PRESS RELEASE
Submitted by: Candy Yurak
Visitor opportunities in the Whitewater Valley have improved significantly with the recent addition of three “loop routes” to the Whitewater Canal Scenic Byway (WCSB). The primary route of the Byway, which follows the course of the historicWhitewater Canal from Hagerstown to Lawrenceburg, was designated as a State Byway in 2008.
Byways in Indiana are designated by the Department of Transportation, and then approved by the Lieutenant Governor. The primary route of the WCSB travels through Wayne, Fayette, Franklin and Dearborn County in Indiana, and through the western part of Hamilton County in Ohio. The addition of the loop routes also ties in Union and Ripley counties.
The three loop routes will offer Byway visitors a better opportunity to experience the history and scenery of the Whitewater Valley; to visit its towns and stores; and to take advantage of its many recreational options.
Byway President, Candy Yurcak, says that the added route will encourage visitors to spend two or three days in the region, instead of traveling the main route in a day or less. “They can enjoy some fried chicken, stay at a quaint B&B, shop for antiques, and visit local craftspeople.” For those who do not have a lot of time, the loops will enable a visitor to travel part of the historic canal route, and then explore some of the surrounding countryside on the return trip.
The East Fork loop travels east from Cambridge City along Route 40 (the Historic National Road) to Richmond, then south on SR 101, returning to the canal route in Brookville.
The Oldenburg-Batesville Loop travels south on SR 229, through these two distinctive towns, turns east on SR 46 to St. Leon, then north on SR 1, returning to the canal route near Cedar Grove.
The Dearborn-Ripley Loop goes from Lawrenceburg to Aurora, travels northeast on SR 350 to Milan, north to Sunman on SR 101, east to Dover on North Dearborn Road, then returns to the canal route in Lawrenceburg via SR 1.
When the Whitewater Canal was built 175 years ago, it connected the WhitewaterValley to the rest of the country. Today, visitor can come to the valley, explore that historic route and enjoy a wide variety of informative and recreational activities. See the WCBA website http://www.whitewatercanalscenicbyway.org/ for more information.
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