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city and county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States
North America > United States of America > Midwest > Indiana > Central Indiana > Terre Haute

Terre Haute is a city of 61,000 people (2019) in west-central Indiana, about 180 mi (300 km) south of Chicago and 1 hour southwest of Indianapolis. Terre Haute is one of the largest cities in the Wabash Valley and is known as the "Queen City of the Wabash". The city is home to several higher education institutions, including Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana.

Understand

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Downtown Terre Haute, looking southwest

The name "Terre Haute" is French for "high land" and refers to the area's history from the French colonization of the Americas as well as its geography next to the Wabash River. Though the city limits exclude some of Vigo County, the metropolitan area includes the nearby towns of West Terre Haute and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Terre Haute's history reaches back to the early 1800s with the construction of Fort Harrison as a permanent settlement within the Indiana Territory. The city grew up primarily around industry and river traffic on the Wabash River. The growth of the railroads and a short-lived oil boom contributed to the city's prosperity, but the decline of both, along with the Depression, resulted in the city becoming a model of Midwestern urban decay up through 1980s. Since then, mayors have worked hard to reverse this image, and have begun making gains in turning the city back around.

Tourist information

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  • Terre Haute Convention & Visitors Bureau. 643 Wabash Avenue, Terre Haute. ☏ +1 812-234-5555 or ☏ +1-800-366-3043. 24-hour information line: +1 812 238-TALK.

Get in

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Map
Map of Terre Haute

By plane

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Most people in Terre Haute and the surrounding regions use Indianapolis International Airport[dead link], which is a 1-1½ hour drive east of the city on Interstate 70. Rental car services to Terre Haute are available at the airport.

Terre Haute is served by Terre Haute Regional Airport, but there have not been any commercial flights from there since 1999.

By car

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Vigo County Courthouse

There are three main highways which run through the city: Interstate 70 running east to west through the south of the city (near Honey Creek Mall); U.S. 41 (known locally as Third Street) oriented north-south; and U.S. 40 (also known as Wabash Avenue) as the road which separates the north and south parts of the city. U.S. 40 splits near the central business district. The westbound traffic turns onto Cherry Street, and the eastbound traffic runs into Ohio Street. In the event of an accident on the interstate, traffic is often re-routed through U.S. 41 and 40.

By train

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Catch-A-Train [dead link] provides highway service to the Mattoon Amtrak station for trains to Chicago.

By bus

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Greyhound provides service to Terre Haute, with daily buses departing from Indianapolis and St. Louis.

Get around

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Automobiles are generally the easiest ways of traveling in Terre Haute. Pedestrian travel is the best on the north portion of the city (including Wabash Avenue), but several of the cross-streets on Third Street have short traffic signals. While there is no "rush hour" like those seen in larger cities, during the afternoon and early evening, the south end of town on U.S. 41 can become hectic. Also, many people cannot manage to drive the speed limit. Bicycling is becoming increasingly popular due to the heightened gas prices, although cyclists should use caution when riding, as bike lanes and paths are still few and far between. Sidewalks are usually the preferred paths for bikes, but some of the sidewalks on secondary roads are in poor condition. This is being improved by the city.

By car

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The general speed limit on the streets is 30 miles per hour (48 km/h). Wabash Avenue and Third Street have a slightly higher speed limit. Terre Haute has several train tracks which run through the city, so becoming "railroaded" is a common occurrence. Construction is ongoing around the central business district.

Rental companies

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  • Alamo: +1 812-234-1449
  • Avis: +1 812-877-6969
  • Budget: +1 812-238-9963
  • Enterprise: +1 812-235-3142
  • National: +1 812-234-1449

By public transit

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Terre Haute is served by a public bus system, which runs Monday through Saturday from 6AM to 6PM. Routes run throughout the city, including several shopping centers. There are tenuous plans to have midnight routes which will serve the local bars and universities. Single-trip fares are $1.75, 14 trip passes are $21, and monthly passes are $45. Although the bus system is growing, the quickest, simplest method of traversing Terre Haute is still by car.

