Editing Hartford City, Indiana (section)

==Early history==
{{Main|History of Hartford City, Indiana}}
Hartford City, Indiana began in the late 1830s as a few log cabins clustered near a creek. Folklore taught in local elementary schools suggests that Hartford City was originally known as "Hart's ford," a place to cross Lick Creek. The name evolved to Hartford, and eventually to Hartford City. (This was to avoid confusion with another Hartford<ref>[[English, Indiana]] was named Hartford from 1839 until 1884.</ref> in the state.)

The community was designated as the [[county seat]] of [[Blackford County, Indiana|Blackford County]] when that county was created in 1837, and it was incorporated in 1867.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Hartford City|volume=13|page=34}}</ref> During the last half of the 19th century, [[East Central Indiana]] consisted mostly of rural farming communities, including Hartford City. The town's population did not exceed 2,000 until after 1887, when the region began to grow because of the [[Indiana Gas Boom]].<ref>''Hartford City Illustrated: A Publication Devoted to the City's Best Interests and Containing Half Tone Engravings of Prominent Factories, Business Blocks, Residences, and a Selection of Representative Commercial and Professional Men and Women.'' [S.l.]: Daulton & Scott, 1896.</ref>

Hartford City's population tripled in the next decade, as manufacturers were lured to the region to take advantage of low costs for land and the [[natural gas]]. Hartford City benefited from railroad service from two railroads in addition to a natural gas supply that was thought to be unlimited. Manufacturers such as [[Hartford City Glass Company]], [[Sneath Glass Company]], Hartford City Paper, Utility Paper, and Willman Lumber all located or began in Hartford City during the 1890s. Although the supply of natural gas was soon exhausted, many of these businesses continued to operate into the 1950s and beyond. Hartford City leaders attracted businesses such as [[Garage door opener#The electric opener|Overhead Door]] (1923) and [[3M]] (1955) to replace the glass factories as major employers in the city.