SummerFall 20062004 Volume 17,16, Issue 91

Tourism and Community www.IIRA.org Development in Madison,

by John Staicer1

Charles Kuralt (1972), best known for his acclaimed “On Indiana. To walk through Madison’s leafy streets is the Road” series of television “essays” and arguably to vow faithfulness to this regal lady forever. Any America’s most famous “professional tourist” (MBC 2006), city with a Federal-style house like the one Judge once wrote . . . Jeremiah Sullivan built at Poplar and Second in 1818 could make a claim to royalty; Madison has For me the princess of the rivers (sorry, St. Louis; dozens of other houses almost as old and fine. forgive me, Memphis) is unquestionably Madison,

Background on the “Princess of the Rivers”2

Madison (pop. 13,000) is the county seat of Jefferson County from made Madison an important gateway to (pop. 39,000) on the River in largely rural southeast the for hundreds and perhaps Indiana, midway between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, thousands of enslaved African-Americans.3 Kentucky. It is the largest city within a 35-mile radius and a regional hub for commerce, industry, health care, and tourism. The historic part of the city is on a fairly level, crescent-shaped tongue of bottomland, approximately two miles long and three quarters of a mile wide, and is encircled by heavily wooded 400-foot high bluffs (City of Madison 2006; Madisonindiana.org 2002).

The city dates from 1809, but by 1824, it had been incorporated as a town. By the 1830s, it was among the most populous, and one of the wealthiest communities in the state partly because of its access to transportation, including the Michigan Road, the first state-funded highway connecting the Ohio River with Lake Michigan, and the Madison- Railroad, the first in the state. Both were constructed in the 1830s, and by the 1850s, Madison was second in the west only to Cincinnati as a packer and shipper of hogs. Its location on the Ohio River across Madison from Kentucky Hills

1 The author is Executive Director of Historic Madison, Inc., a position he has held since April 2003. 2 The background information and history of Madison, Indiana, comes from the excellent “Historical Background” chapter in The Early Architecture of Madison, Indiana by Windle and Taylor (1986). 3Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Application Form, The Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program, , July 2004, application for the Georgetown district of Madison. Application was prepared by Jeannie Regan- Dinius, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, and is on file in the Division office. Georgetown is recognized by the National Park Service as the first Underground Railroad Network to Freedom District in the . By the start of the Civil War, Madison’s transportation edge Many early buildings were modernized in the late 19th was gone because railroads had supplanted the Ohio River century, however, with facelifts of cast iron storefronts and as a transportation artery and, not surprisingly, Madison’s pressed tin cornices and window hoods—many of which economic preeminence was gone as well. Population still exist today. In some ways, poverty or lack of economic growth slowed and then stabilized, causing the city to prosperity preserved Madison. settle into a lull that lasted through the 1930s. The city shared in the nationwide suburban boom after Nonetheless, Madison’s early and vigorous growth resulted World War II. New neighborhoods of ranch homes and in a wealth of fine early commercial and residential buildings commercial strip development were constructed on a in the Federal, Classic Revival, and early Victorian styles. hilltop above the old town, creating a bi-level community The economic downturn eliminated any pressure to tear with the historic town below and the new developments on down these well-constructed old buildings and build new. bluffs surrounding the original city.

Tourism Development

Madison has had a long history of attracting visitors and the modern era of automobile-related heritage tourism in major performers such as P.T. Barnum and Jenny Lind, the Madison. famed Swedish Nightingale. The Indiana State Fair was held in Madison in 1855. One explanation for its success in attracting tourism is the community’s prime and beautiful location on the Ohio River. In 1920, the State of Indiana created Clifty Falls State Park (2006) to preserve “a bit of original Indiana,” which now includes 1,416 acres, including the “Big Clifty Falls, with its narrow valley, sheer cliff and plunging water falls” (Big Clifty, over 70 feet) and the Clifty Inn on a scenic escarpment in the park overlooking Madison and the Ohio River. The state also purchased the James F. D. in 1925; this was the first state- owned historic site in Indiana. The community embraced state ownership as an important step in saving one of the community’s most stunning and revered architectural achievements. Local business leaders also constructed several hotels in the city to accommodate a growing Lanier Mansion tourism industry. The next major event benefiting tourism took place after World In the late 1920s, the Madison-Milton Bridge across the War II as the suburban boom was in full swing in Madison and Ohio River connected Madison with Milton, Kentucky, across the nation. In 1948, John and Ann Windle purchased creating a new automotive route for those traveling from the Shrewsbury House. This structure is somewhat smaller but Indianapolis and points north to Frankfort, Kentucky, and no less refined than the Lanier Mansion. The Windles saved points south. The bridge was, for many years, the only Ohio it from becoming a rooming house. In 1960, John Windle and River road crossing between Cincinnati and Louisville, a group of like-minded community leaders formed Historic which provided Madison with a new transportation and Madison, Inc., one of Indiana’s earliest historic preservation tourism-related edge over neighboring communities. organizations. Its early successes paved the way for the Taken together, the state park, the Lanier mansion, new continued growth of tourism based on our community’s hotels, and the bridge provided the early infrastructure for history and fine early architecture.4