By taxi

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Dependable Cab: +1 812-232-1122 Indiana Shuttle: +1 812-877-7787 N.E.T. Taxi: +1 812 208-3857 Terre Haute Cab: +1 812-232-1313 Yellow Cab: +1 812-478-5000

  • 1 Eugene V. Debs House (Eugene V. Debs Museum), 451 N 8th St, ☏ +1 812-232-2163, . Tu Th 3-7PM, W F Sa 10AM-2PM; ring the doorbell before entering. This was the house of the late 19th- to early 20th-century leader of the Socialist Party of America. Each room is filled with Eugene V. Debs artifacts up to the third floor, where the ceiling is completely covered in a beautiful mural painted by John Laska. The house really gives you an idea of the time period. Call ahead if you would like to arrange a tour at a different time. Free. Eugene V. Debs Home (Q5407811) on Wikidata Eugene V. Debs Home on Wikipedia (updated May 2017)
Swope Art Museum
  • 1 Vorhees Skate Park, Corner of State Road 63 & Vorhees Road. Park closes at dark. You can have fun at a little skate park. Free. 
  • Clark-Lansdbaum Holly Arboretum, 500 S Fruitridge (in Deming Park), ☏ +1 812-232-0147. Park closes at dark. Horticulture and park grounds outside with the Spirit of Terre Haute Minitature Train. Free. 
  • Dobbs Park Nature Center and Native American Museum, 5170 E Poplar St (in Dobbs Park), ☏ +1 812-877-1095. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. Nature trails and deer, turtles woodchuck on display, with Phoebe the cat overseeing things. Adjacent at museum find some exhibits on indigenous people of the area. Free. 
  • 1 Haute City Center (formerly Honey Creek Mall), 3401 S. U.S. Highway 42, ☏ +1 812-232-4500. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su noon-6PM. The main shopping center for the city, Haute City Center houses a number of fairly standard mall stores covering a wide swath of shopping choices. It also features a T.G.I. Friday's. Haute City Center (Q5893499) on Wikidata Haute City Center on Wikipedia (updated Dec 2020)
  • Bottle 41, 5131 US Hwy 41 (Inside Ellis Plaza), ☏ +1 812-298-4500. 2-7PM. Boutique wine and specialty shop run by Jeff Hock. Wine, craft beer, coffee, cheeses, olive oils and more. 
  • 2 Linden Leaf Gifts, 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (head west on 150 to St. Mary's Rd.), ☏ +1 812-535-2947. M-F Sa Su 10AM-3PM. Gift shop with religious books and goods, fair-trade merchandise and one-of-a-kind gifts on the beautiful, peaceful grounds of the Sisters of Providence. (updated Aug 2015)

American

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  • 1 M. Moggers Restaurant & Pub (Moggers), 908 Poplar St, ☏ +1 812-234-9202. M. Moggers (or "Moggers," as it is called by the locals) is a turn-of-the-century brewery converted for use as a restaurant. The food here is generally standard fare that one would see in a typical American bar/restaurant, but tastes very good, especially with one of the 170 beers kept on the premises. The ambience, especially in the bar area, is very different from other restaurants in the city, and this is one that should be on any travelers' itinerary. 
  • 2 J. Fords Black Angus, 129 S 7th St, ☏ +1 812-235-5549. Chef-owned steakhouse with an upscale-casual vibe presents high-end American fare & wine classes. Specials change daily and many of their dishes use local fruits, vegetables and meats. On the pricey side, but unparalleled in Terre Haute. (updated Aug 2015)
  • St. Mary's Supper Club, 3700 W. Arms Pl, St. Mary-of-the-Woods (west of Terre Haute on U.S. 150, near the campus of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College), ☏ +1 812-535-3277. 
  • 3 Bush Restaurant, 932 Locust St, ☏ +1 812-238-1148. 

Barbecue

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Chinese

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Deli

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Donuts

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  • Square Donuts Inc, 935 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-232-6463. This odd little place has amazing, fresh-made donuts. A must for breakfast one day on your visit to Terre Haute. Make sure to get napkins. 

European

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  • Harry and Bud's European Cuisine, 1440 South 25th Street. Across the street from Community Theatre. Open for lunch Monday through Saturday. A quirky little place with no sign. If the outside light is on, it's open. No menu! He will ask you what you want based on the ingredients on hand and then fix something. Definitely not fast food! 

