Benton County, Indiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Benton County, Indiana | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Indiana |
|
 Indiana's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | February 18, 1840 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Fowler |
| Largest | Fowler |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
406 sq mi (1,053 km²) 406 sq mi (1,052 km²) 0 sq mi (0 km²), 0% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
9,421 23/sq mi (9/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Named for: Senator Thomas H. Benton | |
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 9,421. The county seat is Fowler[1].
Contents |
[edit] History
Benton County was formed February 18, 1840. It is named for Thomas H. Benton (D), U.S. Senator from Missouri. The original county seat selected in 1843 was Oxford, but after a long struggle between contending factions it was moved to Fowler in 1874.
[edit] Courthouse
The current Benton County courthouse, located in Fowler, was designed by Gordon P. Randall of Chicago and built in 1874 by Levi L. Leach at a cost of $62,257. The new courthouse was an impressive building from an architectural standpoint, but also provided much-needed improvements in security, including large fire-proof vaults. Randall had designed the Marshall County courthouse a few years earlier.[2]
[edit] Economy
In 2008 Benton County had 87 1.7 MW wind generators installed. The energy they produce is sold to local electric companies. [3]
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 406 square miles (1,053 km²), of which 406 square miles (1,052 km²) is land and 0 square miles (0 km²) (0.02%) is water.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Newton County (north)
- Jasper County (northeast)
- White County (east)
- Tippecanoe County (southeast)
- Warren County (south)
- Vermilion County, Illinois (southwest)
- Iroquois County, Illinois (west)
[edit] Cities and towns
[edit] Unincorporated towns
[edit] Extinct towns
[edit] Townships
[edit] Major highways
- U.S. Route 41
- U.S. Route 52
- Indiana State Road 18
- Indiana State Road 55
- Indiana State Road 71
- Indiana State Road 352
[edit] Railroads
[edit] Education
The county's four public schools are administered by the Benton Community School Corporation.
- Benton Central Junior-Senior High School [1]
- Boswell Elementary School [2]
- Otterbein Elementary School [3]
- Prairie Crossing Elementary School [4]
- Sacred Heart Elementary[5] in Fowler is the county's only parochial school.
[edit] Demographics
| Benton County Population by year[4] |
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2000 9,421 |
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As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 9,421 people, 3,558 households, and 2,547 families residing in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 3,818 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.90% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 1.28% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. 2.60% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.8% were of German, 20.3% American, 10.7% Irish, 6.8% English and 6.1% French ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 3,558 households out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 24.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,813, and the median income for a family was $46,869. Males had a median income of $30,592 versus $22,169 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,220. About 3.50% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.00% of those under age 18 and 4.50% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] References
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Counts, Will; Jon Dilts (1991). The 92 Magnificent Indiana Courthouses. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, pp. 14-15. ISBN 978-0253336385.
- ^ http://www.earlparkindiana.com/windfarm.html.
- ^ *Forstall, Richard L. (editor) (1996). Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division. ISBN 0-934213-48-8.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Benton 4 Business (economic development)
- Benton Community Foundation
- Benton Community School Corporation
- Sacred Heart Elementary School
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