Crawford County, Indiana

Crawford County
County
Crawford County Courthouse in English
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°17′N86°28′W / 38.29°N 86.46°W / 38.29; -86.46
Country	United States
State	Indiana
Founded	January 5, 1818
Named for	William H. Crawford
Seat	English
Largest town	Marengo
Area
• Total	308.72 sq mi (799.6 km2)
• Land	305.64 sq mi (791.6 km2)
• Water	3.08 sq mi (8.0 km2)  1.00%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,526
• Estimate  (2023)	10,438
• Density	34/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts	8th, 9th
Website	www.crawfordcounty.in.gov
Indiana county number 13

Crawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 10,526. ^[1] The county seat is English. ^[2]

Geography

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 308.72 square miles (799.6 km²), of which 305.64 square miles (791.6 km²) (or 99.00%) is land and 3.08 square miles (8.0 km²) (or 1.00%) is water. ^[3] Much like the rest of South Central Indiana, the terrain of Crawford County is primarily made up of wooded hills, many of them steep.

Cities and towns

• Alton
• English
• Leavenworth
• Marengo
• Milltown

Unincorporated areas

• Beechwood
• Carefree
• Curby
• Eckerty
• Fredonia
• Grantsburg
• Mifflin
• Riceville
• Riddle
• Sulphur
• Taswell
• West Fork
• Wickliffe

Townships

• Boone
• Jennings
• Johnson
• Liberty
• Ohio
• Patoka
• Sterling
• Union
• Whiskey Run

Transit

• Southern Indiana Transit System

Major highways

• Interstate 64
• Indiana State Road 37
• Indiana State Road 62
• Indiana State Road 64
• Indiana State Road 66
• Indiana State Road 145
• Indiana State Road 164
• Indiana State Road 237

Adjacent counties

• Orange County (north)
• Washington County (northeast)
• Harrison County (east)
• Meade County, Kentucky (south)
• Perry County (southwest/CT Boundary)
• Dubois County (west)

National protected area

• Hoosier National Forest (part)

History

Crawford County was formed on January 5, 1818, from land in the Harrison, Orange, and Perry counties, prompted by a petition of what would become of Crawford County's population. ^[4] Some say it was named for William H. Crawford, who was U.S. Treasury Secretary in 1818. Others say it was named for Col. William Crawford, ^[5] who fought in the French and Indian War and Revolutionary War, and who was burned and scalped by Indians in 1782 in what is now Wyandot County, Ohio. The county seat was in Leavenworth for several decades but eventually moved to English. ^[6]

Bands of "White Caps" terrorized the county in the late 1880s, according to a report by Attorney General Louis T. Michener. Blacks and others they disliked were forced out; victims, both male and female, were severely whipped. ^[7]

Climate and weather

English, Indiana
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     3.7     41 21     3.5     48 24     4.8     59 33     4.7     69 41     5.1     77 49     4.8     85 59     4.2     88 63     3.9     87 61     3.6     81 53     3.1     70 41     4.4     57 34     4     46 25 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches Source: The Weather Channel [8]
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     93     5 −6     89     9 −4     122     15 1     120     21 5     129     25 9     122     29 15     108     31 17     99     31 16     90     27 12     80     21 5     110     14 1     101     8 −4 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in English have ranged from a low of 21 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 88 °F (31 °C) in July. Although, a record low of −31 °F (−35 °C) was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in July 1983. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.13 inches (80 mm) in October to 5.06 inches (129 mm) in May. ^[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 fiscal 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 a party affiliation and to be residents of the county. ^[10]

Crawford County is part of Indiana's 8th congressional district and is represented in Congress by Republican Larry Bucshon. It is also part of Indiana Senate district 47 ^[11] and Indiana House of Representatives district 73. ^[12]

