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Indiana State...
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Indiana Counties
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Indiana Counties
Indiana is divided into 92 counties. The oldest and newest counties in Indiana are Knox County
(created 1790) and Newton County (created 1857).
The largest county is Allen (657 sq. mi.) and the smallest is Ohio (87 sq. mi.). According to the Indiana
Constitution, no county may be created of less than 400 square miles, nor may any county smaller than this be
further reduced in size.
Many Indiana counties are named for the US Founding Fathers and personalities of the American Revolutionary War,
the War of 1812 and Battle of Tippecanoe; early leaders of Indiana Territory and Indiana, as well as surrounding
states like Michigan and Kentucky; plus Native American tribes and geographical features.
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Orange County, Indiana
Orange County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Paoli
Year Organized: 1815
Square Miles: 400
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Court House: 205 E. Main Street
County Courthouse
Paoli, IN 47454-1554
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
Named for Orange County, North Carolina, where many of it's early settlers originated.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
Orange County was formed from parts of Knox, Gibson and Washington Counties formally organized effective February 1,
1816. The County Seat is at Paoli.
The early settlers were mostly Quakers fleeing the institution of slavery in Orange County, North Carolina. Jonathan
Lindley brought his group of Quakers from North Carolina to the area in 1811. Under Lindley’s leadership, they were the
first to build a religious structure, the Lick Creek Meeting House in 1813. It was from this group that Orange County
got its name.
(See List of Indiana county name etymologies). The name Orange derives from the Dutch Protestant House of Orange, which
acquired the English throne with the accession of King William III in 1689, following the Glorious Revolution.
In the early 1800s when the Quakers came from North Carolina to settle in Orange County, Indiana, they came to escape
slavery. They brought with them a number of freed slaves. These free men were deeded 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land in the
heart of a dense forest. Word of mouth soon spread the news, and this land became part of the "underground railroad" for
runaway slaves.
For many years, the freed slaves in this area farmed, traded, and sold their labor to others while living in this
settlement. A church was built and a cemetery was provided for their loved ones.
All that remains today is the cemetery. Some of the stones were broken or vandalized over the years. Several years ago,
a troop of Boy Scouts came in and restored the cemetery, replacing the lost or broken stones with wooden crosses
designating a grave. The name of "Little Africa" came about because of the black settlement, but "Paddy's Garden" was
the name those early residents called it.
Orange County is divided into 10 Civil Townships as follows: French Lick, Greenfield, Jackson, Northeast,
Northwest, Orangeville, Orleans, Paoli, Southeast and Stampers Creek
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 408 square miles (1,057 kmē), of which 400
square miles (1,035 kmē) is land and 9 square miles (22 kmē) (2.13%) is water.
Neighboring Counties:
- North: Lawrence County
- East: Washington County
- South: Crawford County
- Southwest: Dubois County
- Northwest: Martin County
Cities and Towns:
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- French Lick |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Jackson |
township |
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- Lost River |
township |
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- Northeast |
township |
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- Northwest |
township |
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- Orangeville |
township |
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- Orleans |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Paoli
(County Seat) |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Southeast |
township |
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- Stampers Creek |
township |
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- West Baden Springs |
town |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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Online High Schools
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County Resource Guide
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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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