Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
HUNTINGBURG – A Dubois County city known for its downtown strolls, brick-paved streets and historic baseball stadium was named one of the Best Small Towns to Visit in 2024 by Smithsonian Magazine.
Huntingburg, population 6,495, is one of 15 small towns across the country featured by the magazine.
“I’ve been to some of those other communities and I thought they were outstanding,” said Huntingburg Mayor Neil Elkins. “We don’t have an ocean, but we have quite a few amenities. They said we’re baseball crazy and we are.”
Other towns on the list include Scituate, Massachusetts; Aspen, Colorado; Hot Springs, South Dakota; and Haleiwa, Hawaii. The list was released Tuesday.
Later this summer, League Stadium will host the Big League Classic, an exhibition game that will bring together former Major League Baseball players. The roster of former MLB players includes Kyle Farnsworth, Bret Boone and Coco Crisp. The Aug. 10 game will also include local players. League Stadium is also the home of the DC Bombers, a summer league team of college baseball players.
League Stadium served as the home field of the Rockford Peaches for the 1992 hit film “A League of Their Own.” The stadium has retained many of the vintage signs and other touches from the movie, including a collection of movie memorabilia.
‘A foodie town’
League Stadium is just one of many reasons to visit Huntingburg, said Elkins.
“The quality of our shopping on Fourth Street brings people here. We’re also becoming a little bit of a foodie town,” he said. “We have people traveling here from about 90 minutes away.”
Mama T’s Italian Steakhouse draws diners from outside the area and another new restaurant, the Butcher and Barrel, will come to Fourth Street later this year. Huntinburg also has a DORA – Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area.
Elkins said diners enjoy being able to have dinner and then take a cocktail with them as they visit shops in the DORA or go to another restaurant for dessert.
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