Rome City, IN

Rome City is an Orange Township town in Noble County, set along Indiana State Road 9 beside Sylvan Lake. The 2020 census counted 1,322 residents. It was laid out in 1839, and its post office has been operating since 1868. The lake is the reason the town has always felt bigger in summer: Sylvan Lake drew visitors by rail for Chautauqua gatherings, Island Park, and the old resort circuit. The lake still sets the pace for the town's summer calendar today.

The lake's backstory is unusual. Sylvan Lake began as a reservoir connected to a canal project, and the water stayed after the canal plans faded. Gene Stratton-Porter's former home at Wildflower Woods sits on the shore, tying the lake to Indiana literary history as well as recreation. Rome City still has the practical pieces of a small town, but its memorable feature is the long curve of Sylvan Lake, with a resort past that remains visible from the road.