T.C. Steele State Historic Site

The staff was very friendly, professional.Young man who was the tour guide was refreshing.Quite knowledgeable of every aspect of Steele's history. Didnt sound like a script, was very clear and learned, spoke as if in a conversation at your home, but he knew dates, and details of the period of the Steele's legacy. Ive worked at museums all of my life and was quite impressed. We attended in the winter but will return when the weather is much warmer, so to enjoy the grounds.

Beautiful grounds, interesting history. Lovely trails we purchased a tour for 11$, totally worth it! The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and offered plenty of time for questions! The gift shop is super cute as well. Highly recommend.

Very impressed with this historic site! I've visited Nashville many, many times and had no idea that it existed. The grounds are extensive and well maintained. This visitor's center is modern and quite nice. The restroom was clean. Tours are at set times so check the website.

What a beautiful spot. I've been to Nashville many times, but this is my first visit here. Highly recommend! The grounds are beautiful, and this really gives you an appreciation for the artist's work. There are quite a few walking trails. They are bit rugged, but I'm proud to say my 80 y.o. Mom did it! We had a delightful tour of the home and studio, compliments of the intern, Gabbie. Her passion for the artist really added to our enjoyment.

When an unexpected warm weather day occurred in February, I headed south to Brown County, just a short driving distance south west of Nashville to the TC Steele State Historic Site. This 211 acre home and nature preserve was the location where Indiana's most famous painter spent much of his last 20 years living and finding subject matter for his landscape paintings. In 1907, Steele had this home built as a summer studio and living quarters for himself and his second wife Selma. While Steele painted, his new wife took it upon herself to adapt to the isolation of living on a rural hill top without running water (buckets of water were originally hauled by the neighbor boys who made the daily 2 mile trek!) and transformed a wilderness into a place that could be beautifully landscaped and become self-sustaining. Note: For anyone who wants to know more about the biography of TC & Selma Steele, I recommend "The House of the Singing Winds" which has the writings of both Steele and Selma, and Wilber D. Peat. The grounds are open to be explored at no cost, but for anyone who is interested in viewing Steele's Large Studio (filled with dozens of Steele paintings) and the House of the Singing Winds, you will need to stop in the office and sign up for a tour. I was fortunate to be the only one on my tour at 10:15, so I got a private tour and was able to take lots of photos of the site AND the paintings. While I waited for the tour to begin, I explored the gift shop where they have lots of Steele inspired items and prints. I especially thought the bowls turned from the Big Black Oak which Steele painted in several of his pieces were cool. Unfortunately, the Big Black Oak fell a couple years ago and wiped out the north entrance to the site, so I had to drive a little farther to the south entrance to park. Fortunately, the south entrance is closer to the home and studio. My tour guide took me to the Large Studio first. This barn-like structure features large north windows that let a ton of light into the building without causing large shadows that could affect the look of the painting. Steele often painted landscapes on site, but also used photographs and his memory to capture details and the feeling of the sites he visited. Within the Large Studio, the paintings hang on the other three walls and are grouped in relative chronological order. The east wall is from his early period and features many portraits and the time in Munich where he lived for five years studying in the schools there to develop his style and talent. The south wall has paintings from Brookville and his trip to the far west (post death of his first wife). The west wall is mainly landscapes from the Brown County and Bloomington years. The changes in style are quite significant between the east and west wall. The west wall is vibrant with color while the Munich days were muted because of the influence of his teachers wanting the students to paint dark and muted colors as inspired by Rembrandt. The House of the Singing Winds is the frequently expanded home where Steele and Selma lived. Steele designed the home without any input of his fiance, so there were some definite problems like a kitchen with no room for cabinets and a flue with too many twists that made the kitchen intolerably hot and smoky when the ash would clog the flue. Most of the home renovation has been completed with just one area in the back awaiting attention. Nearly all the furnishings are those owned by the couple. Selma could have made life easier for herself by selling off Steele's property when he passed away in 1926. But she managed to find ways to keep most of the belongings and then turn them over to the State as a tribute to her husband and to a way of life that has significant history for our state. If you are looking for a getaway in Brown County, why not go here and avoid the large crowds at the other state park. There are several trails that are free to explore and some views that inspired the greatest painter in our state's history.Review #230

This place is a real gem! Gardens and hardscaped stone stairways, frog ponds, trickling streams, guided tours, plein air setups and a story area for kids. What's not to love?!

Gorgeous trails and a great place to see spring wildflowers. Free to walk around and enjoy the grounds!

This is a hidden gem! An artist friend told me to check this place out and I'm glad I listened to her. After a harrowing drive up and down some Brown County Hills -- including the steepest driveway into this site! -- we arrived at the T C Steele home. For $5 per person, my husband, his mom and I were treated to an hour-long tour of T C Steele's studio and home. I gotta admit, I had no idea who this guy was; after seeing his work, I am embarrassed. He was really, really good. The house is stunning and still in the process of being restored. We were able to see several rooms, however, and also got to see the kitchen, which is the next room to be open to the public. Works displayed in the studio are rotated. The tour guide told us that, 20 years ago, one painting alone had an insurance value of $250,000. The next time you are in Brown County, be sure to make plans for this place. Our tour group was small -- 7 people in all -- and it was a really nice experience.

My husband and I love history, art, and spending time in nature, and last Saturday, we discovered a gem that appeals to all these interests. The T. C. Steele State Historic Site in Brown, County, Indiana, is a truly enchanting place to visit. The setting itself is absolutely beautiful and inviting, and the tour is a definite must! Our guide, Grant, really knows his stuff and shared fascinating insights about T. C. Steele, his family and friends, his paintings, and the peaceful estate he called home. We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon there and will definitely be back!Visited on November 16, 2024