indiana located east central portion state indiana county named judge speaker long time chief justice created divided county seat incorporated cities incorporated town located county county site numerous unincorporated communities ghost towns occupying square miles km2 fourth smallest county indiana census county population people households based population county 8th smallest county indiana interstate highways located indiana state roads cross county additional state road located county southeast border county railroad lines north south route crosses county intersects second railroad line connects communities west arrival european american settlers 1830s northeastern portion future briefly site indian reservation chief miami tribe european american pioneers typically farmers settled near rivers land drainage suitable agriculture originally county land available farming marshes cleared drained years small communities slowly developed county county rail lines constructed 1860s 1870s additional communities evolved railroad stops beginning late 1880s discovery natural gas crude oil county surrounding region caused area undergo economic boom period known manufacturers relocated area advantage low cost energy railroad facilities boom period lasted years reflected population peaked new construction associated additional prosperity boom period caused significant upgrade county appearance wooden buildings replaced structures brick stone infrastructure built time remains today including historic buildings agriculture continues important county important loss large manufacturers 20th century today percent covered corn fields additional crops wheat hay grown geography according census total area square miles km2 square miles km2 land square miles km2 water making fourth smallest county state county located miles south indiana miles northeast indianapolis north county eastern county separates indiana border state ohio located southern border west county land flattened glaciers millions years ago glaciers responsible rich farmland available county cleared drained early 20th century known statewide quality cattle horses county small streams lakes lakes man flowing indiana east crosses northeast corner big little flow westward jackson southern half county early settlers attracted nearby land suitable drainage farming county lakes include lake blue water spring fed stone quarry located mile east lakes group lakes created lake originally intended water supply farmer cattle harrison original county named president george_washington created june county commissioners thought named president created commissioners september communities incorporated cities located county small portion city occupies county southeast corner largest city county seat located southern half county population peak incorporated city located southern banks northeastern county population peak achieved half unofficial peak estimated city oil boom small portion city known located portion located population entire city incorporated town achieving status community indiana years population road maps typically unincorporated communities named roll named post office named communities listed ghost towns nearly businesses communities closed residences maintained communities listed populated places roll post offices 19th 20th centuries extinct settlements communities exist anymore cases church farm single residence remains extinct community location communities post offices 19th century post office lasted community railroad stop southern post office 1870s community railroad stop post office 1870s community church school bestowed community condition area school began lasted greenland located north east little chicago located northwest corner community 1890s railroad stop grain elevator post office general store oil fields located nearby north east community railroad stop housing farm employees located 1890s 1920s listed populated place population farm washington township land community purchased original owner established church school general store established location owner community namesake decade 20th century general store closed contributing demise community community located southeastern exact location known post office town luck located harrison township north east south miles east history following thousands years varying cultures indigenous peoples historic miami delaware indians recorded permanent settlers area living reserve treaty site located east allotted miami indian chief francis allowed stay miami tribe powerful group indians region half french chiefs sold reserve indians migrated west european american enter future land owner entered july sons built county mill located family farm brief period land western act approved january created effective march december motion review dividing resolution adopted communities originally existed communities located northeast portion founded arriving village oldest community site county largest water mill mill constructed considered finest state community located west led community started groups settlers vermont vermont natives named settlement capital home state county oldest community sources claim created law finalized indiana bill house originally creation county named windsor windsor replaced house_of_representatives january act formation county approved february act intended county open business monday april april county organized finally january original february act amended stating shall enjoy rights privileges independent county act appointed commissioners corrected defined southeast corner new county years political battle continued location county seat tiny community repeatedly selected commissioners decisions challenged individuals favoring township location community populous township county community county oldest community fourth act finalized location county seat construction courthouse began discovered community indiana named eventually renamed years county grew slowly plans roads railroads drained railroad line authorized plan connect indiana cities running north south communities work constructing railroad line began 1850s completed connecting delay caused second railroad operate time railroad began operations named acquired railroad railroad operate crossed somewhat east west county