Editing Blackford County, Indiana (section)

==Geography==
According to the 2010 census, Blackford County has a total area of {{convert|165.58|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|165.08|sqmi}} (or 99.70%) is land and {{convert|0.50|sqmi}} (or 0.30%) is water,<ref name="2010Gazetteer" /> making it the fourth smallest county in the state. The county is located in [[East Central Indiana]], about {{convert|55|mi}} south of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and about {{convert|78|mi}} northeast of [[Indianapolis, Indiana|Indianapolis]].{{#tag:ref|Mileages from Blackford County to Fort Wayne and Indianapolis are based on highway miles using county seat Hartford City for Blackford County.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MapQuest (search for Hartford City, Indiana) |url=http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Hartford%20City&state=IN |access-date=February 12, 2012 |publisher=MapQuest}}</ref>|group=Note}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Wells County, Indiana|Wells County]] (north)
* [[Jay County, Indiana|Jay County]] (east)
* [[Delaware County, Indiana|Delaware County]] (south)
* [[Grant County, Indiana|Grant County]] (west)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indiana County Map |url=http://www.censusfinder.com/mapin.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006172754/http://www.censusfinder.com/mapin.htm |archive-date=October 6, 2011 |access-date=October 18, 2011 |publisher=Census Finder – A Directory of Free Census Records}}</ref>

The terrain of Blackford County shows the influence of [[Glacier|glacial passage]] in the distant past.<ref>{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|pp=8–9}}</ref> These glaciers were responsible for the rich farmland that became available after the county was cleared and drained.<ref>{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|p=10}}</ref>  During the early 20th&nbsp;century, the [[Renner, Indiana|Renner]] Stock Farm, in Licking Township, was known statewide for its quality cattle, hogs, and horses.<ref name="shinn1914-36">{{harvnb|Shinn|1914|p=36}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|A portion of Shinn's description of the Renner Stock Farm has been reproduced on a web page [http://debmurray.tripod.com/blackford/blabioref-88.htm (scroll down)].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Renner Stock Farm |url=http://debmurray.tripod.com/blackford/blabioref-88.htm |access-date=November 23, 2011 |publisher=Deb Murray}}</ref>|group=Note}}

===Waterways===
The county has some small streams, and several man-made lakes. The [[Salamonie River]], flowing out of Jay County (Indiana) from the east, crosses the northeast corner of Blackford County. Big and Little Lick Creek flow westward in Licking and Jackson townships in the southern half of the county.<ref>{{harvnb|Garrigus|1990|p=13}}</ref> Early settlers were attracted to Lick Creek, and then the Salamonie River, because the nearby land had suitable drainage for farming.<ref>{{harvnb|Shinn|1900|p=235}}</ref> The county's lakes include Lake Blue Water in Harrison Township; Cain's Lake, Shamrock Lakes and Lake Mohee in Licking Township; and Lake Placid in Jackson Township.<ref name="AHist146">{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|p=146}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=[[United States Geological Survey]] |title=Geographic Names Information System: Lakes in Blackford County, Indiana |url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:2:::NO::P1_FNAME,P1_COUNTY,P1_STATE:Lake,Blackford,Indiana |access-date=June 2, 2012}}</ref> Lake Blue Water is a spring-fed former stone quarry located one mile (1.6&nbsp;km) east of Montpelier.<ref>{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|p=123}}</ref> The Shamrock Lakes (a group of six lakes) were created between 1960 and 1965, and the first lake was originally intended to be a water supply for a farmer's cattle.<ref name="AHist146" />

===Townships===
* [[Harrison Township, Blackford County, Indiana|Harrison]]
* [[Jackson Township, Blackford County, Indiana|Jackson Township]] (thought to be named after President [[Andrew Jackson]]; created by County Commission September 22, 1839.<ref>{{harvnb|Shinn|1900|p=227}}</ref>
* [[Licking Township, Blackford County, Indiana|Licking]]
* [[Washington Township, Blackford County, Indiana|Washington Township]] (named after President [[George Washington]]; created by County Commission June 29, 1839.<ref>{{harvnb|Shinn|1900|p=226}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|p=152}}</ref>

===Communities===
<imagemap>File:Blackford County Indiana diagram V4.jpg|{{center|[[Image map]] of Blackford County and communities that either existed (yellow dot) or still exist (red dot). Community names with white backgrounds have links.}}|alt=Map of Blackford County showing current and former communities, state highways, and railroads.|400px|thumb|right
rect 280 175 385 230 [[Roll, Indiana|Roll]]
rect 590 175 675 250 [[Indiana State Road 18|Indiana SR 18]]
rect 740 140 885 200 [[Montpelier, Indiana|Montpelier]]
rect 999 140 1185 200 [[Matamoras, Indiana|Matamoras]]
rect 600 95 800 120 [[Wells County, Indiana|Wells County]]
rect 100 285 505 330 [[Washington Township, Blackford County, Indiana|Washington Township]]
rect 710 285 1050 330 [[Harrison Township, Blackford County, Indiana|Harrison Township]]
rect 770 500 900 570 [[Mollie, Indiana|Mollie]]
rect 70 655 225 710 [[Renner, Indiana|Renner]]
rect 20 555 50 705 [[Grant County, Indiana|Grant County]]
rect 350 740 510 800 [[Hartford City, Indiana|Hartford City]]
rect 350 540 510 600 [[Indiana State Road 3|Indiana SR 3]]
rect 1040 770 1200 830 [[Trenton, Indiana|Trenton]]
rect 700 840 800 890 [[Indiana State Road 26|Indiana SR 26]]
rect 1360 415 1390 535 [[Jay County, Indiana|Jay County]]
rect 70 920 380 960 [[Licking Township, Blackford County, Indiana|Licking Township]]
rect 805 920 1095 960 [[Jackson Township, Blackford County, Indiana|Jackson Township]]
rect 70 1020 255 1090 [[Shamrock Lakes, Indiana|Shamrock Lakes]]
rect 880 1060 1050 1105 [[Millgrove, Indiana|Millgrove]]
rect 1025 1150 1275 1200 [[Converse, Blackford County, Indiana|Converse/Crumley's Crossing]]
rect 1200 1250 1380 1300 [[Dunkirk, Indiana|Dunkirk]]
rect 1250 990 1360 1070 [[Indiana State Road 167|Indiana SR 167]]
rect 520 1350 720 1380 [[Delaware County, Indiana|Delaware County]]
rect 650 655 700 730 [[Norfolk Southern Railway]]
rect 650 940 700 990 [[Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad|Former railroad line]]
desc bottom-left
</imagemap>

