Really, before the 21st century, the idea of Terre Haute being considered one of the nation’s top college towns would have been absurd.
It wasn’t that the local colleges weren’t strong schools. It wasn’t that Terre Haute was a bad place to be a student, or a resident or a visitor. Instead, the community and the campuses — especially Indiana State University downtown, but also Rose-Hulman, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ivy Tech and Harrison College (then Indiana Business College) — seldom blended. The ISU Homecoming Parade represented one of those rare interactions with local folks mingling with college kids, profs and staffers.
Times have changed, for the better. While several factors contributed to this evolution, the decision by former Mayor Kevin Burke to tear down the deteriorated Terre Haute House in 2005 cleared the way for new possibilities.
That forward thinking, which needs to be perpetual, proved important, especially with Terre Haute’s economy changing. The value of this place developing a college town atmosphere — with amenities that appeal to both the college and resident communities — has become more apparent. The downtown district reflects that changing attitude. More people live there. More restaurants and night spots stay open after 5 p.m. Hotels, museums, boutique shops and galleries exist in steadier fashion. While that progress comes with some pains and problems, its positives show.
The outside world is beginning to notice, too.
College Values Online, a web resource for college searches, ranked the 50 best small college towns in the country this summer, and Terre Haute landed at No. 23. The shadow cast by our Big Ten sister cities has shortened — Bloomington was ranked No. 14, and West Lafayette No. 11. Here’s what the CVO said about Terre Haute:
Named for the French phrase meaning “Highland,” beautiful Terre Haute is a Tree City USA with over 1,000 acres of land dedicated to parks and recreation. Here, you will find disc golf courses, playgrounds, pools, a butterfly garden and even an arboretum, among many other recreational facilities. In addition, the National Road Heritage Trail is the perfect venue for walking, running, biking, or rollerblading. The city’s downtown area has been revitalized and now offers an arts corridor featuring the Swope Art Museum as well as two art galleries. Part of this revitalization also included the renovation of the historic Indiana Theater, which is now used for concerts, film screenings, and other performances.
Ratings typically come and go, without much impact on the subjects involved. Terre Haute should pay attention to this one. It reveals improvement that has gained momentum in the past decade. Two recent events illuminate the changes under way here — the Downtown Block Party in August and the Blues at the Crossroads Festival in September. Both activities attracted local residents and families, students, their professors and campus support staff as well as out-of-towners. The list of whole-community projects, events and quality-of-life outlets is longer now. The city and colleges need to keep cultivating that niche, which is now central to economic development here.