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Porter County, Indiana

Porter County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 173,215, making it the 10th most populous county in Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso. The county is part of Northwest Indiana, as well as the Chicago metropolitan area. Porter County is the site of much of the Indiana Dunes, an area of ecological significance. The Hour Glass Museum in Ogden Dunes documents the region's ecological significance.

History
The Porter County area was occupied by an Algonquian people dubbed Huber-Berrien. This subsistence culture arrived after the glaciers retreated around 15,000 years ago and the rise of glacial Lake Algonquian, 4–8,000 years ago. The native people of this area were next recorded during the Iroquois Wars (1641–1701) as being Potawatomi and Miami. The trading post system used by the French and then the English encouraged native people to live in central villages along major waterways. Therefore, there are no recorded villages within Porter County's current boundaries. It was not until 1830 when Chiqua's town and Tassinong appear on maps and in records. Chiqua's town is a mile east of Valparaiso on State Route 2, the old Sauk Trail. Tassinong is south of Valparaiso about 5 mi on State Route 49 at Baum's Bridge Road, the main route across the Great Kankakee Marsh.

After the American Revolutionary War established US sovereignty over the territory of the upper midwest, the new federal government defined the Northwest Territory in 1787 which included the area of present-day Indiana. In 1800, Congress separated Ohio from the Northwest Territory, designating the rest of the land as the Indiana Territory. President Thomas Jefferson chose William Henry Harrison as the governor of the territory, and Vincennes was established as the capital. After the Michigan Territory was separated and the Illinois Territory was formed, Indiana was reduced to its current size and geography. By December 1816 the Indiana Territory was admitted to the Union as a state.

The Indiana State Legislature passed an omnibus county bill on February 7, 1835, that authorized the creation of thirteen counties in northeast Indiana, including Porter. In 1837 the county was organized. It was named for Capt. David Porter, naval officer during the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812.

In 1962, Bethlehem Steel built a large integrated steel mill on the shores of Lake Michigan, which is now owned and operated by Cleveland-Cliffs. The construction of the mill, as well as the neighboring Port of Indiana, generated enormous controversy between industrial interests and locals who wanted to conserve the natural shoreline and habitat. Although the activists lost and the steel mill and port were constructed, the US Congress created the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in 1966 to protect the area's unique natural habitat.

Geography
Porter County lies on the northern edge of Indiana; its north border is formed by Lake Michigan and its south border is formed by the westward-flowing Kankakee River Its once-tree-covered low rolling hills have been cleared and devoted to agriculture; the only exceptions in Porter County are the drainages carved into the terrain, which are brush-filled. The East Arm Little Calumet River flows westward through the upper portion of Porter County. The highest point, at 870 ft, is a small hill on the county's east border, 2.75 miles (4.4 km) NW of Westville. The lowest point, at approximately 585 ft, is along the Lake Michigan shoreline (exact elevation varies due to variation in lake level). According to the 2010 census, the county has an area of 521.78 sqmi, of which 418.15 sqmi (or 80.14%) is land and 103.63 sqmi (or 19.9%) is water, most of it in Lake Michigan.

Adjacent counties

 * LaPorte County - east
 * Starke County - southeast
 * Jasper County - south
 * Lake County - west
 * Cook County, Illinois - northwest, boundary in Lake Michigan
 * Berrien County, Michigan - northeast, boundary in Lake Michigan

Protected areas

 * Indiana Dunes National Park (part)
 * Indiana Dunes National Park Heron Rookery
 * Indiana Dunes State Park
 * Moraine Nature Preserve

Major highways

 * I-80.svg Interstate 80
 * Indiana Toll Road logo 1968.svg I-90.svg Indiana Toll Road
 * I-94.svg Interstate 94
 * US 6.svg U.S. Route 6
 * US 12.svg U.S. Route 12
 * US 20.svg U.S. Route 20
 * US 30.svg U.S. Route 30
 * US 231.svg U.S. Route 231
 * Indiana 2.svg State Road 2
 * Indiana 8.svg State Road 8
 * Indiana 49.svg State Road 49
 * Indiana 130.svg State Road 130
 * Indiana 149.svg State Road 149
 * Indiana 249.svg State Road 249
 * Indiana 520.svg State Road 520

Railroads

 * Amtrak
 * Canadian National
 * Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad
 * Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad
 * Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad
 * CSX Transportation
 * Norfolk Southern Railway
 * South Shore Line

Municipalities
The municipalities in Porter County and their populations as of the 2010 Census:

Cities

 * Portage – 36,828
 * Valparaiso – 31,730

Towns

 * Beverly Shores – 613
 * Burns Harbor – 1,156
 * Chesterton – 13,068
 * Dune Acres – 182
 * Hebron – 3,724
 * Kouts – 1,879
 * Ogden Dunes – 1,110
 * Porter – 4,858
 * Town of Pines – 708

Census-designated places

 * Aberdeen – 1,875
 * Lakes of the Four Seasons – 3,097 (7,033 including portion in Lake County)
 * Salt Creek Commons – 2,117
 * Shorewood Forest – 2,708
 * South Haven – 5,282
 * Wheeler – 443

Unincorporated communities

 * Aylesworth
 * Babcock
 * Beatrice
 * Boone Grove
 * Burdick
 * Clanricarde
 * Coburg
 * Crocker
 * Furnessville
 * Hillcrest
 * Hurlburt
 * Malden
 * Porter Crossroads
 * Sedley
 * Suman
 * Tassinong
 * Woodville

Townships
The 12 townships of Porter County: • Boone

• Center

• Jackson

• Liberty

• Morgan

• Pine

• Pleasant

• Portage

• Porter

• Union

• Washington

• Westchester

Colleges and Universities

 * Ivy Tech Community College
 * Valparaiso University

Public School Districts
Public schools in Porter County are administered by several districts, most of which cover areas that roughly follow the county's township boundaries:

 * Duneland School Corporation – Jackson, Liberty and Westchester townships
 * East Porter County School Corporation – Morgan, Pleasant and Washington townships
 * Metropolitan School District of Boone Township – Boone Township
 * Michigan City Area Schools – Pine Township
 * Portage Township Schools – Portage Township
 * Porter Township School Corporation – Porter Township
 * Union Township School Corporation – Union Township
 * Valparaiso Community Schools – Center Township

High Schools and Middle Schools

 * Benjamin Franklin Middle School
 * Boone Grove High School
 * Boone Grove Middle School
 * Chesterton High School
 * Chesterton Middle School
 * Hebron High School
 * Hebron Middle School
 * Kouts Middle-High School
 * Morgan Township Middle/High School
 * Portage High School
 * Thomas Jefferson Middle School
 * Union Township Middle School
 * Valparaiso High School
 * Washington Township Middle/High School
 * Wheeler High School
 * William Fegely Middle School
 * Willowcreek Middle School

Elementary Schools

 * Aylesworth Elementary School
 * Bailly Elementary School
 * Boone Grove Elementary School
 * Brummitt Elementary School
 * Central Elementary School (Portage)
 * Central Elementary School (Valparaiso)
 * Cooks Corners Elementary School
 * Crisman Elementary School
 * Flint Lake Elementary School
 * Hayes Leonard Elementary School
 * Hebron Elementary School
 * Jackson Elementary School
 * John Simatovich Elementary School
 * Jones Elementary School
 * Kouts Elementary School
 * Kyle Elementary School
 * Liberty Elementary School
 * Liberty Intermediate School
 * Memorial Elementary School
 * Morgan Elementary School
 * Myers Elementary School
 * Northview Elementary School
 * Parkview Elementary School
 * Paul Saylor Elementary School
 * Pine Elementary School
 * Porter Lakes Elementary School
 * South Haven Elementary School
 * Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
 * Union Center Elementary School
 * Washington Township Elementary School
 * Westchester Intermediate School
 * Yost Elementary School

Public libraries
The county is served by two public library systems:
 * Porter County Public Library has its main branch in Valparaiso with branches in Hebron, Kouts, Portage and South Haven.
 * Westchester Public Library has its main branch, the Thomas Library, in Chesterton with a branch, the Hageman Library, in Porter.

