By Nichole Thomas

Along the Ohio River in southeastern Indiana is Switzerland County, known as the birthplace of Indiana’s wine industry and one of the Midwest’s most distinctly Swiss communities. The county is also home to Patriot, one of the state’s smallest incorporated towns, with a population of roughly 200 residents.

From store to stage

The Hoosier Theater in Vevay is one of the oldest commercial buildings in Switzerland County. Built in 1837 along the Ohio River, it originally served as a warehouse and general store. Over the years, the building has housed a saddlery, post office, tavern, and newspaper offices before being converted into a movie theater in 1926. After the theater closed in 1955, the building was vacant for nearly three decades until residents formed Historic Vevay, Inc. and restored the landmark. Reopened in 1987, the Hoosier Theater now serves as a community performing arts venue with plays, concerts, and more.

A toast to tradition

In the early 1800s, Swiss winemakers settled in what is now Vevay, named after their hometown in Switzerland. The Swiss Wine Festival, which honors the area’s winemaking traditions, has been held each August since 1968. The four-day festival runs Thursday through Sunday and attracts more than 20,000 people. Visitors can enjoy grape stomps, wine tastings of more than 100 Indiana wines, carnival rides, and live music. 

King of Vevay Hill

Fred was a white billy goat born in 2000 who became a local legend in Switzerland County after repeatedly escaping his pen at the county’s 4-H fair. He eventually made an abandoned house along SR 56 his home, roaming the nearby woods and helping himself to food from nearby gardens. Locals often spotted him standing atop Vevay Hill, which became his favorite place to overlook the town. After his death in 2013, he was buried along SR 56, where a rock collection marks his grave. Today, a concrete statue of Fred stands on Vevay Hill in his honor. No one knows who placed the statue there, but it’s still dressed up for holidays and special occasions throughout the year. The Switzerland County Tourism Office also sells concrete statues of Fred, and they are displayed around the county in tribute. 

County facts

FOUNDED: 1814

NAMED FOR: The country of Switzerland

POPULATION: 9,737

COUNTY SEAT: Vevay

INDIANA COUNTY NUMBER: 78