Starke County, Indiana

The Indiana State Legislature passed an omnibus county bill[https://archive.org/details/standardhistoryo01tynd/page/286/mode/2up John W Tyndall & OE Lesh, Standard history of Adams and Wells Counties, Indiana. pp. 284-6 (accessed 9 August 2020)] on February 7, 1835, that authorized the creation of 13 counties in northeast Indiana, including Starke.The counties are Dekalb, Fulton, Jasper, Jay, Kosciusko, Marshall, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, Stark, Steuben, Wells, and Whitley. Newton County was merged with Jasper County in 1839, and was reauthorized as a separate county in 1859. The county government organization commenced in 1850.{{Cite web|url=http://www.starkehistory.com/index_files/Page832.htm|title=Starke County Historical Society. Retrieved 1 January 2010.|access-date=January 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716131523/http://www.starkehistory.com/index_files/Page832.htm|archive-date=July 16, 2011|url-status=dead}} It was named for Gen. John Stark,{{cite book|first=Ronald L.|last=Baker|author2=Marvin Carmony |title=Indiana Place Names|publisher=Indiana University Press|location=Bloomington|year=1995|isbn=0-253-28340-X|page=158}} who commanded New Hampshire troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775 in the American Revolutionary War, and who defeated the British at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.{{cite book|author=De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle|publisher=R. S. Peale & Co.|year=1875|location=Indiana|title=An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana|url=https://archive.org/details/anillustratedhi02tuttgoog|page=[https://archive.org/details/anillustratedhi02tuttgoog/page/n589 577]}}

Before white settlement, all of the land that forms modern-day Starke County and adjacent LaPorte County to the north was inhabited by the Potawatami Indian nation. These groups were forcibly removed to Kansas by the United States government in 1838, and many died on what has been called the Potawatomi Trail of Death.{{cite web|url=http://www.scpl.lib.in.us/historical/timeline/timeline.pdf|title=Starke County Public Library factsheet|work=scpl.lib.in.us|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624190211/http://www.scpl.lib.in.us/historical/timeline/timeline.pdf|archive-date=June 24, 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.potawatomi-tda.org/ptodhist.htm|title=History of 1838 Trail of Death|work=potawatomi-tda.org}}

When Starke County was created, it included the present LaPorte County townships of Cass, Dewey, Hanna, and Prairie. Residents in this area had to travel some distance east to Lemon's Bridge to cross the Kankakee River to travel south to the center of the county, the future site of the county seat at Knox. Therefore, because they were effectively isolated from the rest of Starke County, residents north of the river petitioned to be annexed to LaPorte county and this was done on January 28, 1842.[http://www.laportecountyhistory.org/history.htm Brief history of LaPorte county] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517164346/http://laportecountyhistory.org/history.htm|date=20080517|accessdate=May 17, 2008}}

Despite being named for General John Stark and originally being known and appearing on maps as Stark County{{cite web|url=http://housedivided.dickinson.edu/main/index.php?q=node/19540|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709114000/http://housedivided.dickinson.edu/main/index.php?q=node/19540|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 9, 2012|title=Stark County, Indiana, 1857|work=dickinson.edu}} when initially created and organized, an e was added to the county's name fairly early in its history. No solid evidence has been found to clearly explain this alteration. Three possible explanations have been advanced - an early scribe had "fancy lettering", including a k with a long tail or flourish that appeared to others as ke, with the new spelling sticking;{{cite web|url=http://www.starkehistory.com/index_files/Page1027.htm|title=Starke or Stark|website=www.starkehistory.com|access-date=April 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517124420/http://www.starkehistory.com/index_files/Page1027.htm|archive-date=May 17, 2008|url-status=dead}} General Stark himself may have used a similar flourish at the end of his signature;{{cite web|url=http://www.countyhistory.com/starke/start.html|title=Starke County Indiana History and Pioneer Genealogy|access-date=January 16, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515193727/http://www.countyhistory.com/starke/start.html|archive-date=May 15, 2008}} which became a point of confusion to Indiana officials (unlikely, since Stark County, Ohio (1808) and Illinois (1839) both preceded Starke County, Indiana, not to mention numerous other smaller midwestern toponyms spelled "Stark"); or an Indianapolis official's clerical error around 1860.{{cite web|url=http://www.starkehistory.com/index_files/timeline.pdf|title=Archived copy|access-date=January 16, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325014748/http://www.starkehistory.com/index_files/timeline.pdf|archive-date=March 25, 2009}}