4Information for “Tourism Development” and “Historic Madison, Inc.” comes from the Historic Madison, Inc., archives.

 Historic Madison, Inc.

Historic Madison, Inc. (HMI), understanding the strong ties on traditional downtown commercial districts. Main Street between preservation and economic development, has been coordinators adopted a comprehensive approach to this the catalyst in creating a broad-based historic preservation problem. Richard Moe (2004), President of the National constituency. A major accomplishment was the Secretary of Trust for Historic Preservation, hailed Madison as a “national the Interior’s designation in 1973 of the Madison National trendsetter” (p. H4) in the preservation movement. Register Historic District (MNRHD). Including more than 2,000 historic structures on 133 blocks, MNRHD is the Other important achievements and honors made possible largest such district in the State of Indiana. HMI was the by community-wide preservation include the following: local support organization for the application. • The National Park Service designation of two National Historic Landmark properties: the Lanier Mansion and the Shrewsbury-Windle House. • Urban Initiatives named Main Street a Great American Public Place in 1995. • The National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized Madison in 2001 as one of 12 Distinctive Destinations in the United States. • The National Trust selected the Schroeder Saddletree Factory restoration, a property of Historic Madison, Inc., as a National Preservation Award winner. • The National Park Service designated Madison’s historic Georgetown neighborhood as America’s first Network to Freedom district in 2004, in recognition of its significant role in the Underground Railroad movement. The State of Indiana installed an Madison’s Historic Business District Indiana Historical Marker describing Georgetown’s importance in aiding freedom seekers. In 1977, the National Trust for Historic Preservation selected Madison as one of three Main Street Pilot project In addition, three movies—The Town (U.S. Office of War communities (including Galesburg, Illinois, and Hot Springs, Information, 1943), Some Came Running (MGM, 1958), South Dakota), with the HMI executive director as the Main and Madison (MGM, 2005)—have been filmed in Madison, Street coordinator. The goal of the project was to find a way further increasing its exposure as a tourist destination. to counter the effects of suburban strip mall development

Tourism as a Development Strategy

Madison’s history provides a framework for understanding Today, the tourism industry is among the leading economic the economic development strategies used to capitalize on engines in the community (which also include manufacturing, a city’s beauty and charm for developing heritage tourism— health care, and retail business), generating $50.3 million especially the use of organizations that have evolved to annually and supporting 1,092 jobs according to a study by support tourism. Cultural heritage tourism, according to the the Madison Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (Madison National Trust for Historic Preservation (2006), “is traveling to Courier 2006). experience the places, artifacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present. It Heritage tourism, spawned by the area’s rich history, includes cultural, historic and natural resources.” beauty, and well-preserved historic district, is the bedrock of the overall tourist trade in Madison. Tens of thousands of As mentioned previously, visitors have come to Madison to people travel to Madison annually to participate in nationally enjoy its scenery, history, and architecture for many years. recognized festivals, to enjoy the area’s numerous historic

 sites and museums, and to visit Clifty Falls State Park, infrastructure that makes Madison a regional and national which is adjacent to the historic district. attraction.

Preserving its historic architecture and distinctive heritage The mayor recently acknowledged historic preservation was the first strategy adopted by the community. The local “as an effective tool for improving the local economy, architecture allows visitors to literally reach out and touch revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering local pride and history and is what separates Madison from neighboring maintaining community character while enhancing livability towns and cities. Maintaining and improving its finite stock and total quality of life.”5 of historic buildings provides the critical mass of heritage