Hospitals

 * Porter Health Care System – 301 beds
 * Portage Hospital – Portage
 * Porter Regional Hospital – Valparaiso

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Valparaiso have ranged from a low of 15 °F in January to a high of 83 °F in July, although a record low of -25 °F was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 105 °F was recorded in July 1934. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.82 in in February to 4.66 in in June.

Government
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code.

County Council: The legislative branch of the county government; controls spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected to four-year terms from county districts. They set salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county; commissioners are elected county-wide, to staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute acts legislated by the council, collect revenue and manage the county government.

Court: The county maintains a small claims court that handles civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.

County Officials: The county has other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. These officials are elected to four-year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.

Porter County is part of Indiana's 1st congressional district. In state government, Porter County is in Indiana Senate districts 4th, 5th and 6th; in Indiana House of Representatives districts 3rd, 4th, 10th, 19th and 20th.

For most of its history, Porter County was a Republican Party stronghold in presidential elections. It has become a swing county in recent years, voting for the national winner in every presidential election since 1980 except for 1992 and 2020.

County elected officials
Board of Commissioners:
 * Jim Biggs (R, North District)
 * Barb Regnitz (R, Center District)
 * Laura Shurr Blaney (D, South District)

County Council:
 * Mike Brickner, President (R, At-large)
 * Ronald "Red" Stone, Vice President (R, 1st)
 * Sylvia Graham (D, At Large)
 * Andy Bozak (R, At Large)
 * Andy Vasquez (R, 4th)
 * Jeremy Rivas (D, 2nd)
 * Greg Simms (D, 3rd)

Elected Officials:
 * Assessor: Sue Neff (R)
 * Auditor: Karen Martin (R)
 * Clerk: Jessica A. Bailey (D)
 * Coroner: Cyndi Dykes (R)
 * Prosecutor: Gary S. Germann (R)
 * Recorder: Chuck Harris (R)
 * Sheriff: Jeffery A. Balon (R)
 * Surveyor: Kevin D. Breitzke (D)
 * Treasurer: Michelle Clancy (D)

2010 Census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 164,343 people, 61,998 households, and 43,901 families in the county. The population density was 393.0 PD/sqmi. There were 66,179 housing units at an average density of 158.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 91.3% white, 3.0% black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 2.3% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 29.1% were German, 18.5% were Irish, 10.1% were Polish, 9.7% were English, 5.8% were Italian, and 5.6% were American.

Of the 61,998 households, 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.2% were non-families, and 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.07. The median age was 38.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $73,065. Males had a median income of $59,542 versus $35,534 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,922. About 6.6% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Cemeteries
Maplewood Cemetery, next to Graceland in Valparaiso, has burials from the 1700s. The Bailly Cemetery was started in 1827. Additional cemeteries were created as the population grew. Early cemeteries were often family owned or church related. As communities grew, community cemeteries developed. The newest cemetery in the county is Angel Crest Cemetery north of Valparaiso, near Indiana State Road 49.

Parks
Porter County has grown from a single park, Sunset Hill Farm County Park, to four, including: Calumet Trail, Dunn's Bridge County Park, and the newest, Brincka Cross Gardens.
 * Brincka Cross Gardens Pine Township (4 acre)
 * Calumet Trail (9.1 mi long), parallel to U.S. 12, at the north end of the county. A mixed use trail for walking, running, biking and cross-country skiing.
 * Dunn's Bridge County Park on the southern boundary of the county on County Road 500 East, Dunn's Bridge spans the Kankakee River to Jasper county. It is one of the oldest landmarks in the region. Built over a century ago across the Kankakee River by a resident farmer named Dunn, legend suggests its origins may be traced to the famous George Ferris, creator of the first 'Ferris Wheel'. The park provides small boat access to the Kankakee River and a parking lot.
 * Sunset Hill Farm County Park (238 acre). Built around the Col. Murray farm, the open meadows are used for festivals and events.

Museums

 * Alton Goin Museum is operated by the Portage Community Historical Society at Countryside Park in Portage to preserve the city's history, including the Trager farmhouse.
 * Bailly Homestead & Chellberg Farm is part of Indiana Dunes National Park.
 * Brauer Museum of Art is operated by Valparaiso University and is located in Valparaiso University Center for the Arts. It has the largest collection of works by Junius R. Sloan.
 * Depot of Beverly Shores Museum & Art Gallery is a pink stucco museum to preserve Beverly Shores history through rotating exhibits of paintings, drawings, sculpture, ceramics and woodcarving.
 * Hour Glass House Museum has the works of local artists.
 * Porter County Museum of History maintains the history of Porter County.
 * Stagecoach Inn & Panhandle Depot is operated by the Hebron Historical Society in Hebron.
 * Westchester Township History Museum is operated by the Westchester Public Library and is located in the George Brown Mansion, the former home of a wealthy family that exhibits local history of the Indiana Dunes.
 * Task Force Tips Fire Museum is operated by Task Force Tips in Valparaiso to preserve the history of fire equipment.

Live Theater

 * 4th Street Theater is a community theater in Chesterton.
 * Chicago Street Theatre is a community theater in Valparaiso.
 * Front Porch Music is a music supply store that offers a weekly 'open mic' night and sponsors concerts in Valparaiso.
 * Memorial Opera House presents live theater and a variety of other monthly programs.
 * Valparaiso Theatrical Company travels to different venues in Porter County presenting live theater with the proceeds benefitting a variety of charities.
 * Valparaiso University Center for the Arts is the Valparaiso University's performing arts center.

title: Porter County, Indiana


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Pike County, Indiana

Pike County is a county in the southwest portion of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 12,250. The county seat is Petersburg. It contains the geographic point representing median center of US population in 2010.

Pike County is part of the Jasper Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
In 1787, the fledgling United States defined the Northwest Territory, which included the area of present-day Indiana. In 1800, Congress separated Ohio from the Northwest Territory, designating the rest of the land as the Indiana Territory. President Thomas Jefferson chose William Henry Harrison as the territory's first governor, and Vincennes was established as the territorial capital. After the Michigan Territory was separated and the Illinois Territory was formed, Indiana was reduced to its current size and geography. On December 11, 1816, the Indiana Territory was admitted to the Union as a state.

Starting in 1794, Native American titles to Indiana lands were extinguished by usurpation, purchase, or war and treaty. The United States acquired land from the Native Americans in the Vincennes Tract, in the 1804 Treaty of Vincennes, and in the 1809 treaty of Fort Wayne. These various dealings resolved the occupation issue for the future Pike County. Whites had been settling in the future county's terrain since 1800 (the first was Woolsey Pride, at White Oak Springs).

The area of present-day Pike County was first placed under local jurisdiction in 1790, when Knox County was created. This all-encompassing county was repeatedly subdivided as its lands were occupied − on April 1, 1813, the County of Gibson was authorized from the SW portion of Knox County, and four weeks later another portion of Knox was partitioned to create Warrick County. On November 1, 1814, portions of Warrick and Gibson were partitioned to create Perry County. Two years later, the northern portions of Gibson and Perry were sufficiently populated to warrant a separate governing structure, so on December 21, 1816 − ten days after being admitted to the Federal Union as a state − the Indiana state legislature authorized the creation of Pike County, taking areas from Gibson, Knox, and Perry counties. The first commissioners filed a report dated February 15, 1817, naming Petersburg as the seat of government; the city was laid out and platted that same year. The city was named for Peter Brenton, an original owner of the town site. A post office was put into service at Petersburg in 1823.

Pike County was named for Zebulon Pike, famous for his Pike Expedition of 1806–1807, exploring the southwest portion of the Louisiana Purchase. Pike commanded the 4th Infantry Regiment at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. He was killed as a brigadier general during the War of 1812 after his men had captured York (now Toronto), Canada.

