It’s amazing how much downtown Jeffersonville has changed since I began working in Southern Indiana only 2 years ago. In that time, the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge has opened along with a half dozen new businesses. The once deserted downtown is full of locals and visitors from Louisville who cross the bridge for a new experience.
A friend from Chicago decided to travel here last weekend for a quick trip and tour of the city with two lovely ladies who are so lovable we became fast friends as well. While they wanted to go to Churchill Downs, which endearingly they called the ‘Derby Stadium,’ I also encouraged them to cross the bridge to Jeffersonville where they could sample the local beer and have a delicious burger at Big Four Burgers and Beer.
Though the river was a dirty brown from the recent storms, the sky was 
robins egg blue with clouds so fluffy they looked like cotton balls. They were entranced by the bridge which, though it looked small from far away, was massive up close. A friend commented that she liked the criss-cross structure of the Big Four Bridge which was so symmetrical it looked like a giant piece of art.
Once we crossed, I chattered away about the symbolism of Big Four Station Park and they listened attentively about how the metal pieces on the light shard were the same width as the train tracks that not so long ago carried trains across the Ohio River. I told them the color change on the light shards represent the height of the 1937 Flood. I explained how, like the Chicago Fire, the 1937 Flood is a significant part of the cities’ pasts and represents the resilience of the region through tragedy.
The waterfall represents the fossil beds at the Falls of the Ohio. I explained the area was once a shallow sea and that hundreds of fossils were preserved in stone at the state park. They were amazed to think that this area was once under water and lamented that they were not able to go to the Falls of the Ohio in such a short trip.
Once past the park, we walked along Chestnut and turned right at Spring Street. The girls took selfies along the way. My friends were enthralled with the public art in the city. They took photos of the sculptural bike racks, and when they saw the painted bicycles with flower beds in the baskets, they were cooed over how adorable it was. Kenya posted the bike rack as her cover photo on Facebook. If you need a further example as to why public art is important, just look at these photos my Chicago friends took! These people, who are used to Millinneum Park, fell in love with the small pieces of public art in a little town like Jeffersonville. Though it’s nowhere close to the breathtaking sites in Chicago, there’s a cute, hip vibe here that is unique to this city. It allowed them to relax, laugh and forget about the worries of the big city.
After a too big, but delicious meal at Big Four Burgers and Beer we walked back across the Ohio River. For the two girls, this was their first trip to this area. They loved every minute of it and want to come back soon. For big city girls and guys, this area should be about relaxing and enjoying the culture. They found wonder and joy in the little things and that’s what a weekend trip is all about.
Ohio River Living 