The Tenderloin
I had a couple of places in Covington to use for the tenderloin portion of the blog as I found a local Facebook page and just went ahead and asked. Although there were some passionate opinions on which to choose (They all looked like good places), I chose “The Local” on the east side of town to sample Indiana’s finest sandwich. The place has been open for a few years, but the name of the former tenant still faces the main road and another sign directs you around back. Walking in I had the whole place to myself. (granted, it was 4:30 on a Thursday). The limited tables with various pop stars framed on the walls created you a cozy atmosphere. I ordered the fried tenderloin that is locally sourced from Prime Cut 41 butchers a town over. It came out with a fresh bun branded with the restaurant name prominently on top - “The Local”. The tenderloin was crisp and tender, every bite yielded a crunch with a nice juicy finish. While nothing XL circus sized, it was large enough to overhang the bun the whole circle. Putting some hot sauce on it, it made a fine meal, especially for someone who hadn’t eaten lunch. On the side I was able to get some fried green tomatoes. They were lightly breaded, pan fried, and made the perfect complement to the sandwich. The green tomato is a lot sweeter than the ones that get turned into pizza sauce and almost tasted more like an apple. The tenderloin here was outstanding and if the rest of the food is like the fried green tomatoes, everyone would have something to enjoy at the local place aptly named, The Local.
The Town
I start the town portion with the first stop everyone should make when coming into Covington – House with the Lions Antiques. This shop has been around for over 50 years and contains a ton of historical everyday items. I was almost hesitant to buy anything as it seemed like walking through displays in a museum rather than browsing through people’s old stuff. Apart from some fixer-upper furniture downstairs, there are no broken artifacts or junk here. There are also numerous mounts of deer, moose, ram, and other creatures that hang on the walls. All were hunted personally by the owners and are not for sale. The owner, Carol, seems to be the unofficial governor of the town. Everywhere I went, people were like, “you have to talk with Carol”. Online, people wrote, “You have to talk to Carol.” When I made my first stop in there, Carol wasn’t there… But she would be in the next morning, so I made sure to stop in after the sun rose the next day. During my visit we were able to talk all about the history and places in town. I believe that I stopped in there a few more times to get questions answered or to get a recommendation about the town. In the short time I was there she was also helping distribute funds for a covered bridge restoration, getting a local student set up for a scholarship, receiving visitors from town, all while helping customers with the store and setting up me to visit places around town. Every town needs a Carol, heck… they might all actually have one, but I’m sure glad to find Covington’s “governor” on this trip. Now, what kind of treasures did I pick up at the antique shop? I bought a couple of first edition books written by Hoosier author Gene Stratton-Porter.
Before that meeting at the antique store, I needed to get a coffee and some light breakfast. On the same block right in the courthouse square is Julie’s Java. You have a plethora of caffeinated drinks as well as some good eats from muffins to sandwiches. I ordered up a biscuit sandwich and a Maple Donut Latte (caramel, maple, & cupcake flavors). It was a great way to start my day as the sandwich was hot and savory while the latte flavors gave a sweet kick to the morning. It was fun watching all the local people coming in and greeting each other with inquiring on what is coming up on their day.
