Sullivan County, Indiana
Encyclopedia
Sullivan County is a county located 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. As of 2010, the population was 21,475. The county seat
is Sullivan
. Sullivan County is included in the Terre Haute
, Indiana
, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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 1300 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 Truman’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 Truman 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. 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 (96.6 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 1905, the Sullivan Daily Times was founded by Paul Poynter, patriarch of the most famous newspaper families in the country. Eleanor Poynter Jamison operated it, while her brother, Nelson Poynter
, went on to operate the St. Petersburg Times
. Today it is still family owned and operated, one of only 200 daily papers of its kind.
In 1968 Sullivan County Park and Lake was founded. It contains a 468 acres (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
.
There is a movement in the county and among its neighbors to switch to the Central Time Zone
in the future. http://www.wtwo.com/news/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=5809
(SIV), serving Sullivan, Indiana
.
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.
, 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.
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.
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
.
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.
of 2000, there were 21,751 people, 7,819 households, and 5,574 families residing in the county. The population density
was 49 people per square mile (19/km²). There were 8,804 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.11% White
, 4.27% Black
or African American
, 0.31% Native American
, 0.13% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 0.33% from other races
, and 0.84% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 25.4% were of American
, 18.1% German
, 16.8% English
and 9.7% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 7,819 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples
living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.60% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 115.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,976, and the median income for a family was $39,290. Males had a median income of $30,207 versus $20,790 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,234. About 8.50% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.40% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and determined by the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
to include the mean center of U.S. population
Mean center of U.S. population
The mean center of U.S. population is determined by the United States Census Bureau from the results of each census. The Bureau defines it to be:...
in 1940. As of 2010, the population was 21,475. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Sullivan
Sullivan, Indiana
Sullivan is a city in Hamilton Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,617 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is the county seat of Sullivan County...
. Sullivan County is included in the Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
On 25 February 1779 Col. George Rogers ClarkGeorge Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
captured Fort Sackville at Vincennes
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
from the British. About six miles (10 km) west at Pointe Coupee on the Wabash River
Wabash River
The Wabash River is a river in the Midwestern United States that flows southwest from northwest Ohio near Fort Recovery across northern Indiana to southern Illinois, where it forms the Illinois-Indiana border before draining into the Ohio River, of which it is the largest northern tributary...
on 2 March 1779, Capt. Leonard Helm
Leonard Helm
Leonard Helm was an early pioneer of Kentucky, and a Virginia officer during the American Revolutionary War. Born around 1720 probably in Fauquier County, Virginia, he died in poverty while fighting Native American allies of British troops during one of the last engagements of the Revolutionary...
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
Wabash Valley
The Wabash Valley is a region with parts in both Illinois and Indiana. It is named for the Wabash River and spans the middle to the middle-lower portion of the river and is centered at Terre Haute, Indiana...
.
The county's first settlement occurred between 1808 and 1812, by a religious society of celibates known as Shakers
Shakers
The United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, known as the Shakers, is a religious sect originally thought to be a development of the Religious Society of Friends...
. The 400 members of this communal group occupied 1300 acres (5 km²), seven miles (11 km) west of Carlisle
Carlisle, Indiana
Carlisle is a town in Haddon Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 692 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
General William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
’s army made its last camp in Sullivan County at Big Springs on September 29, 1811. Harrison used Benjamin Truman’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
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
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 Truman 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
Battle of Tippecanoe
The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811, between United States forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Native American warriors associated with the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa were leaders of a confederacy of...
.
A War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
military action occurred in September, 1812, three miles (5 km) west/southwest of Sullivan County. While escorting supplies from Fort Knox
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
near Vincennes to Fort Harrison at Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, Sergeant Nathan Fairbanks and approximately a dozen soldiers were ambushed - and most killed - by Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
.
In 1815, Carlisle
Carlisle, Indiana
Carlisle is a town in Haddon Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 692 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area...
was founded.
Sullivan County was formed in 1817. It was named for Daniel Sullivan, said by some sources to have been a Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
general killed by Native Americans while carrying a dispatch between Fort Vincennes
Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Indiana, United States. It is located on the Wabash River in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 18,701 at the 2000 census...
and Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
.
