The City of Jasper, Indiana

There are many attributes which make a community a desirable place to live. They are defined by the term Quality of Place. In Jasper, these qualities are best described in answers to simple questions:

Who's here?

Our significant commercial and international manufacturing sectors contribute to Jasper's diversity in welcoming new residents daily. With a work ethic unmatched by few other cities, Jasper's strength lies in blending our traditional families with those who have been invited to call us their home. This is accomplished through the cooperation of the business community, the faith community, the educational community and the philanthropic community. 

What's happening?

We are a community of action. It's been said if something needs to be accomplished give it to someone from Jasper and it will get done and done well. Public-private partnerships have invested several million dollars over the last ten years to build upon this unique characteristic along the Riverfront of the Patoka River.  Anchored by a 2.1 mile meandering Riverwalk, the redevelopment also includes the Jasper City Mill, a Train Depot and the amazing Spirit of Jasper Luxury Excursion Train - with specially-designed passenger cars featuring the talent of our local craftsmen. This renewal led to three Downtown Jasper projects completed:

River Centre – a mixed use residential, retail and hotel development right along the Patoka River. Visit: http://boxergirlllc.com/portfolio/

The Thyen-Clark Center – a joint venture bringing the Jasper Arts and the Jasper Public Library under one roof.

Through public/private/philanthropic partnership spearheaded by The Next Act, Inc., the historic Astra Theater reopened in 2018 as an extraordinary performance venue on the Jasper Square.
http://astratheater.com/

We are a community of arts, entertainment, education and opportunity.  We are doing something few others communities in the United States have done:  We are combining our award-winning municipal arts program with the Jasper Public Library bringing a unique combination of cultural development under one roof.

In addition, Jasper has the only municipally-funded arts department in the State of Indiana and is the only community twice honored with the coveted Governor's Arts Award.  The 700-seat Jasper Arts Center serves thousands of patrons annual with four different series of performances.  Area schools benefit from on-campus arts demonstrations and the annual Chalk Walk draws hundreds of homegrown artists who bring color to Jasper's downtown sidewalks with displays, demonstrations, hands-on activities, music and an Arts Market. Numerous festivals and events occur annually including the Strassenfest, a street festival honoring the City's German heritage, which draws thousands of people each August.

• Visit the Jasper Arts website  
• Visit the Jasper Strassenfest website

We are a community of civic-mindedness and charity. Volunteers abound in Jasper as they work on behalf of a myriad of causes providing a solid foundation for all elements of society.  Through traditional civic clubs, churches or niche organizations, Jasper has become a center of public service and philanthropy. As proof, the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center, the Astra and The Parklands of Jasper have received $8M in private contributions from fundraising efforts!

We are a community of recreation. Our city’s largest park – The Parklands of Jasper opened in 2018!  Situated on 75 acres in the center of our city, The Parklands of Jasper includes the former Jasper Country Club Golf Course and adjacent wooded acreage purchased through contributions by citizens and the Indiana Bicentennial Nature Trust.  With nearly 20 neighborhood parks, trails and sports complexes for softball, baseball and soccer, tennis and aquatics we provide activities for all lifestyles, from a park for special needs children to a nine acre campus for seniors at the Arnold F. Habig Community & Older American Center to competition horseshoes to Pickleball.  We have 18-hole and 9-hole municipal golf courses and a dog park, too.

• Visit the Jasper Parks & Recreation website  

Together, how can we make Jasper better?

Our goal is to never be satisfied with the way we are today; rather it is to strive for continual improvement.  As a citizen, you are a thread in the fabric of our community.  We welcome you and encourage you to become involved in Jasper. Obtain more information about the City of Jasper by emailing us.

Welcome to Jasper, Indiana, a wonderful place to live, work, raise a family and visit!

The City of Jasper, named one of America's 25 best small towns, is a thriving community located in the heart of scenic Southern Indiana.  The City of Jasper is dedicated to ensuring a premier municipality to its 17,000 residents and thousands of visitors through its beautiful park systems, arts and cultural offerings, safe neighborhoods, and quality public services. We hope you visit us often!