United States presidential election results for Crawford County, Indiana ^[13]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,483	70.39%	1,355	27.38%	110	2.22%
2016	3,015	64.95%	1,323	28.50%	304	6.55%
2012	2,421	52.75%	2,041	44.47%	128	2.79%
2008	2,393	50.44%	2,286	48.19%	65	1.37%
2004	2,609	57.04%	1,932	42.24%	33	0.72%
2000	2,327	55.29%	1,817	43.17%	65	1.54%
1996	1,759	36.57%	2,324	48.32%	727	15.11%
1992	1,903	38.11%	2,260	45.25%	831	16.64%
1988	2,532	55.09%	2,036	44.30%	28	0.61%
1984	2,633	53.63%	2,256	45.95%	21	0.43%
1980	2,554	52.51%	2,130	43.79%	180	3.70%
1976	2,181	44.08%	2,721	54.99%	46	0.93%
1972	2,623	58.96%	1,801	40.48%	25	0.56%
1968	2,132	49.81%	1,536	35.89%	612	14.30%
1964	1,828	41.74%	2,514	57.40%	38	0.87%
1960	2,915	55.47%	2,305	43.86%	35	0.67%
1956	2,694	51.96%	2,433	46.92%	58	1.12%
1952	2,750	51.85%	2,457	46.32%	97	1.83%
1948	2,427	46.97%	2,625	50.80%	115	2.23%
1944	2,488	50.50%	2,335	47.39%	104	2.11%
1940	2,652	47.97%	2,836	51.29%	41	0.74%
1936	2,589	46.91%	2,919	52.89%	11	0.20%
1932	2,175	39.35%	3,272	59.19%	81	1.47%
1928	2,672	57.39%	1,933	41.52%	51	1.10%
1924	1,917	43.08%	2,384	53.57%	149	3.35%
1920	2,290	49.05%	2,213	47.40%	166	3.56%
1916	1,201	41.05%	1,508	51.54%	217	7.42%
1912	663	24.79%	1,159	43.33%	853	31.89%
1908	1,403	44.50%	1,539	48.81%	211	6.69%
1904	1,470	45.99%	1,509	47.22%	217	6.79%
1900	1,529	46.11%	1,731	52.20%	56	1.69%
1896	1,490	47.27%	1,655	52.51%	7	0.22%
1892	1,276	42.21%	1,529	50.58%	218	7.21%
1888	1,445	46.54%	1,628	52.43%	32	1.03%

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1820	2,583		—
1830	3,238		25.4%
1840	5,282		63.1%
1850	6,524		23.5%
1860	8,226		26.1%
1870	9,851		19.8%
1880	12,356		25.4%
1890	13,941		12.8%
1900	13,476		−3.3%
1910	12,057		−10.5%
1920	11,201		−7.1%
1930	10,160		−9.3%
1940	10,171		0.1%
1950	9,289		−8.7%
1960	8,379		−9.8%
1970	8,033		−4.1%
1980	9,820		22.2%
1990	9,914		1.0%
2000	10,743		8.4%
2010	10,713		−0.3%
2020	10,526		−1.7%
2023 (est.)	10,438	[14]	−0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [15] 1790-1960 [16] 1900-1990 [17] 1990-2000 [18] 2010-2013 [1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 10,713 people, 4,303 households, and 2,991 families residing in the county. ^[19] The population density was 35.1 inhabitants per square mile (13.6/km²). There were 5,520 housing units at an average density of 18.1 per square mile (7.0/km²). ^[3] The racial makeup of the county was 97.4% white, 0.4% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population. ^[19] In terms of ancestry, 23.8% were German, 17.4% were Irish, 13.4% were American, and 8.7% were English. ^[20]

Of the 4,303 households, 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.5% were non-families, and 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 41.8 years. ^[19]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $46,073. Males had a median income of $36,465 versus $26,005 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,598. About 17.4% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over. ^[21]

2020 census

Crawford County Racial Composition ^[22]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	9,989	95%
Black or African American (NH)	26	0.2%
Native American (NH)	23	0.2%
Asian (NH)	17	0.16%
Pacific Islander (NH)	1	0.01%
Other/Mixed (NH)	349	3.3%
Hispanic or Latino	121	1.1%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Crawford County, Indiana

References

1. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Crawford County, Indiana". www.census.gov. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
4. Pleasant, Hazen (1926). Crawford County History (PDF). WM Mitchell Printing Company.
5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  95.
6. De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle (1875). An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana. Indiana: R. S. Peale & co. pp.  552.
7. Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia: 1888 (1889), p 441.
8. "Monthly Averages for English, Indiana". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
9. Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". IN.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
10. Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2" (PDF). IN.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
11. "Indiana Senate Districts". State of Indiana. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
12. "Indiana House Districts". State of Indiana. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
13. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
14. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
15. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
16. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
17. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
18. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
19. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
20. "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 February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
21. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
22. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Crawford County, Indiana".

Sources

• 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.{{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)

External links

• Crawford County Economic Development Office
• Official Crawford County Tourism Site
• CCCN.net The Homepage for Crawford County Indiana
• Indiana State Library County Names List

38°17′N86°28′W / 38.29°N 86.46°W / 38.29; -86.46