Starke County consists of low, rolling hills covered with vegetation or brush.[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Starke+County,+IN/@41.3023504,-86.8383035,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x881164811f0c3223:0x6912956d702e8c8a!8m2!3d41.2715616!4d-86.6207943 Starke County IN (Google Maps - accessed 20 January 2020)] Its boundaries include three prominences that rise to {{convert|780|ft|m|abbr=on}} above sea level - two adjacent swells {{convert|0.6|mi|km}} northeast of Bass Lake, and a small ridge {{convert|3.0|mi|km}} east-southeast of Bass Lake.[https://www.peakbagger.com/map/BigMap.aspx?cy=41.204019&cx=-86.518179&z=13&l=L_CT|L_FS|L_MT|L_AG|L_OS&hj=0&t=P&d=23011&c=0&a=1&sx=-999&sy=-999&cyn=0 Starke County High Point, Indiana (PeakBagger.com, accessed 20 January 2020)]

According to the 2010 census, Starke County has a total area of {{convert|312.21|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|3.07|sqmi}} (or 0.98%) are covered by water. The northwestern boundary of Starke County is defined by the Kankakee River; the Yellow River, a tributary of the Kankakee, flows through the central part of the county, past Knox.{{cite book|title=Indiana Atlas & Gazetteer|year=1998|publisher=DeLorme|location=Yarmouth ME|isbn=0-89933-211-0|pages=19–20, 25–26}}

From 2014 until 2024, the city of Knox was the geographic center of the Big Ten Conference, according to a 2018 article in fivethirtyeight.com that referred to locations of various NCAA Men's Basketball Conference championships.https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-ridiculousness-of-conference-tournament-locations-in-6-maps/

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• 20px U.S. Route 30
• 20px U.S. Route 35
• 20px U.S. Route 421
• 20px State Road 8
• 20px State Road 10
• 20px State Road 23
• 20px State Road 39

}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

• LaPorte County - north
• St. Joseph County - northeast
• Marshall County - east
• Fulton County - southeast
• Pulaski County - south
• Jasper County - west
• Porter County - northwest

}}

The municipalities in Starke County, and their populations as of the 2010 Census, are:

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Hamlet – 800
• Knox – 3,704
• North Judson – 1,772

}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Bass Lake – 1,249
• Koontz Lake – 1,554
• San Pierre – 156

}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Aldine
• Bass Station
• Brems
• English Lake
• Grovertown
• Indian Hill
• Lena Park
• Lomax
• Oak Grove
• Ober
• Ora
• Toto
• Winona

}}

The nine townships of Starke County, with their populations as of the 2010 Census, are:

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• California – 2,011
• Center – 6,229
• Davis – 1,043
• Jackson – 549
• North Bend – 1,394
• Oregon – 3,367
• Railroad – 1,226
• Washington – 3,003
• Wayne – 4,541

}}

Public schools in Starke County are administered by four different districts:

• Culver Community Schools{{cite web|url=http://www.culver.k12.in.us/|title=Culver Community Schools - Welcome!|work=culver.k12.in.us}}
• Knox Community School Corporation{{cite web|url=http://www.knox.k12.in.us/|title=Knox Community School Corporation|work=knox.k12.in.us}}
• North Judson-San Pierre Schools{{cite web|url=http://www.njsp.k12.in.us/|title=North Judson-San Pierre Schools}}
• Oregon-Davis School Corporation{{cite web|url=http://www.od.k12.in.us/|title=Oregon Davis|work=od.k12.in.us|access-date=June 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140516184232/http://od.k12.in.us/|archive-date=May 16, 2014|url-status=dead}}

• Northwest Health Starke

{{climate chart

|Knox, Indiana

|14|31|1.94

|18|36|1.68

|28|47|2.74

|38|60|3.50

|50|72|3.80

|59|80|4.09

|63|84|3.91

|61|82|3.87

|53|75|3.27

|42|64|2.94

|31|49|3.08

|20|36|2.60

|float=right

|units=imperial

|clear=both

|source=The Weather Channel{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIN0330|title=Monthly Averages for Knox IN|access-date=January 27, 2011|publisher=The Weather Channel}}}}

In recent years, average temperatures in Knox have ranged from a low of {{convert|14|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|84|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-29|°F}} was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of {{convert|102|°F}} was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|1.68|in}} in February to {{convert|4.09|in}} in June.

{{See also|Government of Indiana}}

The county government is a constitutional body, granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana and the Indiana Code.

County Council: The county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts to four-year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.{{cite web|author=Indiana Code|author-link=Indiana Code|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar2/ch3.html|title=Title 36, Article 2, Section 3|access-date=September 16, 2008|publisher=IN.gov}}{{cite web|author=Indiana Code|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar10/ch2.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041227171739/http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar10/ch2.pdf |archive-date=December 27, 2004 |url-status=live|title=Title 2, Article 10, Section 2|access-date=September 16, 2008|publisher=IN.gov}}

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county, the commissioners are elected county-wide to staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute the acts legislated by the council, collect revenue, and manage the functions of the county government.

