Fountain County, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Fountain County lies in the western part of the U.S. state
of Indiana
on the east side of the Wabash River
. The county
was officially established in 1826 and was the 53rd in Indiana. The county seat
is Covington
.
According to the 2000 census, its population was 17,954; the 2010 population was 17,240. The county has eight incorporated towns with a total population of about 9,700, as well as many small unincorporated communities; it is also divided into eleven townships
which provide local services. An interstate highway, two U.S. Routes and five Indiana state roads cross the county, as does a major railroad line.
of Kentucky
who was killed at Harmar's Defeat (near modern Fort Wayne
, Indiana
) on October 22, 1790, during the Northwest Indian War
.
The first Fountain County courthouse was a two-story frame building constructed in Covington in 1827; Abraham Griffith submitted the winning bid of $335. Two years later in 1829 it was decided that a brick building was needed, and plans were made for a new courthouse; but then an act of the legislature called for the county seat to be moved. In the end it was decided that the county seat should remain in Covington, and the brick courthouse was completed in 1833. A third courthouse was commissioned in 1856, and was completed in 1857 at a cost of $33,500. The circuit court met for the first time in the new building in January 1860, and the building was largely destroyed by fire the same day. Isaac Hodgson
was the architect for the rebuilt courthouse, which was first occupied in January 1861; the total cost, including the reconstruction, totaled $54,624.05. The current courthouse was built in 1936–37 at a cost of $246,734; it replaced the previous building which had been declared unsafe. It was constructed by the Jacobson Brothers of Chicago; the architects were Louis R. Johnson and Walter Scholar of Lafayette
. The courthouse walls display many murals painted by Eugene Francis Savage and others from 1937 to 1940; the murals cover over 2500 square feet (232 m²) of wall space and depict the settlement of western Indiana.
Construction on the Wabash and Erie Canal
began in 1832 and worked southwest; it reached Lafayette by 1842. In 1846 it reached Covington, and by 1847 traffic had begun to flow through the county via the canal. Although the coming of the county's first railroad a decade later heralded the end of the canal's usefulness, it wasn't until 1875 that the last canal boat passed through Covington.
The first railroad through the county was the Toledo, Wabash and Western Railway (later the Wabash Railroad
) which was built from the east across the northern part of the county and reached Attica in 1856; it continued west through Warren County and reached the Illinois state line the following year. Another line, the Indianapolis, Crawfordsville and Danville Railroad (later the Indiana, Bloomington and Western Railway), was started in 1855, but the general state of the economy halted construction in 1858. It was completed by another owner in 1870, and trains began operating on it in 1871; locally, it ran through Covington, Veedersburg and Hillsboro.
which flows out of Tippecanoe County
to the northeast. Across the river to the northwest lies Warren County
, beyond which is the state of Illinois
; to the southwest, Vermillion County
also shares the river as part of its border. Parke County
is directly to the south, and Montgomery County
is to the east. The state capital of Indianapolis
lies about 60 miles (96.6 km) to the east.
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 397.88 square miles (1,030.5 km²), of which 395.66 square miles (1,024.8 km²) (or 99.44%) is land and 2.22 square miles (5.7 km²) (or 0.56%) is water. Elevations range from 770 feet (234.7 m) above sea level in the northeastern part of the county to 465 feet (141.7 m) in the southwest where the Wabash River leaves the county. The entire county is within the drainage basin of the Wabash River, and gradually slopes to the southwest toward the river. It is covered with loess
ranging in thickness from a few inches to more than 7 feet (2.1 m). Approximately 84 percent of the county's land is use for agriculture.
Fountain County contains eight incorporated settlements. The largest is the city of Attica
with a population of 3,491. It lies in the north part of the county on the southeastern banks of the Wabash River; U.S. Route 41, State Road 28, and State Road 55 all run through Attica. The county seat of Covington
is the second-largest at 2,565; it is also on the Wabash, about 10 miles (16.1 km) downstream and southwest of Attica on U.S. Route 136, just north of Interstate 74. Third in size is Veedersburg
at 2,299; it is near the center of the county where U.S. Route 41, U.S. Route 136, and Interstate 74 intersect.