The first courthouse in Pike County was a two-story log building, laid on the east side of the Petersburg public square in 1817. It remained in use until replaced by a two-story brick building in 1834. The third courthouse was a larger two-story structure, built in 1868; the present building was erected in 1922.

From 1959 to 1963 Vance Hartke and Homer E. Capehart were the U.S. senators for Indiana, both from Pike County.

In 2015, northern Pike County's economy received a boost from the completion of Interstate 69.

Geography
The low hills of Pike County have been cleared, leveled, and put to agricultural use, although its many drainages are still wooded. The highest point on the terrain (650 ft ASL) is the sharp crest of a ridge 2.9 mi NE of Stendal. Like many counties along or near the Ohio River, large portions of Pike County had been strip mined. Most of these areas have been restored, but many remain.

The county's northern boundary is defined by the westward-flowing White River. The Patoka River also flows westward through the lower central part of the county, and forms a portion of the county's west boundary line with Gibson County.

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 341.09 sqmi, of which 334.24 sqmi (or 97.99%) is land and 6.86 sqmi (or 2.01%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Daviess County − northeast
 * Dubois County − east
 * Warrick County − south/CT Border
 * Gibson County − west/CT Border
 * Knox County − northwest

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-69.svg|20px]] Interstate 69

Protected areas

 * Columbia Mine Preserve (part)
 * Interlake State Recreation Area (part)
 * Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area (part)

City

 * Petersburg

Towns

 * Spurgeon
 * Winslow

Census-designated place

 * Otwell (named Pierceville 1855−1864)

Unincorporated places

 * Alford
 * Algiers
 * Arda
 * Arthur Junction
 * Ashby Yards
 * Augusta
 * Ayrshire
 * Bowman
 * Campbelltown
 * Cato
 * Chandler
 * Coats Spring
 * Coe
 * Enos Corner
 * Fritz Corner
 * Glezen
 * Hartwell
 * Highbank Town
 * Iva
 * Littles
 * Marysville
 * Muren
 * Oatsville
 * Pikeville
 * Rogers
 * Rumble
 * Scottsburg
 * Stendal
 * Survant
 * Union
 * Velpen
 * West Petersburg
 * White Sulphur Springs
 * Whiteoak
 * Willisville
 * Zoar

Townships

 * Clay
 * Jefferson
 * Lockhart
 * Logan
 * Madison
 * Marion
 * Monroe
 * Patoka
 * Washington

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Petersburg have ranged from a low of 21 °F in January to a high of 87 °F in July, although a record low of -18 °F was recorded in December 1989 and a record high of 101 °F was recorded in September 2002. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.73 in in February to 5.14 in in May.

Government
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.

County Council: The legislative branch of the county government; controls spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected to four-year terms from county districts. They set salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county; commissioners are elected county-wide to staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute acts legislated by the council, collect revenue, and manage the county government.

Court: The county maintains a Circuit Court (83rd Judicial Circuit) and has a small claims division which division handles family law cases as well. The judge of the Circuit Court is elected to a term of six years and must be a member in good standing of the Indiana Bar. The judge is assisted by a referee in the small claims\family division who is appointed by the Circuit Court Judge.

County Officials: The county has other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. These officers are elected to four-year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 12,845 people, 5,186 households, and 3,645 families in the county. The population density was 38.4 PD/sqmi. There were 5,735 housing units at an average density of 17.2 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 98.2% white, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.7% were American, 25.1% were German, 15.8% were Irish, and 11.4% were English.

Of the 5,186 households, 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.7% were non-families, and 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 42.8 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $49,423. Males had a median income of $40,952 versus $29,664 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,005. About 9.0% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over, Making Pike County one of the poorest counties in the state.

Education
There is one school district in the county, Pike County School Corporation. It operates one high school, Pike Central High School.

title: Pike County, Indiana


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Perry County, Indiana

Perry County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 19,170. The county seat is Tell City. It is the hilliest county as well as one of the most forested counties in Indiana as it features more than 60,000 acre of Hoosier National Forest. The Ohio River Scenic Byway along Indiana State Road 66 runs along the southern border of the county while Interstate 64 traverses the northern portion of the county. Connecting the two is Indiana State Road 37.

The county features three incorporated communities: Tell City (2009 population 7,473), Cannelton (2009 population 1,130) and Troy (2009 population 379). Each is located in Troy Township which is situated along the south western corner of the county.

Coordinated efforts with County officials led to the acquisition of an abandoned rail line that has since been reactivated as the County-owned Hoosier Southern Rail Road. Managed by the Perry County Port Authority, the 22 mi short-line rail road connects the Perry County River Port with the Norfolk Southern Rail Road.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Tell City have ranged from a low of 24 °F in January to a high of 88 °F in July, although a record low of -17 °F was recorded in January 1985, and a record high of 106 °F was recorded in September 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.98 in in October to 5.22 in in May.

Government
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.

County Council: The county council is the fiscal body of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.

Board of Commissioners: The executive and legislative body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.

Court: The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of six years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a magistrate who is appointed by the judge. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.

County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.

With its predominately "butternut" cultural background, Perry County has historically and ancestrally heavily favored the Democratic Party at the federal, state and local level, and had a reputation for being one of the few Democratic-leaning counties in heavily Republican Indiana. From 1960 to 2012, Republicans only carried the county in three presidential elections, those being in 1972, 1984 and 2004, all of which saw the Republicans carry Indiana by landslide margins, and the county was still one of the closest counties in the state in all three elections.

The county delivered over 60.5% of its vote to Democratic nominee Barack Obama in 2008, clocking in as the state's fourth most Democratic county that year, before giving Obama nearly 55% of the vote in 2012, being the only county in southern Indiana other than the university county of Monroe to back Obama that year. The county has not backed a Democrat since, with the county delivering 56% of its vote to Republican nominee Donald Trump in 2016 and 61% of its vote to Trump the following election. The county's Republican shift was also shown in the coinciding 2020 gubernatorial election, when it backed Republican incumbent Eric Holcomb for re-election with nearly 64% of the vote, marking the first time a Republican had carried the county in a gubernatorial election since 1952.

Perry County is part of Indiana's 8th congressional district and is represented in Congress by Republican Larry Bucshon.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 386.29 sqmi, of which 381.73 sqmi (or 98.82%) is land and 4.56 sqmi (or 1.18%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Crawford County (north/ET Border)
 * Spencer County (west)
 * Dubois County (northwest/ET Border)
 * Meade County, Kentucky (southeast/ET Border)
 * Breckinridge County, Kentucky (South)
 * Hancock County, Kentucky (Southwest)

Major highways

 * I-64.svg Interstate 64
 * indiana 37.svg Indiana State Road 37
 * indiana 62.svg Indiana State Road 62
 * indiana 66.svg Indiana State Road 66
 * indiana 70.svg Indiana State Road 70
 * indiana 145.svg Indiana State Road 145
 * Indiana 166.svg Indiana State Road 166
 * indiana 545.svg Indiana State Road 545

National protected area

 * Hoosier National Forest (part)

Roads and highways
Interstate 64 cuts across the northern portion of the county. State Road 66, designated as the Ohio River Scenic Byway for most of its course in the county, is the most heavily traveled road by residents and visitors alike, adjacent to the three most populous towns in the county as well as most major tourist destinations. State Road 37 connects the county to Bloomington and Indianapolis. Other state roads in the county include State Road 62, which closely parallels I-64; State Road 145, which winds through the western parts of the county; State Road 166, which is little more than a road to and from the hamlet of Tobinsport; State Road 237, which connects Cannelton directly to State Road 37 (also the site of a bridge on the Ohio River); a short run of State Road 545 near Troy; and State Road 70 which connects State Road 37 with State Road 66.

History
Perry County was formed on November 1, 1814 (two years before the state of Indiana was admitted to the Union) from Warrick and Gibson Counties. It was named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry who defeated the British squadron in the decisive Battle of Lake Erie in 1813. The Ohio River made Perry County a focal point and settlers were drawn here due to plentiful supplies of natural resources and the area's scenic beauty.

