A Southern Indiana tour can be combined with a visit to the Jasper Strassenfest. It could begin in Tell City. Settled by Swiss-Germans in 1858, the town was named after the legendary Swiss folk hero, Wilhelm Tell. In front of City Hall is a statue of Wilhelm Tell and son Walther, a copy of the Tell statue near Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. They celebrate their Schweizer Fest in early August. Heading west to Troy you will follow the path of Father Joseph Kundek a Catholic priest who founded several parishes in southern Indiana in the 1830's and 1840's. See the Christ of the Ohio Statue which sits 75 feet above the highway. The statue was designed by Herbert Jockerst a German sculptor who, an American prisoner of war during World War II, returned to Southern Indiana and created a number of beautiful religious monuments. Travel north on Indiana 545 through Fukla, with its historic church, on to St. Meinrad, to visit the mighty St. Meinrad Archabbey, home of Benedictine monks.

It was established in 1854 from Einsiedeln, Switzerland. The church is worth a visit and you will find more of the statues by Herbert Jockerst. From St. Meinrad take Indiana 62 west to Indiana 162 and head north to Ferdinand. Towering above the town of Ferdinand (named for Austrian Emperor Ferdinand) rises the massive Monastery of the Benedictine Sisters who originally came from Eichstaett, Bavaria. The Monastery of Immaculate Conception, known as the "Castle on the Hill," is home to one of the nation's largest communities of Benedictine women. These German-speaking nuns came to take care of the German communities in the area. Guided tours of the majestic domed church with its numerous stained glass windows are available. http://www.thedome.org continue north to Jasper. Known as the "Nation's Woodworking Capital", Jasper boasts omnipresent German heritage. St. Joseph Church, one of the oldest and largest Catholic churches in the state, is listed

on the National Register of Historic Places. Jasper is known for its Strassenfest, held this year August 4-6. It features a Polka Mass in St.Joseph's Church, a Parade and numerous booths and performances. for more information visit http://www.jaspergermanclub.org and http://www.duboiscounty.org and or call the Dubois County Tourism Commission 800-968-4578.

If you follow U.S. 231 north out of Jasper to Loogootee and then west on US 50 you get to Amish Country in Daviess County. The first Amish families that settled in the area in the mid-1850's migrated from Pennsylvania. Today, nearly 495 Old Order Amish make their home here. There are a number of Amish businesses. You can get a wonderful meal at the "Gasthof" complex - with many interesting stores - in Montgomery and find out about Amish tours offered through the "Gasthof" (the Inn).