Apparently, the preferred method of transportation in Portland, IN is by golf cart. I’ve seen golf cart friendly communities; usually it is one guy who takes his kids and dog around the block a few days a year on the nicer weather days. But this community uses its ordinance to the fullest. My son and I even searched to see if there was a golf cart rental place so we could, too, scuttle around the city streets from one attraction to the next, but, alas, their didn’t seem to be one. With the abundance of golf carts, what we didn’t see was an armada of boats. As the name suggests, this is the land of ports, correct? Well, there were no boats, there were no ports, but what they did have was a tenderloin.
The Tenderloin
The Greazy Pickle… Even if they didn’t have a tenderloin I would still stop and get something to eat with a name like that. Across the street from the courthouse sits a bar and restaurant in an old downtown structure. Half of it is your traditional bar, the other half is the dining area. The dining area has a pool table, air hockey, a dance floor, and a few booths on the side. It reminded me of the inside of a giant train car with the rounded ceiling and the giant mirrors from the old bar displays along the walls. Here, the tenderloin comes in a full and half size, but it is more like full and double size as these things are huge! I cut mine in half and it still oversized the bun. Not to be outdone by the size, the thickness of the meat is one of the most generous around. With a soft flaky crust and some actual hot wing sauce, it made for one of the best tenderloins. The people working there are top notch too. My son left (or as my wife would correctly state – I left) a container with his Invisalign braces at the table when we were done eating. Not noticing it until later in the night before bed, I called them up and they had already found it and were keeping it for us to pick up the next day. It was most appreciated as it is the little things like that that make small local businesses special.
The Town
The Museum of the Soldier is located in the old Coke bottling factory right in the middle of the residential area of Portland. It is a privately owned collection that is open to the public every other weekend. Inside are displays of the various clothing, weapons, equipment, and vehicles from the various wars our country has fought over the years. Right now there is a large display on the items from Vietnam, but other special displays are rotated throughout the year. I have never seen such an extensive display of military artifacts contained in one building before. They also pay tribute to some of those local veterans who gave their lives for the country, it is humbling to gaze upon their uniforms and equipment and it is a reminder of the sacrifice for those who gave everything. It is worth a visit for learn more about our country’s veterans as well as see some of the historical provisions and equipment up-close.
The Wheel and Spoke Antique Mall is more than a mall, it is a palace. I have never seen so many rows of displays for antiques all crammed into one giant place. The vendor booths just seem to extend on and on, row by row. It is not just old furniture and dinnerware either. The extent of sports memorabilia from cards to books to drinkware to about anything else with a team emblazoned on it are plentiful. Old toys overflow the shelves. Crafts and signs and collectible statues - they all fill the booths. Just when you have gone through one section, a sign says “more this way” and you have whole other aisles to rummage through. There has to be something for everyone, and if there isn’t… well… you may just not want anything.
Prowling around town dodging all the golf carts can sure work up an appetite. We were looking for a quick place to grab a bite for lunch and we came upon another Portland place with a creative use for a “Z” in the name. Bizy Dips Bakery and Coffee Shop is right inside the John Jay Center on Meridian St. We were able to purchase some hand crafted ham and turkey croissant sandwiches. They also serve flavored drinks in coffee as well as soda and lemonade. I ended up with a peach flavored lemonade unlike anything I’ve drank before that would leave empty shelves if bottled and sold in a store. Make sure to check out their bakery items too like the brownies and cinnamon rolls. If you are lucky enough you may even end up with a Bizzookie to bring home and share with the family.
If you are lucky enough to get to hang out in Portland, like I did, you must stop at the Hudson Family Park. It was one of the most beautiful, well maintained city parks I have ever seen. There are walking trails, a large playground, an artificial lake, and what we came for - Frisbee Golf. The course is well manicured and has the nicest tee-boxes to start from. Most of the holes are pretty wide open, so the beginner can whip-away freely without fear of losing a disk, except for hole 7 where my son threw his left-handed fade directly into the Salamonie River. You do have to watch your throws a little bit as the course does intertwine with walking paths and missed shots at some holes may veer into private property. Overall, this is a fine city park to hang around for a couple hours to unwind.
There are two famous Portland’s, each on opposite coasts of the country. One is known for lobsters, the other known for The Trailblazers. But, you would me amiss to forget about the Portland in the middle of the country where they have no ports. Do they have land? Yea, they got that as well as golf carts, used stuff for sale, war memorabilia, food places that use a "Z" in place of an "S" or "C", and one of the best tenderloins in the state.
by Michael Tomko
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