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 19,338 people, 7,476 households, and 5,020 families residing in the county. The population density was 50.7 PD/sqmi. There were 8,495 housing units at an average density of 22.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 96.0% white, 2.4% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 37.8% were German, 14.4% were Irish, 11.6% were American, and 8.7% were English.

Of the 7,476 households, 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.9% were non-families, and 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 40.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $55,497. Males had a median income of $42,017 versus $26,301 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,806. About 6.7% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

 * Cannelton
 * Tell City
 * Troy

Unincorporated communities

 * Adyeville
 * Apalona
 * Bandon
 * Branchville
 * Bristow
 * Celina
 * Derby
 * Dexter
 * Dodd
 * Doolittle Mills
 * Fosters Ridge
 * Gatchel
 * Gerald
 * Hardingrove
 * Kitterman Corners
 * Lauer
 * Leopold
 * Lilly Dale
 * Magnet
 * Mount Pleasant
 * Oriole
 * Ranger
 * Rome
 * Saint Croix
 * Sassafras
 * Siberia
 * Terry
 * Tobinsport
 * Uniontown

Townships

 * Anderson
 * Clark
 * Leopold
 * Oil
 * Tobin
 * Troy
 * Union

Education
School districts include:
 * Cannelton City Schools
 * Perry Central Community School Corporation
 * Tell City-Troy Township School Corporation

title: Perry County, Indiana


text:
Parke County, Indiana

Parke County lies in the western part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Wabash River. The county was formed in 1821 out of a portion of Vigo County. According to the 2020 census, the population was 16,156. The county seat is Rockville.

It has a population density of about 39 PD/sqmi. The county contains six incorporated towns and many unincorporated communities. It is divided into 13 townships which provide local services.

Two U.S. Routes and five state highways pass through or into the county, along with one major railroad line.

Parke County has 31 covered bridges and is widely referred to as the 'Covered Bridge Capital of the World'. It is the site for the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival which has been held in October each year.

Parke County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
This area had been occupied for thousands of years by cultures of indigenous peoples. The first European settlement of the western area of Indiana along the Wabash River was by French-Canadian colonists, who founded Vincennes in 1703.

After the Seven Years' War, France ceded its territory in North America to Great Britain. In turn, after the American Revolutionary War, the Crown ceded this territory east of the Mississippi River to the new United States, including land it did not control, which was occupied by Native American nations.

In 1811 the Shawnee chief Tecumseh rallied several tribes to try to expel the European-American settlers from the area. When General William Henry Harrison took an army from Vincennes to the Battle of Tippecanoe in late 1811 to fight with the Indians, Zachariah Cicott served as a scout. Cicott had traded with Indians up and down the Wabash River, starting around 1801. The trail taken by Harrison's army, on its way to and from the battle site in Tippecanoe County, passed through the area that later became Parke County. The settlement of Armiesburg in Wabash Township was so named because Harrison and his army crossed the Raccoon Creek and camped near there on their way to the battle.

Formed on January 9, 1821, from a portion of Vigo County, Parke County was formed by an act approved by the state legislature. It was named for Captain Benjamin Parke, who commanded a troop of light Dragoons at the Battle of Tippecanoe. Parke was elected as a delegate of Indiana Territory to the U.S. Congress. In 1821, he was appointed as U.S. District Judge for Indiana.

First located at Roseville, the county seat was relocated to Armiesburg. In 1822, the county settled on Rockville as the permanent location. The state act had called for construction of county buildings to start within one year of the county's formation; but in the event, it did not start until 1824. The first courthouse was completed on the Rockville town square in 1826. The log structure doubled as a church. In 1832 the log building was replaced by a brick structure, which served for more than 40 years until 1879, when it was demolished for replacement by a new stone courthouse. The architects for this building were Thomas J. Tolan and his son Brentwood of Fort Wayne; they designed seven Indiana courthouses, as well as two in Ohio, and one each in Iowa and Illinois. (The firm also designed the Rockville sheriff's resident and jail, as well as others in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Tennessee).

Construction of the courthouse at Rockville was completed in 1882 at a cost of about $79,000. Items deposited in the cornerstone included documents of the town's history, postage stamps, several varieties of grain grown in the county, coins, and photographs. A dedication ceremony took place on February 22, 1882, the anniversary of George Washington's birthday. The clock and bell were added later at a cost of about $1,500.

The Wabash and Erie Canal was completed through the area around 1850 and ran through Parke County on the east side of the Wabash River. It served several communities along the banks of the river until it was discontinued in the 1870s.

Geography
Parke County lies in western Indiana about halfway between the state's north and south borders. It is bordered by Fountain County to the north; Montgomery County to the northeast; Putnam County to the east; Clay County to the south; and Vigo County to the southwest. The county's western border is defined by the Wabash River; on the west side of the river lies Vermillion County, beyond which is the state of Illinois, less than 5 mi from Parke County's northwestern corner. The state capital of Indianapolis lies about 60 mi to the east.

The entire county is within the drainage area of the Wabash River. North of Rockville, the gently undulating land is glacial till resulting from Wisconsinan glaciation. The Shelbyville moraine divides this from the nearly level Illinoisan till plain in the south part of the county.

Turkey Run State Park is located in northern Parke County. It was set aside as one of Indiana's first state parks and consists of 2382 acre of land. The county also contains a portion of Shades State Park, a 3082 acre park about 5 mi northeast of Turkey Run; the majority of Shades is located in Montgomery County.

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 449.98 sqmi, of which 444.66 sqmi (or 98.82%) is land and 5.32 sqmi (or 1.18%) is water.

Cities and towns
Parke County contains six incorporated settlements. The largest is Rockville with a population of about 2,600; located near the center of the county at the intersections of U.S. Routes 36 and 41, it is also the county seat. Bloomingdale is about 5 mi to the north-northwest of Rockville and has a population of 335. To the north-northeast of Rockville lies Marshall, on Indiana State Road 236; its population is 324. To the southwest of Rockville, Mecca has a population of 335. Montezuma is at the far western edge of the county on U.S. Route 36; its population is 1,022. Finally, Rosedale is near the southern border of the county and has a population of 725.

Census-designated places

 * Bridgeton
 * Judson
 * Lyford

Townships

 * Adams
 * Florida
 * Greene
 * Howard
 * Jackson
 * Liberty
 * Penn
 * Raccoon
 * Reserve
 * Sugar Creek
 * Union
 * Wabash
 * Washington

Unincorporated communities

 * Alma Lake
 * Annapolis
 * Arabia
 * Armiesburg
 * Banner Mills
 * Bellmore
 * Bethany
 * Bradfield Corner
 * Byron
 * Catlin
 * Cincinnati
 * Coloma
 * Coxville
 * Diamond
 * Ferndale
 * Grange Corner
 * Guion
 * Hollandsburg
 * Howard
 * Hudnut
 * Jessup
 * Keytsville‡
 * Klondyke
 * Leatherwood
 * Lena
 * Lodi
 * Lusks Mills
 * Madalline
 * Mansfield
 * Midway
 * Milligan
 * Minshall
 * New Discovery
 * Numa
 * Nyesville
 * Parkeville
 * Piattsville
 * Pin Hook
 * Rockport
 * Smockville
 * Snow Hill
 * Stumptown
 * Superior
 * Sylvania
 * Tangier
 * Vivalia‡
 * West Atherton
 * West Melcher
 * West Union

Ghost town

 * Coke Oven Hollow

Transportation
Two United States highways pass through the county. U.S. Route 36 passes east–west through the middle of the county, entering from Putnam County to the east, through Rockville and Montezuma, then into Vermillion County to the west. U.S. Route 41 enters from Fountain County to the north and intersects U.S. Route 36 in Rockville; it goes southwest toward Clinton before continuing south to Vigo County and Terre Haute, Indiana.

