Owen County, Indiana

Owen County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 1920 the United States Census Bureau calculated the mean center of U.S. population to fall within this county. As of the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 21,321. Its county seat is Spencer. Owen County is part of the Bloomington, Indiana metropolitan area.

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 Owen County. White settlers had been moving into the future Owen County area since 1816.

The area in present-day Owen County was first placed under local jurisdiction in 1790, when Knox County was created. This all-encompassing county was repeatedly subdivided as its lands were occupied − in 1816 a portion was partitioned to create Sullivan County, and on February 2, 1818, another area to the south was partitioned to create Daviess County. That same winter (December 21, 1818) the state legislature took portions from northern Daviess and eastern Sullivan to create Owen County; it was named for Abraham Owen, a colonel in the US Army who had died at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. The boundaries of this new county were reduced in 1822 when Putnam and in 1825 when Clay counties were created.

The first moves to organize the county's government were completed in 1819. In 1820 the first commissioners selected Spencer, the county's largest settlement, as its seat of government.

In 1920, the United States census reported Owen County as the Center of Population for the US at a point 8 miles south-southeast of Spencer, Indiana. The center moved the shortest distance since census data collecting began in 1790 (just under 10 miles) from its previous center in Bloomington, Indiana. When the East experienced high rates of growth, as it did in the decades between 1890 and 1920, the Westward movement of the center slowed.

Geography

Owen County's low hills were completely wooded before the nineteenth century. It is still largely tree-covered, but significant portions have been cleared and are dedicated to agriculture or urban use. Its highest point ( ASL) is a steep point south of Quincy. The White River flows southwestward through the lower central part, entering from Monroe County (its course delineates a portion of the border between Monroe and Owen counties), then continues its journey into Greene County.

According to the 2010 United States census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 99.35%) is land and (or 0.65%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Putnam County - north
Morgan County - northeast
Monroe County - southeast
Greene County - south
Clay County - west

Major highways

20px U.S. Route 231
20px Indiana State Road 42
20px Indiana State Road 43
20px Indiana State Road 46
20px Indiana State Road 67
20px Indiana State Road 157
20px Indiana State Road 243
20px Indiana State Road 246

Protected areas

Cataract Falls State Recreation Area
McCormick's Creek State Park - the state's first park (1916)
Owen-Putnam State Forest (part)

Towns

Gosport
Spencer (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

Adel
Alaska
Arney
Atkinsonville
Beamer
Braysville
Carp
Cataract
Coal City
Cuba
Cunot
Daggett
Denmark
Devore
Farmers
Freedom
Freeman
Highets Corner
Jordan
Lewisville
Marion Mills
New Hope
Patricksburg
Pottersville
Quincy
Romona
Southport
Stockton
Vandalia
Vilas
Wallace Junction (ghost town)
Whitehall

Townships

Clay
Franklin
Harrison
Jackson
Jefferson
Jennings
Lafayette
Marion
Montgomery
Morgan
Taylor
Washington
Wayne

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Spencer 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 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in January to in May.

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county; its three members are elected county-wide to four-year terms, however each must reside in their respective districts, two of which are elected during Presidential election cycles and the other during the other election cycles. Each serves a four-year term. The District One member must reside in Harrison, Jackson, Jennings, Montgomery, Taylor, or Wayne Townships. The District Two member must reside in Clay, Franklin, or Washington Townships. The District Three member must reside in Jefferson, Lafayette, Marion, or Morgan Townships. One commissioner serves as president and another as vice-president. Commissioners execute acts legislated by the council, collect revenue, and manage the county government.

County Officials: The county has other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, prosecutor, assessor, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor and clerk of the circuit court. These officers are elected to four-year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 21,321. The median age was 45.1 years. 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.5 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.6% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.4% of the population.

There were 8,645 households in the county, of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.7% were married-couple households, 19.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

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2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 21,575 people, 8,486 households, and 5,992 families in the county. The population density was . There were 10,091 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.9% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population.

Of the 8,486 households, 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.4% were non-families, and 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 42.4 years.

References

External links

Owen County Official Website