arts in the area and has a ongoing schedule of theatrical performances. The Southern Indiana Center for the Arts (SICA) is a not-for-profit organization operated by a volunteer board of directors and an executive director owned by the Mellencamp family since 1991 that provides art education and helps draw attention to the area of Jackson County as an art conscious region. The yearly Oktoberfest celebrates the city's German heritage and has been held since 1973. Scoop the Loop is a local weekend car show that started in 2011 but can trace its origins back to the years following WWII. The H. Vance Swope Memorial Art Gallery was created at the bequest of the artist and relative of then-mayor Allen Swope and contains works by regional artists. Until 2019, Seymour was the last town in the United States to celebrate Victory over Japan Day with a local parade. Beginning in 1946, the parade was held annually for 73 years until the local VFW voted to discontinue the tradition. National Register of Historic Places Transportation Railroads The Pennsylvania Railroad succeeded the Jeffersonville Railroad (built northward). A Chessie System caboose is placed in front of the Blish Mill grain tower. The Ohio and Mississippi Railway, built westward, was acquired by the Baltimore & Ohio in 1893. It has been operated by CSX since 1986. The Evansville & Richmond Railroad (after 1910 the Chicago, Terre Haute & Southeastern Railroad (CTH&SE), or "the Milwaukee") was built eastward toward Richmond, reached Seymour in 1890, and connected with New York Central in Westport. Trackage east of Seymour was "cut off" in 1961, and operations to Bedford closing in 1978. The Interstate Public Service interurban lines reached Seymour from Columbus in October 1907. Interstate merged into Midland United Company, leased to Indiana Railway, and all trains south of Seymour stopped running to Louisville in September 1939. Operations continued north of Seymour to Indianapolis until a collision on September 8, 1941, that wrecked "the majority of the line's rolling stock." Interstates Interstate 65 US Highways Indiana State Roads Annual events Oktoberfest celebrates German heritage in Seymour. The festival is held the first weekend of October annually. Pepsi Plunge is annual age group swim meet that typically takes place in July of each year at the city pool in Shield's Park. This competitive event typically gathers near 1,000 competitive swimmers. The home-club for this swim meet is Seymour Swimming, coached