The remaining towns all have populations under 1,000. Newtown
, Mellott
, Hillsboro
and Wallace
all lie along the route of State Road 341 which runs from north to south in the eastern part of the county. Kingman
is in the far south part of the county on State Road 234, about 1 miles (1.6 km) west of U.S. Route 41.
Fountain County is divided into 11 townships. Originally, there were only five, established on July 24, 1826: Cain
, Richland
, Shawnee
, Troy
and Wabash
. Later, six more were created: Davis
, Fulton
, Jackson
, Logan
, Millcreek
and Van Buren
.
In addition to the eight incorporated cities and towns, there are also many small unincorporated settlements. Cates
and Silverwood
are in Fulton Township in the southwest corner of the county. To the east of Fulton, Mill Creek Township includes Harveysburg
, Steam Corner
(at the intersection of U.S. Route 41 and State Road 32) and Yeddo
(north of Kingman). North of Fulton, Wabash Township has the town of Coal Creek
. Van Buren Township, which contains Veedersburg, also includes Stone Bluff
; and Shawnee Township to the north of Van Buren holds the hamlets of Fountain
(on the banks of the Wabash) and Rob Roy
(at the intersection of U.S. Route 41 and State Road 55). The town of Riverside
is across the river from Independence
in Warren County, and lies in Davis Township.
Stringtown
was a mining settlement south of Covington in Wabash Township in the late 19th century, but it no longer exists. There are several coal mines in Fountain County, especially in the southwest.
is a four-lane divided highway which passes from east to west through the middle of Fountain County, on its way from Indianapolis in the east to Illinois in the west. is a two-lane road which follows the same general route as I-74 through the county; in the eastern part it runs on the south side of the interstate, but crosses to the north side between Veedersburg and Covington. is a north–south highway which enters from Warren County in the north and passes through Attica, then goes directly south through Veedersburg and on toward Terre Haute.
Three east–west state roads cross the county. enters Attica from Warren County and crosses the north end of the county. enters the middle of the county from Perrysville to the west and passes through Fountain County on its way to Crawfordsville to the east. , further to the south, enters from Cayuga to the west and passes east through Kingman. Two north–south state roads also run through the county. passes through Attica and shares the route of U.S. Route 41 as it goes south; at the small town of Rob Roy it branches off to the east, then runs southeast through Newtown. starts at State Road 28 in the north part of the county and runs south, ending at State Road 234.
A Norfolk Southern Railway
line runs across the north end of the county on its route between Danville, Illinois and Lafayette; it carries about 45 freight trains each day.
Purdue University Airport
is Indiana's second busiest airport and is operated by Purdue University in neighboring Tippecanoe County to the northeast. Indianapolis International Airport
is located about 70 miles (112.7 km) to the east.
region of the United States along with most of Indiana. Its Köppen climate classification
is Dfa, meaning that it is cold, has no dry season, and has a hot summer. In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Covington have ranged from a low of 15 °F (-9.4 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29.4 °C) in July, although a record low of -26 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 105 °F (40.6 °C) was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.8 inches (4.6 cm) inches in February to 4.53 inches (11.5 cm) inches in June.
From 1950 through 2009, six tornadoes were reported in Fountain County; none resulted in any deaths, but the estimated property damage totaled more than $25 million.
John Myers
was born in Covington in 1927. He graduated from Covington High School, then from Indiana State University in Terre Haute; he served in the United States Army, and later was elected to the United States House of Representatives and was reelected 14 times, serving from 1967 to 1997.
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 $9.8 million for the district's schools and $3.2 million for other county operations and services, for a total annual budget of approximately $13 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.
