Hartford City, Indiana | |
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Motto: "The One And Only" | |
Coordinates: 40°27′16″N85°22′44″W / 40.45444°N 85.37889°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Indiana |
County | Blackford |
Officially named | 1839 |
Incorporated (town) | 1857 |
Incorporated (city) | 1894 |
Government | |
• Type | Mayor-council government |
• Body | Hartford City Council |
• Mayor | Dan Eckstein (R) [1] |
Area | |
• Total | 3.90 sq mi (10.10 km2) |
• Land | 3.88 sq mi (10.05 km2) |
• Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2) |
Elevation | 919 ft (280 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 6,086 |
• Density | 1,567.75/sq mi (605.34/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
ZIP code | 47348 |
Area code | 765 |
FIPS code | 18-32242 [4] |
GNIS feature ID | 2394309 [3] |
Website | http://www.hartfordcity.net |
Hartford City is a city in the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Blackford County. [5] Located in the northeast central portion of the state, the small farming community underwent a dramatic 15-year economic boom beginning in the late 1880s. The Indiana Gas Boom resulted from the discovery and exploitation of natural gas in the area. The rural economy was transformed to one that included manufacturing. The boom attracted workers and residents, retail establishments, and craftspeople. The increased population was a catalyst for the construction of roads, schools, and churches. After the boom came a long period of growth and stability. Agriculture (and agricultural trade) remained as the basis for the economy.
From the 1920s through the 1970s, Hartford City continued to thrive. Agricultural automation and consolidation of small farms into industrial-size farms resulted in a decline in the population; the small farmer became unable to compete and fewer laborers were needed. Some workers turned to the manufacturing and construction sectors for employment in nearby cities. However, manufacturing hubs such as Muncie and Marion suffered the collapse of their economies during industrial restructuring when large factories closed. Despite the decline, Hartford City was able to retain the paper company, 3M.
The city government has concentrated on bringing manufacturing to Hartford City and has had some success in securing state funding for businesses that use recycled or agricultural materials in the manufacturing process. [6] Younger people leave to attend college and pursue professional careers outside the scope of those available in Hartford City. Community college, private colleges, and a university are within commuting distance; however, Hartford City lacks rental housing appropriate to college students or young adults. The town's population was 6,086 in the 2020 United States Census, down from 6,220 in the 2010 United States Census.
Hartford City, Indiana began in the late 1830s as a few log cabins clustered near a creek. Folklore taught in local elementary schools suggests that Hartford City was originally known as "Hart's ford," a place to cross Lick Creek. The name evolved to Hartford, and eventually to Hartford City. (This was to avoid confusion with another Hartford [7] in the state.)
The community was designated as the county seat of Blackford County when that county was created in 1837, and it was incorporated in 1867. [8] During the last half of the 19th century, East Central Indiana consisted mostly of rural farming communities, including Hartford City. The town's population did not exceed 2,000 until after 1887, when the region began to grow because of the Indiana Gas Boom. [9]
Hartford City's population tripled in the next decade, as manufacturers were lured to the region to take advantage of low costs for land and the natural gas. Hartford City benefited from railroad service from two railroads in addition to a natural gas supply that was thought to be unlimited. Manufacturers such as Hartford City Glass Company, Sneath Glass Company, Hartford City Paper, Utility Paper, and Willman Lumber all located or began in Hartford City during the 1890s. Although the supply of natural gas was soon exhausted, many of these businesses continued to operate into the 1950s and beyond. Hartford City leaders attracted businesses such as Overhead Door (1923) and 3M (1955) to replace the glass factories as major employers in the city.
