Small Town Breakdown: Lawrenceburg, Indiana
For this Small Town Breakdown we headed from the county seat of Angola in Steuben County down to the county seat of Lawrenceburg in Dearborn County, in southeast Indiana on the banks of the Ohio River.
The History of Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Dearborn County was formed in 1803 and named after U.S. Secretary of War Henry Dearborn. Lawrenceburg was named the county seat, but that came with tension as nearby Rising Sun felt overlooked. The rivalry between the towns was so strong that Indiana created the last and smallest Indiana County — Ohio County — in 1844 and designated Rising Sun as its county seat. Lawrenceburg initially grew because of two major rail lines, and as of the 2020 census, its population was 5,129, making it the largest city in Dearborn County.
The next time you’re in southeast Indiana, swing through Lawrenceburg and hit the slopes if the season is right.
Things to Do in Lawrenceburg, Indiana
When you think of Lawrenceburg, you think of the alpine skiing resort Perfect North Slopes. With two terrain parks, 23 trails and 25 tubing lanes, Perfect North is the perfect place to ski, snowboard or tube. Perfect North is one of the best-run ski operations in the Midwest, where resorts are few and far between, with reliable snowmaking that keeps it open through the heart of winter. Check current conditions before you go, and see our guide to skiing in Indiana for more.
North of town in Dearborn County is At The Barn Winery, a popular attraction that is open during the summer months. At The Barn Winery opened in 2013 and is housed in a refurbished barn that was built by Don Stutz’s great-grandfather in circa 1870. Guests can indulge in wines and enjoy live music every Saturday from May through September. The family friendly winery is also open to kids and dogs.
If you love history, you need to check out the Angevine Cabin. The Angevine family left New York City in 1818 and built a cabin in what became York Township. After their first cabin was swept away by Tanner Creek, they built what is known today as Angevine Cabin higher on the hill and raised 12 kids in it over the next decade. The cabin was turned over to the Dearborn County Historical Society in 1988 and it was taken apart and rebuilt in Lawrenceburg to preserve its history.
While you’re in town, block off an hour and check out 4Speed on 50 Auto Park. The complex has a collection of classic automobiles and provides guests with a glimpse of automobile industry history. And there’s some classic American grub nearby…
Places to Eat in Lawrenceburg, Indiana
After you finish up shop at 4Speed on 50 Auto Park, pop into the 4Speed on 50 Diner next door for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The diner recently introduced its new mouthwatering Betty Boop Burger featuring two smash burger patties, American cheese, lettuce, pickles and house-made tarter sauce. You’ll save a penny or two there as well; the Revved Up Roast with Texas toast, pot roast, mashed potatoes, and brown gravy is one of the most filling plates on the menu and still easy on the wallet. Bang.
If you’re in the downtown district, there’s no shortage of local coffee shops and restaurants worth exploring. Funny Farm Coffee Company (a local favorite), Sweet Beard Bakehouse (sign me up for a scone, please), and the Friendly Bean Cafe headline as breakfast joints. For lunch or dinner, Proof 124 Table and Tavern is the place to be. Its Buffalo Chicken Rangoons highlight the appetizers while many premium burgers, including the Tavern Burger, Bourbon Burger and Ultimate Beer Burger, will have you leaving full and happy.
Famous People from Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Two former Indiana governors once called Lawrenceburg home. Albert Porter was Indiana governor from 1881-85 and Winfield Durbin fulfilled Indiana governor duties from 1901-05. The first Nevada governor, Henry Blasdel, was also born in Lawrenceburg.
In addition to politicians, Lawrenceburg is a hot bed for athletes. Freestyle skier Nick Goepper has competed in each of the last three Winter Olympics (Russia, South Korea and China) and brought home a bronze (2014) and two silver medals (2018, 2022). Goepper also owns four golds and two silvers from the Winter X Games. Following his 2014 bronze in which the United States swept the podium, he was featured on a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes cereal box, made an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman and received a lifetime pass to Perfect North Slopes. Another Lawrenceburg native has made a name for himself on the wrestling mat — Mason Parris. For Lawrenceburg High School, he took third place as a freshman at 182 pounds before winning IHSAA state titles at 220 pounds as a sophomore, junior and senior. He finished his prep career with a record of 206-1. Parris then attended the University of Michigan where he was a four-time NCAA All-American, two-time NCAA finalist and 2023 NCAA champion. He won gold at the 2023 Pan American Games and competed in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
And I saved the best for last. You can’t talk about Lawrenceburg without talking about Lauren Hill.
Lauren played basketball and Soccer at Lawrenceburg then went on to play basketball at Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati. Before her freshmen year she was diagnosed with DIPG, a rare form of Pediatric Cancer. Even though she was battling terminal brain cancer she was determined to play college ball.
She got that chance in front of 10,000 fans and scored a couple buckets while also helping raise millions of dollars for pediatric cancer research. She finished 2nd for AP female athlete of the year, received 1st team all conference honors, the Pat Summitt courage award and made it on the cover of a Wheaties box.
She passed away in 2015 but her legacy lives on and continues to make a HUGE impact far beyond the Hoosier state. Millions of dollars have since been raised in her honor for pediatric cancer research.
Its an incredibly moving and inspiring story that everyone needs to know.
