Considered the best surviving example of a pre-civil war small Indiana town in existence, Story was settled nine years before the Civil War by Dr. George Story. It lies on the edge of the Hoosier National Forest and was once the largest community in scenic Brown County.

But by the early 1970s, the last store closed its door and the last resident moved away. All that remained were a handful of buildings and two Gold and Red Crown Standard gas pumps in front of the Story General Store where menu items included pickled boloney and Nehi soda pop.

Even the road west, which had once connected Story to Bloomington, home of Indiana University, dead ended after the land was flooded to create Lake Monroe. It did appear to literally be the end of the road for this little town.

The Story Inn

But now, the old general store, built at the beginning of the 1900s, has been transformed into the Story Inn, a delightful restaurant and inn.