Hartford City sits on top of former natural gas fields. The area also has limestone formed from silt and mud deposits of an ancient sea. The land is flat from the effect of a prehistoric glacier, and the soil is excellent for farming. [10] According to the 2010 census, Hartford City has a total area of 3.901 square miles (10.10 km2), of which 3.88 square miles (10.05 km2) (or 99.46%) is land and 0.021 square miles (0.05 km2) (or 0.54%) is water. [11]
Hartford City has a typical Midwestern humid continental seasonal climate. There are four distinct seasons, with winters being cold with moderate snowfall, while summers can be warm and humid. The highest average temperature is in July at 84 °F (29 °C), while the lowest average temperature is in January at 18 °F (−8 °C). However, summer temperatures can top 90 °F (32 °C), and winter temperatures can drop below 0 °F (−18 °C). Average monthly precipitation ranges from about 2 to 4 inches (5.1 to 10.2 centimetres), with the heaviest occurring during June, July, and August. The highest recorded temperature was 104 °F (40 °C) on June 29, 2012, and the lowest recorded temperature was −26.0 °F (−32.2 °C) on January 19, 1994.
Climate data for Hartford City, Indiana (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1959–present) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 65 (18) | 73 (23) | 85 (29) | 87 (31) | 94 (34) | 104 (40) | 102 (39) | 98 (37) | 97 (36) | 91 (33) | 79 (26) | 71 (22) | 104 (40) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 56.1 (13.4) | 59.4 (15.2) | 70.9 (21.6) | 80.1 (26.7) | 87.3 (30.7) | 91.7 (33.2) | 92.6 (33.7) | 90.8 (32.7) | 89.3 (31.8) | 83.0 (28.3) | 69.6 (20.9) | 59.1 (15.1) | 93.8 (34.3) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33.1 (0.6) | 37.1 (2.8) | 47.9 (8.8) | 61.4 (16.3) | 71.9 (22.2) | 80.4 (26.9) | 83.2 (28.4) | 81.5 (27.5) | 76.3 (24.6) | 64.4 (18.0) | 50.0 (10.0) | 38.1 (3.4) | 60.4 (15.8) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 26.0 (−3.3) | 29.2 (−1.6) | 39.0 (3.9) | 51.0 (10.6) | 61.9 (16.6) | 70.9 (21.6) | 73.6 (23.1) | 71.7 (22.1) | 65.5 (18.6) | 54.2 (12.3) | 41.8 (5.4) | 31.3 (−0.4) | 51.3 (10.7) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 18.9 (−7.3) | 21.3 (−5.9) | 30.2 (−1.0) | 40.7 (4.8) | 51.9 (11.1) | 61.4 (16.3) | 64.0 (17.8) | 61.9 (16.6) | 54.7 (12.6) | 43.9 (6.6) | 33.6 (0.9) | 24.5 (−4.2) | 42.2 (5.7) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −4.6 (−20.3) | −0.2 (−17.9) | 11.6 (−11.3) | 24.9 (−3.9) | 36.2 (2.3) | 47.4 (8.6) | 52.7 (11.5) | 50.3 (10.2) | 40.5 (4.7) | 29.1 (−1.6) | 18.2 (−7.7) | 5.1 (−14.9) | −7.0 (−21.7) |
Record low °F (°C) | −26 (−32) | −17 (−27) | −10 (−23) | 8 (−13) | 26 (−3) | 37 (3) | 45 (7) | 35 (2) | 29 (−2) | 19 (−7) | 3 (−16) | −22 (−30) | −26 (−32) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.67 (68) | 2.35 (60) | 3.31 (84) | 3.89 (99) | 4.24 (108) | 4.43 (113) | 4.20 (107) | 4.33 (110) | 3.48 (88) | 2.89 (73) | 3.28 (83) | 2.67 (68) | 41.74 (1,060) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 9.0 (23) | 8.2 (21) | 5.0 (13) | 0.6 (1.5) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.2 (0.51) | 2.0 (5.1) | 7.2 (18) | 32.2 (82) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 12.6 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 11.7 | 12.8 | 11.8 | 9.6 | 9.2 | 7.9 | 9.7 | 10.5 | 12.3 | 129.5 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 9.3 | 7.9 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 7.0 | 30.8 |
Source: NOAA [12] [13] |
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 250 | — | |
1860 | 618 | [14] [a] | 147.2% |
1870 | 878 | 42.1% | |
1880 | 1,470 | 67.4% | |
1890 | 2,287 | 55.6% | |
1900 | 5,912 | 158.5% | |
1910 | 6,187 | 4.7% | |
1920 | 6,183 | −0.1% | |
1930 | 6,613 | 7.0% | |
1940 | 6,946 | 5.0% | |
1950 | 7,253 | 4.4% | |
1960 | 8,053 | 11.0% | |
1970 | 8,207 | 1.9% | |