Indian

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  • 6 Taj Mahal, 1349 South 3rd Street, ☏ +1 812-232-5947. Nicely redecorated former IHOP building, turned authentic Indian cuisine. Expect to pay $10-$15 for an entree that will feed two. Lots of chicken and lamb dishes, and several kinds of flatbread. 

Japanese

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Pizza

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  • Maurizio's, 2940 Wabash Ave and 5035 N. Lafayette Ave, ☏ +1 812-232-0633 (Wabash), +1 812-466-9645 (Lafayette). A fantastic locally-owned pizza place, that delivers within small distances from their stores. They feature the "747," an enormous pizza suitable for feeding at least 4 people. Definitely one of the better pizza places in Terre Haute. 
  • Wise Pies, 9 S 6th St, ☏ +1 812-917-4656. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-mdnight, Su 11AM-8PM. Thin-crust pizza by the slice or pie, plus salads and subs. 

Drink

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Coffee

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  • Java Haute, 3805 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-234-5282. This hip and a little funky coffee shop is a local hangout for everyone from young to old. Local artists have work on display. The 24/7/365 drive thru is awesome. Oh yeah, free wi-fi. 
  • Joe Muggs, 3362 S. U.S. Highway 41 (part of the Books-A-Million store), ☏ +1 812-232-0856. 

Beer

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  • Copper Bar, 810 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-238-0033. 
  • M. Moggers Eatery & Pub, 908 Poplar St, ☏ +1 812-234-9202. Moggers features about 170 beers from around the world, mostly bottled. This is an excellent place to go for good beer. 
  • Bar Bosco, 804 S. 7th St, ☏ +1 812-917-3298. Italian food and cocktails. 
  • Sonka's Irish Pub, 1366 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-234-8802. A great little pub located just east of downtown, this bar features many different kinds of beer and wine, but no liquor. The beer lineup is constantly changing, though you will always be able to find a pint of Guinness on tap. 
  • The Verve, 677 Wabash Ave, ☏ +1 812-234-9536. A great place to go to hear music, primarily rock and blues from local and regional bands. 

Sleep

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Budget

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Mid-range

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For easy access to I-70, there is a cluster of hotels off the Terre Haute Highway 41 exit:

Learn

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Unlike other cities its size, Terre Haute boasts five institutes of higher education:

  • Indiana State University. 200 N 7th St. . Founded in 1865, Indiana State University is a public university with around 10,000 students.
  • Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. 5500 Wabash Ave. . Founded in 1874, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is a private college with about 2,000 students. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks it the #1 undergraduate engineering institution in the United States.
  • Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN. . Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is a liberal arts college for women. Founded in 1840 by Indiana's first Catholic saint (Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, who is entombed on the campus), it is the nation's oldest Catholic college for women.
  • Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana.
  • Harrison College.

Stay safe

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  • Terre Haute is generally a safe city, but the same precautions for any other city apply here. Don't go out alone at night, don't flash money around and avoid the sections of town without streetlights, as crime tends to be higher there.
  • Although it is on the edge of Tornado Alley, Terre Haute does experience severe thunderstorms and the occasional tornado warning. Most of these occur in the spring and summer but there have been severe weather events in other months. There are sirens near Indiana State University, but they can only be heard within a mile of the campus. It is usually recommended to tune into local television or radio stations if there is a chance of severe weather.

Connect

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By phone

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Most telephone numbers in Terre Haute consist of +1 812 plus a seven-digit number, but the entire 812 area is now served by an overlay complex of two area codes, with 930 being the second. A local or in-state telephone call now requires all 10 digits of the local number be dialed (omitting just the leading +1 from a local landline call).

Signage on many established businesses may still display the original seven-digit numbers; dial 812 before these if no area code is indicated.

Go next

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Routes through Terre Haute
St. Louis ← Effingham ←  W  E  → Plainfield → Indianapolis
Chicago ← Kentland ←  N  S  → Vincennes → Evansville
Urbana ← Danville ←  W  E  → Vincennes → Louisville
END ←  W  E  → Spencer → Bloomington


This city travel guide to Terre Haute is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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