Wabash County, Indiana is located in north-central Indiana, with a population estimate close to 31,000 as of the 2020 census. It sits along the river that gave it its name, a Miami-Illinois term meaning “water over white stones.”
Its largest city is the county seat of Wabash, the first city in the world lit entirely by electricity. North Manchester is home to Manchester University and the birthplace of a U.S. Vice President, and Lagro is the smallest of the county’s incorporated cities and towns. Don’t sleep on Roann and La Fontaine either, with covered bridges, historic mills, battle reenactments, and more to explore. Here’s a guide for your next visit to Wabash County.
Outdoor Exploration
If you’re looking to enjoy the outdoors in Wabash County, hop on the seven-mile Wabash River Trail for a walk, run, or bike ride. It follows the Wabash River from Wabash to Lagro, and has plenty of scenic views and river access points along the way. There is also the 13-mile Bloodroot Trail near Salamonie Reservoir, and a short 2-mile trail at the Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run that leads to a small waterfall.
Wabash County is also home to the Salamonie River State Forest and Salamonie Lake, and Hanging Rock National Natural Landmark and Kokiwanee Nature Preserve, all within minutes of Lagro.
If you want to get out on the water, the Ride the Eel Kayak Experience in North Manchester is the best way to paddle the Eel River.
Festivals, Farmers Markets, and Shopping
Wabash County knows how to throw a party, and every town has its own signature event.
The Wabash Founders Festival is held annually in August or September and features a cruise-in, food trucks, vendor village, kids zone, and parade.
The Eel River Music Fest in North Manchester includes a parade, car show and bike show, pickleball tournament, food vendors, and more.
The La Fontaine Corn Festival and Block Party in September kicks off with a makers market and also features live music, food trucks, a parade, Jeep show, kids games, and corn hole tournament.
The Roann Covered Bridge Festival in Roann is held the weekend after Labor Day with a parade, 5K, antique tractor display, horse pull, car show, kids farmers market, and live entertainment.
The Lagro Good Ole Days in June in Lagro brings a street fair, live music, car show, parade, food vendors, kids attractions, and fireworks.
For those who like to shop local, the Downtown Wabash Farmers Market in the Wabash Cultural District runs every Saturday from May through September, and North Manchester’s Eel River Farmers Market runs every Saturday from May through October. Antique lovers should add the Red Clover Shoppe in Lagro – housed in what was the 1913-built Citizens State Bank – and Log Cabin Antiques in Roann to their list, too.
Welcome to Wabash
Wabash was platted in 1834, and the Wabash and Erie Canal arrived shortly after, connecting the community to Eastern markets. On March 31, 1880, Wabash became the first city in the world entirely lit by electricity, when four 3,000-candle-power Brush carbon arc lamps hung from the top of the courthouse and were wired to a generator in the basement powered by a 12-horsepower steam engine. They lit the town until September 1888.
Mark C. Honeywell was born in Wabash in 1874 and built a local heating and thermostat business that eventually grew into the Fortune 500 company Honeywell International. Today the Honeywell Foundation operates the Honeywell Center, founded in 1941, where every performer signs the wall, including the likes of Alice Cooper, Crystal Gayle, and Loretta Lynn. Gayle, the Grammy-winning singer of “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” grew up in Wabash after her family moved there when she was 4.
The foundation also financed the Eagles Theatre, originally built in 1906, which reopened in 2020 after a $16 million renovation. It has movies, live entertainment, recording studios, music lesson rooms, and a restored grand ballroom. Plus, you can enjoy classic movie nights at the 13-24 Drive-In. In 2025, more than 145,000 tickets were sold across Honeywell and its partner venues.
Downtown sits inside the state-designated Wabash Cultural District. Stop by the Wabash County Museum, which has more than 100 exhibits and a children’s play area called The Den.
For indoor fun, Fore Seasons Social Club has golf simulators, pool tables, board games, and more.
On the food scene, start your day at the elephant-themed Modoc’s Espresso Bar & Cafe. It’s named after Modoc the circus elephant, who escaped in November 1942, ran down Main Street, and forced her way into the Bradley Brothers drug store because she smelled freshly roasted peanuts.
