Zionsville

Small Town Breakdown

The journey to visit 1,000 Indiana towns in 2026 continued with Day 6 taking the Get Indiana crew to Boone County. One of the highlights of the trip was exploring Zionsville, which comes in as the 55th town checked off on the journey.

Fast Facts

📍LOCATION: Central Indiana

• Zionsville is located in the southeast corner of Boone County.

• U.S. Route 421 runs north-south just east of town, leading south to I-465. Zionsville can be accessed via 421 to W. 106th Street and Sycamore Street.

• W. Oak Street runs east-west through the heart of town, leading west to Whitestown and access to I-65.

• 20 minutes north of Indianapolis

• 55 minutes southeast of Lafayette

👥 POPULATION & RANKING

• 33,161 residents (as of 2024)

• Ranks as Indiana’s 33rd-largest city

• Largest incorporated town/city in Boone County

📏 LAND AREA

• 67.22 square miles

📅 FOUNDED

• Boone County was organized on April 1, 1830.

• It was named for frontiersman Daniel Boone.

• Jamestown was the original county seat before it was transferred to Lebanon in 1833.

• Zionsville was planned on land owned by Elijah and Mary “Polly” Cross. Lebanon businessman William Zion, a director of the Lafayette and Indianapolis Railroad, convinced the Cross family to locate it along the planned railway. Zion proposed that the town be named Marysville in Mary Cross’ honor, but the couple instead asked Zion to lend his name.

• Zionsville was platted in 1851 and became incorporated in 1866.

🏥 MAIN INDUSTRIES: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Small Business

• Energy Harness LED Lighting is a lighting manufacturer in town, while Spinner AG is a wholesale farm chemical supplier.

• Ascension Medical Group St. Vincent - Zionsville Walk-In Care is the local urgent care provider.

The Village

Downtown Zionsville is walkable and has the perfect blend of shops, boutiques, art galleries, coffee shops, and restaurants. Many of these businesses operate out of historic buildings, and the 1911 brick-laid street adds to its character. Throughout the year, the Village hosts tons of events, with its seasonal farmers market from mid-May through September, annual fall festival the weekend after Labor Day weekend, and Christmas in the Village among the most popular.

All the Eats

Start your morning at Patachou on Pine, one of nine Café Patachou locations in central Indiana. The Zionsville location was Patachou’s first small-town expansion in 2022. They’re open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Big Dave’s Deli is another gem that the Get Indiana team had to try when exploring Boone County. We ordered Big Dave’s Breakfast Sandwich that included eggs, ham, bacon, cheese, and hash browns on a sub roll, plus two of their signature hot sandwiches – the Reuben and Eagle Philly Cheesesteak.

For an upscale dining experience, Bowdie’s Chophouse blends high-performance energy with classic chophouse elegance. It’s one of just five across the country and part of the Graham Rahal Campus in Zionsville, making it a go-to spot for race fans and steak lovers.

Another great spot for date night is noah grant’s Grill House & Oyster Bar. Menu highlights include seafood, sushi, burgers, and fresh oysters from both coasts.

Pizza is king in Zionsville as well with Zionsville Pizzeria, Nate Spangle’s favorite pizza at last summer’s inaugural Indianapolis Pizza Festival. Amore Pizzeria and Ristorante was another pizza joint recommended by a follower, so we’ll add it to the must-visit list.

Fly, Eagles Fly!

The mascot for Zionsville Community High School is the Eagles, and they’ve won 11 IHSAA state championships in school history.

The first two state titles came via the football team with 3A championships in 1987 vs. Elwood (23-7) and 1996 vs. Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (14-7). Both wins capped perfect 14-0 seasons. The Eagles also secured runner-up finishes in 2000 (3A), 2020 (5A), and 2021 (5A).

Boys golf was next in line, tallying state championships in 2002, 2004, and 2024. They are one of 11 boys golf programs in the state with at least three state titles. Girls golf also has a trio of state titles – one of seven high schools with at least three state championships – winning in 2017, 2024, and 2025.

Boys soccer has claimed two state titles, the first when soccer was a single-class sport in Indiana in 2009 and again in 2019 in 3A. Both championships came in seasons that followed a runner-up state finish. 

Girls cross country won the 2017 title, as well.

History Lessons

History buffs will enjoy Maplelawn Farmstead, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that is listed as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history dates back to the 1830s. In 2003, the land on which the farmstand stands was sold to the town of Zionsville. The Zionsville Historical Society then stepped in to make it what it is today – a museum that provides educational programming and creates experiences to connect people to the rich rural history of the 1930s Great Depression era on an Indiana family farm.

Lincoln Park is just a half-acre park nestled in the Village, but it has historical significance, too. In 1861, Abraham Lincoln made a whistle-stop speech while on his way to Washington, D.C. to be inaugurated to the Presidency of the United States. There’s a gazebo used for summer concerts and weddings, plus a fountain, historical marker at the corner of Main and Cedar Streets, and mural of Honest Abe himself.

Speaking of Parks

Zionsville’s parks and rec system is one of the best in Indiana, with 17 parks and over 400 acres of parkland available for residents and visitors. Starkey Nature Park tops the list with 80 acres offering scenic beauty, hiking trails, and photo ops along Eagle Creek. It connects to the Big-4 Rail Trail, which is the 5-mile spine of Zionsville’s network of over 20 miles of interconnected pathways.

Don’t Sleep on Z’Ville

• Castle Hall is also known as the Zionsville Town Hall. It was built in 1902, remodeled in 1935 to house a movie theater, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

• If you’re looking for ice cream, The Scoop in downtown Zionsville has you covered with gourmet flavors from Sundae’s Homemade Ice Cream by Geist Reservoir.

• For pie lovers, swing by My Sugar Pie, which has been a staple in the Village for 18 years.

Check out Nate’s breakdown of Zionsville ⬇️