Major Issues in Historical Preservation

Several questions about historical preservation efforts This public review process allows for changes in the must be considered. historic district, but in an incremental fashion, which has the effect of preserving historic structures while permitting Protecting the Local Architecture. Property owners, compatible new construction, which harmonizes in rhythm, past and present, who have loved their homes and scale, and massing with the existing historic fabric. other buildings, have invested untold millions of dollars to maintain them in good order. Organizations such as Ownership of Important Properties. HMI and other groups Historic Madison, Inc. (HMI), Madison’s original not-for devoted to history and preservation own, maintain, and profit historic preservation organization, also work with operate a number of significant historic properties, which individual property owners, governmental agencies, local are open to the public on a regular basis as museums. schools, nonprofits, and other groups to help them preserve HMI properties include the Jeremiah Sullivan House, Dr. and maintain their properties. Three notable examples of Hutchings Office and Hospital, the House, preservation projects—a jail addition, elementary school the Schroeder Saddletree Factory Museum, and the Talbott- addition, and pool rehabilitation—are discussed near the Hyatt Garden. end of this section. The State of Indiana owns the Lanier Mansion and grounds. Planning and Zoning Ordinances to Protect the The Jefferson County Historical Society maintains a historic Architectural Heritage. The success of the Main Street railroad station, a caboose, and a modern museum and Project, discussed earlier, led to the formulation and archives, as well as a separate medical history-related museum. adoption of Madison’s Historic District ordinance in The Masonic Heritage Foundation owns and operates the 1981, based on state enabling legislation as an overlay Schofield House, birthplace of the Masonic Lodge in Indiana. to the City’s planning and zoning regulations. This major The Shrewsbury-Windle House is owned privately and has accomplishment has contributed immeasurably to the been open to visitors for more than 50 years. preservation of the historic fabric and the steady rise of property values in the historic area and contributes to HMI owns three former church properties, one currently the community at large through increased property tax under development as an Underground Railroad memorial. collections. The ordinance provides for the establishment of Historic Eleutherian, Inc., owns , a a Historic District Board of Review appointed by the Mayor National Historic Landmark significant for its connection to oversee exterior changes, additions to, and demolitions of to the Underground Railroad and the higher education of rated historic structures within the City of Madison’s historic both women and African-Americans prior to the Civil War. district, which includes over 2,000 structures. It works much the way planning and zoning boards throughout the HMI also runs a façade easement program and currently United States function. In addition, the ordinance regulates holds development rights to the façades of five important the size and types of signage allowable within the district. historic properties.

5Mayoral quote as written in the Mayoral Proclamation dated September 21, 2004, entitled “Proclamation – Madison Historic Preservation Month,” designating the period September 21-October 31, 2004, as Madison Historic Preservation Month in recognition of visits to Madison during that period by distinguished preservationists from throughout the United States associated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The National Council of State Historic Preservation Officers, and the convening of the statewide preservation and Main Street conference in Madison.

 Community Enhancement and Preservation. The swimming pool, a WPA-era facility designed by Frank B. beautification of the city, with sympathetically designed Hunter. This 20,000 square-foot semicircular pool along parks, streetscapes, new buildings, and other amenities, is the Ohio River is one of the city’s most beloved landmarks. an initiative for facilitating historic enhancement. Community input played a critical role in this decision as well. HMI staff and board members, plus many citizens interested The redevelopment of the riverfront from an industrial area in community improvements, served on committees to a linear park concept is a prime example. Managed as designated by the various governing bodies involved. In some a volunteer effort under the City of Madison’s auspices, cases, committees worked directly with consultants hired to the Riverfront Development Committee, mainly with research and report on project feasibility. Additionally, these private contributions, has, since the mid-1980s, overseen people attended public meetings created to gather citizen a remarkable transformation along a one-mile stretch of input to assist officials in decisionmaking. riverfront. Brick sidewalks, appropriately designed benches, lighting, and other amenities have created a beautiful spot for community festivals, for exercising, or for just watching the boat traffic. This location continues to be a highly rated attraction by visitors.

The Indiana Department of Transportation recently awarded the city a Transportation Enhancement grant to extend the riverfront project the entire length of the river and to add other features. In the mid-1990s, Transportation Enhancement funds helped the city improve sidewalks and lighting on Main Street. The city also removed much maligned parking meters from the downtown area as part of this project. The city recently purchased a derelict service station in the heart of downtown and redeveloped it into Main Street Station, a much-needed public restroom facility. City government has also installed coordinated and attractive directional and interpretive signs.

