Indiana Symbols
- The State Bird - Cardinal
- The State Flower - Peony
- The State Tree -Tulip tree
The official flag of Indiana was adopted in 1917. Paul Hadley of Mooresville, Indiana entered this design in a contest sponsored by the DAR (Daughter’s of the American Revolution) for Indiana’s 100th anniversary of statehood in 1916. There are 19 golden stars on a blue field (19 stars because Indiana was the 19th state). The 13 stars in the outer ring represent the original 13 colonies; the 5 stars in the inner circle represent those 5 states admitted into the United States after the original 13. The single star above the golden torch of liberty represents the state of Indiana.
- The State Motto “The Crossroads of America”
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- The State Song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away” by Paul Dresser. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5VSELhkzec
Indiana Counties
What follows is a listing of Indiana’s counties, their county seats, the date of their founding and the origin of the county’s name.
*Copyright
Users may download material displayed on this site for noncommercial, educational purposes only, provided all copyright and other proprietary notices contained on the materials are retained. Unauthorized use of the Northern Indiana Historical Society d/b/a Center for History’s logo and Web site logo is not permitted. The contents of this site may not be used for commercial purposes, without written permission of the Northern Indiana Historical Society d/b/a Northern Indiana Center for History. To obtain permission to reproduce information on this site, submit the specifics of your request in writing to Director of Marketing, Center for History, 808 West Washington Street, South Bend, Indiana 46601. If permission is granted, the wording “provided with permission from the Northern Indiana Center for History” and the date must be noted. However, permission is not required to create a link to the Northern Indiana Center for History’s Web site or any pages contained therein.
What follows is a listing of Indiana’s counties, their county seats, the date of their founding and the origin of the county’s name.
- ADAMS–Decatur–2/7/1835–named for President John Quincy Adams
- ALLEN–Ft. Wayne–12/17/1823–named for Col. John Allen, killed at River Raisin
- BARTHOLOMEW–Columbus–1/8/1821–named for Gen. Joseph Bartholomew, wounded at the Battle of Tippecanoe
- BENTON–Fowler–2/18/1840–named for Thomas H. Benton, U.S. Senator
- BLACKFORD–Hartford City–2/15/1838–named for Judge Isaac Blackford
- BOONE–Lebanon–1/29/1830–named for Daniel Boone
- BROWN–Nashville–2/4/1836–named for Gen. Jacob Brown of War of 1812
- CARROLL–Delphi–1/7/1828–named for Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence
- CASS–Logansport–12/18/1828–named for Gen. Lewis Cass, Governor of Michigan
- CLARK–Jeffersonville–2/3/1801–named for Gen. George Rogers Clark
- CLAY–Brazil–2/12/1825–named for Senator Henry Clay
- CLINTON–Frankfort–1/29/1830–named for DeWitt Clinton, Governor of New York
- CRAWFORD–English–1/29/1818–named for Col. William Crawford, burned at the stake in 1782
- DAVIES–Washington–2/24/1816–named for Col. Joseph H. Daviess, killed in the Battle of Tippecanoe
- DEARBORN–Lawrenceburg–3/7/1803–named for Gen. Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War
- DECATUR–Greensburg–12/31/1821–named for Commodore Stephen Decatur
- DEKALB–Auburn–2/7/1835–named for German nobleman, Baron DeKalb
- DELAWARE–Muncie–1/26/1827–named for Delaware Indian tribe (an earlier Delaware County was formed 1/20/1820)
- DUBOIS–Jasper–12/20/1817–named for Toussaint Dubois, who served under William Henry Harrison
- ELKHART–Goshen–1/29/1830–named for the Elkhart River
- FAYETTE–Connersville–12/28/1818–named for Gen. Lafayette
- FLOYD–New Albany–1/2/1819–named for Col. John Floyd of Kentucky
- FOUNTAIN–Covington–12/30/1825–named for Major Fountain of Kentucky, killed at Ft. Wayne in 1790
- FRANKLIN–Brookville–2/1/1811–named for Benjamin Franklin
- FULTON–Rochester–2/7/1835–named for Robert Fulton
- GIBSON–Princeton–4/1/1813–named for Gen. John Gibson, official of Indiana Territory
- GRANT–Marion–2/10/1831–named for Samuel and Moses Grant, killed by Indians in 1789
- GREENE–Bloomfield–1/5/1821–named for Gen. Nathaniel Greene, a participant in the American Revolution
- HAMILTON–Noblesville–1/8/1823–named for Alexander Hamilton
- HANCOCK–Greenfield–1/26/1827–named for John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence
- HARRISON–Corydon–12/1/1808–named for Gen. William Henry Harrison, 1st Territorial Governor of Indiana
- HENDRICKS–Danville–12/20/1823–named for Indiana Governor, William Hendricks
- HENRY–New Castle–12/31/1821–named for Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia
- HOWARD–Kokomo–1/15/1844–named for Tilghman A. Howard, Indiana statesman (originally Richardville County, named for Miami Chief, Richardville)
- HUNTINGTON–Huntington–2/2/1832–named for Samuel Huntington, signer of the Declaration of Independence
- JACKSON–Brownstown–1/1/1816–named for Gen. Andrew Jackson
- JASPER–Rensselaer–2/7/1835–named for Sgt. Jasper, killed at Savannah
- JAY–Portland–2/7/1835–name for John Jay, Governor of New York
- JEFFERSON–Madison–11/23/1810–named for President Thomas Jefferson
