First explored for France by Monsieur de la Salle in 1679, the region figured importantly in the Franco-British struggle for North America that culminated with British victory in 1763.

George Rogers Clark led American forces against the British in the area during the Revolutionary War and, prior to becoming a state, Indiana was the scene of frequent Indian uprisings until the victory of General William Henry Harrison at Tippecanoe in 1811.

Indiana's 41-mile Lake Michigan waterfront, one of the world's great industrial centers, turns out iron, steel, and oil goods. Products include automobile parts and accessories, mobile homes and recreational vehicles, truck and bus bodies, aircraft engines, farm machinery, and fabricated structural steel. Wood office furniture and pharmaceuticals are also manufactured.

The state is a leader in agriculture with corn the principal crop. Hogs, soybeans, wheat, oats, rye, tomatoes, onions, and poultry also contribute heavily to Indiana's agricultural output. Much of the building limestone used in the U.S. is quarried in Indiana, which is also a large producer of coal.

Wyandotte Cave, one of the largest in the U.S., is located in Crawford County in southern Indiana, and West Baden and French Lick are well known for their mineral springs. Other attractions include Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, and the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park.

North
You'll feel it as soon as you arrive—the "right at home" hospitality for which Northern Indiana Amish Country is famous. Each hometown in Northern Indiana Amish Country has a unique personality all its own. The Amish heritage and the region's strong ethnic flavor have helped to shape each town's feel. These inviting communities offer something for every traveler. There are museums that glimpse into the past, charming specialty shops highlighting the talents of local artisans, restaurants that make your mouth water, general stores, antiques, clothing and more.

The Studebaker Corporation got its start building Conestoga wagons back in America's pioneering days, when families were packing up their entire households and heading west. With the industrial revolution, the company turned to building automobiles. In fact, the Studebaker Corporation was the only wagon-maker to successfully make the transition to automobile production.

Today’s collectors consider Studebakers from the Golden Age of the automotive industry classics. And you can still see the best of these cars on display daily in the Studebaker National Museum. Its priceless collection includes Presidential wagons, early Studebaker racing cars, and mint-condition Avantis designed by the renowned Raymond Loewey.

East
The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame has hundreds of game films and thousands of photographs and artifacts that tell the story of Indiana’s fabulous basketball tradition. Meet the heroes of the game, from the days of peach baskets and laced balls, through this year’s champions.

Tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world have visited the Dan Quayle Center & Museum. The only vice-presidential museum in the country, it houses a permanent exhibit on the vice-presidency and rotating exhibits of social, political and historical interest. You'll find all kinds of novel Quayle memorabilia in the gift shop.

West
Sit back and enjoy an armchair tour of Parke County’s 32 Covered Bridges as each one is pictorially displayed and historically placed. Interesting facts such as when the bridge was built, the builder's name, type of construction and span of the bridge are listed. The covered bridges of Parke County were built between 1856 and 1920, most of them by three builders. The largest concentration of covered bridges in the world is in Western Indiana; Parke County is at its center with more than any other county. While the number of covered bridges in the United States declines, Parke County works to maintain its historic treasures. The county's picturesque countryside serves as a perfect backdrop for these bridges to the past.

Central
Step back in time to America's "First West" at the nationally acclaimed, outdoor living history museum: Conner Prairie. The museum features the 1836 Village of Prairietown, 1823 Conner Estate and hands-on Pioneer Adventure Area. New this year are an 1816 Trading Post and Delaware (Lenape) Native American Camp. The museum center has a shop, restaurant and exhibits.

South Central
The past comes alive in this quaint corner of Indiana. Experience history by watching grain being stone-ground in the gristmill, taking a short train trip, or riding the canal boat through the last wooden aqueduct in the United States. Enjoy a leisurely horse drawn buggy ride, feed the ducks, shop in the unique specialty stores and eat to your fill in the restaurants, sandwich and snack shops that abound in Metamora.

From fine art to folk art, dinner theater to after-dinner music, interactive exhibits to state-of-the-art museum installations, Indiana provides a dynamic range of culturally rich offerings from which travelers can choose.

