Clark County, Indiana

Clark County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Jeffersonville
Year Organized: 1801
Square Miles: 375

Court House:

501 E. Court
City-County Bldg
Jeffersonville, IN 47130-0000

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Named for General George Rogers Clark who is remembered for his 1778 expedition into the Northwest Territory and was a hero of the Revolutionary War.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Clark County was set apart February 3, 1801, by William Henry Harrison, then Governor of the Territory of Indiana.

Clark is divided into 12 Civil Townships as follows: Bethlehem, Carr, Charlestown, Jeffersonville, Monroe, Oregon, Owen, Silver Creek, Union, Utica, Washington and Wood.

Clark County lies on the north bank of the Ohio River. A significant gateway to the state of Indiana, Clark County’s settlement began in 1783. The state of Virginia rewarded General George Rogers Clark and his regiment for their victorious capture of Forts Kaskaskia, Cahokia, and Vincennes from the British by granting them 150,000 acres (610 km2) of land. A small portion of this land, 1,000 acres (4.0 km2), became known as Clarksville, the first authorized American settlement in Northwest Territory, founded the next year in 1784.

Clark County was formed 3 Feb 1801 from Knox County. Counties later formed all or in part from Clark County were: Crawford (1818), Decatur (1822), Fayette (1819), Floyd (1819), Franklin (1811), Harrison (1808), Jackson (1816), Jefferson (1811), Jennings (1817), Randolph (1818), Ripley (1816), Rush (1822), Scott (1820), Switzerland (1814), Union (1821), Washington (1814), and Wayne (1811).

The first county seat and court was established in Springville, Indiana on April 7, 1801. The platting of Jeffersonville occurred a year later and the county seat was fixed to Jeffersonville on June 9, 1802 by order of Governor William Henry Harrison. By December 14, 1810 the county seat changed for the third time to Charlestown and it would remain there until 1873. The county seat changed for one last time on September 23, 1873 and returned to Jeffersonville with then mayor Luther Warder campaigning for the county seats return.

From its beginning Clark County’s history, culture and growth has been linked to the development of the river. The use of the steamboat in the early 1800s to transport goods and services provided Clark County opportunities for commercial and industrial growth. In 1832, James Howard founded the Howard shipyards making Clark County a leader in ship building and bringing with it economic growth.

The railroad brought further economic growth. Two railroad lines, the Monon, which spanned from New Albany to Chicago and the Jeffersonville, Madison, and Indianapolis railroad, provided Clark County and southern Indiana with access to the northern trading centers of Indianapolis and Chicago.

Industries locating to Clark County during the 1800’s included the Louisville Cement Company in Speed, Indiana and the Ford Plate Glass Company established in Jeffersonville in 1876.

During the 1920s, Clark County attracted the Colgate-Palmolive Company to the Clarksville Riverfront. Colgate purchased the former Indiana Reformatory building in 1923. The Company rehabilitated and adapted the building for its dedication in 1924. They stayed in business until early 2008.

Throughout the years of the Second World War, Clark County prospered. The United States began construction on the Indiana Arsenal near Charlestown, Indiana in 1940. Producing smokeless powder for the conflict overseas, the arsenal, at times, employed as many as 20,000. During the war, Howard shipyards was Commissioned by the Navy to produce landing craft. Later Howard shipyards reorganized as Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Company (Jeffboat) — a current major employer (1991).

After World War II ended, Clark County as well as the United States experienced significant residential and commercial growth. The Interstate Highway System act of 1956 aided this growth. Because of the improved access and efficiency brought by the interstate system, especially Interstate 65, new development in the form of subdivisions and shopping centers located near these roads.

Mindful of its rich past, Clark County progresses toward the future boasting a diversified economic base and excellent development opportunities.

Clark County history has been closely associated with the development of the Ohio River. From its beginnings, Clark County relied on the river for economic opportunities. Clark County has diversified its economic base, lessened its dependency on the river, and continues to develop in new directions. However, the county still looks to the river as one link to its significant pioneer heritage.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 376 square miles (974 km²). 375 square miles (971 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (3 km²) of it (0.31%) is water.

Neighboring Counties:

North: Scott County
Northeast: Jefferson County; Trimble County, Ky.
Southeast: Oldham County, Ky.
South: Jefferson County, Ky.
Southwest: Floyd County
Northwest: Washington County

Cities and Towns:

- Bethlehem	township
- Borden	town	Incorporated Area
- Carr	township
- Charlestown	city	Incorporated Area
- Clarksville	town	Incorporated Area
- Jeffersonville (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Oregon	township
- Owen	township
- Sellersburg	town	Incorporated Area
- Silver Creek	township
- Union	township
- Utica	town	Incorporated Area
- Wood	township

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resource Guide

Counties: US Map

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

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