Court: The judge on the court is elected to a term of six years. The judge is assisted by a magistrate who is appointed by the judge. The court handles criminal and civil cases, and has a small-claims division. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state-level circuit court.

County officials: The county has other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk, elected to four-year terms. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.

Starke County is part of Indiana's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives and is currently represented by Rudy Yakym.{{cite web |title=Rudy Yakym |url=https://yakym.house.gov/ |website=Rudy Yakym |publisher=United States House of Representatives}}

In presidential elections, Starke County was a bellwether county for a time, voting for the winner in every election from 1964 to 2008.

{{PresHead|place=Starke County, Indiana|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 11, 2018}}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Republican|7,889|2,436|153|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2020|Republican|7,466|2,650|193|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2016|Republican|6,367|2,489|460|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,738|3,809|222|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|4,473|4,778|228|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,846|3,987|104|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|4,349|4,136|216|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|3,108|3,854|1,188|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|3,100|3,695|1,963|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1988|Republican|4,458|4,104|44|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1984|Republican|5,104|3,674|111|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|5,035|3,615|460|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|4,354|4,753|134|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,520|2,994|53|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1968|Republican|4,011|3,208|1,146|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,466|4,838|17|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1960|Republican|4,592|3,995|32|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1956|Republican|5,063|3,349|35|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,871|3,274|51|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1948|Republican|3,518|3,312|130|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1944|Republican|3,574|2,791|50|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1940|Republican|3,473|2,917|22|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,846|3,143|43|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,449|3,420|141|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,759|2,016|38|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1924|Republican|2,329|1,555|510|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,683|1,467|114|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1916|Republican|1,550|1,334|85|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|787|1,208|805|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,521|1,305|89|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,523|1,134|139|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,340|1,315|49|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1896|Republican|1,289|1,214|24|Indiana}}

{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|850|1,003|64|Indiana}}

{{PresFoot|1888|Democratic|834|904|28|Indiana}}

{{US Census population

|1840= 149

|1850= 557

|1860= 2195

|1870= 3888

|1880= 5105

|1890= 7339

|1900= 10431

|1910= 10567

|1920= 10278

|1930= 10620

|1940= 12258

|1950= 15282

|1960= 17911

|1970= 19280

|1980= 21997

|1990= 22747

|2000= 23556

|2010= 23363

|2020 = 23371

|estyear=2023

|estimate=23206

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 2, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=US Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=US Decennial Census|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=July 10, 2014}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 10, 2014}} 1900-1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/in190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=July 10, 2014}}
1990-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=July 10, 2014}} 2010-2021

}}

As of the 2010 United States Census, 23,363 people, 9,038 households, and 6,484 families lived in the county.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US18149|title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data|access-date=July 10, 2015|publisher=US Census Bureau|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213032850/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US18149|archive-date=February 13, 2020|url-status=dead}} The population density was {{convert|75.6|PD/sqmi}}. The 10,962 housing units had an average density of {{convert|35.5|/sqmi}}.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US18149|access-date=July 10, 2015|title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County|publisher=US Census Bureau|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212202218/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US18149|archive-date=February 12, 2020|url-status=dead}} The racial makeup of the county was 97.1% White, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.2% were German, 16.3% were Irish, 8.9% were English, 8.7% were American, and 6.9% were Polish.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0400000US18%7c0500000US18149|title=Selected Social Characteristics in the US – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates|access-date=July 10, 2015|publisher=US Census Bureau|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200214002900/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0400000US18%7C0500000US18149|archive-date=February 14, 2020|url-status=dead}}

Of the 9,038 households, 32.7% had children under 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.3% were not families, and 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.58, and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 40.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and for a family was $44,044. Males had a median income of $37,507 versus $28,628 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,991. About 12.9% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.1% of those under 18 and 7.0% of those 65 or over.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0400000US18%7c0500000US18149|title=Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates|access-date=July 10, 2015|publisher=US Census Bureau|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200214002252/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0400000US18%7C0500000US18149|archive-date=February 14, 2020|url-status=dead}}

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Starke County, Indiana

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{commons category-inline}}

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Starke County, Indiana

|North = LaPorte County

|Northeast = St. Joseph County

|East = Marshall County

|Southeast = Fulton County

|South = Pulaski County

|West = Jasper County

|Northwest = Porter County

}}

{{Starke County, Indiana}}

{{Indiana}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Indiana counties

Category:1850 establishments in Indiana

Category:Northwest Indiana

Category:Populated places established in 1850