===Cities===
* [[Hartford City, Indiana|Hartford City]] (county seat)
* [[Montpelier, Indiana|Montpelier]]<ref name="AHist90">{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|p=90}}</ref>
* [[Dunkirk, Indiana|Dunkirk]] (mostly located in adjacent [[Jay County, Indiana|Jay County]])<ref>{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|p=130}}</ref>

===Towns===
* [[Shamrock Lakes, Indiana|Shamrock Lakes]] (incorporated May 21, 1973)

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Converse, Blackford County, Indiana|Converse]] (formerly named Crumley's Crossing)
* [[Matamoras, Indiana|Matamoras]]
* [[Millgrove, Indiana|Millgrove]]
* [[Roll, Indiana|Roll]] (formerly named Dundee)
* [[Trenton, Indiana|Trenton]] (former post office named Priam)

These communities are sometimes listed as ghost towns, most businesses in these communities have closed.<ref name="Ghost">{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|p=1}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|All five of Blackford County’s unincorporated communities are shown in UniversalMAP’s Northern Indiana road map (2009), and Indiana's digital state transportation map for 2009–2010.<ref name="indiana-highway-map" />|group=Note}}  However, residences are still maintained in these communities, and they are listed as populated places by the U.S. Geological Survey.<ref name="USGeo">{{Cite web |last=United States Geological Survey |title=Geographic Names Information System: Populated places in Blackford County, Indiana |url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:2:::NO::P1_CLASS,P1_COUNTY,P1_STATE:Populated%20Place,Blackford,Indiana |access-date=July 1, 2011}}</ref> Millgrove, Roll, and Trenton all had post offices during the 19th or 20th century.<ref name="APost">{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|p=17}}</ref>

====Extinct settlements====
Blackford County has over 10 communities that do not exist anymore.  In some cases, a church, farm or single residence remains at the extinct community's location.<ref name="Ghost" />  Among these former communities, Bowser Station, Dorsey Station, Mollie, Silas, and Slocum all had post offices during the 19th&nbsp;century.<ref name="APost" /> Mollie's post office lasted until 1907.<ref name="APostOffice">{{Cite news |date=February 7, 1907 |title=A Postoffice is Wiped Out |work=Hartford City Evening News |page=1}}</ref>
* Bowser Station—This community was a railroad stop in southern Licking Township, and had a post office during the 1870s.<ref name="APost" />{{#tag:ref|An 1876 Blackford County map in the [http://www.davidrumsey.com/maps790062-23082.html David Rumsey Map Collection] shows both Dorsey Station and Bowser Station.<ref name="Rumsey">{{Cite web |title=David Rumsey Map Collection |url=http://www.davidrumsey.com/maps790062-23082.html |access-date=November 20, 2011 |website=Map of Blackford County (with) Montpelier, Hartford City. Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839–1900; Baskin, Forster and Company, 1876 |publisher=Cartography Associates}}</ref>|group=Note}}
* Dorsey Station—This Harrison Township community was a railroad stop, and had a post office during the 1870s.<ref name="APost" /><ref name="Rumsey" />
* Frog Alley—This Washington Township community had a church and school. "Frog Alley" arose because of the swampy condition of the area. The school, which began in 1863, lasted until 1923.<ref>{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|p=157}}</ref>
* Greenland—Located in Harrison Township at 400 North and 600 East.<ref name="Ghost" />
* Little Chicago—Located in northwest corner of Harrison Township, and in Wells County.<ref name="Ghost" />
* [[Mollie, Indiana|Mollie]]—This community thrived in the 1890s as a railroad stop with a grain elevator, post office, and general store.<ref name="AHist117">{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|p=117}}</ref> The Harrison Township oil fields were located nearby.<ref name="APostOffice" />
* Pleasantdale—Located in Harrison Township, at 300 North and 600 East.<ref name="Ghost" />
* [[Renner, Indiana|Renner]] (Licking Township) - a railroad stop at the Renner Stock Farm. Housing for the farm's employees was also located there. It thrived from the 1890s until the 1920s.<ref name="shinn1914-36" /> Renner is still listed as a populated place by the U.S. Geological Survey, but its "population" is a farm.<ref name="USGeo" />
* Silas— (Washington Township) - the land was purchased in 1848, and the owner established a church and school. By 1880, a general store was established at that location, and its owner was community namesake Silas Rayl. During the first decade of the 20th&nbsp;century, the Silas general store closed, contributing to the demise of the community.<ref>{{harvnb|Blackford County Historical Society (Ind.)|1986|pp=155–156}}</ref>
* Slocum (southeastern Harrison Township, exact location not known) - had a post office 1886–1902.<ref name="APost" />
* Luck (Harrison Township at 250 North and 800 East)<ref name="Ghost" />
* Winterhurst (Licking Township, at 200 South and {{convert|0.5|mi|km}} East)<ref name="Ghost" />