GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA

'Gibson County' is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 32,500. The county seat is Princeton⁶.

Contents

Geography

Education

Higher education

Transportation

Media

Television stations

Radio stations

Newspapers

History

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Cities and towns

External references

External links

References

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,293 km² (499 mi²). 1,266 km² (489 mi²) of it is land and 27 km² (10 mi²) of it (2.06%) is water.

Education

Gibson County has three municipal school districts:
'East Gibson School Corporation - Oakland City :'
Waldo J. Wood Memorial Jr/Sr High School - Oakland City
Oakland City Elementary School - Oakland City
Francisco Elementary School - Francisco
Barton Township School - Mackey
'North Gibson School Corporation - Princeton :'
Princeton Community High School - Princeton
Princeton Community Middle School - Princeton
Lowell Elementary School - Princeton
Brumfield Elementary School - Princeton
'South Gibson School Corporation - Fort Branch :'
Gibson Southern High School - Fort Branch
Fort Branch Community School (K-8) - Fort Branch
Haubstadt Community School (K-8) - Haubstadt
Owensville Community School (K-8) - Owensville

Higher education

Oakland City University - Oakland City
-Private 4-Year Institution-
Vincennes University Workforce Training Center - Princeton Branch
Worker Training/Re-training Program operated by Vincennes University.

Transportation

Gibson County has over 1,700 miles of county roads. Like most Indiana counties, the number of the road is determined by how far (by yards) from the county's courthouse. Most Indiana Counties use a county road system demarcated by location, such as Gibson County's CR 2275W located 2,275 yards from the base road, or CR 25E located only 25 yards from the base road. In addition to the county roads Gibson County is intersected by Indiana State Roads 56, 57, 64, 65, 68, 165, 168, 357, US Highway 41, and Interstate 64. Construction on Interstate 69 is set to begin in the Spring of 2008, adding a second Interstate to the county.

Media

Television stations

★ 06 W06BD - Operated by Princeton Community High School.

Radio stations

★ FM 98.1 WRAY - Princeton - Country Music

★ FM 101.5 WBGW - Fort Branch - Religious Music/Talk

★ AM 1250 WRAY - Princeton - News/Talk

Newspapers

★ Princeton Daily Clarion - Princeton

★ Oakland City Journal - Oakland City

★ South Gibson Star-Times - Owensville + Fort Branch

History

The first white settler of Gibson County was John Severns. He was a native of Wales and came with his parents to America several years before the Revolutionary War. He settled in Gibson County in 1789-90 on the south bank of the Patoka river at a place now known as Severns bridge. One of the first settlers of Gibson County was William Hargrove, who came from Kentucky by pack mule in 1803. Capt. William Hargrove commanded a company of militia from Gibson County at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811.
The Rev. Joseph Milburn, along with his son, Robert Milburn, also arrived in 1803. They settled near Princeton, between the Patoka and White Rivers. The Milburns were from around Washington County, Kentucky. Rev. Milburn, a Baptist, established the first church, while his son, Robert, established the first distillery in Indiana.
In 1805, Jacob Warrick arrived, along with his father-in-law, Thomas Montgomery. They burned out the last Indian village in 1807, chasing the inhabitants into the Illinois Territory. Capt. Jacob Warrick was killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811.
Gibson County was organized in 1813 out of Knox County. The County was named for John Gibson, an officer in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. Gibson was Secretary of the Indiana Territory, serving as acting Governor on two occasions. Warrick County was organized out of Gibson County almost a month later, the two counties separated by Rector's BaseLine. When organized on April 1,1813, Gibson County occupied everything from the Paoli BaseLine to the Wabash River and from the White River to the Ohio River. Rector's BaseLine separated the southern half of the county to form Warrick County which organized on April 30,1813.

Adjacent counties

★ Knox County (north)

★ Pike County (east)

★ Warrick County (southeast)

★ Vanderburgh County (south [1])

★ Posey County (south [2])

★ White County, Illinois (southwest)

★ Edwards County, Illinois (at a single point)

★ Wabash County, Illinois (west)

Demographics

'Gibson County Population by year

'2000' 32,500 '1990' 31,913 '1980' 33,156 '1970' 30,444 '1960' 29,949 '1950' 30,720 '1940' 30,709 '1930' 29,202 '1920' 29,201 '1910' 30,137 '1900' 30,099 '1890' 24,920 '1880' 22,742 '1870' 17,371 '1860' 14,532 '1850' 10,771 '1840' 8,977 '1830' 5,418 '1820' 3,876

As of the census² of 2000, there were 32,500 people, 12,847 households, and 9,095 families residing in the county. The population density was 26/km² (66/mi²). There were 14,125 housing units at an average density of 11/km² (29/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.46% White, 1.91% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 0.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 35.4% were of German, 21.9% American, 11.9% English and 10.2% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 12,847 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,515, and the median income for a family was $44,839. Males had a median income of $35,511 versus $21,284 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,169. About 6.60% of families and 8.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.40% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

★ Fort Branch

★ Francisco

★ Haubstadt

★ Hazleton

★ Mackey

★ Oakland City

★ Owensville

★ Patoka

★ Princeton

★ Somerville

External references

History of Gibson County, Indiana, Gil R. Storment, 1914

External links

★ Battle of Tippecanoe

★ History of Gibson County, Indiana, Gil Storment, 1914

References

★ Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses, , Richard L. (editor), Forstall, United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division, 1996, ISBN 0-934213-48-8