<p><strong>I</strong>f you’re looking for a fall getaway location, a trio of new books from Indiana University Press offer some intriguing destinations.</p>
<p>History buffs will enjoy “Lincoln Road Trip” by Jane Simon Ammeson. The book is described as “the back-roads guide to America’s favorite president.”</p>
<p>Ammeson has cataloged dozens of sites in Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois that are connected to Abraham Lincoln. But this is far more than an Abe-Lincoln-slept-here list. The author gives interesting back stories about the stops, which cover family as well as political history.</p>
<p>For example, Ammeson doesn’t start with Lincoln’s birthplace in Hodgenville, Kentucky. Rather, she first stops at Long Run Cemetery in Eastwood, Kentucky, near Louisville. A stone there commemorates Capt. Abraham Linkhorn, Abe’s grandfather, who was killed by a marauding Native American. From there, the author goes on to chronicle the restless peregrinations of Thomas Lincoln, Abe’s father. Then it is on to Abe himself and his story.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]
<p>Along the way, Ammeson offers anecdotes and highlights other points of interest, such as Jeptha Creed Distillery, which produces liquor distilled from grain grown on Jeptha Knob. The site was named by Daniel and Squire Boone.</p>
<p>The author described numerous historic homes throughout the three-state area, many of which are open to visitors. For the ones that aren’t open to tours, Ammeson describes the sites and explains their importance to Lincoln history.</p>
<p>There are no maps in the book, and the author’s personal journey was not one single route. Travelers will need to blaze their own trail, so to speak. But this book offers numerous stops so people can pick and choose where to stop.</p>
<p><strong>Natural Indiana</strong></p>
<p>The second book is for nature lovers. “A Guide to Natural Areas of Northern Indiana” by Stephen Higgs is a companion to his guide to southern Indiana sites, which was published in 2016. In text and photographs, Higgs profiles 125 sites worthy of exploring in the upper half of the Hoosier state.</p>
<p>In an early chapter, he describes the landscapes of northern Indiana. He discusses the overall geology, the impact of the glaciers and the primary rivers. He then goes on to discuss the regions of northern Indiana and their respective ecosystems. From there, it’s on to the destinations, which comprise the bulk of the book and the portion that will be of most interest to travelers.</p>
<p>Higgs divides the sites by region and includes small maps to show their relative location. That will make it easier for visitors to incorporate a number of unique sites into a single weekend visit. He includes state properties and preserve areas maintained by land trusts. He also offers driving directions, which are especially helpful in reaching some of the little known locations that aren’t going to be found using most vehicle navigation aids. But he does give GPS coordinates.</p>
<p>He describes the topography and botanical character of each site. He also gives a brief explanation of what makes a site special. For example, in the entry for Mounds State Park near Anderson, he devotes several paragraphs to the Native Americans who first settled the area and built the earthworks seen in the park.</p>
<p><strong>Lost covered bridges</strong></p>
<p>A third book is really a travel guide into the past. “The Covered Bridges of Monroe County” by Jeremy R. Boshears catalogs not what is but rather what was. He describes the history of about a dozen covered bridges that once stood in the county. He describes the construction of each and the builder. Numerous archival photographs enhance the text greatly.</p>
<p>While most of the bridges are gone, this book helps keep them from being forgotten.</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="At a glance" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>"Lincoln Road Trip"</strong></p>
<p>Author: Jane Simon Ammeson</p>
<p>Pages: 217</p>
<p>Price: $15</p>
<p>Publisher: Red Lightning Books, a division of Indiana University Press</p>
<p><strong>"A Guide to Natural Areas of Northern Indiana"</strong></p>
<p>Author: Steven Higgs</p>
<p>Pages: 320</p>
<p>Price: $30</p>
<p>Publisher: IU Press</p>
<p><strong>"The Covered Bridges of Monroe County"</strong></p>
<p>Author: Jeremy R. Boshears</p>
<p>Pages: 138</p>
<p>Price: $25</p>
<p>Publisher: Quarry Books, a division of IU Press</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