southern half railroad named time entered line proposed completed running communities small community renamed communities established line railroad eventually named pittsburgh cincinnati names railroad time include panhandle division portion line abandoned track removed south state road gas boom natural gas discovered counties adjacent discoveries small community south railroad line city portland east formed early successfully natural gas later year company organized spring natural gas found crude oil found county somewhat successful oil located south began producing thought heart greatest natural gas oil field world oil found parts including thought phenomenal america natural gas companies companies headquartered county including communities roll june people held manufacturing jobs transformed region manufacturers moved area utilize natural gas railroad system indiana state visited manufacturing facilities companies employed people compare decades earlier additional manufacturing employees county small communities glass factory added count county largest employers glass factories american window glass plant number glass company resources low cost energy railroads workforce especially favored glass factories lists addition economic transformation gas boom upgrade appearance county landmark buildings constructed gas boom including current courthouse surrounding buildings courthouse square historic district city built period additional buildings include historic buildings downtown historic district constructed gas boom historic constructed early 1900s near end gas boom post gas boom gradually came end decade 20th century end gas boom meant prosperity county gas oil workers left manufacturers moved service industries forced close cut operations fewer customers adding county problems machines labor intensive method originally producing window glass obsolete causing county skilled glass workers large american window glass plant lose jobs window glass plant county largest employer closed according population peaked returned years later end gas boom especially difficult smaller communities county loss single business impact communities town businesses case community major manufacturer glass factory closed communities loss gas oil workers meant local post office waste time consumer demand general store significantly diminished improvements automobile highways coincided end gas boom contributed decline county smaller communities automobile changed business shopping patterns expense small town merchant small town residents began drive larger communities purchase goods wider selection improved quality automobiles roads competed passenger service railroads lines causing decline passenger traffic rails small towns associated railroad stations suffered loss traffic passenger service line owned time discontinued train ran january natural gas oil workers left area gas oil boom population eventually stabilized grew manufacturers remained county largest cities lack better alternatives major employer continued operations 1950s leaders attracted businesses overhead door replace companies left area overhead door major employer years major setback community involving overhead door occurred 1980s began 1960s 1960s overhead door moved headquarters dallas texas manufacturing plant continued major employer 1980s overhead door cut local operations facility finally closed county lost major employer key plant closed people lost jobs agriculture continues important factor county economy percent land occupied corn fields additional crops livestock raised good returns agriculture reflected economy nearby towns industrial agriculture reduced number workers needs family farms declined small towns corn belt communities continue decline size demographics united states census population density inhabitants square mile km2 average indiana inhabitants square mile km2 people households families residing borders racial makeup county percent white percent black african american percent native american percent asian percent races percent races hispanic latino origin percent population average household size average family size families accounted percent county households percent families included husband wife living children age living percent family households non family households accounted percent total households percent occupied living people years older living accounted percent non family households percent types households terms age distribution percent population age percent years age older median age years females males females age males median income household county median income family males median income versus females capita income county percent families percent population poverty line including percent age percent age terms ancestry percent german percent american percent irish percent english government county government constitutional body granted specific powers constitution indiana indiana code county council legislative branch county government controls spending revenue collection representatives elected county districts council members serve year terms responsible setting salaries annual budget special spending council limited authority impose local taxes form income property tax subject state level approval taxes service taxes county approximately million district schools million county operations services total annual budget approximately million executive body county board commissioners commissioners elected county wide terms serves year term commissioners typically senior serves president commissioners charged executing acts council collecting revenue managing day day functions county government president board commissioners county maintains small claims court handle civil cases judge court elected term years member judge assisted constable elected year term cases court decisions appealed state level circuit court county elected offices including sheriff treasurer recorder surveyor circuit court clerk elected officers serves term years oversees different county government members elected county government positions required declare party residents county trustee rural fire protection ambulance service provides poor relief manages cemetery care duties trustee assisted duties member township board trustees board