Shops on Centerville's Antique Alley (IN) [1]
A vivid expression of American history, the Historic National Road in Indiana makes its way past shops and sites brimming with tangible evidence of the past. You can take home your own piece of local history by antique shopping in the many villages along this memorable byway.
Just over the Ohio-Indiana border, the Indiana Historic National Road Welcome Center not only introduces you to the state and byway, but can also direct you to the old-world treasures you’re looking for. A mile or two beyond the Welcome Center, for example, lies Richmond, IN, gateway to the famous "Antique Alley". With over 900 antique dealers, the 82-mile loop between Richmond and Knightstown, IN is the antique lover’s dream realized.
An Antique Shop (IN) [2]
Let your antiquing treasure hunt begin in the historic district of Richmond, which boasts over 212 homes and buildings, some over 200 years old. Comb the city for the specialty shops, trading posts, and, of course, antique shops or visit the Richmond, Wayne County website for a full list. Be in town the first weekend in June and the third weekend in November, when Richmond hosts the Heartland Antique Show. You’ll marvel at the age, condition, and history of the pieces put on display by the event’s 95 vendors.
Continuing west along the Historic National Road, you’ll soon reach Centerville, home of Webb’s Antique Mall, the largest indoor antique mall in Indiana. If the sheer number of dealers at Webb’s—more than 500—sounds daunting, then stop at numerous other antique shops in the area, which you can find by visiting the Historic Centerville website.
Extend your shopping adventure with a short jaunt west to Cambridge City. It’s easy to forget you’re in the modern world when you step into the Vinton House, a historic hotel built in 1847. Today, this two-story brick structure, which lies right along the Historic National Road, offers a whole world of authentic antiques for sale. Another historic inn worth visiting, the Huddleston Farmhouse, lies in the midst of "Antique Alley" and is among the best traveler's inns on the byway. Also in Cambridge City, you won’t have to deprive yourself of antique joys while you dine. Pour House offers homemade sandwiches and treats in a setting of decorative antiques and collectibles. In June, don’t miss the Cambridge City Antique Show right along the Historic National Road. Discover all Cambridge has to offer in the way of antiques by visiting the Cambridge City Chamber of Commerce website.
Vinton House Shoppers (IN) [5]
Antiquing is also big at the other end of the byway. In Terre Haute, not far from the Illinois border, get a feel for the local atmosphere while you shop for genuine antique jewelry, glass, crafts, or nearly any other time-enduring piece you’ve always wanted. At the Terre Haute Convention and Visitor Bureau website you can find a listing of all the antique stores in western Indiana both on and off the byway.
No matter which end you start from, you will find some of the country’s best antiquing along Indiana’s Historic National Road. From quaint town shops to sprawling antique malls, you won’t have to look hard to find physical pieces of history along this historic route.
Disclaimer: this story does not serve as an endorsement of any private interest by the Federal Highway Administration.
