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Please add profiles of those who were born, lived or died in Blackford County, Indiana.
Official Website
History
Before the arrival of European-American settlers during the 1830s, the northeastern portion of the future Blackford County was briefly the site of an Indian reservation for Chief Francois Godfroy of the Miami tribe. The first European-American pioneers were typically farmers who settled on arable land near rivers. Originally, the county was mostly swampland, but more land became available for farming as the marshes were cleared and drained. Over the next 30 years, small communities developed throughout the county. When the county's rail lines were constructed in the 1860s and 1870s, additional communities evolved around railroad stops.
Beginning in the late 1880s, the discovery of natural gas and crude oil in the county (and surrounding region) caused the area to undergo an economic boom period known as the Indiana Gas Boom, creating a Gas Industry in the area.. Manufacturers relocated to the area to take advantage of the low-cost energy and railroad facilities. The boom period lasted about 15 years, and is reflected in Blackford County's population, which peaked in 1900 at 17,213. The construction associated with the additional prosperity of the boom period caused a significant upgrade in the county's appearance, as wooden buildings were replaced with masonry structures. Much of the infrastructure built during that time remains today—including Montpelier's historic Carnegie Library and many of Hartford City's buildings in the Courthouse Square Historic District.
Agriculture continues to be important to the county, and became even more important after the loss of several large manufacturers during the 20th century. Today, 72 percent of Blackford County is covered by either corn or soybean fields; additional crops, such as wheat and hay, are also grown.
Adjacent Counties
Cities, Towns & Communities
- Bowser Station
- Converse (Crumley's Crossing)
- Dorsey Station
- Dunkirk (part)
- Frog Alley
- Greenland
- Harrison
- Hartford City (County Seat)
- Jackson
- Licking
- Little Chicago (part)
- Luck
- Matamoras
- Millgrove
- Mollie
- Montpelier
- Pleasantdale
- Renner
- Roll (Dundee)
- Shamrock Lakes
- Silas
- Slocum
- Trenton (Priam)
- Washington
- Winterhurst
Links
Blackford County Historical Society
