MARTIN COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Trinity Springs in Martin County is so small you might drive through it and not even know it, but that was not always the case.
“At one time, there were multiple hotels and the site of one of them is also called the Mustering Elm Park” said Martin County Historian Mary Wildman.
Decades ago, people were drawn to it because of the mineral springs. You can see the springs coming up from the ground and get a whiff of their “unique” sulfur odor. People visited the springs because they thought the water provided “healing” properties.
At the park, you’ll also find a monument at the spot where 112 men volunteered to become Union soldiers in the Civil War.
A short drive from Trinity Springs is Shoals. The old county courthouse is now the Martin County History Museum.
“There were people in this county that wanted to level this and put a parking lot here,” said museum director Rick Bowling. “And the historical society got involved and look what it is. I mean, it’s just really historic.”
According to Bowling, they’ve made several repairs to the building, but more are needed. They try to keep the building much like it was when it served as the courthouse.
The famous Jug Rock is also in Shoals. There’s a place to pull-off if you want to view the unusual rock formation, but it’s easier to see when leaves are not on the trees.
You can also go to Hindostan Falls. In the 1800’s, a once bustling town sat along the White River. “A plague wiped them out. Nobody really knows what it was,” said former Martin County Historical Society President Jim Marshall.
