New Amsterdam, Indiana
Encyclopedia
New Amsterdam is a town
located in Washington Township
, Harrison County, Indiana
, USA,along the Ohio River
. At the 2010 census, New Amsterdam had a population of 1.
This hamlet hosts a festival each spring, in April, called Remembrance Days, at Shaffer's General Store.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), of which 12.50% is water
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town is one of only five places in the United States
to have a population of one. The others are Hibberts Gore, Maine
; Monowi, Nebraska
; Buford, Wyoming
and Lost Springs, Wyoming
.
The town depended on the Ohio River for its growth, as it was the main transportation route for migrating settlers as well as traders up and down river. Steamboats were active on the river during the 19th century and contributed to the growth of waterfront towns. In the 1860 census, New Amsterdam was the largest town in Harrison County.
Floods played a large part in the decline of the town. The Great Flood of 1937
destroyed 75% of all the structures in the town. The only original building remaining in the town is the old country store. A marker on the second story of the building shows the height of the water in the 1937 Flood.
The town has a general store that is frequented by the locals, a Baptist
church, a Methodist church, a Town Hall, and a cemetery.
The New Amsterdam Festival, also known as Remembrance Day, is held the second weekend of April and all are welcome. The festival features a parade, bazaar and competitions with prizes for the winners.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
located in Washington Township
Washington Township, Harrison County, Indiana
Washington Township is the smallest of twelve townships in Harrison County, Indiana. At the 2000 census, its population was 256.-History:Washington Township's first settlers were Jacob and Henry Funk and their families who settled in the area in 1805...
, Harrison County, Indiana
Harrison County, Indiana
Harrison County is a county located in the far southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Ohio River. It is divided into twelve townships, and the county seat is Corydon, the former capital of Indiana. The county is part of the larger Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan...
, USA,along the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. At the 2010 census, New Amsterdam had a population of 1.
This hamlet hosts a festival each spring, in April, called Remembrance Days, at Shaffer's General Store.
Geography
New Amsterdam is located at 38°6′6"N 86°16′29"W (38.101894, -86.274821).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), of which 12.50% is water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
.
Demographics
| New Amsterdam, IN Population by year |
2000 1 1990 30 1980 31 1970 32 1960 43 1950 76 1940 86 1930 101 1920 137 1910 134 1900 200 |
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town is one of only five places in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to have a population of one. The others are Hibberts Gore, Maine
Hibberts Gore, Maine
Hibberts Gore is a gore in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, one person lived there. Ignored by surveyors who mapped Maine, it remained unincorporated as the state was demarcated.- Geography :...
; Monowi, Nebraska
Monowi, Nebraska
Monowi is a village in Boyd County, Nebraska, United States. The village is notable because according to the 2010 census, it has a population of just one person. The only remaining resident of the village is Elsie Eiler.-Overview:...
; Buford, Wyoming
Buford, Wyoming
Buford is an unincorporated community in Albany County, Wyoming, United States. It is located between Laramie and Cheyenne on Interstate 80. Buford is at 8000 feet of elevation, making it the highest community on Interstate 80...
and Lost Springs, Wyoming
Lost Springs, Wyoming
-Education:Public education in the town of Lost Springs is provided by Converse County School District #1....
.
History
The first European-American settlers in what became New Amsterdam were James Riley and Jacob Youstler. Starting in 1815, they lived in New Amsterdam for several years before relocating further north. The town was formally platted and founded by the Funk brothers.The town depended on the Ohio River for its growth, as it was the main transportation route for migrating settlers as well as traders up and down river. Steamboats were active on the river during the 19th century and contributed to the growth of waterfront towns. In the 1860 census, New Amsterdam was the largest town in Harrison County.
Floods played a large part in the decline of the town. The Great Flood of 1937
Ohio River flood of 1937
The Ohio River flood of 1937 took place in late January and February 1937. With damage stretching from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois, one million persons were left homeless, with 385 dead and property losses reaching $500 million...
destroyed 75% of all the structures in the town. The only original building remaining in the town is the old country store. A marker on the second story of the building shows the height of the water in the 1937 Flood.
Today
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church, a Methodist church, a Town Hall, and a cemetery.
The New Amsterdam Festival, also known as Remembrance Day, is held the second weekend of April and all are welcome. The festival features a parade, bazaar and competitions with prizes for the winners.
See also
- List of places with fewer than ten people
- List of cities and towns along the Ohio River