A log courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
in Merom
Merom, Indiana
Merom is a town in Gill Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 294 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
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
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 1763, she and her husband, Thomas Crawford, moved to Green County
Green County, Kentucky
Green County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1793. As of 2000, the population was 11,518. Its county seat is Greensburg. The county is named for Nathanael Greene...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, in 1805. Suffering from a huge abdominal tumor
Tumor
A tumor or tumour is commonly used as a synonym for a neoplasm that appears enlarged in size. Tumor is not synonymous with cancer...
, she rode 60 miles (96.6 km) to Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, to submit to an operation never before performed. On December 25, 1809, Dr. Ephraim McDowell
Ephraim McDowell
Ephraim McDowell was an American physician. He was the first to successfully remove an ovarian tumor.-Biography:...
performed this, the first ovariotomy, in his home. The ordeal lasted 25 minutes. There was no anesthesia
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, or anaesthesia , traditionally meant the condition of having sensation blocked or temporarily taken away...
. Mrs. Crawford recovered completely and years later came to Graysville
Graysville, Indiana
Graysville is an unincorporated town in Turman Township, Sullivan County, Indiana. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
to live with her son, Thomas, a Presbyterian minister. She died in 1842 at age 78. The restored McDowell home
Ephraim McDowell House
The Dr. Ephraim McDowell House, also known as McDowell House, was a home of medical doctor Ephraim McDowell.The home was declared a U.S...
in Danville, Kentucky is a surgical shrine.
Sullivan
Sullivan, Indiana
Sullivan is a city in Hamilton Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,617 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is the county seat of Sullivan County...
was founded in 1853 and became the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
.
Dedicated in 1862, Union Christian College
Union Christian College, Merom
Union Christian College was a small co-educational college located in Merom, Indiana, USA. Founded by the denomination called the Christian Church which eventually merged with the Congregational denomination which later joined with the Evangelical and Reformed Churches to form the United Church of...
served as a preparatory school
University-preparatory school
A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education...
and college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
until 1924. In 1936 it became Merom Institute—a rural enrichment center. Now owned by the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
, it serves as a camp, conference, and retreat center.
Numerous violent conflicts erupted in Sullivan County during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
over differing war sentiments. On July 14, 1864, anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
John Drake was fatally shot at a community picnic near here.
Organized nationally to bring culture to rural communities, Merom's
Merom, Indiana
Merom is a town in Gill Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 294 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
10-day religious and educational Chautauqua
Chautauqua
Chautauqua was an adult education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with...
event featured concerts, debates, plays, and lectures. Carrie Nation
Carrie Nation
Carrie Amelia Moore Nation was a member of the temperance movement, which opposed alcohol in pre-Prohibition America. She is particularly noteworthy for promoting her viewpoint through vandalism. On many occasions Nation would enter an alcohol-serving establishment and attack the bar with a hatchet...
, William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
, William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
, Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
, and Billy Sunday
Billy Sunday
William Ashley "Billy" Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.Born into poverty in Iowa, Sunday spent some...
were among the speakers here.
In 1905, the Sullivan Daily Times was founded by Paul Poynter, patriarch of the most famous newspaper families in the country. Eleanor Poynter Jamison operated it, while her brother, Nelson Poynter
Nelson Poynter
Nelson Poynter was an American publisher. He was born in Sullivan, Indiana in 1903. His family moved to Florida nine years later when his father bought the St. Petersburg Times. Nelson returned to Indiana to get his B.A...
, went on to operate the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
. Today it is still family owned and operated, one of only 200 daily papers of its kind.
In 1968 Sullivan County Park and Lake was founded. It contains a 468 acres (1.9 km²) reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
in 1968 for swimming, boating and fishing. The lake is stocked with crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
and hybrid saugeye, as well as bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
, bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
and channel catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
. Water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
is also very popular. Sullivan County Park and Lake has 400 acres (1.6 km²) of land for camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
as well as a 9-hole golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course. The campground offers sites ranging from primitive camping to space for modern motor homes
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
.
There is a movement in the county and among its neighbors to switch to the Central Time Zone
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
in the future. http://www.wtwo.com/news/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=5809
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.Cities and towns
- CarlisleCarlisle, IndianaCarlisle is a town in Haddon Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 692 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- DuggerDugger, IndianaDugger is a town in Cass Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 955 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Dugger is located at ....
- FarmersburgFarmersburg, IndianaFarmersburg is a town in Curry Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,118 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- HymeraHymera, IndianaHymera is a town in and the principal center of Jackson Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 801 at the 2010 census...