THE PARKLANDS OF JASPER 800 West 15th Street  Our new 75-acre central park is Indiana's Natural Destination. It features two miles of trails, 25 acres of woods, wetlands to be used for nature studies, and an indoor public event space, a signature bridge, splash pad, tree fort, musical playground and four exercise pods. For more information, visit the Parklands website in Jasper Parks
JASPER CITY MILL 160 Third Avenue 812.482.4924 or 812.482.5959 Constructed to resemble the former mill that once stood near the Patoka River, this structure is a signature addition to the "Old Jasper" district. Our city was named by the owners of the Enlow Mill and we've grown from the banks of the river. Guests can tour the mill, watch the workings of the waterwheel and corn meal production and browse for souvenir items for purchase in the gift shop. Embrace the serenity of the Patoka River while relaxing at the plaza/rest area.
SPIRIT OF JASPER TRAIN EXCURSIONS JASPER TRAIN DEPOT 201 Mill Street 812.482.5959 All aboard the Spirit of Jasper for a scenic excursion from the Jasper Train Depot. Ride in style on three beautifully renovated, climate-controlled lounge cars complete with restrooms, comfortable seating and a cash bar. Excursions to French Lick or an evening Ride & Dine or Sunday lunch prepared by the Schnitzelbank Restaurant. Additional special rides available on select dates and times throughout the year. Visit SpiritofJasperTrain.com for more information.
CITY OF JASPER GOLF COURSES Buffalo Trace Golf Course is an 18-hole, par 71, public course featuring Zoysia fairways and is located just minutes form Sultan's Run Golf Course and the heart of downtown Jasper. Ruxer Disc Golf Course is located at the former Alvin C. Ruxer Golf Course, this 18-hole course was designed by 2010 World Disc Golf Champion Eric McCabe.  The course offers optional basket locations and plays approximately 8,000 feet.  The 1.5 Mile concrete walking path is available to the public as well and ties into the 2.1 mile Jasper Riverwalk.   For more information, visit the Jasper Parks website.
RIVERWALK AND DAVE BUEHLER PLAZA This plaza/park area features restrooms, four shelter houses, fishing, boat access, grill, playground, horseshoe pits, and part of the Jasper Riverwalk, a 2.1 mile scenic paved, walking path that winds along the Patoka River. Many community events are held here. For inquiry on reserving the shelter houses, please contact Janessa Wolf at the Jasper Park & Rec. Office at 812-482-5959 or recdirector@jasperindiana.gov.
THYEN-CLARK CULTURAL CENTER 100 Third Avenue 812.482.3070 The Thyen-Clark Cultural Center is home to Jasper Community Arts and the Jasper Public Library. The facility features over 63,000 square feet of cultural enrichment in the heart of downtown Jasper.  The Arts Wing of the Cultural Center houses Jasper Community Arts' staff and features multiple galleries, workshops, private studios, and a Black Box Theatre. A small gift shop highlights items by local artists and rotates quarterly.  JASPER ARTS CENTER 951 College Avenue 812.482.3070 One of the finest entertainment, cultural, and educational venues in southern Indiana, this facility draws worldwide talent and experiences to an intimate setting. The 700-seat theater offers some of the highest quality professional performing arts events and programs currently on tour at affordable prices. The Jasper Arts Center is located adjacent to the Vincennes University Jasper Campus. To learn more, visit the Jasper Arts website.
JASPER STRASSENFEST http://www.jasperstrassenfest.org The German heritage of Jasper is celebrated at this annual five-day festival that draws over 30,000 visitors the first weekend in August. Centered around the Courthouse Square, booths offer German cuisine and children's games. The Bier Garten offers a place to meet old and new friends. German bands provide the Polka music. Other attractions include carnival rides, athletic races, fireworks, balloon race and a 100+-unit parade on Sunday.
JASPER YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX Baseball and Softball 1401 12th Avenue Completed in 2006, this baseball and softball complex played host to a national softball championship in its first season. All fields are lighted; complex includes 4 Little League fields, 2 Babe Ruth fields, 4 softball fields with 200' fence, 1 softball field with 220' fence, ten lighted batting cages, restroom facilities, three lighted parking lots, a concession stand and bleacher seating.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS Just a short drive south you'll find the nation's first theme park and top ranked water park at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari and Abraham Lincoln's Boyhood Home at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, To the east is Patoka Lake, a 25,290-acre recreation area and 8,880-acre lake, where you can swim, fish, boat, camp, bike, hike, and hunt. In the winter months, Paoli Peaks, in Paoli, provides a winter playground for snow-skiers, snow-tubers and snowboarders.
To the north east, the historic towns of French Lick and West Baden are thriving tourist destinations. West Baden Springs National Historic Landmark, once called the "Eighth Wonder of the World," is a six-story domed atrium and along with the grand French Lick Springs Resort has a casino and offers lodging, world class spas, pools, golfing and dining. Also nearby, Marengo Cave, a Natural Landmark, is a spectacular underground phenomenon to explore while Cave Country Canoes offers canoe trips down the scenic Blue River.
Local Visitor Information For a complete list of area attractions, dining options and lodging choices, please visit our tourism partner's website: Dubois County Visitors Center & Tourism Commission
Downtown From a thriving Cultural Center to mixed-use developments to a historic movie theater, downtown Jasper offers a wealth of opportunities for visitors.

Business in Jasper

Jasper is the center of commerce for a multi-county region of Southern Indiana. We are a City of Headquarters with more than a dozen regional, national and international companies calling Jasper home. With a daily workforce numbering more than our population, our economic engine is humming!  There are four primary categories of commerce in Jasper:

• Manufacturing
• Distribution/Logistics
• Medical
• Retail

Manufacturing is driven by locally-owned and operated companies with a global footprint.  Our world-renown products include office, hospitality, home and institutional furnishings, electronics, elastomers and drive trains.  The investment in the Center for Technology, Information and Manufacturing on the campus of Vincennes University Jasper continues the dedication to a competent and competitive workforce.  With an ISO Rating of 4, Jasper's infrastructure is ready to help you prosper.

Our Distribution/Logistics sector was founded upon the need to get our manufactured products to market and it has grown to include several large online and catalog distribution companies which are able to reach 80% of the United States in less than a day via fleet services.

On the medical front, Jasper is home to Memorial Hospital & Health Care Center, a regional facility employing more than 1,700 staff providing Dubois and surrounding counties with primary, specialty and emergency services.  MHHCC is affiliated with the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center.  

Jasper delivers shopping, dining and entertainment to residents and the workforce it supports on a daily basis.  Leading with a strong downtown experience and spreading to shopping centers along other thoroughfares, the retail and commercial segments of our economy are rooted in local ownership.  

We have a history of entrepreneurship and growth and there's no better key to success than to be around other successful people and companies.  The City of Jasper Community Development & Planning Department is geared to assist the business community.  From online permits to zoning to guiding major industry through incentive programs, doing business is what we do.  The City of Jasper offers a tax abatement process through its Economic Development Commission and has established a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district via the Redevelopment Commission.

Jasper is currently undergoing a city-wide fiber optics buildout in cooperation with Smithville Fiber.  This endeavor represents a $16 million private investment by Smithville without using any tax monies.    

Quick Links  

• See the links under "In this Category" on the right-hand section of this page for business-related links
• Smithville Fiber Information