Whitley County, Indiana#References

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Whitley County

| state = Indiana

| seal =

| founded = February 7, 1835 (authorized)
1838 (organized)

| seat wl = Columbia City

| largest city = Columbia City

| area_total_sq_mi = 337.91

| area_land_sq_mi = 335.57

| area_water_sq_mi = 2.34

| area percentage = 0.69%

| census yr = 2020

| pop = 34191

| pop_est_as_of = 2023

| population_est = 34742 {{gain}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Eastern

| web = https://whitleygov.com/

| ex image = Whitley County Courthouse.jpg

| ex image cap = Whitley County courthouse in Columbia City

| district = 3rd

| footnotes = Indiana county number 92
Last alphabetical county in Indiana.

| named for = William Whitley }}

Whitley County is a rural county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 36,825.https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/whitleycountyindiana/PST045219 {{Dead link|date=July 2023}} Whitley County is the 49th most populous county in Indiana. The county seat (and only incorporated city) is Columbia City.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}} The county has the highest county number (92) on Indiana license plates, as it is alphabetically the last in the state's list of counties. It is part of the Fort Wayne Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Fort Wayne–Huntington–Auburn Combined Statistical Area.

History

Indiana was granted statehood near the end of 1816. On February 7, 1835, the state legislature approved an omnibus 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)] that authorized the creation of thirteen counties,The counties are DeKalb, Fulton, Jasper, Jay, Kosciusko, Marshall, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, Stark, Steuben, Wells, and Whitley. Newton was dissolved in 1839 and its territory was attached to Jasper; it was re-created in 1859. including Whitley. It was named for Col. William Whitley, who was killed in the Battle of the Thames in the War of 1812.{{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://books.google.com/books?id=YDIUAAAAYAAJ| pages=577}}

The first non-Native American settlers arrived in the area during that year, as a result of the end of the Black Hawk War and the completion of the Erie Canal. They were from New England - "Yankee" settlers, descendants of the English Puritans who settled New England in the colonial era. They were primarily members of the Congregational Church. However, due to the Second Great Awakening, many of them had converted to Methodism and some had become Baptists before coming to Indiana. Whitley County government was organized in 1838.

In the late 1870s, immigrants began arriving from Germany and Ireland.

Geography

Prior to white settlement, Whitley County's low rolling hills were densely forested, and dotted with lakes across its northern portion. At present, the available land is mostly deforested and is entirely devoted to agriculture or urban development.[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Whitley+County,+IN/@41.1485432,-85.6376053,41855m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x8815d7b28bd0ce0b:0xaa3b2fb7561cadb0!8m2!3d41.1136133!4d-85.520024 Whitley County IN (Google Maps, accessed 31 July 2020)] Its highest point (approx. {{convert|1000|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=semicolon}} ASL) is a small rise NE of Cedar Lake.[https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=23022 Whitley County High Point, Indiana (PeakBagger.com, accessed 31 July 2020)] The Eel River flows southwestward through the lower part of the county, and the Blue River flows southwestward through the upper part.

According to the 2010 United States Census, the county has a total area of {{convert|337.91|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|335.57|sqmi}} (or 99.31%) is land and {{convert|2.34|sqmi}} (or 0.69%) is water.

=Adjacent counties=

Noble County - north
Allen County - east
Huntington County - south
Wabash County - southwest
Kosciusko County - west

=City and towns=

=Census-designated place=

Tri-Lakes

=Unincorporated places=

=Townships=

=Lakes=

Blue Lake
Brown Lake
Cedar Lake
Crooked Lake (part)
Dollar Lake
Goose Lake
Indian Lake
Little Cedar Lake
Loon Lake (part)
Mud Lake
New Lake
Old Lake
Rine Lake
Robinson Lake (part)
Round Lake
Scott Lake
Shriner Lake
Tadpole Lake
Troy Cedar Lake
Winters Lake

=Protected areas=

Deniston Resource Area
Goose Lake Wetland Conservation Area
Pisgah Marsh Nongame Area (part)

=Major highways=

Climate and weather

{{climate chart

|Columbia City, Indiana

|14|31|2.12

|18|35|1.80

|27|46|2.90

|37|58|3.67

|48|70|3.70

|58|79|4.44

|62|83|3.82

|59|81|3.58

|51|74|3.52

|40|62|2.80

|31|48|3.31

|21|36|2.86

|float=right

|units=imperial

|clear=both

|source=The Weather Channel{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIN0125|title=Monthly Averages for Columbia City IN|access-date=January 27, 2011|publisher=The Weather Channel}}}}

In recent years, the average temperatures in Columbia City have ranged from a low of {{convert|14|°F}} in January to a high of {{convert|83|°F}} in July, although a record low of {{convert|-24|°F}} was recorded in January 1994, and a record high of {{convert|103|°F}} was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from {{convert|1.80|in}} in February to {{convert|4.44|in}} in June.

Government

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

County Council: The legislative branch of the county government; controls spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected to four-year terms from county districts. They set 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; commissioners are elected to four-year staggered terms in county-wide elections. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute the acts legislated by the council, collect revenue, and manage the county government.

Court: The county maintains a small claims court that handles civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana bar. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state-level circuit court.

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

Whitely County is part of Indiana's 3rd congressional district, and as of 2020, is represented by Republican James Edward Banks in the United States Congress.

{{PresHead|place=Whitley County, Indiana|source={{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 21, 2018}}}}

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1840= 1237

|1850= 5190

|1860= 10730

|1870= 14399

|1880= 16941

|1890= 17768

|1900= 17328

|1910= 16892

|1920= 15660

|1930= 15931

|1940= 17001

|1950= 18828

|1960= 20954

|1970= 23395

|1980= 26215

|1990= 27651

|2000= 30707

|2010= 33292

|2020= 34191

|estyear=2023

|estimate=34742

|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}} 2010-2013{{cite web|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/18183.html|title=Whitley County QuickFacts|access-date=September 25, 2011|publisher=US Census Bureau|archive-date=June 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607092429/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/18183.html|url-status=dead}} 2017{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/whitleycountyindiana/PST040217|title=QuickFacts. Whitley County, Indiana|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=November 6, 2018}}

}}

2010 Census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 33,292 people, 13,001 households, and 9,228 families in the county.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US18183|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/20200213025416/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US18183|archive-date=February 13, 2020|url-status=dead}} The population density was {{convert|99.2|PD/sqmi}}. There were 14,281 housing units at an average density of {{convert|42.6|/sqmi}}.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US18183|access-date=July 10, 2015|title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County|publisher=US Census Bureau|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212201558/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY10/0500000US18183|archive-date=February 12, 2020|url-status=dead}} The racial makeup of the county was 97.6% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 38.2% were German, 12.6% were Irish, 12.5% were American, and 9.3% were English.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0400000US18%7c0500000US18183|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/20200214002958/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0400000US18%7C0500000US18183|archive-date=February 14, 2020|url-status=dead}}

Of the 13,001 households, 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.0% were non-families, and 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.99. The median age was 40.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697, and the median income for a family was $63,487. Males had a median income of $44,883 versus $30,724 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,644. About 5.1% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0400000US18%7c0500000US18183|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/20200214003225/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0400000US18%7C0500000US18183|archive-date=February 14, 2020|url-status=dead}}