Based on the 2000 census, Fountain County is part of Indiana's 4th congressional district
and Indiana's 8th congressional district
; Indiana Senate
district 23; and Indiana House of Representatives
district 42.
was 45 PD/sqmi. There were 7,692 housing units at an average density of 19 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.71% White
, 0.11% Black
or African American
, 0.20% Native American
, 0.18% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.28% from other races
, and 0.52% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. In terms of ancestry, 33.4% were American
, 23.7% were German
, 10.9% were English
and 7.6% were Irish
.
There were 7,041 households out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples
living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,119, and the median income for a family was $43,330. Males had a median income of $33,957 versus $21,631 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,779. About 6.20% of families and 8.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.40% of those under age 18 and 6.90% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
on the east side of the Wabash River
Wabash River
The Wabash River is a river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery across northern Indiana to southern Illinois, where it forms the Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern tributary...
. The county
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
was officially established in 1826 and was the 53rd in Indiana. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Covington
Covington, Indiana
Covington is a city located on the western edge of Fountain County, Indiana. The population was 2,645 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Fountain County.-Geography:Covington is located at ....
.
According to the 2000 census, its population was 17,954; the 2010 population was 17,240. The county has eight incorporated towns with a total population of about 9,700, as well as many small unincorporated communities; it is also divided into eleven townships
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
which provide local services. An interstate highway, two U.S. Routes and five Indiana state roads cross the county, as does a major railroad line.
History
The state of Indiana was established in 1816. The first non-indigenous settler in the area that became Fountain County is thought to have been a Mr. Forbes, who arrived here in early 1823 and was soon followed by others. Fountain County was officially created on December 30, 1825, the act taking effect on April 1, 1826; the boundaries of the county have not changed since that time. It was named for Major James FontaineJames Fontaine
James Fontaine was an officer who served in American Revolutionary War and the Northwest Indian War. The name is spelled several ways, including "Fountaine".James Fontaine is believed to have been born in Hanover County, Virginia in 1757...
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
who was killed at Harmar's Defeat (near modern Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
) on October 22, 1790, during the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
.
The first Fountain County courthouse was a two-story frame building constructed in Covington in 1827; Abraham Griffith submitted the winning bid of $335. Two years later in 1829 it was decided that a brick building was needed, and plans were made for a new courthouse; but then an act of the legislature called for the county seat to be moved. In the end it was decided that the county seat should remain in Covington, and the brick courthouse was completed in 1833. A third courthouse was commissioned in 1856, and was completed in 1857 at a cost of $33,500. The circuit court met for the first time in the new building in January 1860, and the building was largely destroyed by fire the same day. Isaac Hodgson
Isaac Hodgson (architect)
Isaac Hodgson was an Irish-American architect who worked primarily in Indiana and Minnesota. He was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1826 and studied at the Royal Academy. He went to work for architect Sir Charles Lanyon at the age of 16...
was the architect for the rebuilt courthouse, which was first occupied in January 1861; the total cost, including the reconstruction, totaled $54,624.05. The current courthouse was built in 1936–37 at a cost of $246,734; it replaced the previous building which had been declared unsafe. It was constructed by the Jacobson Brothers of Chicago; the architects were Louis R. Johnson and Walter Scholar of Lafayette
Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
. The courthouse walls display many murals painted by Eugene Francis Savage and others from 1937 to 1940; the murals cover over 2500 square feet (232 m²) of wall space and depict the settlement of western Indiana.
Construction on the Wabash and Erie Canal
Wabash and Erie Canal
The Wabash and Erie Canal was a shipping canal that linked the Great Lakes to the Ohio River via an artificial waterway. The canal provided traders with access from the Great Lakes all the way to the Gulf of Mexico...
began in 1832 and worked southwest; it reached Lafayette by 1842. In 1846 it reached Covington, and by 1847 traffic had begun to flow through the county via the canal. Although the coming of the county's first railroad a decade later heralded the end of the canal's usefulness, it wasn't until 1875 that the last canal boat passed through Covington.
