Sullivan County, Indiana

Sullivan County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana, and determined by the U.S. Census Bureau to include the mean center of U.S. population in 1940.[1] As of 2010, the population was 21,475.[2] The county seat is Sullivan.[3]

Sullivan County
U.S. county
Sullivan County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°05′N 87°25′W
Country United States
State Indiana
FoundedJanuary 15, 1817
Named forDaniel Sullivan
SeatSullivan
Largest citySullivan
Area
 • Total454.12 sq mi (1,176.2 km2)
 • Land447.14 sq mi (1,158.1 km2)
 • Water6.97 sq mi (18.1 km2)  1.53%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
20,690
 • Density49/sq mi (19/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district8th
Websitewww.sullivancounty.in.gov
Indiana county number 77

Sullivan County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, metropolitan statistical area.

History

On 25 February 1779 Col. George Rogers Clark captured Fort Sackville at Vincennes from the British. About six miles (10 km) west at Pointe Coupee on the Wabash River on 2 March 1779, Capt. Leonard Helm commanding three boats and 50 volunteers from Vincennes captured a reinforcement fleet of seven boats carrying 40 soldiers and valuable supplies and Indian trade goods. This small naval battle completed the destruction of British military strength in the Wabash Valley.

The county's first settlement occurred between 1808 and 1812, by a religious society of celibates known as Shakers. The 400 members of this communal group occupied 1,300 acres (5 km2), seven miles (11 km) west of Carlisle.

General William Henry Harrison’s army made its last camp in Sullivan County at Big Springs on September 29, 1811. Harrison used Benjamin Turman's fort as his headquarters. With spring water available, it was an ideal location for 1000 men, including 160 dragoons and 60 mounted riflemen. A Kentucky soldier killed a fellow Kentuckian, Clark, either accidentally or in a grudge fight. The deceased was buried at the top of a hill that became the Mann Turman Cemetery. General Harrison and his troops continued north on the Wea Indiana Trail to build Fort Harrison and then proceeded to the Battle of Tippecanoe.

A War of 1812 military action occurred in September, 1812, three miles (5 km) west/southwest of Sullivan County. While escorting supplies from Fort Knox near Vincennes to Fort Harrison at Terre Haute, Sergeant Nathan Fairbanks and approximately a dozen soldiers were ambushed - and most killed - by Indians.

In 1815, Carlisle was founded.

Sullivan County was formed in 1817.[4][5] It was named for Daniel Sullivan, said by some sources to have been a Revolutionary War general killed by Native Americans while carrying a dispatch between Fort Vincennes and Louisville.

A log courthouse in Merom served as Sullivan County's first county seat from 1819–1842. Merom was an important river port and a stop on the stage route known as The Old Harrison Trail. William Henry Harrison's troops camped near here on their 1811 march to the Battle of Tippecanoe.

Pioneer heroine of abdominal surgery Jane Todd is buried in Sullivan County. Born in Virginia in 1763, she and her husband, Thomas Crawford, moved to Green County, Kentucky, in 1805. Suffering from a huge abdominal tumor, she rode 60 miles (100 km) to Danville, Kentucky, to submit to an operation never before performed. On December 25, 1809, Dr. Ephraim McDowell performed this, the first ovariotomy, in his home. The ordeal lasted 25 minutes. There was no anesthesia. Mrs. Crawford recovered completely and years later came to Graysville to live with her son, Thomas, a Presbyterian minister. She died in 1842 at age 78. The restored McDowell home in Danville, Kentucky is a surgical shrine.

Sullivan was founded in 1853 and became the county seat.

Dedicated in 1862, Union Christian College served as a preparatory school and college until 1924. In 1936 it became Merom Institute—a rural enrichment center. Now owned by the United Church of Christ, it serves as a camp, conference, and retreat center.

Numerous violent conflicts erupted in Sullivan County during the American Civil War over differing war sentiments. On July 14, 1864, anti-war Democrat John Drake was fatally shot at a community picnic near here.

Organized nationally to bring culture to rural communities, Merom's 10-day religious and educational Chautauqua event featured concerts, debates, plays, and lectures. Carrie Nation, William Jennings Bryan, William Howard Taft, Warren G. Harding, and Billy Sunday were among the speakers here.

In 1968 Sullivan County Park and Lake was founded. It contains a 468-acre (1.9 km2) reservoir in 1968 for swimming, boating and fishing. The lake is stocked with crappie and hybrid saugeye, as well as bass, bluegill and channel catfish. Water skiing is also very popular. Sullivan County Park and Lake has 400 acres (1.6 km2) of land for camping as well as a 9-hole golf course. The campground offers sites ranging from primitive camping to space for modern motor homes.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 454.12 square miles (1,176.2 km2), of which 447.14 square miles (1,158.1 km2) (or 98.46%) is land and 6.97 square miles (18.1 km2) (or 1.53%) is water.[6]

Cities and towns

Unincorporated towns

Ghost towns

Townships

Adjacent counties

Transportation

Major highways
  • U.S. Route 41
  • U.S. Route 150
  • State Road 48
  • State Road 54
  • State Road 58
  • State Road 63
  • State Road 154
  • State Road 159

Airport

The county contains one public-use airport: Sullivan County Airport (SIV), serving Sullivan, Indiana.[7]

Economy

Peabody Energy Corporation The Bear Run mine is the largest surface mine in the eastern U.S. and is expected to produce 12 million tons of coal per year. The mine employs over 500 employees as of April, 2012 and is expected to reach a total of over 700 employees in the next few years.

