WorldAtlas, billed as one of the largest publishing resources in the geography and other topics it covers, including sociology, demography, environment, economics, politics, and travel, has named Albion one of the “9 Prettiest Towns in Indiana” in October 2023.
WorldAtlas noted “old trees lining the streets, and buildings showing off their 19th and early 20th-century architecture,” and the courthouse, which it considered “a striking historical structure” in the article published.
Noble County’s courthouse is currently undergoing a major renovation and restoration expected to cost in the neighborhood of $12 million and be completed by early 2025. This project comes on the heels of the completion of an all-new courthouse annex, located on the west side of the courthouse square, that was completed in 2022. That project came in around $14.5 million and provides Albion another gathering space for occasional community events that occur on the courthouse square.
Located a short drive from Chain O’Lakes State Park, one of the state’s top-performers in the outdoor recreation space, Albion is a somewhat unusual county seat with a residential population of only about 2,300 people. Three larger communities also dot the Noble’s Northeast Indiana countryside, including Avilla, Ligonier, and Kendallville, the county’s largest commercial center. Albion is no doubt smaller, but is the geographic center of the county and home to an historic district anchored by a looming structure that was voted one of the “Top 10 Most Beautiful Courthouses” in Indiana in a 2016 poll. The survey was held during the state’s bicentennial celebration.
Albion’s courthouse square district is continuously a bustling center of activity, with rarely a commercial vacancy to note. Locally-owned boutique shops, eateries, and a brewery help attract many visitors. Albion and the surrounding areas are full of opportunities for outdoor recreation, with more lakes than any nearby county, and a variety of museums and attractions for all ages to enjoy. These things have helped make Noble County a popular destination for tourists and special interests.
Noble’s county seat has enjoyed accolades from WorldAtlas twice in 2023. In May, Albion was listed in an article titled “These 8 Towns in Indiana Have The Best Main Streets.”
The work of the Albion STAR Team, a participant in the Indiana Main Street Program and member of the Office of Community and Rural Affairs Downtown Affiliate Network, was cited in the May article by WorldAtlas. Albion STAR Team brings community events to the square throughout the year and strives to help maintain the viability and attractiveness of downtown. A large mural, completed in 2020, depicts a fox. It inspired a coffee shop that opened on the courthouse square in 2021 to adopt the name The Fox Den.