1980 | 7,622 | −7.1% | |
1990 | 6,960 | −8.7% | |
2000 | 6,928 | −0.5% | |
2010 | 6,220 | −10.2% | |
2020 | 6,086 | −2.2% | |
US Decennial Census [16] |
As of the 2010 United States Census, [17] there were 6,220 people, 2,666 households, and 1,691 families in the city. The population density was 1,603.1 inhabitants per square mile (619.0/km2). There were 3,158 housing units at an average density of 813.9 per square mile (314.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.3% White, 0.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.
There were 2,666 households, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.6% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.86.
The median age in the city was 41.3 years. 23.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.7% were from 45 to 64; and 18.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 6,928 people, 2,918 households, and 1,943 families in the city. The population density was 1,861.7 inhabitants per square mile (718.8/km2). There were 3,156 housing units at an average density of 848.1 per square mile (327.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.34% White, 0.09% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population.
There were 2,918 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.89.
The city population contained 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,531, and the median income for a family was $39,654. Males had a median income of $29,257 versus $20,600 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,596. About 7.3% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
About 11 percent of Hartford City's male workers, and 9 percent of female workers, are employed in the transportation equipment industry. This makes the transportation equipment industry the most important provider of jobs for the city, although there are no auto parts plants located in the county. [18] The decline of the auto industry has forced Hartford City to be less of a "bedroom community" reliant on jobs relating to automobile parts manufacturing in nearby cities, and more focused on developing businesses within the city. [19] Currently, there are six businesses located in Hartford City that employ between 100 and 350 people, and none with more than 350 employees. Those six companies (in descending order of employees) are 3M Company, Petoskey Plastic, BRC Rubber Group, Inc., Blackford Community Hospital, and New Indy Paper Mill. [20] In addition, there are nearly twenty more local entities with 25 to 100 employees. Agriculture also influences the town. Although they do not live in the city limits, farm families are involved with the local schools, parks, and social activities – and are consumers of the products of local merchants.
The 2009 official web site of Hartford City shows three main pictures: Civil War re-enactors, a basketball player, and the courthouse, illustrating what is important to the city and its culture. Hartford City's town square is a "living museum", and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District. Many of the buildings were built during the gas boom in the late 19th century, and are examples of architectural styles used at that time, including Romanesque Revival, Commercial Italianate, Renaissance Revival, and Queen Anne. [21] The Blackford County Courthouse and First Presbyterian Church are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [22] Adding to the historical atmosphere, the courthouse lawn contains war monuments on each corner. The town has a small museum and library housed in the Blackford County Historical Society building. [23] The city's main public library, the Hartford City Public Library, is a Carnegie library that began with funding from Andrew Carnegie in 1903. [24]