The first railroad through the county was the Toledo, Wabash and Western Railway (later the Wabash Railroad
Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
) which was built from the east across the northern part of the county and reached Attica in 1856; it continued west through Warren County and reached the Illinois state line the following year. Another line, the Indianapolis, Crawfordsville and Danville Railroad (later the Indiana, Bloomington and Western Railway), was started in 1855, but the general state of the economy halted construction in 1858. It was completed by another owner in 1870, and trains began operating on it in 1871; locally, it ran through Covington, Veedersburg and Hillsboro.
Geography
Fountain County's northern and western borders are defined by the Wabash RiverWabash River
The Wabash River is a river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery across northern Indiana to southern Illinois, where it forms the Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern tributary...
which flows out of Tippecanoe County
Tippecanoe County, Indiana
Tippecanoe County is a county located in the northwest quadrant of the U.S. state of Indiana. It was created in 1826 from Wabash County. It is part of the Lafayette, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area....
to the northeast. Across the river to the northwest lies Warren County
Warren County, Indiana
Warren County lies in western Indiana between the Illinois border and the Wabash River in the United States. Before the arrival of non-indigenous settlers in the early 19th century, the area was inhabited by several Native American tribes. The county was officially established in 1827 and...
, beyond which is the state of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
; to the southwest, Vermillion County
Vermillion County, Indiana
Vermillion County lies in western Indiana between the Illinois border and the Wabash River. It was officially established in 1824 and was the 50th Indiana county to be formed. It is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Newport.According to the 2010...
also shares the river as part of its border. Parke County
Parke County, Indiana
Parke County is a county in the western part of the U.S. state of Indiana. It was formed in 1821 out of a portion of Vigo County. The county seat is Rockville....
is directly to the south, and Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Indiana
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 38,124. The county seat is Crawfordsville-Early history and settlement:...
is to the east. The state capital of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
lies about 60 miles (96.6 km) to the east.
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 397.88 square miles (1,030.5 km²), of which 395.66 square miles (1,024.8 km²) (or 99.44%) is land and 2.22 square miles (5.7 km²) (or 0.56%) is water. Elevations range from 770 feet (234.7 m) above sea level in the northeastern part of the county to 465 feet (141.7 m) in the southwest where the Wabash River leaves the county. The entire county is within the drainage basin of the Wabash River, and gradually slopes to the southwest toward the river. It is covered with loess
Loess
Loess is an aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt, typically in the 20–50 micrometre size range, twenty percent or less clay and the balance equal parts sand and silt that are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate...
ranging in thickness from a few inches to more than 7 feet (2.1 m). Approximately 84 percent of the county's land is use for agriculture.
Fountain County contains eight incorporated settlements. The largest is the city of Attica
Attica, Indiana
Attica is a city in Logan Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,245 at the 2010 census.-History:Attica was laid out by George Hollingsworth and platted by David Stump on March 19, 1825...
with a population of 3,491. It lies in the north part of the county on the southeastern banks of the Wabash River; U.S. Route 41, State Road 28, and State Road 55 all run through Attica. The county seat of Covington
Covington, Indiana
Covington is a city located on the western edge of Fountain County, Indiana. The population was 2,645 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Fountain County.-Geography:Covington is located at ....
is the second-largest at 2,565; it is also on the Wabash, about 10 miles (16.1 km) downstream and southwest of Attica on U.S. Route 136, just north of Interstate 74. Third in size is Veedersburg
Veedersburg, Indiana
Veedersburg is a town in Van Buren Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,180 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Veedersburg is located at on U.S. Route 136 just west of its intersection with U.S...
at 2,299; it is near the center of the county where U.S. Route 41, U.S. Route 136, and Interstate 74 intersect.
