Two towns in the southern half of Indiana are being celebrated for their beauty.
Architectural Digest has named Nashville (#19) and Columbus (#53) among the 55 Most Beautiful Small Towns in America.
Nashville, IN
Nashville is in Brown County, an area where thousands flock to in the fall to see the dazzling colors of the leaves across the hilly expanses, especially in Brown County State Park.
The downtown area is known as the Village of Nashville and has dozens of quaint shops and restaurants for tourists. The small town is also known for its art community, with the Brown County Art Colony forming in 1907.
According to STATS Indiana, Nashville had a population of less than 1,300 in 2021.
Columbus, IN
Columbus is one of the small towns with a larger population on the list. STATS Indiana lists its population as a little more than 50,000.
But according to Architectural Digest, “no list of this type would be complete without” Columbus.
The Bartholomew County town has long been heralded for its modern architecture throughout the area. In fact, seven buildings in Columbus have been recognized by the National Historic Landmarks program.
Historic architects like Eero Saarinen, Kevin Roche, and I.M. Pei have all designed buildings in Columbus.
According to Architectural Digest, the town’s vast collection of architecture can be credited to J. Irwin Miller, the president of the Cummins Engine Company, which is based out of Columbus. Miller offered to pay architects fees for “civic buildings so long as the designer was on a list compiled by the Cummins Foundation.”
