Falling Over for Pendleton, Indiana OR The Great Mario Lighthouse Battle

Indiana is filled with small towns and cities. In a state with a million less people than the San Francisco Bay Area in six times the square mileage, there's a lot of space to spread out and establish your own identity.

Which is exactly what Pendleton did.

Pendleton's stately Town Castle Hall.

The Historic Pendleton downtown has many of the standard small-town things:

Such as antique shops.

But it also does things with its own local flare. From the local herbal and holistic center:

NOT what I think of when I think of Indiana.

To the imprint of its local citizens on the community:

I sincerely hope Dr. Jones regularly says, "Excuse me, but you're in my seat."

It also has several local restaurants:

A puzzling group of local flavor...

...And you can take that to the bank  

But what I really enjoyed was the rather large park next to downtown. Pendleton Falls Park.

Home of Signs that Say Little and Carry a Big Red Title

One of the things that caught my attention immediately was the unapologetically bizarre nature of the park.

For example the cannon guarding the pond shore from the lighthouse.
In a landlocked state.

I'm still not sure what this is.

Falls Park also enjoys the distinction of being home to the Pendleton museum. Unfortunately it was closed when we arrived, but not, certainly, uninteresting.

Pendleton is nothing if not thrifty.
Why waste a farmhouse/barn when it can become a museum?

Now before you immediately say, "Why would anyone care about Pendleton history?", my friend Ominous Tree would like to say something to you. Say hello, Ominous Tree.

Good evening.

Despite the picturesque area surrounding Ominous...

Picturesque!

...Ominous shades an interesting historical marker.

If you remember US history, back in the 1800s our country and culture wasn't exactly nice to Native Americans. Or really anyone not white. Or even the right kind of white.

So I found it, well, fascinating to see this:

Wait, what? Indians are people, too?

While the rest of the country was fighting about race issues, Pendleton laid down the law (literally): If you're a person, you deserve to be treated like one. And if you murder people, the law will come down hard no matter what their race.

It was the first time in the history of the US that white men received capitol punishment for killing Native Americans. Which, while tragic, is a rather important distinction.

But moving on to less morose subjects...

I said LESS morose, Creepy Graveyard!

Actually, the graveyard was off of a very nice trail that ran through the forest near there. Remember those yellow lines on the stoic sign? That's the trails.

Follow the yellow line trail!

I quite enjoyed the trail: Wilderness and nature just outside of town.

You know, the pretty kind of nature...

...Like the river.

Speaking of the river, remember that whole "Falls Park" thing? And the whole "Pendleton Falls"?

Well, yes, Virginia, there are falls in Pendleton. And they're exactly the kind of falls one would expect in the flat half of Indiana:

See how the water FALLS a good 2-3 feet?

But actually, that's one of the things I like about Pendleton. They don't make excuses for their tiny falls or weird lighthouse. In fact, they celebrate them both. Seriously, the lighthouse is like a mascot to them.

Because while Pendleton is many things, it can mostly be described by being Pendleton. And it enjoys everything that makes it Pendleton. Odd, quirky, peaceful, awesome Pendleton.

And while leaving, I found the quirkiest, awesomest thing of all:

Some see a planter. I see a Mario pipe.

Yes, Pendleton: Site where Mario decided to stop jumping on his enemies heads, block up the pipes, and take a cannon to them.

And their lighthouse.