Sports and recreation are important to the community. The city Parks Department maintains four parks and a public swimming pool. [25] There are four golf courses within ten miles (16 km) from Hartford City, and ten more are within 20 miles (32 km). [26] The city has some small lakes and reservoirs available for fishing, such as Lake Placid and the lakes of the nearby Shamrock Lakes area. A larger lake (over 2,600 acres (11 km2)) is (Salamonie Lake), with boating, fishing, and swimming, is located 29 miles (47 km) northwest of Hartford City. [27] State Parks nearby include Ouabache, Mounds, and Summit Lake. For those willing to drive north for about 90 minutes, Pokagon State Park is located on Lake James and Snow Lake. This park features campgrounds, hiking trails, a beach, the Potawatomi Inn, and a toboggan track. [28]
Hartford City sports leagues include baseball, softball, soccer, and football. Indiana is known for its high school basketball, and Hartford City high schools have had their share of success in the state basketball tournament. Hartford City High School won 14 sectional and 3 regional tournaments in about 60 years of action. Hartford City High was consolidated into Blackford High School in 1969, and Blackford has won 10 sectionals. [29] The Blackford High School gym seats 4,000 for a town with a population of less than 7,000. Hartford City's Blackford High School football team has also had some tournament success, winning the Indiana state 2A football championship in 1974-75 and 1979-80 – both teams were undefeated. [30]
Agriculture has a strong influence on Hartford City's culture. The main crops in the area are soybeans and corn. [31] Some wheat and hay are also grown. The Indiana Farm Bureau office for Blackford County is located in Hartford City. 4-H, a youth organization associated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a strong presence. The annual county 4-H fair is held in June, and features a rodeo, horse show, dog show, livestock, and carnival. The week-long event includes a mile-long parade with a marching band.
The government consists of a mayor and a city council. The mayor is elected in citywide vote. The city council consists of five members with four elected from individual districts and one elected at-large. The current members of city council are: [32]
The United Methodist Church is the city's largest congregation; other churches include Catholic, Church of the Nazarene, Christian, Lutheran, Wesleyan, Baptist, and Presbyterian. [33] The Methodists, and then the Presbyterians, were the first to build churches in town. [34] The First Presbyterian Church and the Christian Church buildings were built during the Gas Boom in the 1890s.
The local daily (except Sunday) newspaper is the News Times, and it is also available from its web site. [35] Hartford City has a history of difficulty supporting two newspapers, and the News Times can trace its lineage back to the Hartford City News and the Hartford City Times. During the Gas Boom, the town had two weekly and two daily newspapers: Hartford City Telegram, The Hartford City Times, Hartford City Evening News, and The Daily Times. [36]
There are at least fourteen radio stations that send moderate to very strong signals to the Hartford City area. [37] These stations are typically located nearby, or they have an exceptional signal, such as Fort Wayne's 50,000 watt WOWO AM station. [38] The two local radio stations are WMXQ and WHCI, both FM stations.
Indianapolis television stations such as WTTV, WRTV, WISH-TV, WTHR, and others, reach the antennas of households in Hartford City. Stations located near Hartford City include Tipton's WJSJ-CD, Marion's WSOT-LD, and Muncie's WIPB. [39]
The state of Indiana has many college options available, including well-known universities such as Ball State University, Indiana University, Purdue, and Notre Dame. The state also has one of the largest private boarding high schools, the Culver Academies.