Lew Wallace is usually known for either his novel, Ben Hur, or (if you grew up in Northwest Indiana) having a high school named after him. There is a lot more to his life to learn – like serving as a general in the Civil war, being the governor of New Mexico Territory, ambassador to The Ottoman Empire, and two-time resident of Covington, IN. He wasn’t born in the city, but at a young age he moved in and had the run of the town. Wallace moved, again, to Indianapolis after his dad was elected Lt Governor. Later on after his participation in the Mexican-American War he settled again in Covington while starting his first law practice. Eventually he became the county clerk and had an office that sat right on the county square. Decades after Wallace vacated it, the office was put on some logs and rolled a couple blocks away where it houses the county museum. There is a display housing a collection of artifacts on Wallace in his old office. On Saturdays it is open to the public and you can visit his old workplace. Carol was nice enough to find someone to take me in there during the off hours and see items of Wallace’s as well as items pertaining to the rest of the county. This will add to the collection of visits to homes and offices of famous Indiana authors with George Ade in Brooke, Gene Stratton-Porter in Rome City, and now Lew Wallace here in Covington. Another historical feature to check out in the town are the murals in the courthouse. Designed by Eugene Savage and painted by a group of local artists in the 1930’s, they cover the courthouse walls on two floors. You can walk the halls and gaze upon the art that tell the history of the county. I heard there was an audio tour, but I wasn’t able to access one while in there. Make sure to visit on a weekday during business hours since the courthouse is closed on nights and weekends.
Windy Ridge Winery and Distillery used to just be a winery when it was out on a farm outside of a town called Cayuga. It now sits on the downtown square in Covington and also offers beer, liquors, and even bourbon (if you are lucky). I set off from my neighborhood Airbnb and walked down to the square to sample what kind of home brew they had on tap. Walking in you have a display counter and tables where friends can gather. I walked into the bar area of the next room and ordered up a draft of their IPA which is named, “The Destroyer”. It was pretty empty in there on a Thursday night, but I was glad they let me hang out and sit at the bar for most of the evening. I had fun talking about the different bourbon distilleries we’ve all visited in Kentucky and to hear how they keep their bourbon stored. After a fresh beer from their newly tapped Octoberfest, I took a can of the Scottish Ale, Hair of the Dog, back to the house for a nightcap. There is nothing better than drinking freshly tapped homemade brew and Covington has a great place to acquire some.
I’ve always been more of a hotel or even Bed and Breakfast guy when staying overnight somewhere, but I’ve found a lot of advantages of an Airbnb this year, especially while visiting for the blog. You get to stay in the neighborhood in the center of town and they are usually walking distance to the local restaurants and parks. You also get a better feeling of the vibe of the town, rather than staying at the outskirts or just driving in and out for the day. The Airbnb in Covington I stayed in is an old historical structure. The main portion used to be a grain bin and used as a workshop for creating dental work when converted to a house. It is now a giant circular room containing a living room, bedroom, dining room, and kitchen. There are some modern additions on the side, but hanging out in the grain bin was the best part of the stay. It has a 70’s vibe, but it was a great deal with a lot of space for the price of a hotel room.
Jackie’s Eats and Treats is a brand new bakery that has opened up in the corner of a commercial building right off the square. You walk in and have your choice between a laundromat, insurance company, and/or getting some baked goodies from the place in the corner. While walking in there the first thing you see is a pile of fresh baked pies ready to be claimed. There were also muffins, cookies, and even ready-made lunches you could pick up. I got me some snickerdoodle cookies and a banana bread to take home and share with the family.
A little bit down the river is a mile long hiking path to the Portland Arch. The Arch is a walk-under bridge in the limestone created by the flow of a tributary of Bear Creek. It’s located in a gorge, so the path has a lot of elevation to it and is narrow, especially on the way back up. You start hiking through some trees and down some stairs made of rocks and roots till you make it to the tributary. Then you walk right through the arch and along the Bear Creek. Finish the exit by hiking along the creek next to the tall limestone walls until the path turns back and around with switchbacks up the gorge. It is a fairly short path, but the views and elevation give you an experience unlike what you see in most of Indiana.
Covington is a small town, but it has a lot to do, see, and eat. Some of its places have been recognized by other regional visit list sites like The Local and House of the Lions Antiques. Even The Beef House is a Purdue basketball favorite when they travel to Champaign to play Illinois (I haven’t covered The Beef House or even Benjamins in this visit, but I have them both noted to come back and sample their tenderloins). Visiting a town like this makes me even more gracious that I write this blog. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the sights, talking to the people, and especially eating the tenderloin.
by Michael Tomko
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