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Daviess County, Indiana

Coordinates: 38°42′N 87°05′W / 38.70°N 87.08°W / 38.70; -87.08
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This article is about the county in Indiana. For other places with similar names, see Daviess County (disambiguation).
Daviess County
County
Daviess County courthouse
Daviess County courthouse
Map of Indiana highlighting Daviess County
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Map of the United States highlighting Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°42′N 87°05′W / 38.7°N 87.08°W / 38.7; -87.08
Country United States
State Indiana
FoundedFebruary 2, 1818
Named forJoseph Hamilton Daveiss
SeatWashington
Largest townWashington
Area
 • Total436.87 sq mi (1,131.5 km2)
 • Land429.49 sq mi (1,112.4 km2)
 • Water7.39 sq mi (19.1 km2)  1.69%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
33,351[1]
 • Density77.7/sq mi (30.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district8th
Websitewww.daviess.org
 

Indiana county number 14

Daviess County /ˈdeɪviːz/ is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 31,648.[2] The county seat is Washington.[3]

About 15% of the county's population is Amish of Swiss origin, as of 2017.[4]

History

After the American Revolutionary War was settled, the fledgling nation created the Northwest Territory, tentatively divided into two counties. The area that would become the state of Indiana in 1816 was included in the original Knox County. As the area became more settled, Knox was partitioned into smaller counties, the last of which was the present-day Daviess, authorized on 2 February 1818. The boundaries of Daviess were reduced on 21 December 1818 by the formation of Owen County, and on 17 January 1820 by the formation of Martin County. It has retained its present boundary since 1820.

Daviess County was named for Major Joseph Hamilton Daveiss,[5] U.S. District Attorney for Kentucky, killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. The earliest settlements were along the White River, which allowed crops and timber to be transported to distant markets. The northeast part of the county was heavily forested, and timber industry flourished in the first half of the nineteenth century.[6] Daviess County shares its namesake with another nearby Daviess County of Kentucky. Both Counties are in the Illinois-Indiana-Kentucky Tri-State Area.

Geography

The terrain of Daviess County is hilly, with its area completely devoted to agriculture or urban development.[7] Its highest elevation (740'/266 meters ASL) is a rise one mile (1.6 km) NNE of Farlen.[8] The county is drained by the White River flowing to the southwest, whose two main forks (East White and West White) come together at the county's SW corner. The county's west boundary is defined by the West White River's course and its south boundary is defined by the East White River's course; their confluence defines the county's corner point.

According to the 2010 census, Daviess County has a total area of 436.87 square miles (1,131.5 km2), of which 429.49 square miles (1,112.4 km2) (or 98.31%) is land and 7.39 square miles (19.1 km2) (or 1.69%) is water.[9]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Climate and weather

Washington, Indiana
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
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M
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A
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O
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2.8
 
 
39
23
 
 
2.7
 
 
45
27
 
 
4.2
 
 
56
36
 
 
4.2
 
 
67
45
 
 
5.5
 
 
77
55
 
 
4.2
 
 
85
64
 
 
4.9
 
 
88
68
 
 
3.8
 
 
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2.9
 
 
80
58
 
 
3.1
 
 
69
47
 
 
4.4
 
 
55
38
 
 
3.4
 
 
43
28
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[10]
Metric conversion
J
F
M
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A
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72
 
 
4
−5
 
 
68
 
 
7
−3
 
 
105
 
 
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19
7
 
 
140
 
 
25
13
 
 
106
 
 
29
18
 
 
125
 
 
31
20
 
 
98
 
 
30
19
 
 
74
 
 
27
14
 
 
79
 
 
21
8
 
 
111
 
 
13
3
 
 
86
 
 
6
−2
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in Washington have ranged from a low of 23 °F (−5 °C) in January to a high of 88 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −19 °F (−28 °C) was recorded in December 1989 and a record high of 113 °F (45 °C) was recorded in July 1930. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.69 inches (68 mm) in February to 5.52 inches (140 mm) in May.[10]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18203,432—
18304,54332.4%
18406,72047.9%
185010,35254.0%
186013,32328.7%
187016,74725.7%
188021,55228.7%
189026,22721.7%
190029,91414.1%
191027,747−7.2%
192026,856−3.2%
193025,832−3.8%
194026,1631.3%
195026,7622.3%
196026,636−0.5%
197026,602−0.1%
198027,8364.6%
199027,533−1.1%
200029,8208.3%
201031,6486.1%
2019 (est.)33,351[11]5.4%
US Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2013[2]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 31,648 people, 11,329 households, and 8,116 families in the county.[16] The population density was 73.7 inhabitants per square mile (28.5/km2). There were 12,471 housing units at an average density of 29.0 per square mile (11.2/km2).[9] The racial makeup of the county was 95.0% white, 0.5% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 2.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.2% of the population.[16] In terms of ancestry, 31.4% were German, 13.1% were Irish, 10.8% were American, and 10.6% were English.[17]

Of the 11,329 households, 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.4% were non-families, and 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.29. The median age was 35.4 years.[16]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $53,769. Males had a median income of $36,405 versus $29,652 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,254. About 7.6% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.[18]

Amish community

The Amish (Swiss Amish) community in Daviess County, established in 1868, had a total population of 4,855 people (in 29 congregations) in 2017[4] or 14.6% of the county's population, stretching along the eastern side of the county from Alfordsville, to Cannelburg and Montgomery to Odon.

