Plainfield is a community of values.
One thing to expect while living in Plainfield is our town values. At the core of our community is a unified value system that represents what our people believe is most important. That includes values like justice, kindness, integrity, and many others. But the focus of our value system has always been family. When family and values are strong in our community, then our people benefit from our positive, welcoming culture!
Our Community of Values Program first began in 1991, when the school superintendent organized the initiative. He and a group of community leaders surveyed the town to identify their most important values. And then they promoted the top 12 values throughout the community, from classrooms to churches. Each month has its own value, and you’ll often see the Value of the Month around town. This program also led to the beginning of the Community Organizations Group, which brings together representatives from various local organizations. Together, they’ve accomplished many major projects to improve our community.
Our town also hosts a wide array of community events. These events are our way of keeping Plainfield’s small-town feel despite our growing population. Annually, the town hosts seasonal events at the Richard A. Carlucci Recreation & Aquatic Center to celebrate the holidays.
One of my favorite community celebrations is the Plainfield International Festival! The festival invites people to come together and celebrate the diverse cultures in our community with food, dance, and art. Attendees get an event passport which they can stamp at each booth they visit, creating a fun visual representation of everything they’ve learned! With free admission and endless activities, it’s no surprise why this festival has quickly become a beloved town tradition.
Raise your family in a community with quality schools.
From kindergarten to graduation, Plainfield is a town that cares about giving its residents a quality education. The Plainfield Community School Corporation (PCSC) is home to nearly 5,900 K-12 students and more than 600 dedicated employees.
Our district consistently ranks among the best in the state and has earned multiple Four Star School awards. Recently, Van Buren Elementary School was also recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Distinction. And with four elementary schools feeding into one middle and one high school, our students have many opportunities to explore a wide array of curricular and extracurricular activities.
For residents who’ve already graduated, the Plainfield Town Council recently established a dedicated community center for higher education. The MADE@Plainfield Higher Education Center is a collaboration between Ivy Tech, Vincennes University, WorkOne, Hendricks College Network, and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
This higher education center allows students of all ages to enroll in courses and advance their careers. The center offers courses in medical assisting, information technology, accounting and business, industrial maintenance, robotics, and more! So, if you’re in the area, I’d definitely suggest looking into their programs. There’s always room to grow and learn, and that’s the best part about life!
Explore fun things to do in Plainfield.
Whether you’re a nature lover or a true foodie, Plainfield has plenty of things to do and places to explore. Inside of town, Plainfield has lots of scenic parks and a winding trail network, connecting you with nature. The majority of our parks are all along the White Lick Creek and are linked together by a corresponding trail. So, you can easily spend the day walking from greenspace to greenspace!
In the same area, you can also stop by the Al & Jan Barker Sports Complex for local baseball, football, and soccer games. And just a short drive away, you can explore the 210-acre Sodalis Nature Park. Sodalis even has a pond that’s perfect for going fishing!
If you want to soak up the summertime sun, then there’s no better place than the Splash Island Waterpark. Splash Island is part of the local Plainfield Recreation & Aquatic Center with both indoor and outdoor activities. During the summer, families and friends come to enjoy water slides, float on the lazy river, and swim in a six-lane competition pool. And at the indoor aquatic center, they offer swimming lessons, aerobic classes, and space for birthday parties all year long.
For me, I’m a total foodie at heart, and I highly recommend getting a taste of Plainfield! One of my favorite restaurants here is the Oasis Diner. The Oasis is an authentic 1954 diner located on Plainfield’s Historic National Road. Their outstanding menu serves loaded biscuits and gravy, tasty burgers, mouth-watering desserts, and more. But the Oasis is just the beginning! Our local restaurants also offer a wide range of cuisines like Mexican, Italian, and Indian food right here in our backyard.
Plainfield is committed to preserving our history.
Over the years, Plainfield has invested in many projects to preserve the character of some of our most notable buildings. Recently, the town acquired the Prewitt Theatre on Main Street and partnered with a private developer to preserve the building. Now that the restoration is complete, the Prewitt Theatre is a New Americana restaurant and lounge, serving trendy co*cktails and delicious dishes while showcasing live music and more!
The town also partnered with the Oasis Diner to relocate it to its new home in the center of town. This project was a direct effort to save this historic and iconic local restaurant. Now, the diner is hugely successful and prominently located on US 40. This project truly shows how Plainfield honors our history while supporting the small businesses that make our town vibrant.
Another preservation project involved transforming a historic iron bridge into a trail crossing over White Lick Creek at Friendship Gardens. And the town also restored the old Interurban Depot Train Station on Vine Street.
Originally built in 1906, the depot was eventually purchased by the American Legion after the interurban stopped running. Then, after ownership transferred to the town, the building was restored and dedicated to community use in 2003. Now, the depot is managed by the Parks Department, offering programs and private rentals for meetings, family gatherings, and events.
These projects demonstrate how Plainfield gives careful consideration to our town, always doing the ‘right project for the right reasons.’ Many of our residents value Plainfield’s unique character, and the Town Council celebrates that history through their ongoing preservation efforts. In fact, it’s that dedication and small-town feel that makes Plainfield feel like home!