Indiana State Road 47 begins at U.S. Route 41 in the northern part of the county and goes east into Montgomery County, veering north to Crawfordsville. Indiana State Road 59 enters from Clay County to the south and runs north through the eastern part of the county until it terminates at Indiana State Road 236, which runs east from U.S. Route 41. Indiana State Road 163 runs for less than a mile in Parke County, crossing the river at Clinton and terminating at U.S. Route 41 in the far southwest corner of the county. In the far northwestern corner, Indiana State Road 234 enters from Cayuga and runs for less than a mile to Lodi before going north and leaving the county.

A small portion of a major CSX Transportation railroad line passes through the southwest corner of the county, entering from Clinton to the west, then going south toward Terre Haute. Another CSX line enters the far southeastern corner of the county on its way from Terre Haute to Indianapolis.

Economy
Historically a rural county with extensive agriculture, today Parke County's economy is supported by a labor force of approximately 8,050 workers. The unemployment rate in November 2011 was 9.6%.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Rockville have ranged from a low of 19 °F in January to a high of 87 °F in July, although a record low of -25 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 109 °F was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.25 in in February to 4.89 in in July. From 1950 through 2009, eight tornadoes were reported in Parke County; none resulted in any deaths or injuries, but the total estimated property damage was over $280,000.

Notable people
Warder Clyde Allee was born in Bloomingdale in 1885. He attended Earlham College and the University of Chicago, studying zoology and ecology and receiving his Ph.D. in 1912. He taught, conducted research, and wrote a number of books; among other accomplishments, he identified what became known as the Allee effect. He died in Gainesville, Florida, in 1955 at age 69.

Gordon Allport was born in Montezuma in 1897; when he was six years old, his family moved to Ohio. He attended Harvard University and received a Ph.D. in psychology in 1922; his focus was on personality traits. He began teaching at Harvard in 1924, and published a number of works in the following years. He died in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1967 at the age of 69.

William Henry Harrison Beadle was born in a log cabin in Parke County in 1838. His father offered him a farm, but he accepted $1,000 for an education instead and studied civil engineering at the University of Michigan. He fought in the Civil War on the side of the Union and became a brigadier general. After the war, he was named surveyor-general of the Dakota Territory. Later he became president of the Madison State Normal School (now Dakota State University), then taught geography there after his presidency. He died in 1915 at the age of 77.

Baseball great Mordecai Brown was born in the unincorporated town of Nyesville in Parke County on October 19, 1876. He lost parts of two fingers on his right hand in a farm machinery accident, hence his later nickname "Three Finger". He was also called "Miner" because he had worked in coal mines in western Indiana before his baseball career. He began in the minor leagues in Terre Haute in 1901 and joined the major leagues in 1903, retiring in 1916. He died in Terre Haute in 1948 at age 71.

Grover Jones was born in Rosedale in 1893 and grew up in the Terre Haute area. He became a short story writer, screenwriter, and film director, writing for over 100 films. He died in Hollywood, California, in 1940 at age 46.

Knute Cauldwell was born in Parke County and played in the early years of the National Football League.

Media
The county's first newspaper was called The Wabash Herald and was published beginning in 1829. After being sold and renamed several times, it was successively called The Rockville Intelligencer, The Olive Branch, The Parke County Whig and The Rockville Republican. Several other papers came and went; as of 1912, several newspapers were published in the county: the Republican, the Tribune, the Montezuma Enterprise, and the Bloomingdale World, as well as papers printed in Rosedale and Marshall. The original Wabash Herald continues and since 1977 has been called the Parke County Sentinel.

Government
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms and are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes. In 2010, the county budgeted approximately $2.2 million for the district's schools and $2.8 million for other county operations and services, for a total annual budget of approximately $5 million.

The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue and managing day-to-day functions of the county government.

The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.

The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and be residents of the county.

Each of the townships has a trustee who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties. The trustee is assisted in these duties by a three-member township board. The trustees and board members are elected to four-year terms.

Parke County is part of Indiana's 8th congressional district; Indiana Senate district 38; and Indiana House of Representatives districts 41, 42 and 44.

Parke County is a consistently Republican county in presidential elections, having voted for Democratic Party candidates only four times since 1888, and not at all since Lyndon B. Johnson's national landslide in 1964.

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 17,339 people, 6,222 households, and 4,389 families residing in the county. The population density was 39.0 PD/sqmi. There were 8,085 housing units at an average density of 18.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 96.1% white, 2.3% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.7% were American, 23.7% were German, 10.7% were Irish, and 10.1% were English.

Of the 6,222 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.5% were non-families, and 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age was 41.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $51,581. Males had a median income of $40,395 versus $27,618 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,494. About 8.8% of families and 15.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.9% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

title: Parke County, Indiana


text:
Owen County, Indiana

Owen County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 1920 the United States Census Bureau calculated the mean center of U.S. population to fall within this county. As of the 2020 United States Census, it had a population of 21,321. Its county seat is Spencer.

Owen County is part of the Bloomington, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
In 1787, the fledgling United States defined the Northwest Territory, which included the area of present-day Indiana. In 1800, Congress separated Ohio from the Northwest Territory, designating the rest of the land as the Indiana Territory. President Thomas Jefferson chose William Henry Harrison as the territory's first governor, and Vincennes was established as the territorial capital. After the Michigan Territory was separated and the Illinois Territory was formed, Indiana was reduced to its current size and geography. By December 1816 the Indiana Territory was admitted to the Union as a state.

Starting in 1794, Native American titles to Indiana lands were extinguished by usurpation, purchase, or war and treaty. The United States acquired land from the Native Americans in the 1809 treaty of Fort Wayne, and by the treaty of St. Mary's in 1818 considerably more territory became property of the government. This included the future Owen County. White settlers had been moving into the future Owen County area since 1816.

The area in present-day Owen County was first placed under local jurisdiction in 1790, when Knox County was created. This all-encompassing county was repeatedly subdivided as its lands were occupied − in 1816 a portion was partitioned to create Sullivan County, and on February 2, 1818, another area to the south was partitioned to create Daviess County. That same winter (December 21, 1818) the state legislature took portions from northern Daviess and eastern Sullivan to create Owen County; it was named for Abraham Owen, a colonel in the US Army who had died at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. The boundaries of this new county were reduced in 1822 when Putnam and in 1825 when Clay counties were created.

The first moves to organize the county's government were completed in 1819. In 1820 the first commissioners selected Spencer, the county's largest settlement, as its seat of government.

In 1920, the United States Census reported Owen County as the Center of Population for the US at a point 8 miles south-southeast of Spencer, Indiana. The center moved the shortest distance since census data collecting began in 1790 (just under 10 miles) from its previous center in Bloomington, Indiana. When the East experienced high rates of growth, as it did in the decades between 1890 and 1920, the Westward movement of the center slowed.

Geography
Owen County's low hills were completely wooded before the nineteenth century. It is still largely tree-covered, but significant portions have been cleared and are dedicated to agriculture or urban use. Its highest point (934 ft ASL) is a steep point 2.0 mi south of Quincy. The White River flows southwestward through the lower central part, entering from Monroe County (its course delineates a portion of the border between Monroe and Owen counties), then continues its journey into Greene County.

According to the 2010 United States Census, the county has a total area of 387.82 mi2, of which 385.29 mi2 (or 99.35%) is land and 2.54 mi2 (or 0.65%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Putnam County - north
 * Morgan County - northeast
 * Monroe County - southeast
 * Greene County - south
 * Clay County - west

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 231.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 231
 * [[Image:indiana 42.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 42
 * [[Image:indiana 43.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 43
 * [[Image:indiana 46.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 46
 * [[Image:indiana 67.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 67
 * [[Image:indiana 157.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 157
 * [[Image:indiana 243.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 243
 * [[Image:indiana 246.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 246

Protected areas

 * Cataract Falls State Recreation Area
 * McCormick's Creek State Park - the state's first park (1916)
 * Owen-Putnam State Forest (part)

Towns

 * Gosport
 * Spencer (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

 * Adel
 * Alaska
 * Alligator
 * Arney
 * Atkinsonville
 * Beamer
 * Braysville
 * Carp
 * Cataract
 * Coal City
 * Cuba
 * Cunot
 * Daggett
 * Denmark
 * Devore
 * Farmers
 * Freedom
 * Freeman
 * Hancock Corner
 * Hickory Corner
 * Highets Corner
 * Hubbell
 * Jordan
 * Lewisville
 * Marion Mills
 * New Hope
 * Patricksburg
 * Pottersville
 * Quincy
 * Romona
 * Silex
 * Smithville
 * Southport
 * Stockton
 * Vandalia
 * Vilas
 * Wallace Junction (ghost town)
 * Whitehall

Townships

 * Clay
 * Franklin
 * Harrison
 * Jackson
 * Jefferson
 * Jennings
 * Lafayette
 * Marion
 * Montgomery
 * Morgan
 * Taylor
 * Washington
 * Wayne

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Spencer have ranged from a low of 15 °F in January to a high of 84 °F in July, although a record low of -33 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 107 °F was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.56 in in January to 4.97 in in May.

