Ellettsville

Small Town Breakdown

Small Town Breakdown: Ellettsville, Indiana

In the northwest quarter of Monroe County is Ellettsville, a small town in the rolling hills of limestone country with pizza for all.

Fast Facts

📍LOCATION: Southern Indiana

• Located in northwest Monroe County to the west of I-69

• State Road 46 runs through town on a northwest-to-southeast diagonal

• 15 minutes northwest of downtown Bloomington

• 1 hour southwest of Indianapolis

• 2 hours northwest of Louisville

👥 POPULATION & RANKING

• 6,694 residents (as of 2023)

• Ranks as Indiana’s 105th largest city

• Second-largest of three incorporated cities/towns in Monroe County behind Bloomington (78,840) and ahead of Stinesville (202)

📏 LAND AREA

• 4.96 square miles

📅 FOUNDED

• Monroe County was founded in 1818 by the Indiana General Assembly

• The county was named for the fifth President of the United States, James Monroe

• Ellettsville was founded in 1837 and became incorporated in 1866

• The town was named for the first merchant to become established, Edward Ellett

🏥 MAIN INDUSTRIES: Healthcare, Construction Materials

• Ellettsville’s motto is “Builders of American History” because of limestone in the area being used on hundreds of buildings throughout the United States; craftsmen from the town’s limestone mills traveled the county to complete on-site work, too

• Smithville Communications is a local fiber-optic internet service provider

• Ellettsville is served by IU Health, and there are private medical practitioners locally as well

• Bobcat of Ellettsville rents construction equipment

MONROE COUNTY AND ELLETTSVILLE HISTORY

Monroe County was founded in 1818 and named for James Monroe, who was the fifth President of the United States from 1817-25. Ellettsville was founded in 1837, incorporated in 1866, and named for its first merchant, Edward Ellett.

THE (LIME)STONE AGE

Ellettsville is in limestone country, and it has enough to share with the country. No, seriously. Its limestone can be seen in memorials, cathedrals, government buildings, libraries, churches and many other historic buildings across the U.S., and many local craftsmen have traveled the country to provide on-site work to those structures.

They aren’t afraid to show off the limestone locally, either. The half-mile Limestone Heritage Trail in downtown Ellettsville has artifacts and sculptures for walkers and bikers to enjoy before connecting to the Karst Farm Greenway Trail. If you head to the north side of town, you’ll come across limestone sculptures of Bigfoot, Yoda and an elephant, too. 🪨⛏🐘

MONROE COUNTY FALL FESTIVAL

The Monroe County Fall Festival takes place in Ellettsville’s Marci Jane Lewis Park and is scheduled for Sept. 11-13 this year. It attracts over 50,000 people annually and features a parade, exhibits, craft vendors, queen contest and, of course, top-notch festival food. 🧑‍🍳

LAKE MONROE

We can’t talk about Monroe County without mentioning Indiana’s largest man-made lake… Lake Monroe, also known as Monroe Reservoir. Construction began on the reservoir in 1960, and it spans nearly 11,000 acres. It’s a hot spot for fishing, boating, camping and recreational activities throughout the year. 🛶

GO-TO RESTAURANTS

Start your day with a visit to The Caffeinated Cook, where breakfast — highlighted by their delicious pastries — is served until close. You can also enjoy sandwiches, soups and salad for lunch. Regardless of your order, you’ll be greeted and taken care of by a very welcoming staff. The restaurant has over 100 Google reviews and a 5-star rating. 🥯

The Ellettsville Pizza Pantry is the go-to pizza joint with a full salad bar and soup to enjoy. Not only does it have great pizza, but guests rave about the salad bar, breadsticks and a must-have… Stromboli. 🍕

EXPLORING ELLETTSVILLE AND BEYOND

• If you prefer chain pizza, Ellettsville has you covered with Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Papa Johns and Hunt Brothers available in or on the outskirts of town 🍕

• Just east of town is Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park, where you can enjoy fitness classes, dodgeball and best of all, a Ninja Warrior course 🥷

• Seven miles northwest of Ellettsville into Owen County, visitors can enjoy Indiana’s first state park — McCormick’s Creek State Park 🏞

The next time you’re in Bloomington to catch an IU basketball or football game, block off some time before or after the game and explore nearby Ellettsville.

Check out Nate’s breakdown of Ellettsville ⬇️