- JENNINGS–Vernon–12/27/1816–named for Jonathan Jennings, Indiana’s first governor
- JOHNSON–Franklin–12/31/1822–named for Judge John Johnson, one of Indiana’s 1st Supreme Court Judges
- KNOX–Vincennes–6/30/1790–named for Gen. Henry Knox, first Secretary of War (first county)
- KOSCIUSKO–Warsaw–2/7/1835–named for Gen. Kosciusko, hero of the American Revolution
- LAGRANGE–LaGrange–2/2/1832–named for Gen. Lafayette’s home near Paris
- LAKE–Crown Point–1/28/1836–named for Lake Michigan
- LAPORTE–LaPorte–1/9/1832–named after a French term meaning “the door”
- LAWRENCE–Bedford–1/7/1818–named for Capt. James Lawrence, War of 1812
- MADISON–Anderson–1/4/1823–named for President James Madison
- MARION–Indianapolis–12/31/1821–named for Gen. Francis Marion of the American Revolution
- MARSHALL–Plymouth–2/7/1835–named for Chief Justice John Marshall
- MARTIN–Shoals–1/17/1820–named for Maj. John T. Martin of Kentucky
- MIAMI–Peru–1/30/1833–named for Miami Indians
- MONROE–Bloomington–1/14/1818–named for President James Monroe
- MONTGOMERY–Crawfordsville–12/21/1822–named for Gen. Richard Montgomery, killed at Quebec
- MORGAN–Martinsville–12/31/1831–named for Gen. Daniel Morgan of the American Revolution
- NEWTON–Kentland–2/7/1835–(reorganized in 1859)–named for Sgt. John Newton of the American Revolution
- NOBLE–Albion–2/7/1835–named for Noah Noble a governor of Indiana
- OHIO–Rising Sun–1/4/1844–named for the Ohio River (the smallest county)
- OWEN–Spencer–12/21/1818–named for Col. Abraham Owen, killed in the Battle of Tippecanoe
- ORANGE–Paoli–2/1/1816–named for Orange County, North Carolina
- PARKE–Rockville–1/9/1821–named for Benjamin Parke, first Territorial delegate to Congress
- PERRY–Tell City–11/1/1814–named for Commodore Oliver H. Perry
- PIKE–Petersburg–12/21/1816–named for Gen. Zebulon Pike, killed in the War of 1812
- PORTER–Valparaiso–2/7/1835–named for Commodore David Porter who served in the War of 1812
- POSEY–Mt. Vernon–11/1/1814–named for Thomas Posey, the last governor of the Indiana Territory.
- PULASKI–Winamac–2/7/1835–named for Count Casimer Pulaski, killed in the American Revolution
- PUTNAM–Greencastle–12/31/1821–named for Gen. Israel Putnam who served in the American Revolution
- RANDOLPH–Winchester–1/10/1818–named for Thomas Randolph, killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe
- RIPLEY–Versailles–12/27/1816–named for Gen. E.W. Ripley of the War of 1812
- RUSH–Rushville–12/31/1821–named for Dr. Benjamin Rush
- SCOTT–Scottsburg–1/12/1820–named for Gen. Charles Scott who fought in the Indian Wars
- SHELBY–Shelbyville–12/31/1821–named for Isaac Shelby who served in the American Revolution
- SPENCER–Rockport–1/10/1818–named for Capt. Spier Spencer, killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe
- STARKE–Knox–2/7/1835–named for Gen. John Starke, victorious general at the Battle of Bennington
- ST.JOSEPH–South Bend–1/29/1830–named for Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary
- STEUBEN–Angola–2/7/1835–named for Baron Von Steuben who served in the American Revolution
- SULLIVAN–Sullivan–12/30/1816–named for Daniel Sullivan who was killed by Indians
- SWITZERLAND–Vevay–10/1/1814–named for the country of Switzerland
- TIPPECANOE–Lafayette–1/20/1826–named for the Tippecanoe River and battleground
- TIPTON–Tipton–1/15/1844–named for Gen. John Tipton a U.S. Senator
- UNION–Liberty–1/5/1821–named for the union of states
- VANDERBURGH–Evansville–1/7/1818–named for Henry Vanderburgh, a territorial judge
- VERMILLION–Newport–1/2/1824–named for the Vermillion River
- VIGO–Terre Haute–1/21/1818–named for Col. Francis Vigo, an outstanding pioneer
- WABASH–1/20/1820 (reorganized 1/30/1833)–named for the Wabash River
- WARREN–Williamsport–1/19/1827–named for Gen. Joseph Warren who was killed at Bunker Hill
- WARRICK–Boonville–3/9/1813–named for Capt. Jacob Warrick who was killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe
- WASHINGTON–Salem–12/21/1813–named for President George Washington
- WAYNE–Richmond–11/27/1810–named for Gen. “Mad” Anthony Wayne the hero of Fallen Timbers
- WELLS–Bluffton–2/7/1835–named for Capt. William Wells who was killed during the Ft. Dearborn massacre
- WHITE–Monticello–2/1/1834–named for Col. Isaac White who was killed in the Battle of Tippecanoe
- WHITLEY–Columbia City–2/7/1835–named for Col. William Whitley who was killed at the Battle of the Thames
*Copyright
Users may download material displayed on this site for noncommercial, educational purposes only, provided all copyright and other proprietary notices contained on the materials are retained. Unauthorized use of the Northern Indiana Historical Society d/b/a Center for History’s logo and Web site logo is not permitted. The contents of this site may not be used for commercial purposes, without written permission of the Northern Indiana Historical Society d/b/a Northern Indiana Center for History. To obtain permission to reproduce information on this site, submit the specifics of your request in writing to Director of Marketing, Center for History, 808 West Washington Street, South Bend, Indiana 46601. If permission is granted, the wording “provided with permission from the Northern Indiana Center for History” and the date must be noted. However, permission is not required to create a link to the Northern Indiana Center for History’s Web site or any pages contained therein.