- MeromMerom, IndianaMerom is a town in Gill Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 294 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- ShelburnShelburn, IndianaShelburn is a town in Curry Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 1,252 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Shelburn is located at ....
- SullivanSullivan, IndianaSullivan is a city in Hamilton Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,617 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is the county seat of Sullivan County...
Unincorporated
- CassCass, IndianaCass is an unincorporated town in Cass Township, Sullivan County, Indiana. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- FairbanksFairbanks, IndianaFairbanks is an unincorporated town in Fairbanks Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- GraysvilleGraysville, IndianaGraysville is an unincorporated town in Turman Township, Sullivan County, Indiana. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- Jackson HillJackson Hill, IndianaJackson Hill is an unincorporated town in Hamilton Township, Sullivan County, Indiana. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- New LebanonNew Lebanon, IndianaNew Lebanon is an unincorporated town in Gill Township, Sullivan County, Indiana. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- PaxtonPaxton, IndianaPaxton is a near extinct town in Haddon Township, Sullivan County, Indiana. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area.A handful of houses and a post office are all that remain of Paxton today....
- PleasantvillePleasantville, IndianaPleasantville is an unincorporated town in Jefferson Township, Sullivan County, Indiana. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- RivertonRiverton, IndianaRiverton is an unincorporated town in Gill Township, Sullivan County, Indiana. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- Scott CityScott City, IndianaScott City is an unincorporated town in Fairbanks Township, Sullivan County, Indiana. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area....
Townships
- CassCass Township, Sullivan County, IndianaCass Township is one of nine townships in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,932.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Cass Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Baker at * Cass at * Gambill...
- CurryCurry Township, Sullivan County, IndianaCurry Township is one of nine townships in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 3,769.The township is named after William Curry, who was the area's first settler when he arrived there in 1817 from Kentucky.-Geography:...
- FairbanksFairbanks Township, Sullivan County, IndianaFairbanks Township is one of nine townships in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 728.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Fairbanks Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Fairbanks at *...
- GillGill Township, Sullivan County, IndianaGill Township is one of nine townships in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 965.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Gill Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Merom Station at * New Lebanon...
- HaddonHaddon Township, Sullivan County, IndianaHaddon Township is one of nine townships in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 3,977.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Haddon Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Paxton at Haddon...
- HamiltonHamilton Township, Sullivan County, IndianaHamilton Township is one of nine townships in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 7,083.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Hamilton Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Benefiel Corner at *...
- JacksonJackson Township, Sullivan County, IndianaJackson Township is one of nine townships in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,720.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Jackson Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Adjacent townships:* Pierson Township, Vigo...
- JeffersonJefferson Township, Sullivan County, IndianaJefferson Township is one of nine townships in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 495.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Jefferson Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Bucktown at *...
- TurmanTurman Township, Sullivan County, IndianaTurman Township is one of nine townships in Sullivan County, Indiana, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,082.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Turman Township covers an area of ; of this, is land and is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Dodds Bridge at *...
Adjacent counties
- Vigo CountyVigo County, IndianaVigo County is a county located along the western border of the U.S. state of Indiana. Vigo County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Terre Haute....
(north) - Clay CountyClay County, IndianaClay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 26,890. The county seat is Brazil. Clay County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :Clay County was formed in 1825...
(northeast) - Greene CountyGreene County, IndianaGreene County is a county located 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 1930. As of 2010, the population was 33,165. The county seat is Bloomfield....
(east) - Knox CountyKnox County, IndianaAs of the census of 2000, there were 39,256 people, 15,552 households, and 10,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 17,305 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
(south) - Crawford County, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
(west) - Clark County, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
(northwest)
Major highways
U.S. Route 150U.S. Route 150U.S. Route 150 is a 571 mile long northwest-southeast United States highway, signed as east–west. It runs from U.S. Route 6 outside of Moline, Illinois to U.S. Route 25 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky .-Illinois:In the state of Illinois, U.S. 150 runs from the Quad City International Airport at U.S...
Indiana State Road 48Indiana State Road 48State Road 48 in the U.S. State of Indiana is an east–west state highway running through southern Indiana. It has three distinct and separate sections. The western terminus of SR 48 is at State Road 63 and the eastern terminus at U.S. Route 50.- Western section :The western section...
