Orleans, IN

Orleans was platted in 1815, just after Andrew Jackson’s victory at New Orleans, and the town took its name from that event. Its original Congress Square still serves as the center of town, now a park with a restored 1926 bandstand, fountain, and memorial areas. The railroad arrived in 1851–52 after residents raised $40,000 by private subscription to bring the line through. That is the local clue: Orleans has an unusually clear public square and an unusually determined railroad story. It is also known for dogwoods, with Operation Dogwood planting trees through town and helping start the annual Dogwood Festival. Think square, rail, and spring bloom.