Blackford County, Indiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Blackford County, Indiana | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Indiana |
|
 Indiana's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 2 April 1838 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Hartford City |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
165 sq mi (427 km²) 165 sq mi (427 km²) 0 sq mi (0 km²), 0.19% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
14,048 85/sq mi (33/km²) |
| Website: www.blackfordcounty.com | |
Blackford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 14,048. The county seat is Hartford City[1].
Contents |
[edit] History
Blackford County was formed on April 2, 1838. It is named for Judge Isaac Blackford, the first Speaker of the Indiana General Assembly. Blackford served as a Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court from 1817 to 1853. The county seat of Hartford City was selected June 10, 1841. The county, along with much of east central Indiana, experienced tremendous growth in the late 19th century due to the discovery of natural gas deposits in the area. [2] [3] [4]
[edit] Courthouse
The Blackford County Courthouse was designed by Arthur LaBelle and Burt L. French of Marion. It was constructed by Christian Boseker and Son of Fort Wayne from 1893 to 1895 at a cost of $129,338. It was built of stone in a Romanesque style, and has a 165-foot clock tower and three-story entrance arches; it was influenced by the work of the architect Henry Hobson Richardson, who had died in 1886. LaBelle and French also designed the White County courthouse.[5]
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 165 square miles (428 km²), of which 165 square miles (428 km²) is land and 0 square miles (1 km²) (0.19%) is water.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Wells County (north)
- Jay County (east)
- Delaware County (south)
- Grant County (west)
[edit] Cities and towns
- Dunkirk
- Hartford City (the county seat)
- Montpelier
- Shamrock Lakes
[edit] Unincorporated towns
[edit] Extinct towns
[edit] Townships
[edit] Major highways
[edit] Railroads
[edit] Demographics
| Blackford County Population by year |
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2000 14,048 |
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As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 14,048 people, 5,690 households, and 4,028 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile (33/km²). There were 6,155 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile (14/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.40% White, 0.12% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 29.0% were of American, 24.0% German, 12.9% Irish and 10.8% English ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 5,690 households out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples living together, 10.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 25.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,760, and the median income for a family was $41,758. Males had a median income of $30,172 versus $21,386 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,543. About 6.00% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.30% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
Public schools in Blackford County are administered by Blackford County Schools.
- Blackford High School [1]
- Hartford City Middle School [2]
- Montpelier School [3]
- Northside Elementary School [4]
- Southside Elementary School [5]
[edit] References
- Forstall, Richard L. (editor) (1996). Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division. ISBN 0-934213-48-8.
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ History of Blackford County
- ^ Our Land, Our Literature: Region - East Central Indiana
- ^ Indiana Gas Wells Not Giving Out, New York Times, 30 November 1896, pg 3.
- ^ Counts, Will; Jon Dilts (1991). The 92 Magnificent Indiana Courthouses. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, pp. 16-17. ISBN 978-0253336385.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
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