Madison

Madison is located on the Ohio River in Southeastern Indiana. Sadly, the historic Jefferson County Courthouse (shown below) suffered extensive damage from a fire on May 21, 2009 (right) and is currently undergoing restoration. Madison was an important center of commerce and transportation dating back to the early nineteenth century. The first railroad in the United States west of the Appalachians connected Madison with Indianapolis, and is still used today as the locally-owned [|Madison Railroad], which runs from Madison to North Vernon.

There are a lot of unique things about M[|adison]. There are, in fact, two Madisons--the bustling commercial district at the top of the hill and the historic community nestled along the Ohio River at the bottom of the hill. The "hill" itself is unique. The Ohio River has cut deeply into the earth and rock over the centuries. There are a few different routes from uptown Madison to downtown Madison, all collectively referred to as "the Madison Hill." On the East side, US Highway 421 winds gently down a four-mile stretch from State Road 62 to the [|Madison-Milton Bridge]. On the West side, State Road 56 winds a bit more abruptly from the hilltop to the river side, past Duke Energy's coal-fired power plant. In between is State Road 7, which drops almost like a rock down [|Hanging Rock Hill].

Madison is Unique Madison Places and Features