Government
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.

County Council: The fiscal body of the county government, consisting of seven members. Three are elected county-wide (at-large members) and four are elected from districts. District One includes Harrison, Montgomery, Taylor, and Wayne Townships including the Town of Gosport. District Two includes Washington Township including the Town of Spencer. District Three includes Jackson, Jennings, Lafayette, and Morgan Townships. District Four includes Clay, Franklin, Jefferson, and Marion Townships. All council members serve four-year terms with at-large members elected during Presidential election cycles and district members elected during the other election cycles. One council member serves as president and another as vice-president. The council sets salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes. Several local boards such as the Alcoholic Beverage Board and Library Board have a member or members appointed by the council.

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county; its three members are elected county-wide to four-year terms, however each must reside in their respective districts, two of which are elected during Presidential election cycles and the other during the other election cycles. Each serves a four-year term. The District One member must reside in Harrison, Jackson, Jennings, Montgomery, Taylor, or Wayne Townships. The District Two member must reside in Clay, Franklin, or Washington Townships. The District Three member must reside in Jefferson, Lafayette, Marion, or Morgan Townships. One commissioner serves as president and another as vice-president. Commissioners execute acts legislated by the council, collect revenue, and manage the county government.

Court: The county has a Circuit Court. The judge on the court is elected to a term of six years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association.

County Officials: The county has other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, prosecutor, assessor, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and clerk of the circuit court. These officers are elected to four-year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 21,575 people, 8,486 households, and 5,992 families in the county. The population density was 56.0 PD/sqmi. There were 10,091 housing units at an average density of 26.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 97.9% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 28.7% were German, 20.7% were Irish, 8.9% were English, and 8.4% were American.

Of the 8,486 households, 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.4% were non-families, and 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 42.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $52,343. Males had a median income of $40,668 versus $30,556 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,581. About 9.2% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

title: Owen County, Indiana


text:
Orange County, Indiana

Orange County is located in southern Indiana in the United States. As of 2020, its population was 19,867. The county seat is Paoli. The county has four incorporated settlements with a total population of about 8,600, as well as several small unincorporated communities. It is divided into 10 townships which provide local services. One U.S. route and five Indiana state roads pass through or into the county.

History
Orange County was formed from parts of Knox County, Gibson County and Washington County by the Indiana Territorial Legislature, on December 26, 1815 (effective February 1, 1816). In 1816 the Orange County seat was designated at Paoli, which was named after Pasquale Paoli Ash, the 12-year-old son of the sitting North Carolina Governor.

The early settlers were mostly Quakers fleeing the institution of slavery in Orange County, North Carolina. Jonathan Lindley brought his group of Quakers from North Carolina to the area in 1811. They were the first to build a religious structure, the Lick Creek Meeting House in 1813. It was from this group that Orange County got its name. (See List of Indiana county name etymologies). The name Orange derives from the Dutch Protestant House of Orange, which accessed the English throne with the accession of King William III in 1689, following the Glorious Revolution.

When the North Carolina Quakers came to Indiana, they brought several freed slaves. These free men were deeded 200 acre of land in the heart of a dense forest. Word of mouth soon spread the news, and this land became part of the "underground railroad" for runaway slaves. For many years, the freed slaves in this area farmed, traded, and sold their labor to others while living in this settlement. A church and cemetery were constructed.

All that remains today is the cemetery, with many lost or vandalized headstones. Several years ago, Boy Scouts restored the cemetery, replacing the stones with wooden crosses designating a grave. The name of "Little Africa" came about because of the black settlement, but it was called "Paddy's Garden" by its early users.

Courthouse
The first courthouse was a temporary log structure that was built for $25; a more permanent stone structure was completed in 1819 at a cost of $3,950. In 1847, plans were made for a larger courthouse, which was completed in 1850 at a cost of $14,000. This building is the second oldest courthouse in the state that has been continuously used since its construction. Like the oldest in Ohio County, it is a Greek Revival building with two stories and a Doric portico supported by fluted columns; it has ornamental iron stairs and a clock tower. In 1970, the clock tower was damaged by fire.

Geography
Much of the south part of the county, south of Paoli and French Lick, is part of the Hoosier National Forest. Patoka Lake is within the national forest; the majority of the lake lies in Orange County, with parts extending into neighboring Dubois and Crawford counties.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Orange County has a total area of 408.19 sqmi, of which 398.39 sqmi (or 97.60%) is land and 9.80 sqmi (or 2.40%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Lawrence County – north
 * Washington County – east
 * Crawford County – south
 * Dubois County – southwest
 * Martin County – northwest

Towns

 * French Lick
 * Orleans
 * Paoli (county seat)
 * West Baden Springs

Unincorporated communities

 * Abydel
 * Bacon
 * Bonds
 * Bromer
 * Chambersburg
 * Ethel
 * Fargo – called Pittsburgh before 1888
 * Greenbrier - also Green Brier
 * Hindostan
 * Leipsic – called Lancaster before 1852
 * Lost River
 * Mahan Crossing
 * Millersburg
 * Newton Stewart
 * Norton − called Dillon before 1908
 * Orangeville
 * Pearsontown
 * Pine Valley
 * Prospect – called New Prospect before 1853
 * Pumpkin Center
 * Rego
 * Roland
 * Scarlet
 * Stampers Creek
 * Syria
 * Trotter Crossing
 * Turleys
 * Valeene
 * Woodlawn Grove
 * Youngs Creek – called Unionville before 1867

Moffatt Hollar

Townships

 * French Lick
 * Greenfield
 * Jackson
 * Northeast
 * Northwest
 * Orangeville
 * Orleans
 * Paoli
 * Southeast
 * Stampers Creek

Highways

 * U.S. Route 150 – runs east–west through central part of county. Passes French Lick, Turleys, and Paoli.
 * indiana 37.svg Indiana State Road 37 – runs north–south through central part of county. Passes Orleans, Paoli, and Bacon.
 * indiana 56.svg Indiana State Road 56 – enters west line of county at 6.6 mi north of SW county corner. Runs NE to intersection with US-150 north of West Baden Springs.
 * indiana 60.svg Indiana State Road 60 – runs NW-SE across northeastern tip of county. Enters 2 miles west of NE corner and exits 2 miles south of NE corner.
 * indiana 145.svg Indiana State Road 145 – enters south line of county at 3.7 mi from SW county corner. Runs north to intersection with Indiana-56 at French Lick.
 * indiana 337.svg Indiana State Road 337 – runs SE-NW across northeastern part of county. Enters east line of county near Bromer, then runs NW to intersection with Indiana-37 at Orleans.

Airports
French Lick Municipal Airport (IATA: FRH, ICAO: KFRH, FAA LID: FRH) is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district of French Lick, a town in Orange County, Indiana, United States.[1] Also known as French Lick Airport, it serves the French Lick and West Baden, Indiana area.[2]
 * Paoli Municipal Airport - public-owned public-use general-aviation airport with one paved runway.
 * French Lick Municipal Airport

Railways
French Lick Scenic Railway (French Lick West Baden and Southern Railway/ Indiana Railway Museum) Popular train rides in Indiana aboard the French Lick Scenic Railway offer 20-mile day tours through parts of the Hoosier National Forest, the 2,200-foot Burton Tunnel (Indiana's second longest tunnel), and past limestone outcroppings.

