Lebanon
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Lebanon

Lebanon

Central Indiana county seat northwest of Indianapolis, centred on the domed Boone County Courthouse.

Lebanon is the seat of Boone County, about 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis in central Indiana. The town of about 14,000 was named for a grove of hickory trees that reminded its pioneer founders of the biblical cedars of Lebanon.

The centrepiece of Lebanon is the Boone County Courthouse, a handsome limestone building with a stained-glass dome and a three-storey rotunda. A large Bicentennial Quilt, created for the nation's 200th birthday in 1976, hangs inside. The town square around the courthouse has the slow, pleasant feel of small-town Indiana.

Major events include a week-long Fourth of July celebration and the annual Boone County 4-H Fair. The fairgrounds at the south end of town host events year-round, including motorcycle rallies and gatherings.

Guide

Getting There

Lebanon is about 25 miles northwest of Indianapolis on Interstate 65. The drive takes around 30 minutes in normal traffic, making it an easy day trip from the state capital. There is no intercity rail or regular bus service — a car is essential.

Indianapolis International Airport is the nearest major airport, about 40 miles away. Several smaller hotels and chain motels operate in Lebanon and along the I-65 corridor for those stopping overnight.

Guide

Things to Do

Lebanon is a compact county seat with a well-preserved courthouse square and a scattering of historic buildings from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The town rewards a few hours of wandering — the courthouse is genuinely handsome, and the surrounding streets have the unhurried atmosphere of small-town Indiana.

Guide

When to Go

Lebanon has the standard Indiana four-season calendar. Summers are warm and humid, winters cold with occasional snow. The Fourth of July celebrations are the town's signature event — Lebanon runs a full week of activities around Independence Day, and the town square becomes the centre of a genuine small-town American celebration that has been going on for generations.

The Boone County 4-H Fair, held in late July, is another highlight: livestock shows, rides, local food, and the particular energy of a working county fair. Spring and autumn are mild and pleasant for exploring the courthouse square and surrounding countryside.