Three examples of recent and current major capital investments within the historic district by governmental agencies illustrate the extent to which preservation is embraced while at the same time providing jobs and stimulating the local economy through the purchases of goods and services. First, the county is building an $8 Madison Riverfront million, sympathetically designed addition to the historic jail and sheriff’s office complex on the courthouse square These significant investments in capital improvements by along Main Street. County commissioners made this public agencies illustrate the widely shared understanding decision after extended public debate regarding the merits of the importance of preservation and continued use of of expanding the jail facility in the historic district or building historic properties in Madison, which, while not directly a new jail complex in an outlying area. related to tourism, improve the appearance and livability of the city and ensure its continued viability. Second, the Madison Consolidated School Corporation is rehabilitating and adding a new addition to the 1927 Lydia The extensive historic area, with a healthy commercial Middleton School at a cost of approximately $10-$12 district along a large stretch of riverfront, a nearby state million, which is also on Main Street. The overwhelming park with stunning scenery, and numerous museum public support for this project resulted from many hours of properties, provides opportunities for a viable tourism trade. work by a committee of numerous stakeholders appointed The community has capitalized on these assets in several by the school corporation to study the issue. ways to promote and attract visitors to Madison—most importantly, visitors who make purchases and stimulate Third, in 2005, the City of Madison invested nearly $1 million the local economy. in capital improvements to the Crystal Beach municipal

 Festivals and Special Events

Madison hosts several festivals and events based on its private homes decorated for the holidays. The tour attracts unique past that help to stimulate heritage tourism. Some between 2,000 to 4,000 visitors annually. have existed prior to the establishment of a formal tourism promotion entity. The longest running festival is the Madison The Tri Kappa Tour of Homes is held in the fall of even- Regatta, which was started in the late 1940s as part of the numbered years and started in the 1950s to raise funds for national hydroplane race series. This competition on the college scholarships. The Tri Kappa sorority, a philanthropic, Ohio River features unlimited hydroplanes, the world’s fastest nonprofit organization for women within the State of Indiana, watercraft, on a weekend in July, but it is rooted in power boat runs the event, which features eight to ten private homes. contests on the river as early as 1916. Ribberfest, held on the third weekend in August, draws on Regatta festivities span the week prior to the race and include the city’s 19th-century pork packing heritage and today’s a parade, firefighter competitions, bed races, concerts, interest in barbecued foods. This festival hosts Indiana’s fireworks, and other activities. According to Madison Regatta statewide barbecue championship for professional bar- Inc., the nonprofit volunteer group that organizes the event, becue teams, a separate backyard barbecue competition from 50,000 to 100,000 people attend annually. The movie, for amateur teams, a concrete pig decorating contest, and Madison, is based upon the 1972 race when the city-owned blues music along the riverfront. It attracts approximately boat won the race against all odds. 10,000 people. A new event, a folk festival, began in May 2006, with approximately 5,000 people attending. The Madison Chautauqua Arts Festival, started in the 1970s, is one of the top juried arts and crafts festivals in The Delta Queen Steamboat Company has made Madison the U.S. and attracts artisans from across the nation on a port-of-call since the 1940s. The company’s steamboats the last weekend in September. Located on the streets are scheduled to stop in Madison eight to ten times this surrounding the Lanier Mansion and along the riverfront, year. Guests from the boats visit historic sites, participate the festival organizer estimates that 50,000 to 75,000 in guided walking tours, and shop and dine in town, visitors attend annually. It is based on the 19th-century providing a boost to the local economy. These boats bring Chautauqua encampments held each summer in Madison. affluent visitors from across the United States to Madison. Special house tours are also held each year. Occasionally, special groups, such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, charter the boats or book passage The “Nights Before Christmas Candle Light Tour of Homes” for members or group tours, bringing the types of visitors started in 1981 as a partnership between the Lanier who can help support local preservation efforts with State Historic Site and HMI. Other historic sites and the contributions, memberships, and support of history-related Convention and Visitors Bureau now jointly organize and local organizations. Other events include bicycle races, run this holiday program along with the original partners. bass fishing competitions, and similar activities. The city The tour includes four museum properties and several also has hosted small conferences and special programs.

Countrywide Inkeepers Tax

Building on the success of the Main Street Project and The groups involved in this project included the local the Historic District Ordinance, an organized tourism Chamber of Commerce, and city and county governments. promotion effort began in 1981 with the creation of a These groups jointly petitioned the state legislature through Jefferson County Board of Tourism, which was supported local elected officials to enact legislation establishing one by a countywide innkeeper’s tax. The bed tax legislation of the first innkeeper’s taxes in Indiana. created the Jefferson County Board of Tourism to promote tourism through the receipt and distribution of tax funds Tourism coordination up until the early 1990s had been from local hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts. The managed by volunteers in a small office, working under Board of Tourism is composed of seven members selected the auspices of the local Chamber of Commerce. As by city and county governments. tourism grew, it became apparent that the community had

