WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Convention & Visitors Bureau, in partnership with local historical organizations, has launched the America 250 in Kosciusko County Passport.

This program features 12 historic locations throughout Kosciusko County. Together, the sites highlight 250 stories, artifacts, and landmarks connected to local and national history in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.

Participants can check in at featured locations to earn prizes:

• 1 stop: commemorative sticker
• 3 stops: patriotic plush and mini frisbee
• 6 stops: entry into the grand prize drawing
• 12 stops: bonus grand prize entry

The grand prize is a 6+’ tall tulip tree (courtesy of Open Air Garden Center) and a gift basket of merchandise from participating passport locations. The grand prize drawing will take place on September 8.

The America 250 in Kosciusko County Passport is an initiative between the Kosciusko County Visitors Bureau, the Kosciusko County Historical Society, and countywide historic locations. The program highlights Kosciusko County’s role and significance within local, regional, state, and national history.

“History buffs, this one’s for you!” shared Brooke Danner, Marketing & Communications Manager. “Whether you’re a local, new to the area, or just stopping by for a visit, this is an amazing opportunity to take a close-up look at American history through the lens of  Kosciusko County. You’re sure to learn something new along the way!”

Printed and digital versions of this passport are available for those who wish to participate. Find more details and sign up digitally beginning today at VisitKosciuskoCounty.org/250-Passport/. This program will run from Memorial Day

weekend through Labor Day weekend.

For more information, contact Brooke Danner at 574-269-6090 or Brooke@koscvb.org.

Some of the stops include the following (photos provided):

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WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Convention & Visitors Bureau (KCCVB) has released a new free digital passport called the Haunted Hideaways Passport for the Halloween season.

Kosciusko County has several well-known haunted locations, like the Old Jail Museum and Barbee Hotel. With this passport, visitors and residents alike can explore the allegedly haunted locations in Kosciusko County. If passholders check in at four locations on the passport, they will be entered to win $150 in Kosciusko Cash.

This drawing will take place Nov. 11, according to a news release from the KCCVB.

This joins KCCVB’s other seven free digital passports. The other passports are Trail Blazer Challenge, Public Art Trail Challenge, Adventure Challenge, Waterways Challenge, Taco Trail, Breakfast Trail and Sipping Trail Passports.

Many of these passports offer entry into grand prize drawings for $150 in Kosciusko Cash for checking in at just five locations. The three food-related passports have also recently been revised, with each participating restaurant now featuring a four-digit PIN in their window for easier check-in. You can sign up for the Haunted Hideaways Passport and the other passports here on the KCCVB’s website.

“We are excited to launch this Haunted Hideaways Passport and hope that visitors and residents alike enjoy visiting some of the allegedly haunted locations in Kosciusko County this fall season,” said Laura Seney, marketing and communications director at KCCVB.

KCCVB requests passholders to be respectful of all of these public locations when visiting, and on roadway locations, to not stop or stand in the middle of the road and to drive safely.
For more information, contact KCCVB by emailing info@koscvb.org, calling 574-269-6090, or coming to the Visitor Center in Warsaw.

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WARSAW — Tourism officials unveiled the future sign that will erected outside of the Kosciusko County Convention & Visitors Bureau office Monday along U.S. in Warsaw.

The new sign, yet to be installed, was unveiled at a zoning meeting Monday when the CVB formally sought a zoning variance for the 24-feet-high, 191-square-feet sign in a Commercial-3 zoning district.

The zoning request was made at the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals meeting Monday night.

The Baldus Company, on behalf of the KCCVB, petitioned the board for the  variance.

The new sign will replace the iconic V-shaped sign that has stood outside of the CVB office for decades.

To read the full story by the Times-Union, click here.

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WARSAW -- The Kosciusko County Convention & Visitors Bureau (KCCVB) has been awarded the IN Indiana Public Art Activation Grant for the creation of a new mural in the Visitor Center in Warsaw.

Last January, Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) launched the IN Indiana Public Art Activation Grant, the goal of which is to give local artists and communities the unique opportunities to create artwork and signage with the new IN Indiana brand incorporated into it.

During the grant application process, KCCVB reached out to multiple artists in the community for potential designs and chose the design created by Erica Deuel, the Owner of Spoonful of Imagination. Beth Williman, a local artist who works as Deuel’s assistant at Spoonful of Imagination, will also be working on the mural. Deuel is also the artist behind the Imagine Warsaw mural at 703 E Winona Ave.

"Both Beth and I are so excited to be a part of making a warm and welcoming mural that represents our community for the Visitors Bureau! Our community is a super special, beautiful place from the businesses and people all the way to the landmarks and nature elements. We aim to create a piece that captures that heartbeat and inspires others to keep imagining the possibilities, as we are better together!" Deuel said.

This new mural will appear inside the Visitor Center in Warsaw and is designed to represent the over 100 lakes in the county. It is also designed to be photogenic so visitors and residents alike will use it as a backdrop for their next social media post, helping promote the area further. This piece of art will be added to the All Things Art Map and the Public Art Trail Challenge Passport, drawing more people to the Visitor Center.

In addition to having the new IN Indiana identifier, this mural will also be Clearly Kosciusko branded. KCCVB plans on rebranding as Clearly Kosciusko in Spring of 2024, and this mural will help promote the Clearly Kosciusko message even further.

“We are absolutely thrilled to add this new piece of art to the Visitor Center to represent why the place to live, work, learn, and play is Clearly Kosciusko IN Indiana,” Cori Humes, Executive Director of KCCVB, said.

This mural will be completed by October.

For more information, email info@koscvb.org or call 574-269-6090.

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