Check the daily departure schedule but know the historic French Lick Scenic Railway also hosts special events and seasonal trips throughout the year, like these famous family attractions:

Wild-West Hold-ups Tasting Trains Easter Bunny Express Dinner Trains

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Paoli have ranged from a low of 18 °F in January to a high of 87 °F in July, although a record low of -29 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 111 °F was recorded in July 1901. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.90 in in October to 5.14 in in May.

Government
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms and are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.

A board of commissioners is the county's executive body. Commissioners are elected in staggered four-year terms. The board is charged with executing the council's decisions, with collecting revenue, and with managing the county government.

The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.

The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk. Each serves a four-year term, and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and be residents of the county.

Each township has a trustee and a three-member board, which administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties. The trustee and board members are elected to four-year terms.

Orange County is part of Indiana's 9th congressional district. It is part of Indiana Senate districts 44 and 48, and Indiana House of Representatives district 62.

Demographics

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 19,840 people, 7,872 households, and 5,416 families in the county. The population density was 49.8 PD/sqmi. There were 9,176 housing units at an average density of 23.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 97.0% white, 0.9% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 22.6% were of English ancestry, 18.8% were of German ancestry and 12.4% were of Irish ancestry.

Of the 7,872 households, 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.2% were non-families, and 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 40.8 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $45,874. Males had a median income of $35,679 versus $30,072 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,119. About 13.5% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.7% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The county is served by four school districts:
 * Lost River Career Cooperative
 * Orleans Community Schools
 * Paoli Community School Corporation
 * Springs Valley Community School Corporation

Orleans Community Schools (Superintendent: Jimmy Ellis) includes:
 * Orleans Elementary School (Principal: Joni Lawyer)
 * Orleans Jr./Sr. High School (Principal: Daniel Wolford).

Paoli Community Schools (Superintendent:Greg Walker) includes:
 * Throop Elementary School (Principal:Amanda Crews)
 * Paoli Jr./Sr. High School (Principal:Dr. Sherry Wise).

Springs Valley School Corporation (Superintendent: Trevor Apple) includes:
 * Springs Valley Elementary School (Principal: Matthew Williams)
 * Springs Valley Jr./Sr. High School (Principal: Kyle Neukam)

title: Orange County, Indiana


text:
Ohio County, Indiana

Ohio County is a county located in southeastern Indiana. With a 2020 population of 5,940, and an area of just 87 square miles, Ohio County is the smallest county in Indiana by area and the least populous. The county seat and only incorporated municipality is Rising Sun. The county was officially established in 1844 and was one of the last Indiana counties to be created. Ohio County borders the state of Kentucky across the Ohio River for which it was named. It is part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is divided into four townships which provide local services. Three state roads pass through or into the county.

History
Dearborn County was formed from Indiana Territory in 1803, and its borders were modified several times, both before and after the creation of the state of Indiana in 1816. Ohio County was created out of Dearborn County, authorized by legislative action effective January 4, 1844, to resolve a dispute of county seat between Rising Sun and Lawrenceburg. It was named for the Ohio River, which defines its eastern border.

The Ohio County courthouse was built in the county seat of Rising Sun in 1845. It is a two-story Greek Revival brick building measuring about 60 ft by 40 ft, including the portico supported by Doric pillars. This courthouse is still in use and is the oldest continuously used courthouse in the state.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 87.43 sqmi, of which 86.14 sqmi (or 98.52%) is land and 1.29 sqmi (or 1.48%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Boone County, Kentucky – east
 * Dearborn County – north
 * Ripley County – northwest
 * Switzerland County – south

Incorporated communities

 * Rising Sun – on the banks of the Ohio River

Unincorporated communities

 * Aberdeen
 * Bascom Corner
 * Bear Branch
 * Blue
 * Buffalo
 * Camp Shore
 * Cofield Corner
 * Downey Corner
 * Hartford
 * Milton
 * North Landing

Townships

 * Cass
 * Pike
 * Randolph
 * Union

Highways

 * US Route 50 in Dearborn County passes within 2 mi of Ohio County's northern border.
 * State Road 56 enters from Switzerland County to the south and passes east along the southern border, then north through Rising Sun and along the river, continuing north to Dearborn county.
 * State Road 156 runs along the Ohio River in Switzerland County, and enters the far southeast part of Ohio County, continuing NW and north to its intersection with State Road 56, 1.5 miles inside Ohio County.
 * State Road 262 enters from Dillsboro and crosses the county in a general eastern direction, ending in Rising Sun.

Railroads
There are no active railroad lines in the county.

Education
Ohio County has two schools managed by a single school corporation. The Ohio County Elementary–Middle School served a total of 636 students during the 2009–2010 school year. Rising Sun High School served a total of 264 students during the same period.

Ohio County residents are served by the Ohio County Public Library with a single branch in Rising Sun.

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Rising Sun have ranged from a low of 21 °F in January to a high of 87 °F in July, although a record low of -23 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 104 °F was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.92 in in October to 4.83 in in June.

Government
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms and are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.

A board of commissioners serves as the county's executive body. The commissioners are elected county–wide to staggered four–year terms. One commissioner serves as board president. The board executes the acts legislated by the council, collects revenue, and manages day-to-day functions of the county government.

The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court which is shared with neighboring Dearborn County.

The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk; they are elected to four–year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and be residents of the county.

Each of the townships has a trustee who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties. The trustee is assisted in these duties by a three-member township board. The trustees and board members are elected to four-year terms.

Ohio County is part of Indiana's 6th congressional district; Indiana Senate district 43; and Indiana House of Representatives district 68.

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 6,128 people, 2,477 households, and 1,737 families residing in the county. The population density was 71.1 PD/sqmi. There were 2,784 housing units at an average density of 32.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 33.5% were German, 12.6% were Irish, 12.2% were American, and 7.3% were English.

Of the 2,477 households, 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.9% were non-families, and 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 43.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $64,271. Males had a median income of $49,241 versus $30,536 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,703. About 5.5% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

title: Ohio County, Indiana


text:
Noble County, Indiana

Noble County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 47,457. The county seat is Albion. The county is divided into 13 townships which provide local services. Noble County comprises the Kendallville, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Fort Wayne-Huntington-Auburn, IN Combined Statistical Area.

History
Noble County's government was organized beginning in 1836. The county was named for a family that was influential in Indiana politics at the time, including the Indiana governor at the time (1831–1837) Noah Noble and his brother, James, who served as the state's first senator after it gained statehood.

Noble County's first homesteaders came from New England, known as "Yankees"; people descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s. They were part of a wave of New Englanders who migrated west to what was then the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. This migration was sparked as a result of the completion of the Erie Canal and conclusion of the Black Hawk War. They founded the towns of Kendallville and Albion.

