Madison is an early 19th Century community on the Ohio River in the southeast corner of Indiana. With a population of 12,000 today, it is a major tourist attraction because its entire downtown maintains its original character. In 2006 the downtown area – 133 square blocks – was named a National Historic Landmark District. It is still a vital modern community, living in its 19th Century shell. Most of the buildings house the normal functions of an active town, but many too have been turned into museum visitation sites.