Hartford City has at least four universities located within 21 miles (34 km) of town. Ball State University is the largest and most well known, and is about 18 miles (29 km) away in Muncie, Indiana. (Ball State is named for the Ball brothers, who made much of their fortune with the Ball Corporation in the same Indiana Gas Boom that boosted Hartford City.) Muncie is also home to Ivy Tech State College-East Central. Private school Indiana Wesleyan University is about 21 miles (34 km) away, in Marion, Indiana. [33] Another private school, Taylor University, is about 7 miles (11 km) away in Upland. Its location in Upland dates from 1893, attributed to the population boom in the area at the time, and is another example of the impact of the Indiana Gas Boom. [40]
Blackford High School is located on the north side of Hartford City, and it has served the entire county since 1969. Enrollment for the 2008-2009 school year is 702 students, and 41 teachers are listed on the school roster. Hartford City High School was the town's high school prior to the 1969 consolidation of Montpelier High School. Hartford City Middle School is located on the town's west side, within easy walking distance from Sigma Phi Gamma Park. Students from grades 6 through 8 attend the middle school, and 23 teachers are listed on the roster. Students for grades 3 through 5 attend Northside Elementary School, and grades K through 4 attend Southside Elementary School. [41] Hartford City also has a private school – Saint John's Riedman Memorial School is a private Catholic elementary school with approximately 60 students. [42]
Hartford City's early transportation advantage came from the two railroad lines that crossed in the city, running north-south and east-west. The east-west line is now out of service as of 2008, but the north-south line is still in service. Both are operated by Norfolk Southern. [43] Hartford City also has a good highway system. Indiana State Road 3 runs north-south through the city, known as Walnut Street. Indiana State Road 26 runs east-west through the city, known as Washington Street. Indiana State Road 22 used to run concurrently with State Road 26 through Hartford City, but that segment was decommissioned in the 1970s. [44] Although Interstate 69 does not run through Hartford City or Blackford County, it is less than 10 miles (16 km) away and a convenient way to drive to Fort Wayne or Indianapolis. From Hartford City, drive west on State Road 26 to reach Interstate 69. Driving north from Indianapolis, the State Road 26 exit is number 255. The Interstate's northbound exit 259, at Upland, is an easy route to travel to the north side of Hartford City. Some small airports are located near Hartford City, and larger airports in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis offer commercial flights.
Delaware County is a county in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 111,903. The county seat is Muncie.
Blackford County is located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Indiana. The county is named for Judge Isaac Blackford, who was the first speaker of the Indiana General Assembly and a long-time chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court. Created in 1838, Blackford County is divided into four townships, and its county seat is Hartford City. Two incorporated cities and one incorporated town are located within the county. The county is also the site of numerous unincorporated communities and ghost towns. Occupying only 165.58 square miles (428.9 km2), Blackford County is the fourth smallest county in Indiana. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 12,112. Based on population, the county is the 8th smallest county of the 92 in Indiana. Although no interstate highways are located in Blackford County, three Indiana state roads cross the county, and an additional state road is located along the county's southeast border. The county has two railroad lines. A north–south route crosses the county, and intersects with a second railroad line that connects Hartford City with communities to the west.
Montpelier is a city in Harrison Township, Blackford County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. This small rural community, the county's first to be platted, was established by settlers from Vermont, and is named after Vermont's capital city of Montpelier.
Shamrock Lakes is a town in Licking Township, Blackford County, Indiana, United States. It was incorporated on May 21, 1973—and was the first community in Indiana to do so in 50 years. The small town consists of a group of six lakes that were created between 1960 and 1965, and the first lake was originally intended to be a water supply for a farmer's cattle. The community was listed on the front page of USA Today as one of only five places in the United States named after Ireland's clover emblem, the shamrock.
Muncie is an incorporated city and the seat of Delaware County, Indiana, United States. Previously known as Buckongahelas Town, named after the prominent Delaware Chief, it is located in East Central Indiana, about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Indianapolis. At the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 65,195, down from 70,085 in the 2010 Census. It is the principal city of the Muncie Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Delaware County. The city is also included in the Indianapolis–Carmel–Muncie, IN Combined Statistical Area.
Yorktown is a town in Mount Pleasant Township, Delaware County, Indiana, United States. The population was 11,548 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Muncie, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Upland is a town in Jefferson Township, Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,821 at the 2020 census. It is the home of Taylor University, a Christian college.
Anderson is a city in Madison County, Indiana, United States, and the county seat of Madison County. The population was 54,788 at the 2020 census. It is named after Chief William Anderson. The city is the headquarters of the Church of God and its Anderson University. Highlights of the city include the historic Paramount Theatre and the Gruenewald House.
