Editing Fairland, Indiana (section)

==History==
Construction of the Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Lafayette Railroad began in 1849, and Fairland was [[plat]]ted in 1852.<ref>{{cite book|last=Chadwick|first=Edward H.|title=Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N080AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA267|year=1909|publisher=B.F. Bowen|page=267}}</ref> Isaac Odell and Henry Jenkins hired the J. M. Elliott Company of Shelby County to draw the plans, and this was recorded on October 21, 1852. The town was named for the "beautiful land" near the original town site.<ref>{{cite book|last=Baker|first=Ronald L.|title=From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History|url=https://archive.org/details/fromneedmoretopr00bake|url-access=registration|date=October 1995|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=978-0-253-32866-3|page=[https://archive.org/details/fromneedmoretopr00bake/page/129 129]|quote=...name is descriptive of the area's "beautiful land".}}</ref> A post office has been in operation at Fairland since 1854 with Isaac Odell as the first postmaster.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Shelby |title=Shelby County |publisher=Jim Forte Postal History |access-date=December 4, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208081513/http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Shelby |archive-date=December 8, 2015 }}</ref> Several additions were made to the town: Daniel Bradley Addition (1857), Odell's First Addition (1865), Granville S. Harrel Addition (1866), Odell's Second Addition (1868), Richardson & McQuiston Addition (1872), J. B. Plymate First Addition (1891), Joseph & Luvina Plymate Addition (1902), Walker's Addition (1903), Drake's Addition (1907), and Henderson's Addition (1914). In 1866, the railroad between Martinsville and Franklin was extended from Franklin to Fairland with General Ambrose E. Burnside leading the project. The Fairland Cemetery Association was formed in 1887.<ref name=":0">[https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p1819coll6/id/68458?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3qwwTME53QaEeYT7txZIzIDUkTaNIOrqUC1mNS31lcw9xU_JvbWfI1Zvk_aem_AYTgmPpNnrocEYl9jwXz04c2uEKu5OHrgdngM0IVJ7Ed866QNW67sHBZVNhbwJ5ijo1Pvxb2cgB_ftTzv8gAeTSN Fairland History 1852-1952]</ref>

The town boasted the 22-room Park Hotel, bank, blacksmith, physicians, restaurants, general store, hardware store, butcher, Masonic hall, lumber company, sawmill, and livery stable. And, the "Fairland Bulletin" newspaper was published until it was moved to Shelbyville and became the "Volunteer".<ref name=":0" />

On September 9, 1969, [[Allegheny Airlines Flight 853]] collided in mid-air with a smaller private aircraft northwest of Fairland, killing all 83 passengers and crew of both aircraft.