The remaining towns all have populations under 1,000. Newtown
Newtown, Indiana
Newtown is a town in Richland Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 256 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Newtown is located at ....
, Mellott
Mellott, Indiana
Mellott is a town in Richland Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 197 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Mellott is located at ....
, Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Indiana
Hillsboro is a town in Cain Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 538 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hillsboro is located at . It is at the intersection of U.S...
and Wallace
Wallace, Indiana
Wallace, originally named Jacksonville, is a town located in Jackson Township, Fountain County, Indiana in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 105.- History :...
all lie along the route of State Road 341 which runs from north to south in the eastern part of the county. Kingman
Kingman, Indiana
Kingman is a town in Millcreek Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 511 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Kingman is located at , on Indiana State Road 234 about 2 miles west of U.S...
is in the far south part of the county on State Road 234, about 1 miles (1.6 km) west of U.S. Route 41.
Fountain County is divided into 11 townships. Originally, there were only five, established on July 24, 1826: Cain
Cain Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Cain Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,090.-History:Cain Township was one of the first townships to be established in the county, on July 24, 1826. At this time, much of the land was wooded, but 100 years later most of the...
, Richland
Richland Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Richland Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 908.-Geography:Richland Township covers an area of . It contains two incorporated towns. Newtown, with a population of about 250, lies near the center of the township; the...
, Shawnee
Shawnee Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Shawnee Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 616.-Geography:Shawnee Township covers an area of ; of this is water. It contains no incorporated settlements. The unincorporated communities of Aylesworth and Rob Roy both...
, Troy
Troy Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Troy Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 3,801.-Geography:Troy Township lies along the western side of Fountain County; the Wabash River defines the western borders of both...
and Wabash
Wabash Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Wabash Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 813.-Geography:Wabash Township covers an area of ; of this is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Coal Creek* Mackie...
. Later, six more were created: Davis
Davis Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Davis Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 635.-Geography:Davis Township covers an area of ; of this is water. It contains no incorporated settlements but four unincorporated ones...
, Fulton
Fulton Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Fulton Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 674.-Geography:Fulton Township covers an area of ; of this is water. It contains two unincorporated settlements: Cates, in the eastern part of the township, and Silverwood in...
, Jackson
Jackson Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Jackson Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 718.-Geography:Jackson Township covers an area of ; of this is water...
, Logan
Logan Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Logan Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 3,968.-Geography:Logan Township covers an area of ; of this is water. It contains the town of Attica, which is near the banks of the Wabash River and which has a population of...
, Millcreek
Millcreek Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Millcreek Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,610.-Geography:Millcreek Township covers an area of ; of this is water. It contains the town of Kingman in the southwest along Indiana State Road 234...
and Van Buren
Van Buren Township, Fountain County, Indiana
Van Buren Township is one of eleven townships in Fountain County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 3,121.-Geography:Van Buren Township covers an area of ; of this is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Harrison Lake...
.
In addition to the eight incorporated cities and towns, there are also many small unincorporated settlements. Cates
Cates, Indiana
Cates is an unincorporated town in Fulton Township, Fountain County, Indiana. The town was founded May 23, 1903. Nearby places include Coal Creek, Harveysburg, Kingman, Lodi, Mackie, Silverwood, Sylvania, Tangier, Yeddo,....
and Silverwood
Silverwood, Indiana
Silverwood is an unincorporated town in Fulton Township, Fountain County, Indiana....
are in Fulton Township in the southwest corner of the county. To the east of Fulton, Mill Creek Township includes Harveysburg
Harveysburg, Indiana
Harveysburg is an unincorporated community in Millcreek Township, Fountain County, Indiana, USA....
, Steam Corner
Steam Corner, Indiana
Steam Corner is a small unincorporated settlement in Millcreek Township, Fountain County, Indiana.-History:In the 1880s the Chicago and Great Southern Railway completed a north/south rail line through Fountain County which ran from Clay and Vigo counties in the south to Newton County and Kankakee...
