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Kokomo is a city of about 59,000 people in north-central Indiana, about 50 miles north of Indianapolis. Named after a chief of the Miami people, it boomed in the 1880s when natural gas was discovered, and it calls itself the City of Firsts: in 1894 local inventor Elwood Haynes tested one of the first gasoline-powered automobiles in America on a road near town.
That automotive heritage lives on at the Elwood Haynes Museum and the Automotive Heritage Museum, and the city remains a center of the auto industry. Kokomo Opalescent Glass, founded in 1888, still produces colorful art glass, and the grand Seiberling Mansion houses the county historical museum.
Highland Park is the city's most beloved green space, home to the quirky Old Ben, a giant preserved steer, the enormous Sycamore Stump and the historic Vermont Covered Bridge. In summer, families head to Kokomo Beach water park and watch summer collegiate baseball at Kokomo Municipal Stadium.
The former home of inventor Elwood Haynes, who built one of America's first gasoline automobiles and patented the stellite alloys and an early stainless steel. Exhibits include early Haynes cars, his inventions and family rooms. Admission is free, and the friendly volunteers share stories of Kokomo's industrial past.
A large museum displaying around a hundred vintage and classic automobiles, with a focus on cars made in Kokomo by Haynes and Apperson and on the city's role in the auto industry. Displays also cover Kokomo firsts and local manufacturers. Car lovers should allow at least an hour and a half.
A striking 1891 mansion built for industrialist Monroe Seiberling during Kokomo's natural gas boom, with carved woodwork, stained glass and a grand staircase. It is home to the Howard County Historical Society museum, with exhibits on local history and changing displays. Check hours before visiting.
A wooden covered bridge built in 1875 that once crossed Wildcat Creek near the village of Vermont east of Kokomo and was moved to Highland Park in the 1950s. Today it spans a creek in the park and is open to walkers. It is a classic Indiana photo stop, especially pretty in autumn.
Kokomo's best-known city park, with shaded lawns, a creek, playgrounds, picnic shelters and walking paths. It is also home to several local curiosities, including Old Ben the steer, the giant Sycamore Stump and the Vermont Covered Bridge. It is free to visit and an easy stop for a family picnic.
A huge Hereford-cross steer born in 1902 near Kokomo, which grew to around 4,700 pounds and became a traveling attraction before he died. His mounted body now stands in a glass pavilion in Highland Park, where it remains one of Indiana's best-loved roadside oddities. Viewing is free.
The massive hollow trunk of an ancient sycamore tree, once so large that a dozen people could reportedly stand inside it. It was moved to Highland Park and protected under a shelter as a local landmark. It is next to Old Ben, so you can see both curiosities in a few minutes.
Founded in 1888, this is one of the oldest art glass manufacturers in the United States, famous for opalescent sheet glass used in stained glass windows. Factory tours on scheduled days let visitors watch glass being hand-mixed and rolled, and a shop sells glass and gifts. Check the tour schedule in advance.
A city-run water park with water slides, a lazy river, a zero-depth entry pool, a wave pool and splash areas for small children. It is the place to cool off on hot summer days. It is open from Memorial Day weekend to August, and weekday afternoons are generally less crowded than weekends.
A modern downtown ballpark opened in 2015, home to the Kokomo Jackrabbits summer collegiate baseball team. Games are affordable and family friendly, with promotions, fireworks nights and good views of the field from every seat. Check the schedule for home games from late May to early August.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Derek Jensen (Tysto), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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Photo: Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eli Duke, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Eli Duke, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Eli Duke, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Eli Duke, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Eli Duke, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