Education

Sullivan County is served by two school corporations, the Southwest School Corporation and the Northeast School Corporation. The former's high school is Sullivan High School in Sullivan, and the latter's high schools are North Central High School in Farmersburg and Union High School in Dugger. Union Christian College formerly operated in Merom.

Climate and weather
Sullivan, Indiana
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
2.8
 
 
36
18
 
 
2.6
 
 
42
22
 
 
3.2
 
 
52
31
 
 
4.2
 
 
64
42
 
 
4.1
 
 
73
52
 
 
3.5
 
 
82
61
 
 
4.7
 
 
85
65
 
 
3.8
 
 
84
63
 
 
3.7
 
 
78
56
 
 
3
 
 
67
44
 
 
4.1
 
 
53
34
 
 
3
 
 
40
23
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[8]

In recent years, average temperatures in Sullivan have ranged from a low of 18 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −33 °F (−36 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 98 °F (37 °C) was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.58 inches (66 mm) in February to 4.69 inches (119 mm) in July.[8]

Government
See also: Government of Indiana

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 legislative branch 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.[9][10]

Board of Commissioners: 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 the day-to-day functions of the county government.[9][10]

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 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.[10]

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.[10]

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 71.7% 6,138 24.7% 2,113 3.6% 308
2012 59.1% 4,902 38.5% 3,191 2.4% 197
2008 49.5% 4,343 48.8% 4,284 1.8% 155
2004 59.6% 4,999 39.8% 3,341 0.6% 54
2000 52.3% 4,319 46.4% 3,833 1.3% 110
1996 37.1% 3,207 47.2% 4,076 15.7% 1,359
1992 33.3% 3,052 45.9% 4,211 20.8% 1,905
1988 49.4% 4,246 50.3% 4,320 0.4% 31
1984 54.1% 4,771 45.5% 4,006 0.4% 36
1980 49.1% 4,465 47.6% 4,335 3.3% 303
1976 41.6% 3,747 57.7% 5,198 0.7% 61
1972 59.3% 5,338 40.3% 3,624 0.4% 39
1968 43.2% 4,266 45.1% 4,453 11.7% 1,155
1964 34.3% 3,867 65.3% 7,351 0.4% 42
1960 49.9% 6,012 49.5% 5,975 0.6% 73
1956 48.8% 5,829 50.6% 6,048 0.6% 69
1952 45.7% 5,929 53.6% 6,964 0.7% 95
1948 40.9% 4,824 56.8% 6,705 2.3% 272
1944 47.2% 5,855 51.8% 6,420 1.0% 122
1940 42.3% 6,471 56.7% 8,667 1.0% 151
1936 30.9% 4,685 67.3% 10,203 1.8% 266
1932 29.4% 3,667 62.8% 7,835 7.8% 975
1928 51.1% 6,199 46.5% 5,642 2.4% 293
1924 42.6% 5,139 43.3% 5,213 14.1% 1,701
1920 41.4% 5,376 47.4% 6,160 11.2% 1,455
1916 35.2% 2,630 52.0% 3,880 12.8% 953
1912 18.5% 1,406 48.8% 3,707 32.7% 2,480
1908 35.7% 2,942 56.5% 4,657 7.9% 649
1904 42.2% 3,076 49.9% 3,641 7.9% 578
1900 35.3% 2,326 60.8% 4,008 3.9% 257
1896 36.2% 2,317 62.6% 4,010 1.3% 82
1892 32.7% 1,784 57.8% 3,159 9.5% 519
1888 35.6% 1,902 63.2% 3,382 1.2% 64

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18203,498—
18304,63032.4%
18408,31579.6%
185010,14122.0%
186015,06448.5%
187018,45322.5%
188020,33610.2%
189021,8777.6%
190026,00518.9%
191032,43924.7%
192031,630−2.5%
193028,133−11.1%
194027,014−4.0%
195023,667−12.4%
196021,721−8.2%
197019,889−8.4%
198021,1076.1%
199018,993−10.0%
200021,75114.5%
201021,475−1.3%
Est. 201820,690[12]−3.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2013[2]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 21,475 people, 7,823 households, and 5,422 families residing in the county.[17] The population density was 48.0 inhabitants per square mile (18.5/km2). There were 8,939 housing units at an average density of 20.0 per square mile (7.7/km2).[6] The racial makeup of the county was 93.7% white, 4.5% black or African American, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population.[17] In terms of ancestry, 20.8% were German, 19.8% were American, 10.3% were Irish, and 9.7% were English.[18]

Of the 7,823 households, 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.7% were non-families, and 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 39.8 years.[17]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $52,558. Males had a median income of $44,645 versus $26,335 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,093. About 8.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.9% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.[19]

  • Turtle Creek Reservoir
  • Sullivan County Park & Lake
  • Sullivan County Farm
  • Merom Power Station
  • Sullivan Public Library
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See also

References
  1. "Mean Center of Population for the United States: 1790 to 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2001-11-03. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  2. "Sullivan County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. "Organization Of Sullivan County". Sullivan County, Indiana. Sullivan County Historical Society. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  5. "Sullivan County, Indiana". STATS Indiana. Indiana Business Research Center. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  6. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  7. Public and Private Airports, Sullivan County, Indiana
  8. "Monthly Averages for Sullivan, Indiana". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
  9. Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". IN.gov. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
  10. Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2" (PDF). IN.gov. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
  11. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  12. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  13. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  14. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  15. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  16. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  17. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  18. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  19. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
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