Geography
Noble County is in the state's northeast corner. Its low, rolling terrain is dotted with lakes and wetlands, but is otherwise entirely devoted to agriculture or urban development. Its highest point (1,073 ft ASL), Sand Hill in Wayne Township, near the county's north line with LaGrange County, is the state's second-highest named point. The Elkhart River flows from the NW part of the county into Elkhart County.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Noble County has a total area of 417.43 sqmi, of which 410.84 sqmi (or 98.42%) is land and 6.59 sqmi (or 1.58%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * LaGrange County - north
 * Steuben County - northeast
 * DeKalb County - east
 * Allen County - southeast
 * Whitley County - south
 * Kosciusko County - southwest
 * Elkhart County - northwest

Cities

 * Kendallville
 * Ligonier

Towns

 * Albion
 * Avilla
 * Cromwell
 * Rome City
 * Wolcottville

Unincorporated communities

 * Ari
 * Bakertown
 * Bear Lake
 * Brimfield
 * Burr Oak
 * Cosperville
 * Ege
 * Green Center
 * Grismore
 * Indian Village
 * Kimmell (census-designated place)
 * LaOtto
 * Lisbon
 * Merriam
 * Ormas
 * Port Mitchell
 * Swan
 * Wakeville Village
 * Washington Center
 * Wawaka
 * Wayne Center
 * Wilmot
 * Wolf Lake

Townships

 * Albion
 * Allen
 * Elkhart
 * Green
 * Jefferson
 * Noble
 * Orange
 * Perry
 * Sparta
 * Swan
 * Washington
 * Wayne
 * York

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 6.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 6
 * [[Image:US 33.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 33
 * [[Image:indiana 3.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 3
 * [[Image:indiana 5.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 5
 * [[Image:indiana 8.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 8
 * [[Image:indiana 9.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 9
 * [[Image:indiana 109.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 109
 * [[Image:indiana 205.svg|20px]] Indiana State Road 205

Major lakes

 * Axel Lake
 * Bartley Lake
 * Big Lake
 * Bixler Lake
 * Bristol Lake
 * Cree Lake
 * Crooked Lake (part)
 * Diamond Lake
 * Eagle Lake
 * Engle Lake
 * Gordy Lake
 * Grannis Lake
 * Jones Lake
 * Knapp Lake
 * Latta Lake
 * Lindsey Lake
 * Little Long Lake
 * Loon Lake (part)
 * Lower Long Lake
 * Marl Lake
 * Millers Lake
 * Moore Lake
 * Moss Lake
 * Mud
 * Pleasant Lake
 * Port Mitchell Lake
 * Roudy Lake
 * Round Lake
 * Schockopee Lake
 * Skinner Lake
 * Sparta Lake
 * Summit Lake
 * Sylvan Lake
 * Upper Long Lake
 * Waldron Lake
 * West Lakes
 * Wible Lake

Protected areas

 * Chain O'Lakes State Park
 * Eagle Lake Wetland Conservation Area
 * Hammer Wetland Nature Preserve
 * Mallard Roost Wetland Conservation Area
 * Mendenhall Wetland Conservation Area
 * Pioneer Trails Camp
 * Rome City Wetland Conservation Area
 * West Lakes Conservation Inc Tract

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Albion have ranged from a low of 14 °F in January to a high of 83 °F in July, although a record low of -24 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 103 °F was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.80 in in February to 4.44 in in June.

Government
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government, controlling spending and revenue collection. Representatives are elected to four-year terms from county districts. The council members are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.

The executive body of the county is the board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide to staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute the acts legislated by the council, collect revenue and manage the county government.

The county maintains a small claims court that handles civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.

The county has other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk. Each officer serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and be residents of the county.

Each township has a trustee who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties. The trustee is assisted in these duties by a three-member township board. The trustees and board members are elected to four-year terms.

Noble County is part of Indiana's 3rd congressional district and is represented by Jim Banks in the United States Congress. It is part of Indiana Senate district 13 and Indiana House of Representatives district 82.

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 47,536 people, 17,355 households, and 12,591 families in the county. The population density was 115.7 PD/sqmi. There were 20,109 housing units at an average density of 48.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 92.5% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 5.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 9.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 32.2% claimed German, 11.1% claimed American, 9.8% claimed Irish, and 8.5% claimed English.

Of the 17,355 households, 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 27.5% were non-families, and 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.16. The median age was 37.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $53,959. Males had a median income of $40,335 versus $29,887 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,783. About 7.6% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

School districts

 * Central Noble Community School Corporation
 * East Noble School Corporation
 * Smith-Green Community Schools
 * West Noble School Corporation

title: Noble County, Indiana


text:
Newton County, Indiana

Newton County is a county located near the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 13,830. This county is part of Northwest Indiana as well as the Chicago metropolitan area. The county seat is Kentland. The county is divided into 10 townships which provide local services.

History
The original Newton County was formed by statute on February 7, 1835, and was a roughly square area some 30 miles on a side, encompassing what is now the northern half of the county, the northern half of Jasper County, and a large section to the north. The northern border was cut back to the Kankakee River on February 1, 1836, with all land north of the Kankakee River going to Lake and Porter counties. The county was abolished and combined with Jasper County in 1839. On December 8, 1859, the county was re-created and the borders were redrawn to essentially their current state.

Newton County is named after Sgt. John Newton, who served under Gen. Francis Marion (the "Swamp Fox") in the American Revolutionary War. It is adjacent to Jasper County, which was named after Sgt. William Jasper, whose story is similar. At least four other states, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas, have adjacent Jasper and Newton Counties, as though these two were remembered as a pair.

Upon its re-creation, Newton County was the last of Indiana's 92 counties to be organized.

Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 403.44 sqmi, of which 401.76 sqmi (or 99.58%) is land and 1.68 sqmi (or 0.42%) is water.

Beaver Lake, once Indiana's largest lake before being drained, existed in what is now Newton County.

J.C. Murphy Lake is at the center of Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area.

Newton County is the site of the Kentland crater, a probable meteorite impact crater located between Kentland and Goodland.

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-65.svg|20px]] Interstate 65
 * [[Image:US 24.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 24
 * [[Image:US 41.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 41
 * [[Image:US 52.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 52
 * [[Image:indiana 10.svg|20px]] State Road 10
 * [[Image:indiana 14.svg|20px]] State Road 14
 * [[Image:indiana 16.svg|20px]] State Road 16
 * [[Image:indiana 55.svg|20px]] State Road 55
 * [[Image:indiana 71.svg|20px]] State Road 71
 * [[Image:indiana 114.svg|20px]] State Road 114

Railroads

 * CSX Transportation
 * Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway

Adjacent counties

 * Lake County (north)
 * Jasper County (east)
 * Benton County (south/ET Border)
 * Iroquois County, Illinois (west)
 * Kankakee County, Illinois (northwest)

Municipalities
The municipalities in Newton County, and their populations as of the 2010 Census, are:

Towns
• Brook – 997

• Goodland – 1,043

• Kentland – 1,748

• Morocco – 1,129

• Mount Ayr – 122

Census-designated places
• Lake Village – 765

• Roselawn – 4,131

Other unincorporated places
• Ade

• Beaver City

• Conrad

• Effner

• Enos

• Foresman

• Newton

• Pembroke

• Perkins

• Sumava Resorts

• Thayer

Townships
The 10 townships of Newton County, with their housing units as of the 2010 Census, are:

• Beaver

• Colfax

• Grant

• Iroquois

• Jackson

• Jefferson

• Lake

• Lincoln

• McClellan

• Washington

Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Kentland have ranged from a low of 14 °F in January to a high of 85 °F in July, with a record low of -25 °F recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 104 °F recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.60 in in February to 4.51 in in June.

Government
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code. The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are elected from county districts. The council members serve four-year terms and are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes and service taxes.

The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, collecting revenue and managing day-to-day functions of the county government.

The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.

The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and be residents of the county.

Each of the townships has a trustee who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief and manages cemetery care, among other duties. The trustee is assisted in these duties by a three-member township board. The trustees and board members are elected to four-year terms.

Newton County is part of Indiana's 4th congressional district. It is part of Indiana Senate district 6 and Indiana House of Representatives districts 15 and 19.

Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,244 people, 5,503 households, and 3,945 families residing in the county. The population density was 35.5 PD/sqmi. There were 6,030 housing units at an average density of 15.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 96.2% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.8% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 30.4% were German, 16.9% were Irish, 11.0% were English, 8.1% were Polish, 7.6% were Dutch, and 6.5% were American.

Of the 5,503 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.3% were non-families, and 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 42.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $60,242. Males had a median income of $45,389 versus $29,891 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,055. About 4.8% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Public schools in Newton County are administered by two districts:
 * North Newton School Corporation
 * South Newton School Corporation

High Schools and Middle Schools
 * North Newton Junior-Senior High School
 * South Newton High School
 * South Newton Middle School

Elementary Schools
 * Lake Village Elementary School
 * Lincoln Elementary School
 * Morocco Elementary School
 * South Newton Elementary School

title: Newton County, Indiana