Grant County is a county located in central Indiana in the United States Midwest. At the time of the 2010 census, the population was 70,061. The county seat is Marion. Important paleontological discoveries, dating from the Pliocene epoch, have been made at the Pipe Creek Sinkhole in Grant County.
Video Grant County, Indiana
History
Grant County was formed in 1831 by migrants from Kentucky and Virginia. It was named for Captains Samuel and Moses Grant of Kentucky, who were killed fighting Indians north of the Ohio River. Their home county was also named in memory of them: Grant County, Kentucky.
In 1831, Martin Boots and David Branson each donated 30 acres of land to begin a settlement called Marion. This land was on the north side of a fast-flowing and scenic river the Miami Indians called Mississinewa -"laughing waters." Marion was designated as the County Seat.
As the county was developed for agriculture, the county seat became a center of trade and business, as well as government and the court system. On August 7, 1930, a white mob of an estimated 5,000 people took three African-American men, Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith, both 19, and James Cameron, 16, from the county jail. They were suspects in a robbery/murder and rape. The first two young men were lynched and hanged from trees in the courthouse square. Cameron was spared and later became a civil rights activist. This was the last lynching in Indiana.
In 1982, Stephen Johnson was elected as Grant County's first full-time prosecutor. He served for five consecutive terms, from 1983 through 2002.
Maps Grant County, Indiana
Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 414.90 square miles (1,074.6 km2), of which 414.07 square miles (1,072.4 km2) (or 99.80%) is land and 0.82 square miles (2.1 km2) (or 0.20%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- Huntington County (northeast)
- Wells County (east-northeast)
- Blackford County (east-southeast)
- Delaware County (southeast)
- Madison County (south)
- Tipton County (southwest)
- Howard County (west-southwest)
- Miami County (west-northwest)
- Wabash County (northwest)
Major highways
Interstates
- I-69
U.S. Highways
- US 35
Indiana State Roads
- SR 5
- SR 9
- SR 13
- SR 15
- SR 18
- SR 19
- SR 22
- SR 26
- SR 37
Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in Marion have ranged from a low of 16 °F (-9 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of -23 °F (-31 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 108 °F (42 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.03 inches (52 mm) in February to 4.73 inches (120 mm) in July.
Government
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, 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.
Grant County is part of Indiana's 5th congressional district; Indiana Senate districts 17, 19 and 20; and Indiana House of Representatives districts 31, 32 and 82.
Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 70,061 people, 27,245 households, and 18,000 families residing in the county. The population density was 169.2 inhabitants per square mile (65.3/km2). There were 30,443 housing units at an average density of 73.5 per square mile (28.4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.2% white, 7.0% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 1.4% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 19.5% were German, 12.4% were American, 10.0% were Irish, and 9.0% were English.
Of the 27,245 households, 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.9% were non-families, and 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 39.5 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $49,860. Males had a median income of $40,146 versus $28,588 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,792. About 12.0% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.
Localities
Cities
- Gas City
- Jonesboro
- Marion
Towns
Census-designated places
Other unincorporated places
- Hackleman
Townships
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Grant County, Indiana
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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