Westside Industry & Businesses Walking Tour

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Westside Industry & Businesses Walking Tour

Madison, Indiana 47250, United States

Created By: Visit Madison, Inc.

Tour Information

Not long after its beginnings in 1809, Madison became a place of industry and business, even before Indiana became a state in 1816. Its location on the Ohio River allowed the development of ports for barges and steamboats. This lead to factories and businesses popping up along the river. A diverse range of goods were processed and created here including pork, components to make clothing, furniture, and more.

Madison was the first town in Indiana to receive a railroad, further establishing it as a town of industry. It was built in the late 1830s between Madison and Indianapolis, later expanding to include Jeffersonville.

Madison is also located on Michigan Road, which stretched from Michigan City on Lake Michigan all the way to Madison, passing through Indianapolis. This was the first major highway around the same time as the railroads, in Indiana in the 1830s and 1840s.

Today, you can still find remnants of Madison’s height in the world of industry and business. Historical factories have been repurposed, storefronts have changed, but the charm of an older Madison remains.


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What You'll See on the Tour

123 Mill St. The original stone middle portion served as a stable for a hotel near the river here. The front part, added later, contained a wagon factory. The building now houses the Lanthier Winery with a large ornate garden surrounding it... Read more
South of 601 W. First St. Catsup was bottled here.
It was also the Madison freight and passenger stations. The concrete foundations remain. Located just south of Visit Madison’s Visitor Center.
615 W First St c. 1895 The octagonal depot and ticket station remain to be seen today. Now occupied by the Jefferson Co. Historical Society. Open to the public, admission charged.
618 W. Second St. This was the home of the Stribling family. The iron fence at this house is a patented design by Stribling that can be found at other homes in Madison.
510 W. Second St. c. 1872 John Eckert was a tinsmith. The entire front of this house is pressed from galvanized sheet iron. The design is very unique for Madison and cannot be found anywhere else in town.
The factory was located in the north lawn of the Lanier Mansion, but it was demolished in the 1930s. The area was turned into a garden and walkway.
313 Broadway St. c. 1890-1891 The lower building was built by W. Trow for a cooperage to make barrels for his flour mills. Horses and carriages were originally kept here to be hired out.
400 W. Vaughn Dr. This was first the site of Trow’s Flour Mills, whose warehouse stood across the street on what is now the Lanier lawn. The mill was destroyed in the 1937 flood. The original pool was built a year later by the Works Proje... Read more
100 Broadway St. c. 1924 The Brown Memorial Gymnasium was built by James Graham Brown, a wealthy timber industry, in memory of his brother. The flood of 1937 rose all the way to the gym. A flood marker on the riverside wall of the gym, the ... Read more

 

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