Richland Township, Steuben County, Indiana
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Richland Township
|settlement_type = Township
|nickname =
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|image_map = Map highlighting Richland Township, Steuben County, Indiana.svg
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|map_caption = Location in Steuben County
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|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = State
|subdivision_name1 = Indiana
|subdivision_type2 = County
|subdivision_name2 = Steuben
|government_footnotes =
|government_type = Indiana township
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|area_total_sq_mi = 15.58
|area_land_sq_mi = 15.58
|area_water_sq_mi = 0
|area_water_percent = 0
|population_as_of = 2020
|population_footnotes = {{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Richland Township, Steuben County, Indiana |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Richland_township,_Steuben_County,_Indiana?g=060XX00US1815164224 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=Apr 2, 2024}}
|population_total = 415
|population_density_sq_mi = 36.6
|elevation_footnotes = {{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=2017-05-09|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=October 25, 2007}}
|elevation_m = 289
|elevation_ft = 948
|coordinates = {{coord|41|34|15|N|84|49|55|W|region:US-IN|display=inline,title}}
|timezone = Eastern (EST)
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = EDT
|utc_offset_DST = -4
|postal_code_type =
|postal_code =
|area_code = 260
|blank_name = GNIS feature ID
|blank_info = [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:453800 453800]
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Richland Township is one of twelve townships in Steuben County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 415, down from 570 at the 2010 census,{{cite web
|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US18151
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212200157/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US18151
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=2020-02-12
|title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place -- 2010 Census Summary File 1
|publisher=United States Census
|accessdate=2013-05-10
}} and it contained 163 housing units, making it the smallest township in the county.
Geography
=Unincorporated towns=
- Alvarado at {{coord|41.5767171|-84.8377368|scale:10000|display=inline}}
(This list is based on USGS data and may include former settlements.)
=Cemeteries=
The township contains five cemeteries: Alvarado, Amish, Metz, Mount Pleasant, and Bethel."Steuben County Cemeteries"
Image:Bethel Cemetery, Richland Twp, Steuben Co, Indiana, USA.jpg church, the building of which was "sold and moved away".Imhof, p. 83.]]
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=Major highways=
History
The first land registration was made by John Douglas on October 11, 1835 but Robert Jackman and family were the first to settle in the township, in 1836. The 1840 census shows only 16 families, including those of Douglas and Jackman.1840 U.S. Census.
Much of this early community was centered on what came to be the village of Richland Center, where a log cabin schoolhouse as well as a Methodist church were built in 1850.Kelly (log cabin schoolhouse), and Imhof, p. 83. When this village, which was never incorporated, organized a U. S. post office, there was already an Indiana post office named "Richland Center", so this post office was named "Alvardo", which eventually became the name for the village.Alvarado United Methodist Church, which says: "How the name Alvarado originated or came about is not known." Like the rest of Richland township, Alvarado slowly lost population during the 20th century and, in the 21st century, is a small collection of dwellings, farm buildings, and the Alvarado United Methodist Church.
Notable native
- Pop Buell, humanitarian aid worker in Laos in the 1960s and 1970s, was born in Richland Township and farmed there until he joined International Voluntary Services in 1960.See 1920 Federal Census, Richland Township, Steuben County, Indiana, page 5B, Enumeration District 161; and; [http://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/star/images/239/2390902003A.pdf Theory and Practice of Communism in 1972 (Southeast Asia), Part I. Hearings of the House Committee on Internal Security, May 25, 1972, on northeastern Laos. pp. 1-4, 7761-7817. Testimony of Edgar M. Buell].
Notes and references
{{reflist}}
- Alvarado United Methodist Church, "[http://alvaradoumc.org/church-history History of the Alvarado United Methodist Church]", accessed August 7, 2008.
- Imhof, Oscar (1956) "Richland Township", Harvey Morley, editor, The 1955 History, Complete County Atlas, pictorial and Biographical Album of Steuben County, Indiana, Angola, Indiana.
- Kelly, Niki (1996) "Our Towns: Alvarado", Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, June 9, 1996.
- "[https://web.archive.org/web/20081201184247/http://www.ingenweb.org/insteuben/cem/index.html Steuben County Cemeteries]", Steuben County, Indiana, INGenWeb Site, accessed August 12, 2008.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20121210171316/http://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/ U.S. Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20000815064614/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cob/ United States Census Bureau cartographic boundary files]
External links
- [http://www.indianatownshipassoc.org/ Indiana Township Association]
- [http://unitedtownships.org/ United Township Association of Indiana]
{{Geographic Location
|Centre = Richland Township
|North=York Township
|East=Florence Township, Williams County, Ohio
|South=Troy Township, DeKalb County
|Southwest=Franklin Township, DeKalb County
|West=Otsego Township
}}
{{Steuben County, Indiana}}
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