Along the by-ways – courtesy Elkhart CVB

Byways in Indian Summer

14 – 27 September, 2020

Explore the historic legacies and today’s life along the by-ways of Indiana, Ohio and southern Ontario, Canada

Highlights of our journey

’ Sample the lifestyle of the Amish as we visit their homes, farms, and unique business catering to their needs.

’ Our freedom to travel is enshrined in the tradition of following the open road to new adventures in your motor home. Elkhart, Indiana is the nexus for motor home manufacturing. Our visit includes a tour of one of the manufacturing facilities as well as the Motor Home Hall of Fame displaying over 100 years of evolution of the motor home concept.

’ Continuing our transportation theme, we also include a tour of the Toyota assembly plant producing the Corolla and Lexus models.

’ Of course, railroads also provide a transportation connection, as we see with visits to three railway museums and a charter train ride on the former London & Port Stanley interurban line.

’ Our historical heritage is not overlooked. We visit the home and Presidential library of our 19th President, Rutherford B. Hayes. His election in 1876 has a parallel with today’s polarized politics. Hayes, a Republican, lost both the popular and electoral vote to Samuel Tilden. Republicans challenged the vote in 3 southern states, throwing the election to the Republican majority Congress to decide the winner. As they say, the rest is history!

• Moving beyond politics, we will also visit Alexander Graham Bell’s home where he invented and made the first telephone call

• Visit the memorial to Josiah Henson, the escaped slave who made his way on the Underground Railroad to Canada, whose life became the framework for Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

• Greenfield Village, where you have the opportunity to visit the original workshops for Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers which were saved and relocated here by Henry Ford.

Quilt Gardens in Indiana, courtesy Elkhart CVB
Quilt Gardens in rural Indiana

’ Visit to Pelee Island, Canada’s southernmost point, in the center of Lake Erie, and site of Canada’s first winery.

• Sample a Hungarian hot dog at Tony Packo’s in Toledo, memorialized by Corporal Klinger in the 1970’s sitcom, M*A*S*H;

• Tour the home (estate) of Edsel Ford, Henry Ford’s son and president of the Ford Motor Company

• Explore the world class Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.

• See the Cabin at Wildflower Woods, home of Indiana’s most widely read female author and naturalist, Gene Stratton-Porter.

Our travels begin in Chicago and conclude in Dearborn, Michigan. (Detroit) Both locations have both air and Amtrak connections.

Fare is $2795 per person, based on double occupancy at hotels. Add $550 for single occupancy (13 nights).

A detailed brochure with daily itinerary is available.

Museum of American Innovation at Henry Ford Museum, courtesy THF.org