Geneva, Indiana

Geneva had its start in 1871 when the rival towns of Alexander and Buffalo merged.{{cite book|title=Exploring Indiana Highways: Trip Trivia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j7zds6xx7S0C&pg=PA48|year=2007|publisher=Exploring America's Highway|isbn=978-0-9744358-3-1|page=48}} It was named after Geneva, in Switzerland.{{cite web | url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=5378 | title=Profile for Geneva, IN | publisher=ePodunk | access-date=August 26, 2014}} The first post office in Geneva was established in 1872.{{cite web|url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Adams |title=Adams County |publisher=Jim Forte Postal History |access-date=August 26, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827165043/http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=IN&county=Adams |archive-date=August 27, 2014 }} Geneva incorporated as a town in early 1874.{{Cite web |title=History {{!}} Town of Geneva Indiana |url=https://townofgeneva.org/history |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=townofgeneva.org |language=en}}

The Town of Geneva benefited greatly from the Indiana Gas Boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Oil was found near Geneva and production began in 1892. This brought many new settlers to the area and skyrocketed local land prices. At its height in November 1895, one company, the Buckeye Pipe Line Company, had 160 oil wells in the Geneva field producing 24,362 barrels a month. Production fell off after 1907.{{Cite book |last=Snow |first=J. F. |title=Snow's History of Adams County |publisher=B. F. Bowen & Co. |year=1907 |location=Indianapolis |pages=159–160}} Charles D. Porter and his wife, Gene Stratton-Porter, who lived in Geneva from 1886-1913, owned roughly 30 oil wells in the area,{{Cite news |last=Kilbane |first=Kevin |date=March 8, 2014 |title=Researcher digs into Stratton-Porter's past |work=The Goshen News |url=https://www.goshennews.com/news/researcher-digs-into-stratton-porters-past/article_5fabbe29-1069-5972-aaf0-6f766b8f3876.html}} and used the proceeds to build Limberlost Cabin in 1895.

File:Downtown Geneva, Indiana.jpg

According to the 2010 census, Geneva has a total area of {{convert|1.23|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.09|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 88.62%) is land and {{convert|0.14|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (or 11.38%) is water.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1827216

|title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1

|access-date=July 16, 2015

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213042707/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1827216

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}}

{{US Census population

|1880= 467

|1890= 748

|1900= 1076

|1910= 1140

|1920= 879

|1930= 895

|1940= 966

|1950= 999

|1960= 1053

|1970= 1100

|1980= 1430

|1990= 1280

|2000= 1368

|2010= 1293

|2020= 1257

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2012}} of 2010, there were 1,293 people, 570 households, and 349 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|1186.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 627 housing units at an average density of {{convert|575.2|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 94.6% White, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 3.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.4% of the population.

There were 570 households, of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.8% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.91.

The median age in the town was 41.1 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 28.3% were from 45 to 64; and 18% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,368 people, 584 households, and 369 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,192.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 621 housing units at an average density of {{convert|541.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.25% White, 0.37% African American, 0.22% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.10% of the population.

There were 584 households, out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.7% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $33,942, and the median income for a family was $41,645. Males had a median income of $31,895 versus $21,552 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,435. About 9.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.

Geneva has a public library, a branch of the Adams Public Library System.{{cite web | url=http://www.apls.lib.in.us | title=Homepage | publisher=Adams Public Library System | access-date=March 3, 2018}} Geneva is located in the South Adams Schools District.

• L. S. Buckmaster (1894–1967), labor union leader{{cite book |last1=Olson |first1=James S. |last2=Mendoza |first2=Abraham O. |title=American Economic History: A Dictionary and Chronology |date=2015 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781610696982 |page=81}}
• Robert O. Fink, classics professor{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=Laura |title=FINK, Robert Orwill |url=https://dbcs.rutgers.edu/all-scholars/8690-fink-robert-orwill |access-date=July 15, 2022 |website=dbcs.rutgers.edu |language=en-gb}}{{Cite news |date=December 20, 1988 |title=Robert Fink, Classicist, 83 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/20/obituaries/robert-fink-classicist-83.html |access-date=July 15, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}
• Gene Stratton-Porter (1863–1924), best-selling author, nature photographer, naturalist, and silent movie-era producer{{cite book | author=Gugin, Linda C., and James E. St. Clair, eds. | title =Indiana's 200: The People Who Shaped the Hoosier State | publisher =Indiana Historical Society Press| year =2015 | location =Indianapolis | pages=333–35 | isbn =978-0-87195-387-2}} See also: {{cite book | author=Barbara Olenyik Morrow | title =Nature's Storyteller: The Life of Gene Stratton-Porter | publisher =Indiana Historical Society | year =2010 | location =Indianapolis | pages =44–45; 159–60 | isbn =978-0-87195-284-4}}

• Limberlost Cabin, completed in 1895, was the home Gene Stratton-Porter shared with her husband, Charles Porter, and their daughter, Jeannette (Geneva HS '05). The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Designated as the Limberlost State Historic Site, it is operated by the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites and open to the public.{{cite web| url =https://secure.in.gov/apps/dnr/shaard/welcome.html| title =Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD) | publisher =Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology | format =Searchable database| access-date =July 21, 2017}} This includes {{cite web| author =Thomas Gross | title =National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Gene Stratton Porter Cabin | url =https://secure.in.gov/apps/dnr/shaard/r/1d815/N/Limberlost_State_Memorial_Adams_CO_Nom.pdf | access-date =July 21, 2017}} and accompanying photographs

{{reflist}}

• [https://townofgeneva.org/ Town of Geneva, Indiana]

{{commons category}}

{{Adams County, Indiana}}

{{Fort Wayne Metro}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Towns in Adams County, Indiana

Category:Towns in Indiana

Category:1871 establishments in Indiana