Indiana State Road 54Indiana State Road 54State Road 54 is an east–west road in Central Indiana in Greene, Lawrence and Sullivan counties.-Route description:The western terminus of SR 54 is at U.S. Route 41. SR 54 heads east from US 41 toward Linton. Before Linton SR 54 meets SR 59 and they are concurrent...
Indiana State Road 58Indiana State Road 58State Road 58 is an east–west road in Central Indiana. State Road 58 runs from Merom in the west to Columbus in the east, a distance of approximately . Along its route it has concurrencies with one U.S. Route and six other Indiana state roads....
Indiana State Road 63Indiana State Road 63State Road 63 in the U. S. state of Indiana is a north–south route in the western portion of the state. Until mid-2008, it covered a distance of just over , but now is a discontinuous route. For , from the city of Terre Haute until it rejoins U.S. Route 41 near Carbondale, it is a four-lane...
Indiana State Road 154Indiana State Road 154State Road 154, in the U.S. State of Indiana, is a short two-lane east–west highway located in western Sullivan County.-Route description:...
Indiana State Road 159Indiana State Road 159-Southern section:The southern section begins at State Road 67 at Bicknell and ends at State Road 58 in Freelandville, to the north.-Middle section:The middle section begins at Pleasantville and ends at State Road 54 at Dugger, to the north.-Northern section:...
Airport
The county contains one public-use airport: Sullivan County AirportSullivan County Airport
Sullivan County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Sullivan, a city in Sullivan County, Indiana, United States...
(SIV), serving Sullivan, Indiana
Sullivan, Indiana
Sullivan is a city in Hamilton Township, Sullivan County, Indiana, United States. The population was 4,617 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is the county seat of Sullivan County...
.
Economy
Peabody Energy Corporation recently announced that they will start production in the second half of 2010 from Bear Run Mine located in Sullivan County. The Bear Run mine is the largest surface mine in the eastern U.S. and is expected to produce 8 million tons of coal per year. The mine is expected to employ 350. http://www.peabodyenergy.com/pdfs/Q109EarningsRel.pdfEducation
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 SchoolSullivan High School
Sullivan High School is a secondary institution located in Sullivan, Indiana. As of 2007, the school has an enrollment of approximately 600 students...
in Sullivan, and the latter's high schools are North Central High School in Farmersburg and Union High School in Dugger. Union Christian College
Union Christian College
* Union Christian College, Merom, a small co-educational college located in Merom, Indiana, the United States* Union Christian College Aluva, in Aluva, India...
formerly operated in Merom.
Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Sullivan have ranged from a low of 18 °F (-7.8 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29.4 °C) in July, although a record low of -33 °F was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 98 °F (36.7 °C) was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.58 inches (6.6 cm) in February to 4.69 inches (11.9 cm) in July.Government
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of IndianaConstitution of Indiana
There have been two Constitutions of the State of Indiana. The first constitution was created when the Territory of Indiana sent forty-three delegates to a constitutional convention on June 10, 1816 to establish a constitution for the proposed State of Indiana after the United States Congress had...
, and by the Indiana Code
Indiana Code
The Indiana Code is the code of laws for the US State of Indiana. The contents are the codification of the all the laws currently in effect within Indiana...
.
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.
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.
Court: The county maintains a small claims court
Small claims court
Small-claims courts have limited jurisdiction to hear civil cases between private litigants. Courts authorized to try small claims may also have other judicial functions, and the name by which such a court is known varies by jurisdiction; it may be known as a county or magistrate's 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
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
.
County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
, auditor, treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
, recorder
Recorder of deeds
Recorder of deeds is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights over that property.-Background:...
, surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, and circuit court clerk
Court clerk
A court clerk is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining the records of a court. Another duty is to administer oaths to witnesses, jurors, and grand jurors...
. 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
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
affiliations and to be residents of the county.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 21,751 people, 7,819 households, and 5,574 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 49 people per square mile (19/km²). There were 8,804 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.11% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 4.27% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.31% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.13% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.33% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.84% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 25.4% were of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 18.1% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 16.8% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 9.7% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 7,819 households out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.60% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 30.50% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 115.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,976, and the median income for a family was $39,290. Males had a median income of $30,207 versus $20,790 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $16,234. About 8.50% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.40% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.