For lunch or dinner, Market Street Grill is housed in an 1898 building and has been serving Wabash since 1996. It’s known for elephant ear tenderloins, steak on a stick, drunk’in chicken, and an awesome salad bar, and was named one of Food Network’s most charming small-town restaurants in the country.
The Charley Creek Inn has a little bit of everything, too. It’s home to Twenty and its delicious prime rib, steaks, seafood, and weekend brunch, the Green Hat Lounge for cocktails and live music, the Ice Cream & Candy Shoppe, and a Wine & Cheese Bar.
And when you’re at the Honeywell Center, grab lunch at Eugenia’s Restaurant, named after Mrs. Honeywell.
Nothing Mid About North Manchester
North Manchester was platted in the mid-1830s and was named after Manchester, England. In the early 1900s, the town even had its own automobile manufacturer, the DeWitt Motor Company. It’s also the birthplace of Thomas Riley Marshall, Indiana’s 27th governor and the 28th Vice President of the United States under Woodrow Wilson, best remembered for his quip, “What this country needs is a really good five-cent cigar.”
You can’t visit North Manchester without stopping by Manchester University. On Feb. 1, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered “The Future of Integration” on campus, his last speech on a college campus before his assassination that April. There is more on the way, too, with a $12.1 million Lilly Endowment grant helping fund the College Row housing development, the Manchester Mile connecting downtown to campus, and the Eel River Commons, complete with a bridge across the river and a community space for festivals and events.
Indiana has less than 100 covered bridges still standing, and North Manchester is home to one of them, one of only two covered bridges left in Wabash County. It was built in 1872 by the Smith Bridge Company out of Toledo, Ohio, and underwent a $724,000 rehabilitation in 2013.
Tenderloin lovers will love North Manchester, and Get Indiana founder Nate Spangle tried four of them. Mr. Dave’s has a thick version, The Crystal Main Street Grill’s is well-seasoned, Beef-a-Roo has solid breading, and The Inn Pub & Grill has the best hand-breaded version.
Sandwich Cellar is the spot for sandwiches and pizza. And for dessert, Chillz Delights is the place to visit for donuts, ice cream, and more.
Little Ole Lagro
Lagro was established in 1834 along the Wabash River and named after Miami Chief Le Gris. It has deep Irish roots, and the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Red Men Hall, and Masonic Temple are all on the National Register of Historic Places.
For a bite and a drink, 950 Speakeasy Bistro opened in 2020 with beers on tap, pizza and subs, an outdoor fire pit, karaoke nights and live music, and awesome views of the Wabash River.
From March through October, the Canal Creamery is the spot to enjoy Bliss Artisan Ice Cream shipped from Tell City in southern Indiana.
Roam Around Roann
Roann is one of the best hidden gems in Wabash County. Its downtown district is listed on the National Register and is home to the aforementioned Log Cabin Antiques, a 1916 Carnegie library, and Bailey’s Pizza Parlor.
The town is also home to the Roann Covered Bridge that has spanned the Eel River since 1877. The 288-foot bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
The Stockdale Mill is one of Roann’s calling cards. It is an 1857 water-powered flour mill that has belts, shafts, elevators, rollers, and chutes still showing how grain moved floor to floor. They offer free public tours on Saturdays,
Linger in LaFontaine
LaFontaine was platted in 1845 and became incorporated in 1873. It was originally named Ashland but was later named after Miami Chief Francis La Fontaine, and the name means “the fountain” in French.
Hockey fans should take note. Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike “Doc” Emrick was born in LaFontaine, attended Southwood High School in Wabash and Manchester University, and went on to call 22 Stanley Cup Finals and win nine Sports Emmys.
The LaFontaine Bar & Grill is the local spot to grab a bite, and Cook-Crumley Park is home to a playground and little league diamond.
Visit Wabash County
Whether you’re passing through to see two historic covered bridges, a show at Eagles Theater or movie at 13-24 Drive-In, enjoy food, drinks and karaoke at 950 Speakeasy Bistro, or check out the Manchester University campus, Wabash County will have you coming back for seconds.
