There Is A Unique Man-Made Wonder Hiding In This Small Town In Indiana
By Tori Jane|Published November 08, 2023
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
Fun fact: Indiana is home to numerous waterfalls. The waterfalls in Indiana range from smaller and more discrete to amazingly flamboyant and utterly jaw-dropping; most of them are naturally occurring, but there’s one in the town of Richmond that was created by man – one man, specifically. The man-made wonder in Indiana known to us as Thistlethwaite Falls is a hidden gem in a small town worthy of checking out. It’s scenic, peaceful, and honestly, you’d never know it was created by human hands to begin with.
A long time ago - we're talking mid-1800s long - a man by the name of Timothy Thistlethwaite wanted to increase water power for his nearby mill.
It's 20 feet high and has a 60-foot crest; looking at it, you could probably never even tell it's technically "artificial". The sound of the rushing water careening over it is absolutely calming... or maybe even invigorating, if you're a waterfall chaser.
The surrounding landscape of the Whitewater Gorge is also beautiful and well worth a gander.
This is probably one of my all-time favorite places to hike and explore in Indiana; it's a lot of reward for very little effort, and honestly, on my "lazy" days where I still want to get outdoors it's ideal.
Perhaps best of all, Thistlethwaite Falls isn't the only waterfall in this general area (though it is the only man-made one).
Ludlow Falls and its sister cascade, Greenville Falls, are just a quick 45 minutes away. Come early in the morning during the week and you might just have all these little gems to yourself!
Thistlethwaite Falls is open to the public from dawn until dusk.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you’ll probably also love the other amazing waterfalls in Indiana. Some of them require hikes, some don’t – but all of them are wondrous. Planning on making a road trip out of it but not sure what to bring along? Check out our handy-dandy road trip essentials packing list!
Do you have a favorite waterfall in Indiana? Tell me about it in the comments!
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