Tour beautifully restored historic buildings. Visit the Indiana Historical Society's museum for a peek into the past. Discover the richness of small-town Indiana life at local festivals. Stomp your feet and swing around to vibrant sounds of string band music. Witness art in action by local crafts persons. Here are some places worth visiting during your visit.

Grissom Air Museum
Ready for take off? Tour an amazing outdoor collection of 19 vintage military aircraft. Inside, off you'll go into the wild blue yonder while viewing aviation memorabilia, treasures and exhibits.

Levi Coffin House, State Historic Site
This 1839 Federal-style brick home was a stop on the Underground Railroad for escaped slaves in the 1800s. You'll learn all about the Underground Railroad and how Levi Coffin helped over 2,000 slaves to freedom.

Mansfield Roller Mill
See how they ground grain in the 1880s! This water-powered mill, which contains most of the original 1880s equipment, still grinds grain for demonstration purposes. It's also the site of special events year-round.

State Historical Sites
Vincennes is Indiana's oldest city and an armchair historian's playground. Begin your expedition with a tour of George Rogers Clark National Historical Park which commemorates Clark's capture of Ft. Sackville in 1779, the largest land conquest of the Revolutionary War. Visit the first Indiana capital building. A visit to Stout Print Shop, and Old State Bank should also be on the list.

Whitewater Canal
It's an adventure in living history. Watch the gristmill grind fresh flour for sale. Take a cruise on a horse-drawn canal boat and see the nation's only working covered aqueduct!

T.C. Steele
Indiana is alive with color. See it through the work of legendary artist T.C. Steele. Pay a visit to this famous Impressionist's home and studio. View many of his masterpieces and wander the wildflower gardens.

Lanier Mansion
Millionaire J.F.D. Lanier, who supported Indiana's Civil War regiments, lived in this magnificent 1844 Greek-Revival mansion. Tour several rooms of this State Historic, Site then go for a stroll around the beautifully landscaped gardens.

Angel Mounds
Visit one of the best-preserved Native American sites in North America, inhabited by Mississippian Indians from 1100-1450 A.D. You can explore eleven platform mounds, several nature trails and educational exhibits.

Colonel William Jones State Historic Site
This Federal-style home built in the 1800s was home to William Jones, a famous merchant, politician, Civil War colonel and longtime friend to Abraham Lincoln.

State Historic Sites of New Harmony
A perfect world? Visit the sites at New Harmony and learn all about two early communal societies that settled in Indiana. Take tours and view museum exhibits which tell the story of both Harmonist and Owenite communal utopian settlements.

Corydon Capitol State Historic Site
This beautifully restored limestone edifice, built in 1816, was once the state capitol building. A tour of the building and the historic square will transport you back to the early days of Indiana statehood.

Area: 36420 sq.mi, Land 35870 sq. mi., Water 550 sq.mi., Great Lakes 235 sq.mi.

State Capital: Indianapolis.

Population: 5,942,901.

Largest Cities: Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, Gary, and South Bend.

Topography: Hilly southern region; fertile rolling plains in central region, flat, heavily glaciated north; dunes along Lake Michigan shore.

Agriculture: Corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, dairy products, eggs.

Industry: Steel, electric equipment, transportation equipment, chemical products, petroleum and coal products, machinery.

State Bird: Cardinal.

State Motto: The crossroads of America.

State Flower: Peony - Paeonia.

Origin of state's name: "Land of the Indians".

State Nickname: Hoosier State.

Flag: The flags dimensions shall be three feet fly by two feet hoist; or five feet fly by three feet hoist; or any size proportionate to either of those dimensions. The field of the flag shall be blue with nineteen stars and a flaming torch in gold or buff. Thirteen stars shall be arranged in an outer circle, representing the original thirteen states; five stars shall be arranged in a half circle below the torch and inside the outer circle of stars, representing the states admitted prior to Indiana; and the nineteenth star, appreciably larger than the others and representing Indiana shall be placed above the flame of the torch. The outer circle of stars shall be so arranged that one star shall appear directly in the middle at the top of the circle, and the word "Indiana" shall be placed in a half circle over and above the star representing Indiana and midway between it and the star in the center above it. Rays shall be shown radiating from the torch to the three stars on each side of the star in the upper center of the circle.

State Tree: Tulip tree - liriodendron tulipifera.