Miami County (pop. 36,903) is east of Cass County. It’s one of three Miami counties – the others are in Kansas and Ohio.
Miami County in 1895
The county seat of Miami County is the city of Peru (pop. 11,417), on the Wabash River. Peru reached its peak population of 14,453 in 1960.
Miami County Courthouse (1910)
Peru was the hometown of Cole Porter (1891-1964), composer of Broadway shows such as “Anything Goes” and “Kiss Me Kate.” He is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Peru.
Peru has an annual Cole Porter Festival.
Porter’s childhood home is now both a museum and the Cole Porter Inn, with guest rooms called the Cole Porter Suite, the Anything Goes Suite, and the Night and Day Suite.
He lived there for his first 10 years.
The Miami County Museum has exhibits on Cole Porter, early pioneers, and Native Americans, as well as a large military collection.
Porter’s 1955 Fleetwood Cadillac
For many years (ending in 1941), Peru was the winter home of several circuses, including the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Today, the former winter quarters is the home of the International Circus Hall of Fame.
Peru, and much of Indiana, suffered devastating damage in the Wabash River flood of March 1913.
This circus elephant was one of the fatalities.
Grissom Air Reserve Base, southwest of Peru, is the home of the Grissom Air Museum, with a collection of 28 aircraft.
Established in 1982
The 37-mile Nickel Plate Trail is a bike trail on the former right-of-way of the New York, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad (Nickel Plate Road). It runs through Miami County, going from Fulton County in the north to Howard County in the south.
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