(at the intersection of U.S. Route 41 and State Road 32) and Yeddo
Yeddo, Indiana
Yeddo is an unincorporated town in Millcreek Township, Fountain County, Indiana....
(north of Kingman). North of Fulton, Wabash Township has the town of Coal Creek
Coal Creek, Indiana
Coal Creek is an unincorporated town in Wabash Township, Fountain County, Indiana....
. Van Buren Township, which contains Veedersburg, also includes Stone Bluff
Stone Bluff, Indiana
Stone Bluff is an unincorporated town in Van Buren Township, Fountain County, Indiana.-Geography:Stone Bluff is located at , about 9 miles south of Attica and less than a mile to the west of U.S. Route 41....
; and Shawnee Township to the north of Van Buren holds the hamlets of Fountain
Fountain, Indiana
Fountain is an unincorporated town in Shawnee Township, Fountain County, Indiana in the United States. The Wabash and Erie Canal used to pass through the community.-History:...
(on the banks of the Wabash) and Rob Roy
Rob Roy, Indiana
Rob Roy is an unincorporated town in Shawnee Township, Fountain County, Indiana.-History:Rob Roy was destroyed by a tornado named after the Scottish outlaw Robert Roy MacGregor by local John I. Foster, a lover of literature who was especially fond of Walter Scott's novels...
(at the intersection of U.S. Route 41 and State Road 55). The town of Riverside
Riverside, Indiana
Riverside is a small unincorporated town on the border of Davis Township and Logan Township in Fountain County, Indiana in the United States.-Geography:...
is across the river from Independence
Independence, Indiana
Independence is a small town in Warren Township, Warren County, Indiana in the United States.- History :A trading post existed at this location as early as 1811. The village was laid out on October 5, 1832 by Zachariah Cicott, a French-Indian trader and scout for General William Henry Harrison, on...
in Warren County, and lies in Davis Township.
Stringtown
Stringtown, Fountain County, Indiana
Stringtown, or String Town, was a small mining settlement near Snoddy's Mill in Wabash Township, Fountain County, Indiana in the United States. An 1881 history of the county offers the following brief description:...
was a mining settlement south of Covington in Wabash Township in the late 19th century, but it no longer exists. There are several coal mines in Fountain County, especially in the southwest.
Transportation
Three east–west state roads cross the county. enters Attica from Warren County and crosses the north end of the county. enters the middle of the county from Perrysville to the west and passes through Fountain County on its way to Crawfordsville to the east. , further to the south, enters from Cayuga to the west and passes east through Kingman. Two north–south state roads also run through the county. passes through Attica and shares the route of U.S. Route 41 as it goes south; at the small town of Rob Roy it branches off to the east, then runs southeast through Newtown. starts at State Road 28 in the north part of the county and runs south, ending at State Road 234.
A Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
line runs across the north end of the county on its route between Danville, Illinois and Lafayette; it carries about 45 freight trains each day.
Purdue University Airport
Purdue University Airport
Purdue University Airport is a public-use airport in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States. Owned by Purdue University, the airport is southwest of the central business district of Lafayette, in West Lafayette...
is Indiana's second busiest airport and is operated by Purdue University in neighboring Tippecanoe County to the northeast. Indianapolis International Airport
Indianapolis International Airport
Indianapolis International Airport is a public airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Indianapolis, a city in Marion County, Indiana, United States. It is owned and operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority...
is located about 70 miles (112.7 km) to the east.
Climate and weather
Fountain County is in the humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
region of the United States along with most of Indiana. Its Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
is Dfa, meaning that it is cold, has no dry season, and has a hot summer. In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Covington have ranged from a low of 15 °F (-9.4 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29.4 °C) in July, although a record low of -26 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 105 °F (40.6 °C) was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.8 inches (4.6 cm) inches in February to 4.53 inches (11.5 cm) inches in June.