East Central Indiana is a region in Indiana east of Indianapolis, Indiana, and borders the Ohio state line. The Indiana Gas Boom, which took place during the 1890s, changed much of the area from small agricultural communities to larger cities with economies that included manufacturing. Companies such as Ball Corporation and Overhead Door once had their headquarters in the region. Glass manufacturing was the first industry to be widespread in the area, because of the natural gas. As the glass industry faded, many of the skilled workers became employed at auto parts factories in cities such as Muncie and Anderson. With the decline of the American automobile industry, East Central Indiana became part of the Rust Belt. Many communities have been forced to reinvent themselves with a focus on services or a return to agriculture.
Licking Township is one of four townships in Blackford County, Indiana. As of the 2020 census, its population was 7,723 and it contained 3,784 housing units. The township was named after Lick Creek and a salt lick in the area. The first settlers in what became Blackford County arrived in the Lick Creek area in 1831.
Converse is an unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Blackford County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. Although not much of the community remains, the U.S. Geological Survey considers it a populated place. The community existed as a "flag" station along a railroad, and is named after railroad executive Joel N. Converse. Like many communities in Blackford County, this village declined after the end of the Indiana Gas Boom, which ended in the early 20th century.
Millgrove is an unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Blackford County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. Nearly all of the community's businesses have been closed for many years. Although the Blackford County Historical Society lists this community as a ghost town, homes are still maintained in the area.
Roll is an unincorporated community in Washington Township, Blackford County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. Nearly all of the community's businesses have been closed for years. Although the Blackford County Historical Society lists Roll as a ghost town, homes are still maintained in the area, and it is still listed as a populated place by the U.S. Geological Survey. The rural community is located on Indiana State Road 18, about one mile west of its intersection with Indiana State Road 3.
Trenton is an unincorporated town in Jackson Township, Blackford County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. Nearly all of the community's businesses have been closed for many years. Although the Blackford County Historical Society lists this community as a ghost town, homes are still maintained in the area.
Hartford City, Indiana, began in the late 1830s as a few log cabins clustered near a creek. The community became the county seat of Blackford County. Located in the north east-central portion of the state, the small farming community experienced a 15-year "boom" beginning in the late 1880s caused by the discovery of natural gas. The Indiana Gas Boom caused the community to transition from an agricultural economy to one that also included manufacturing. During the 1890s, Hartford City was the home of the nation's largest window glass company and the nation's largest producer of lantern globes.
The First Presbyterian Church of Hartford City is a Presbyterian church in Hartford City, Indiana, United States. The edifice is the oldest church building in a small city that at one time was a bustling community with as many as ten glass factories – and over 20 saloons. Located at the corner of High and Franklin Streets, the church is part of the Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
The Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District is located in Hartford City, Indiana. Hartford City has a population of about 7,000 and is the county seat of Blackford County and the site of the county courthouse. The National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior added the Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 2006—meaning the buildings and objects that contribute to the continuity of the district are worthy of preservation because of their historical and architectural significance. The District has over 60 resources, including over 40 contributing buildings, over 10 non-contributing buildings, one contributing object, eight non-contributing objects, and two other buildings that are listed separately in the National Register.
Mollie is an extinct American village in Blackford County, Indiana, that flourished during the Indiana Gas Boom from the 1880s until the 1920s. The region around Mollie experienced an economic "boom" period because of the discovery of gas and crude oil. Mollie was a stop along the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati, and Louisville Railroad—and happened to be near the region's oil fields, a convenient location for the area's oil workers.
This is a timeline and interactive map of Blackford County, Indiana. The timeline (below) lists important events in Blackford County history. An adjacent (right) interactive map contains links to various locations around the county.
Hartford City Glass Company was among the top three window glass manufacturers in the United States between 1890 and 1899, and continued to be one of the nation's largest after its acquisition. It was also the country's largest manufacturer of chipped glass, with capacity double that of its nearest competitor. The company's works was the first of eight glass plants that existed in Hartford City, Indiana during the Indiana Gas Boom. It became the city's largest manufacturer and employer, peaking with 600 employees.