four routes for share-the-road
status and better connectivity to the Erie Trail, the ADT, and USBR 35 have been approved by the Starke County Commissioners.