Hendricks Has
History
Pictured: the building that is now the Hendricks County Historical Museum, was once the sheriff’s residence + jail.
A Timeline of Historical Events
that Occurred in Hendricks County
Prehistoric
Woolly mammoth tooth found in western part of Hendricks County. Woolly mammoths roamed Indiana during the late Pleistocene epoch, about 12,000 years ago when incoming glaciers forced mammoths to move south.
Pre-1800
Delaware Indians hunt and fish in the area which became Hendricks County, along White Lick (Wa-pe-ke-way) and Eel (Sho-a-mack) Rivers. Photo: Arrowheads. Source: Hendricks County Museum Collection.
May 1800
An act of the US Congress splits Northwest Territory into 2 territories: Indiana Territory and Northwest Territory. William Henry Harrison appointed governor of Indiana Territory 6 days later. Photo information: Indiana Territory in 1800. Source: https://images.indianahistory.org/digital/collection/dc035/id/244/ (in copyright)
1821
Settlement made on east fork of White Lick Creek in the Southwest corner of Guilford Township. Settlement established on west fork of White lick creek in Liberty Twp. Photo information: Historical marker in Guilford Township marking the early settlement of pioneers in Guilford Township. Early settlers were buried just east of this marker. The graves were moved, but the location is noted. This marker says "On White Lick Creek in this vicinity the first settlement in Hendricks County was made in 1820 by Bartholomew Ramsey, Samuel Harriman, Harris Bray, John W. Bryant, James Dunn, George Dunn and Ezekiel Moore. Placed by the Wa-Pa-Ke-Way Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 1929. Rededicated 1991." Source: Photograph Collection, Plainfield Guilford Township Public Library.
1823
First schools established in Liberty and Guilford townships. Though no photos of the very first schools exist, this is a photo from a 1908 reunion of students of the Sugar Grove School which was established circa 1826. Source: Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library Photograph Collection
December 20, 1823
The act of establishing Hendricks County was approved. Named for Governor William Hendricks, the third Governor of Indiana (1822-1825.). Source: From book by Logan Esarey - A History of Indiana, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20242349
April 4, 1824
Danville chosen as county seat. The man directly responsible for the naming of the county seat of Hendricks county was Judge William Watson Wick, one of the pioneer jurists of Indiana. He was judge of the fifth circuit, composed of Lawrence, Monroe, Morgan, Greene, Owen, Marion, Hendricks, Rush, Decatur, Bartholomew, Shelby, Jennings and Johnson counties. Judge Wick was holding court in Hendricks county when the commissioners were discussing what to name the county seat. The Judge had a brother named Dan and in honor of him he urged the commissioners to adopt the name Danville, which was done (from History of Hendricks County, Indiana. Hadley, J. V. (John Vestal), 1840–1915.) Source: William Watson Wick. Source: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13530546/william-watson-wick: accessed 07 October 2023), memorial page for William Watson Wick (23 Feb 1796–19 May 1868), Find a Grave Memorial ID 13530546, citing Greenlawn Cemetery, Franklin, Johnson County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.
1826
The county has had four courthouses over the years. The most recent was constructed in 1912-1913 and is considered to be fireproof. Source: “Images of America, Danville” by Jeffrey K. Baldwin
1830
Cumberland or National Road constructed in southern Hendricks County. The National Road heading west out of Plainfield. It was originally a dirt road. Source:Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library Photograph Collection
1842
Former President Martin Van Buren travels through Plainfield on the National Road. By plan of the locals, his stage “unexpectedly” turned over in a mudhole, to show displeasure at his veto while president of improvements to the National Road. Postcard of the Van Buren Elm tree in Plainfield, Indiana. The postcard is colorized. Printed at the top in red is "Van Buren Tree, Plainfield, Indiana.". The tree was damaged in a 1928 storm and the remains were eventually removed. Source: Photograph Collection, Plainfield Guilford Township Public Library.
1850’s
The first railroad through Hendricks County was a line to connect Indianapolis to Terre Haute. It ran through Guilford, Washington, Liberty and Clay Townships. A steam train crosses the railroad bridge at Cartersburg, Indiana (there is record of a railroad running through Cartersburg in 1858 per History of Hendricks County, Indiana. Hadley, J.V.) Photo source: Photograph Collection, Plainfield Guilford Township Public Library.
April 25, 1861
First Civil War Regiment organized - immediately following Ft. Sumter. The first three months regiment sent to the field from Indiana was named the Sixth. It was mustered into service at Indianapolis on April 15, 1861, and on the same day, the Seventh was mustered in. Company A was made up entirely of Hendricks County volunteers. James Burgess (pictured here) was Captain, Peter S. Kennedy First Lieutenant, and Joseph S. Miller, Second Lieutenant.
(Verbiage from History of Hendricks County, 1885, Inter-State Publishing Company. Photo Source: Indiana Memory, Hendricks County Museum.)
1866
Jail and Sheriff’s residence opens (present site of Hendricks County Museum) Circa 1908. Source: Indiana Memory (Hendricks County Museum collection)
1878
Central Normal College relocated to Danville. Photo of Central Normal College in 1882. Source: The Indiana State Sentinel, March 8, 1882, Page 3. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indiana-state-sentinel-central-norma/132966733/ : accessed October 5, 2023)
1887
Cartersburg Magnetic Springs founded/discovered. View of the hotel and grounds at Cartersburg Magnetic Springs. The hotel is on the right. There are groups of people and bicycles in the foreground. There is an unidentified smaller building on the left. Source: Photograph Collection, Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library
1903
Danville Public Library opens. It was the first of four Carnegie libraries to be built in Hendricks County. Source: Indiana Memory (Hendricks County Museum Collection)
1907
Rockwood TB sanitarium opens. A patient sits on the front porch of her cottage in winter. The Rockwood Tuberculosis Sanitarium ran from 1907-1913 under the direction of Dr. Thomas Beasley. Located at 354 N. 625 E., Avon, Indiana. Photograph Collection at Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library
1936
Hendricks County REMC (rural electrification) formed. This was the 1st pole set in 1937 on the REMC line, located along St Rd 39 at 200N, 2 miles north of Danville. It took 3 minutes and 15 seconds to auger the hole, set the pole, and get on to the next pole sight. Source: Hendricks County Museum, Indiana Memory.
March 26, 1948
Good Friday tornado decimates the Town of Coatesville and leaves a 200-yard wide path of destruction to Danville. Twenty people died in the disaster; 17 in Hendricks County. Aftermath of tornado in Coatesville, IN. From the Cliff Hadley photo collection. Hendricks County Museum, Indiana Memory.
July 13, 1987
President Ronald Reagan visits Danville and meets with local officeholders and citizens. Ronald Reagan speaks to citizens in the rotunda of the Hendricks County Courthouse. Source: Hendricks County Archive Scans/Miscellaneous Documents
2023
New state-of-the art jail and Sheriff’s offices opens in Danville. Source: Hendricks County Jail Facebook page.
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