Boone County, Indiana

Boone County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 70,812. The county seat is Lebanon.

History

In 1787, the fledgling United States defined the Northwest Territory, which included the area of present-day Indiana. In 1800, Congress separated Ohio from the Northwest Territory, designating the rest of the land as the Indiana Territory. After the Michigan Territory was separated and the Illinois Territory was formed, Indiana was reduced to its current size and geography. By December 1816 the Indiana Territory was admitted to the Union as a state.

Starting in 1794, Native American titles to Indiana lands were extinguished by usurpation, purchase, or war and treaty. The United States acquired land from the Native Americans in the 1809 treaty of Fort Wayne, and by the treaty of St. Mary's in 1818 considerably more territory became property of the government. This included the future Boone County, designating areas covered by the Delaware New Purchase.

Boone County was created by the state legislature on April 1, 1830, with Jamestown (which had been first settled that year) named as the initial county seat. The county was named for frontiersman Daniel Boone. The interim county commissioners met on May 1 of the following year to identify a permanent seat of government, which by law had to be within of the county's center; the [future] city of Lebanon was selected to serve this purpose.

Geography

Boone County lies near the center of the state. It is from east to west and from north to south. It contains about 418.5 square miles (108,500 hectares), two-thirds of which is in cultivation. Its central position, excellent soil, and available water power have been in its favor. The highest point of the county ( ASL) is a small hill northeast of Lebanon.

The upper part of the county is drained by Sugar Creek, flowing westward into Montgomery County; the southwest part of the county is drained by Big Raccoon Creek, also flowing west-southwestward into Montgomery. The southeast part of the county is drained by Eagle Creek and its tributaries, flowing southward into Marion County.

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 99.92%) is land and (or 0.08%) is water.

Cities

Lebanon - county seat

Towns

Advance
Jamestown
Thorntown
Ulen
Whitestown
Zionsville

Unincorporated communities

Big Springs
Brendan Wood
Dover
Eagle Village
Eaglewood Estates
Elizaville
Fayette
Fox Hollow
Gadsden
Hazel College
Hazelrigg
Max
Mechanicsburg
Milledgeville
New Brunswick
Northfield
Northfield Village
Pike
Rosston
Royalton
Russell Lake
Shannondale (partial)
Stringtown
Terhune
The Woodlands
Ward
Waugh

Townships

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Center
Clinton
Eagle
Harrison

Jackson
Jefferson
Marion
Perry

Sugar Creek
Union
Washington
Worth

Transit

Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority

Major highways

20px Interstate 65
20px Interstate 74
20px Interstate 465
20px Interstate 865
20px U.S. Route 52
20px U.S. Route 136
20px U.S. Route 421
20px Indiana State Road 32
20px Indiana State Road 38
20px Indiana State Road 39
20px Indiana State Road 47
20px Indiana State Road 75
20px Indiana State Road 234
20px Indiana State Road 267

Airport

KTYQ - Indianapolis Executive Airport

Railroads

CSX Transportation

Education

Public schools in Boone County are administered by the Lebanon Community School Corporation, Western Boone County Community School District, Zionsville Community Schools, and Sheridan Community Schools.

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Lebanon have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in July.

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county; commissioners are elected county-wide to staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute acts legislated by the council, collect revenue, and manage the county government. and Indiana House of Representatives districts 28, 38 and 87.

Politics

Prior to 1940, Boone County was a Democratic-leaning swing county in presidential elections, backing the national winner in every election from 1912 to 1936. From 1940 on, it has become a Republican stronghold. In 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris became the first Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon B. Johnson to win a share of over forty percent of the vote.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 70,812.

The median age was 38.7 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.0 males age 18 and over.

There were 26,593 households in the county, of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 59.5% were married-couple households, 14.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The population density was . There were 22,754 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 95.3% white, 1.7% Asian, 0.9% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.2% of the population.

Of the 21,149 households, 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.7% were non-families, and 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age was 38.6 years.

References

Bibliography

External links

Boone County Community Network
Lebanon Community School Corporation
Western Boone County Community School Dist
Zionsville Community Schools
Boone County Government