 to support the creation of a separate, professionally staffed One tourism-related initiative that failed in the early 1990s organization to handle this important task. was an attempt to pass a countywide food and beverage tax to support tourism. Local restaurants and bars fought In 1993, the Madison Area Convention and Visitors the proposal because it would increase the costs for Bureau, Inc. (CVB), a nonprofit organization, was created residents to eat away from home. to encourage and coordinate tourism efforts in the county. The CVB resulted, once again, from a broad coalition Another less than successful effort was a combined of stakeholders who organized for a common goal. The admission ticket to all local historic sites. Efforts are community drew on recent local cooperative experiences, currently underway to modify the ticket to improve its such as the establishment of the Board of Tourism and the attractiveness by including several locations. Madison Urban Enterprise Association, to create the CVB. The CVB centralized tourism development through its staff Two emerging tourism opportunities for Madison are and various activities and is now the organizing agency designation by the Secretary of the Interior of the through which some of the festivals are coordinated. National Historic Landmark District for a large portion of the downtown. This places Madison in the same league Currently, the CVB shares space with the Lanier State as other well-known historic cities such as Charleston, Historic Site staff in a recently developed Lanier/Madison South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. Ethnic and Visitors Center. The CVB staff attends bus and group tour cultural tourism, especially the Underground Railroad conventions to attract groups, sponsors information booths and African-American heritage, hold great promise for at conferences, promotes the area through familiarization Madison because the city was such an important part of tours with travel writers and group tour leaders, attends that movement in history. regional and statewide tourism conferences, conducts tourism studies, and participates in other activities.

Challenges Facing Madison

Ironically, transportation is once again an issue. The interstate in tourism. One member of the Board of Tourism noted that highway system passed Madison by, leaving it, once again, working with so many different groups is like trying to keep relatively isolated. The price of gasoline and other factors have puppies in a box. They scatter and go in all directions. contributed to a decline in heritage tourism across the nation. Museum properties throughout the United States are often Madison has a unique heritage, so it must preserve seen as static and unexciting in the more recent, fast-paced, and celebrate what makes it so unique. Almost every digital entertainment world. Volunteers support many tourism- community has something special that makes it distinctive related undertakings in Madison, but as volunteers get older, from other places. Madison must continue to identify its lose interest, and move away, new volunteers are needed. uniqueness and market it to potential tourists. This is why HMI and similar organizations are so important because Another challenge, but also a strength, is the complexity of they can organize the community and manage a process the different organizations with differing agendas involved to continually promote tourism.

Conclusion

Madison has a rich cultural heritage and remains a special Madison’s success in the past has come from residents place. It is a work of art “in progress,” which is never quite and agencies willing to invest in the city. It also has had complete—a living, breathing community dealing with life an active group of professionals interested in marketing on a daily basis, whose citizens are concerned with how the city on a national basis. Other than the natural scenic to live, work, play, and raise their families. Its remoteness, beauty, the marketing approaches used by Madison are both an asset and a liability in times of high travel costs, available to most other cities. These communities must must be marketed to a diversity of tourism audiences follow Madison’s lead and identify their uniqueness in interested in natural beauty, cultural activities, and history. order to market it to the right clientele. It is a never-ending process, but it can lead to a highly successful outcome.

 References

City of Madison. 2006. Madison overview section. Available online: www.madison-in.gov/index.htm. Retrieved September 6, 2006.

Clifty Falls State Park. 2006. Madison, Indiana, online brochure. Available online: www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/properties/ maps/clifty_info_side.pdf. Retrieved September 6, 2006.

Jefferson County Historical Society. 1985. Glimpses post card views: Madison, Indiana. Madison, IN: Jefferson County Historical Society.

Kuralt, C. 1972. Eighteen places you can live better for less. Family Circle (February).

Madisonindiana.org. 2002. Socioeconomic characteristics and trends. In Jefferson County retail market analysis (p. 14). Atlanta, GA: Marketek, Inc. Available online: www.madisonindiana.org/analysis.html. Retrieved September 6, 2006.

Moe, R. 2004. Preservation’s economic impact. [Guest editorial]. Louisville Courier-Journal (September 26): H4.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC). 2006. Kuralt, Charles. Available online: www.museum.tv/archives/etv/ K/htmlK/kuraltcharl/kuraltcharl.htm. Retrieved August 17, 2006.

National Trust for Historic Preservation. 2006. Historic tourism. www.nationaltrust.org/heritage_tourism/index.html. Retrieved September 6, 2006.

Windle, J. T., and R. M. Taylor. 1986. The early architecture of Madison, Indiana. Indianapolis and Madison: Indiana Historical Society and Historic Madison, Inc.

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