members elected year terms based census results indiana 6th congressional district district district climate weather typical humid continental seasonal climate climate classification distinct seasons winters cold moderate snowfall summers warm humid recent years average temperatures county seat ranged low january high july record low recorded january record high recorded june average monthly precipitation ranged inches february inches june march april considered tornado season indiana endured category storm palm sunday april storm occurred midwest day category maximum speeds miles hour crossed farmland east roll fatalities tornado people killed neighboring county experienced recent occurred rated category scale dangerous category record hail hail inches diameter fell april tie city hail stones largest recorded state indiana biggest recorded snow storm great occurred january federal state emergency declared indiana time indiana governor authorized use national_guard equipment facilities personnel state low temperatures high winds deep snow caused look like ghost town schools businesses closed wind gusts miles hour caused feet high making travel type truck automobile impossible viable means transportation volunteers provided emergency assistance economy economy supported labor force approximately workers unemployment rate june percent industrial parks located cities served railroad line owned employers varying size located county employees locations currently largest manufacturer county located purchase business employing people located leading employer people working facility categories employment account percent employment county manufacturing government retail trade health care largest category manufacturing accounts percent county employed workforce addition local businesses larger local economies populous counties south west offer employment commerce particularly city city counties employ workers local workforce provide agriculture significant impact county farm workers account percent county workers county farms occupying acres roughly percent farmland nearly acres devoted cultivation corn wheat hay grown livestock include pigs transportation interstate highways interstate passes miles west county western border route shares portion route area enter state road enters county south passing neighboring passes directly north leaves county near roll continuing north state road runs west east north end county way ohio border passes state road runs west east entering neighboring passing crosses state road going enters way ohio border state road runs eastern border county miles goes north terminates reaches state road norfolk railroad line enters county south leaving runs mile east state road reaches northeast passes continues north owns east west line located southern half county mile section line abandoned decade track removed line service north state road october indianapolis pursued agreement operate east west line line currently appear indianapolis system map education health care county public schools administered school year total students attended schools county school system reorganized county wide vote favored single school system entire county result decision graduated classes new high school serving entire county constructed time school year like county new high school named called school located miles north somewhat near center county school designed students initial enrollment totaled students serving grades current high school enrollment students grades attend county served elementary schools 1980s decreased number elementary schools serves grades classes hosts grades students grades attend universities located close located adjacent counties miles largest known located south home ivy private school located west private school miles west cities public libraries built building known library possible grant philanthropist business magnate library added national_register_of_historic_places public library possible grant built required local towns fundraising match grants commit operating libraries construction women groups instrumental organizing fundraising libraries time construction library located belongs museum housed building located staff people serves county blood pressure provided addition educational services emergency county hospital bed facility located north facility opened january includes medical office building ambulance garage media newspaper started ran drug store print shop times source considers started later county newspaper possibly times advertising county published newspaper predecessor town long time newspaper herald county daily newspaper evening news started newspaper eventually renamed cox death 1930s cox family sold owners combined entity changing ownership years continued operations 20th century 21st century newspaper began calls county daily newspaper major television markets reach indianapolis lower powered stations located closer cities stations typically broadcast range covers radio stations based plenty nearby areas stations broadcast range includes indianapolis plenty stations broadcast range radio stations located portions county rural areas internet access available notable people born portland indiana family moved indiana graduated ford holds academic degrees retired active duty colonel united_states_air_force pilot space shuttle discovery august flight logged hours outer space october ford began voyage outer space time journey aboard russian spacecraft destination president lived indiana died pioneer development garage doors holds numerous patents johnson notable electric operator upward acting doors johnson overhead door corporation major employer years employing people peak years born august small farm graduating college indiana served superintendent schools superintendent schools representative indiana general assembly elected indiana lieutenant governor won election governor served single year term allowed law public service indiana served administration president worked agriculture related offices legacy directing school buses painted yellow safety identification purposes idea spread nationwide decorated female athletes history earning big player year awards big women golf champion native indiana later competed inducted
Blackford County, Indiana