From 1950 through 2009, six tornadoes were reported in Fountain County; none resulted in any deaths, but the estimated property damage totaled more than $25 million.
Education
Public schools in Fountain County are administered by three bodies. The Attica Consolidated School Corporation, in the northern part of the county, served 964 students during the 2009–2010 school year and includes Attica Elementary School and Attica Junior–Senior High School. The Covington Community School Corporation, in the west, served 1,012 students during the same year and includes Covington Elementary School, Covington Middle School and Covington High School. In the southeast, the Southeast Fountain School Corporation served 1,279 students and includes Southeast Fountain Elementary School and Fountain Central Junior–Senior High School.Notable people
Daniel Wolsey Voorhees was born in Ohio, but his family moved to Fountain County when he was an infant. He attended school in Veedersburg, graduated from college in 1849, was admitted to the bar, and began practicing law in Covington; he moved to Terre Haute in 1857. He served as a United States Senator from 1877 to 1897 and was known as "the tall sycamore of the Wabash". He died in Washington in 1897 and is buried in Terre Haute.John Myers
John T. Myers (Congressman)
John Thomas Myers was a Republican Congressman from Indiana's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1967 to 1997. His son-in-law, Brian D. Kerns, represented the same district from 2001 to 2003. John T...
was born in Covington in 1927. He graduated from Covington High School, then from Indiana State University in Terre Haute; he served in the United States Army, and later was elected to the United States House of Representatives and was reelected 14 times, serving from 1967 to 1997.
Government
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of IndianaConstitution of Indiana
There have been two Constitutions of the State of Indiana. The first constitution was created when the Territory of Indiana sent forty-three delegates to a constitutional convention on June 10, 1816 to establish a constitution for the proposed State of Indiana after the United States Congress had...
and the Indiana Code
Indiana Code
The Indiana Code is the code of laws for the US State of Indiana. The contents are the codification of the all the laws currently in effect within Indiana...
. 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 $9.8 million for the district's schools and $3.2 million for other county operations and services, for a total annual budget of approximately $13 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
Small claims court
Small-claims courts have limited jurisdiction to hear civil cases between private litigants. Courts authorized to try small claims may also have other judicial functions, and the name by which such a court is known varies by jurisdiction; it may be known as a county or magistrate's 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
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
.
The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
, auditor, treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
, recorder
Recorder of deeds
Recorder of deeds is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights over that property.-Background:...
, surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
and circuit court clerk
Court clerk
A court clerk is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining the records of a court. Another duty is to administer oaths to witnesses, jurors, and grand jurors...
. 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
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
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.
Based on the 2000 census, Fountain County is part of Indiana's 4th congressional district
Indiana's 4th congressional district
Indiana's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Indiana. Based primary in the central part of the state, the district consists of all of Boone, Clinton, Hendricks, Morgan, Lawrence, Montgomery, and Tippecanoe counties and parts of Fountain, Johnson, Marion,...
and Indiana's 8th congressional district
Indiana's 8th congressional district
Indiana's 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Indiana. Based in Southwest and west central Indiana, the district is anchored in Evansville and also includes Terre Haute, Vincennes and Washington....
; Indiana Senate
Indiana Senate
The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms without term limits...
district 23; and Indiana House of Representatives
Indiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
district 42.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, there were 17,954 people, 7,041 households, and 5,041 families residing in the county. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 45 PD/sqmi. There were 7,692 housing units at an average density of 19 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 98.71% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.11% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.20% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.18% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.28% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.52% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. In terms of ancestry, 33.4% were American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 23.7% were German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 10.9% were English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 7.6% were Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
.
There were 7,041 households out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,119, and the median income for a family was $43,330. Males had a median income of $33,957 versus $21,631 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $17,779. About 6.20% of families and 8.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.40% of those under age 18 and 6.90% of those age 65 or over.