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated places

Townships

Government

See also: Government of Indiana

The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code. 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. The council members serve four-year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also 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.[19][20]

A board of commissioners constitutes the county's executive body. Commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The board executes the council's legislative acts, collects revenue, and manages the county's government functions.[19][20]

The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. 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.[20]

The county has other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare party affiliations and to be residents of the county.[20]

Each township has a trustee who administers rural fire protection and ambulance service, provides poor relief, manages cemetery care, and performs farm assessment, among other duties. The trustee is assisted in these duties by a three-member township board. The trustees and board members are elected to four-year terms.[21]

Daviess County is part of Indiana's 8th congressional district; Indiana Senate districts 39 and 48;[22] and Indiana House of Representatives districts 45, 63 and 64.[23]

Presidential election results
Presidential elections results[24]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 79.0% 8,545 16.6% 1,800 4.4% 474
2012 74.4% 7,638 23.7% 2,437 1.8% 189
2008 67.1% 7,098 31.8% 3,370 1.1% 118
2004 74.9% 7,936 24.3% 2,573 0.9% 90
2000 70.4% 6,872 27.6% 2,697 2.0% 192
1996 56.4% 5,531 32.9% 3,230 10.7% 1,054
1992 53.2% 5,591 30.4% 3,201 16.4% 1,728
1988 65.8% 6,768 33.8% 3,483 0.4% 43
1984 68.3% 7,721 31.3% 3,545 0.4% 45
1980 60.9% 7,022 35.2% 4,057 3.9% 453
1976 57.7% 6,829 41.8% 4,952 0.5% 57
1972 70.3% 8,490 29.3% 3,538 0.4% 43
1968 56.8% 7,036 32.9% 4,071 10.4% 1,286
1964 49.0% 6,319 50.6% 6,528 0.4% 48
1960 60.2% 8,285 39.5% 5,433 0.3% 45
1956 62.8% 8,608 36.9% 5,057 0.3% 42
1952 60.9% 8,328 38.4% 5,247 0.7% 101
1948 53.9% 7,030 45.0% 5,867 1.1% 147
1944 57.1% 7,458 42.3% 5,523 0.5% 71
1940 54.1% 7,615 45.5% 6,401 0.4% 59
1936 48.0% 6,459 50.8% 6,848 1.2% 163
1932 45.3% 5,838 52.5% 6,772 2.2% 279
1928 56.7% 7,116 42.5% 5,324 0.8% 103
1924 51.4% 6,427 44.5% 5,558 4.1% 515
1920 53.4% 6,748 44.2% 5,587 2.4% 298
1916 47.6% 3,191 46.8% 3,143 5.6% 376
1912 31.6% 2,005 43.5% 2,759 24.9% 1,577
1908 48.4% 3,424 46.0% 3,253 5.7% 400
1904 53.0% 3,682 40.3% 2,802 6.7% 467
1900 46.9% 3,298 48.7% 3,424 4.3% 305
1896 45.0% 3,120 54.6% 3,785 0.4% 29
1892 43.0% 2,610 41.2% 2,498 15.9% 963
1888 49.6% 2,691 49.6% 2,689 0.8% 45

See also

References

  1. ^ "QuickFacts: Daviess County, Indiana". US Census Bureau. 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Daviess County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  4. ^ a b The 12 Largest Amish Communities (2017) at Amish America
  5. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 101.
  6. ^ De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle (1875). An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana. Indiana: R. S. Peale & co. p. 553.
  7. ^ Daviess County IN (Google Maps, accessed 26 July 2020)
  8. ^ Daviess County High Point, Indiana (PeakBagger.com, accessed 26 July 2020)
  9. ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Washington IN". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  11. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  12. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  14. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  16. ^ a b c "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  17. ^ "Selected Social Characteristics in the US – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  18. ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  19. ^ a b Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". Government of Indiana. Retrieved 16 September 2008.
  20. ^ a b c d Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2" (PDF). Government of Indiana. Retrieved 16 September 2008.
  21. ^ "Government". United Township Association of Indiana. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  22. ^ "Indiana Senate Districts". State of Indiana. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
  23. ^ "Indiana House Districts". State of Indiana. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
  24. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 14 May 2018.

38°42′N 87°05′W / 38.70°N 87.08°W / 38.70; -87.08

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