~by Bob Gustin
The Abe Martin Lodge at Brown County State Park has two very busy seasons. The most obvious one is June to November, stretching through the summer months and the iconic autumn months where thousands of tourists come to see the fall colors.
The other is spring break, which begins in mid-March, and goes through April.
“That’s when the park starts to wake up,” said Lori McGee, sales director for the lodge. Wildflowers are in bloom, the horse barns and nature center are open, and it is a great time for a mini-vacation, she said.
But the lodge is busy year-round, with some dates being booked up to two years in advance.
While the lodge itself is an attraction, the natural beauty of the park and nearby activities also draw visitors. McGee notes the park is just a few miles from Nashville, known for its arts and crafts, its shopping district, and sense of history. Located in Indiana’s largest state park, it’s also the largest lodge in the system. Abe Martin has 84 rooms in the lodge itself, plus family cabins, cabin suites, and rustic cabins. The lodge also features more than 6,000 square feet of banquet and conference rooms, wedding venues, an aquatic center, a restaurant, and gift shop. There are also outdoor spaces, a game room, lobby areas with fireplaces, and more. The lodge has up to 140 employees during peak seasons.
Cyrus Andrews, general manager for the lodge, said it was opened in 1934, and originally featured 18 rooms. The Allison Peabody room, now a special events venue, was the first lobby for the lodge.
The lodge was named for Abe Martin, a central character in a popular comic feature created by Kin Hubbard for the Indianapolis News from 1904 to 1930 and syndicated to over 300 newspapers. The comic combined a drawing of the rustic, bearded Abe Martin with insightful observations on the human condition.
All the rooms or cabins which have names honor other characters from the comic series.
Andrews smiles as he says sometimes visitors say they are related to Abe Martin, a claim he knows isn’t true, since Martin was a fictional character, a backwoods philosopher.
An annex to the lodge was built in 1988, and the lodge has been updated several times. Most recent improvements include the remodeling of the east wing in 2020-21, and the addition of massive standby generators, which will power the lodge in case of electrical outages.
The aquatic center was added in 2008. It includes a twisty water slide, a “lazy river ” stream, and large hot tub. Admission is included in room rates, and wristbands are available for $20 per day for non-guests.
The lodge’s Little Gem Restaurant is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. It is known for its fried chicken, tenderloins, and fresh biscuits with apple butter.
The gift shop specializes in outdoor and Indiana merchandise, including children’s games and puzzles, clothing, jewelry, and toys. Andrews said an effort is being made to carry more locally made gifts.
Three of the park’s hiking trails are accessible near the lodge, including one which leads to a historic amphitheater built in 1935.
Andrews also pointed out artwork by local artists which adorn public spaces in the lodge, as well as historic artifacts and explanations of Kin Hubbard and Abe Martin.
The 16,000-acre Brown County State Park attracts about 1.5 million visitors each year, and the lodge brings in more money than it spends, with excess revenue going into improvements at the lodge, and helping improve facilities at other state parks. The Department of Natural Resources funds infrastructure at the park and lodge.
The price for an overnight stay at the lodge varies depending on the accommodations and the season. During the slower period from December through February, the lodge offers special rates of two nights for the price of one. That’s what attracted recent visitors Roger and Nancy Brubaker of Eaton, Ohio, to the lodge. The couple said they have stayed at most of the state park lodges in Indiana, and made the return to Abe Martin Lodge after first staying there about six years ago.
The Brown County Music Center also brings visitors in search of overnight stays to the park, and Indiana University sporting events do the same, Andrews said.
While the park and its lodge are well known to Hoosiers and residents of surrounding states, McGee said sometimes residents of Brown County and its closest neighbors are unaware of what it has to offer.
To attract more local and regional visitors, the lodge is reaching out with advertising, school field trips, appearances at vendor fairs, conventions, and bridal shows. Social media is also being utilized.
“People come here for the scenery, the history, and the amazing customer service they get,” Andrews said. The lodge’s goal is guest retention, and interaction with the staff is a big part of that. You cannot train people to be nice, he said, instead you have to hire nice people.
“We always strive to do better.”
The Abe Martin Lodge & Cabins are located at 1405 State Road 46, just east of Nashville. The front desk can be reached at 812-988-4418. For more information, visit
https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/inns/abe-martin-lodge-at-brown-county-state-park