San Pierre is a census-designated place (CDP) in Railroad Township, Starke County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.
History
thumb|left|San Pierre, 1880s
Establishment
The area now known as San Pierre was originally known as Culvertown, just north of the current town. However, in 1853, a post office was established in the area as the River Post Office. San Pierre proper was laid out in 1854, and the post office was re-established as San Pierre under postmaster Amas Green in 1855.
According to one local tradition, the village later took the name of San Pierre, named after a nearby French-Canadian saloon owner. The story goes that 'Pierre' built a shack some 400 feet south of the village of Culvertown and began to sell whisky there. As a consequence of this inducement, the town shifted slightly to the south and the name was changed to San Pierre. Another tradition records the village being named after a French railroad worker called 'Pierre', with San being added to provide more importance to the name. In any case, the name was changed simply to Pierre in 1894, possibly as a result of increasing tension between Spain and the United States, leading up to the Spanish–American War. Finally the name was changed back to San Pierre in 1899.
Railroads
The first railroad to be laid in Starke County, New Albany and Chicago (Monon), was laid through San Pierre (then Culvertown) in 1853. Indiana, Illinois and Iowa Railroad (New York Central) was built through San Pierre to the neighboring town of North Judson in 1881. On May 1, 1875, President Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train had a stop in San Pierre on its way to Springfield, Illinois. In 1961, an elementary school and gymnasium was dedicated, and the schoolhouse on W. Eliza Street became the San Pierre High School. San Pierre High School closed after graduating its last class in 1964 and consolidating with North Judson High School to create North Judson-San Pierre (NJSP) High School. In 1891, St. Luke Evangelical Church was established in San Pierre and still operates today as St Luke United Church of Christ.
Other history
The town briefly had a Grand Army of the Republic Post (John W. McCune Post #587) from 1891 before closing in 1901. The Little Company of St. Mary's, later Our Lady of Holy Cross Health Care Center, was opened in 1945 and stayed in operation until 2008 before being torn down sometime between June 2009 and August 2010.
Geography
San Pierre is located in the Northwest/North Central region of Indiana. Located in the southwest corner of Starke County, San Pierre is approximately east of Jasper County, north of Pulaski County, and south of LaPorte County. San Pierre is approximately southeast of Chicago; and northwest of Indianapolis.
The junction of U.S. Route 421 and Indiana State Road 10 is located in San Pierre.
According to the United States Census Bureau, San Pierre (CDP) encompasses a total area of , of which it is all land. San Pierre (46374) encompasses a total area of , of which is land and is water.
San Pierre is located in the former Grand Kankakee Marsh. Now the Kankakee Outwash Plain, a till plain region of the Central Corn Belt, the Grand Kankakee Marsh was the largest U.S. freshwater marsh before it was drained. The marsh was formed by the Laurentide ice sheet during the Wisconsin glaciation between 75,000 and 11,000 years ago. Today, San Pierre is approximately south of the Kankakee River, and the land is primarily farmland with a sand/loamy sand soil texture.
Demographics
thumb|right|Welcome sign near the junction of [[U.S. Route 421 and Indiana State Road 10]]
As of the census The bird has become so synonymous with the town that it has become an unofficial emblem of the community, including a depiction on the welcome sign.
Tierney Park
Tierney Park sits on the former location of Our Lady of Holy Cross Health Care Center (Little Company of St. Mary's). The park was named after John Tierney who stowed away on President Abraham Lincoln's funeral train from San Pierre to Springfield, IL to attend Lincoln's funeral service. Years later, Tierney ultimately donated the land that would become the St. Mary's campus in 1945 until its closure and demolition by 2010. In September 2017, Tierney Park was dedicated and a marker for Lincoln's funeral train at the location was unveiled.
San Pierre is included in the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation, located in North Judson.
Churches
- Abundant Life Church (205 N. Jackson Street)
- All Saints Catholic Church (205 W. Eliza Street)
- Saint Luke United Church of Christ (302 W. Eliza Street)
- Shiloh Assembly of God Church (10501 State Road 10)