Communing with our 16th President

Here's a blog post recalling fond memories of tracing Lincoln's past at as a teenager during a summer spent at Lincoln State Park. Click here to read this great post on the Hoosierati Blog. I thought you all would enjoy reading, as much as I did.

Spencer County Tourism Ranks 7th in State

Thanks to wonderful visitors like all of you who read this blog, Spencer County ranks 7th in tourism spending per capita.

This week we revealed the results of a year-long study measuring the impact of the tourism industry on Spencer County's economy.

Visitors to Spencer County had a sales impact of $161.7 million and were responsible for more than 3,300 jobs during 2007, according to the study conducted by the University of Southern Indiana.

Here are some fun facts about Spencer County Visitors:

• 40 percent of visitors are under age 17. People age 25 to 44 make up 31 percent of visitors to Spencer County.

• 48 percent of visitors reside within Indiana. Large percentages also come from Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee.

• 49 percent of visitors stayed over night

• Visitors spent an average of $237 on lodging during their trip

• Visitors spending per person amounted to: $22 on food, $51 on activities, $10 on souvenirs and $41 per trip on gasoline.

• 84 percent of visitors were very likely to come back and 45 percent of those surveyed had been to Spencer County 2 to 5 times.

Visitors from Chicago

This week we welcomed two reporters to Santa Claus, Ind., from The Chicago Tribune. They were working on a story about what it is like to live in a town where it is Christmas every day of the year! They plan to run the story in The Tribune's Tempo section on June 25, which will be exactly 6 months away from Christmas Day.

We showed them a jolly time and were sure to let our Holiday Spirit shine through, even though it is only June! They visited Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, The Santa Claus Museum, Santa's Candy Castle, and The Santa Claus Post Office. We rounded out the evening with a boat ride on Christmas Lake, located in the gated community of Christmas Lake Village.

I think they were surprised by just how much there was to see and do in our festive little town!

Another great trip to Spencer County

I just love finding blog posts online where people write about visiting our attractions here in Spencer County, Ind. Here's a link to a post from "The Twisted Stitcher" about her children's first trip to Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial's Living Historical Farm. It's a hoot!

Happy 50th Birthday Lake Rudolph!!

Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort Celebrated 50 years of family fun in Santa Claus, Ind., during an open house on Saturday.

At left, Lake Rudolph owner Philip Koch, has two forks in hand as he gets ready to dig into one HUGE birthday cake!

Along cake, campers enjoyed free hamburgers & hotdogs, campground tours, chainsaw carving demonstrations and more!

In celebration of Fathers Day, Lake Rudolph, in Santa Claus, Indiana is offering 2 Free Holiday World tickets to families staying in a Standard or King Size Rental RV for 3 consecutive nights. To qualify for the free Holiday World tickets, the arrival date must be either Sunday June 15 or Monday June 16.

Reservations are taken by phone at (812) 937-4458 or toll free 1-877-4RUDOLPH (1-877-478-3657). Online reservations, information, and photos can also be found on Lake Rudolph's award winning website at http://www.lakerudolph.com/

Tips for Traveling With Kids

Here's a link to a recent article by Indianapolis Star Travel Writer Zach Dunkin with great advice on how to make your summer vacation with your children go smoother. The article also highlights several travel deals and Spencer County's new Visitors Guide to Lincoln's Boyhood Home. To get your copy, click here.

Goodbye to an old friend...

Macon Ray, 81, who portrayed Abraham Lincoln across Southern Indiana for many years, died yesterday from a brain tumor.

He played the role of President Lincoln in Billy Ed Wheeler's "Young Abe Lincoln," which was performed at Lincoln Amphitheatre in Lincoln State Park for many years.

Ray's image as Lincoln has been used for many years by the Spencer County Visitors Bureau on billboards, in brochures, in print ads and on our website.

Click here to read an article from the Evansville Courier & Press and learn more about this amazing man who served for so many years as an ambassador for Lincoln's Boyhood Home -- Spencer County.

Delta Queen Visits Grandview

The Delta Queen docked in Grandview, Ind., on Thursday, May 29, bringing with it several hundred passengers. This was the Delta Queen's second stop in Grandview this year.

This may be the last year this historic steamboat travels down river. The boat's long-standing coast guard exemption from fire safety rules is scheduled to expire later this year. A lobbying effort to 'Save the Queen' is ongoing.

Seeing one of these historic boats out on the river, transports you back to another time. If you'd like to come view one of these beautiful steamboats in person, mark your calendar for August 28, October 18 and October 25 when the American Queen will visit Grandview.