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Starke County, Indiana

Coordinates: 41°16′N 86°39′W / 41.267°N 86.650°W / 41.267; -86.650
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Starke County
County
Starke County courthouse in Knox
Starke County courthouse in Knox
Flag of Starke County
Flag
Map of Indiana highlighting Starke County
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Map of the United States highlighting Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°16′N 86°39′W / 41.267°N 86.650°W / 41.267; -86.650
Country United States
State Indiana
FoundedFebruary 7, 1835 (authorized)
1850 (organized)
Named forGeneral John Stark
SeatKnox
Largest cityKnox
Area
 • Total
312.21 sq mi (808.6 km2)
 • Land309.13 sq mi (800.6 km2)
 • Water3.07 sq mi (8.0 km2)  0.98%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
23,371
 • Estimate 
(2023)
23,206 Decrease
 • Density75/sq mi (29/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.co.starke.in.us
Indiana county number 75

Starke County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States Census, its population was 23,371.[1] The county seat is Knox.[2]

History

[edit]

The Indiana State Legislature passed an omnibus county bill[3] on February 7, 1835, that authorized the creation of 13 counties in northeast Indiana, including Starke.[4] The county government organization commenced in 1850.[5] It was named for Gen. John Stark,[6] 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.[7]

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.[8][9]

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.[10]

Name

[edit]

Despite being named for General John Stark and originally being known and appearing on maps as Stark County[11] 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;[12] General Stark himself may have used a similar flourish at the end of his signature;[13] 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.[14]

Geography

[edit]

Starke County consists of low, rolling hills covered with vegetation or brush.[15] Its boundaries include three prominences that rise to 780 ft (240 m) above sea level - two adjacent swells 0.6 miles (0.97 km) northeast of Bass Lake, and a small ridge 3.0 miles (4.8 km) east-southeast of Bass Lake.[16]

According to the 2010 census, Starke County has a total area of 312.21 square miles (808.6 km2), of which 3.07 square miles (8.0 km2) (or 0.98%) are covered by water.[17] 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.[18]

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.[19]

Major highways

[edit]

Adjacent counties

[edit]

Municipalities

[edit]

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

Cities and towns

[edit]

Census-designated places

[edit]

Unincorporated communities

[edit]

Townships

[edit]

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

Education

[edit]

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

  • Culver Community Schools[20]
  • Knox Community School Corporation[21]
  • North Judson-San Pierre Schools[22]
  • Oregon-Davis School Corporation[23]

Hospitals

[edit]
  • Northwest Health Starke

Climate and weather

[edit]
Knox, Indiana
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
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M
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3.8
 
 
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64
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3.1
 
 
49
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2.6
 
 
36
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[24]
Metric conversion
J
F
M
A
M
J
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A
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49
 
 
−1
−10
 
 
43
 
 
2
−8
 
 
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8
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3
 
 
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22
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27
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29
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98
 
 
28
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83
 
 
24
12
 
 
75
 
 
18
6
 
 
78
 
 
9
−1
 
 
66
 
 
2
−7
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in Knox have ranged from a low of 14 °F (−10 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −29 °F (−34 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 102 °F (39 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.68 inches (43 mm) in February to 4.09 inches (104 mm) in June.[24]

Government

[edit]
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.[25][26]

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.[25][26]

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.[26]

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.[26]

Starke County is part of Indiana's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives and is currently represented by Rudy Yakym.[27]

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

United States presidential election results for Starke County, Indiana[28]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 7,889 75.29% 2,436 23.25% 153 1.46%
2020 7,466 72.42% 2,650 25.71% 193 1.87%
2016 6,367 68.34% 2,489 26.72% 460 4.94%
2012 4,738 54.03% 3,809 43.44% 222 2.53%
2008 4,473 47.19% 4,778 50.41% 228 2.41%
2004 4,846 54.22% 3,987 44.61% 104 1.16%
2000 4,349 49.98% 4,136 47.53% 216 2.48%
1996 3,108 38.13% 3,854 47.29% 1,188 14.58%
1992 3,100 35.40% 3,695 42.19% 1,963 22.41%
1988 4,458 51.80% 4,104 47.69% 44 0.51%
1984 5,104 57.42% 3,674 41.33% 111 1.25%
1980 5,035 55.27% 3,615 39.68% 460 5.05%
1976 4,354 47.12% 4,753 51.43% 134 1.45%
1972 5,520 64.43% 2,994 34.95% 53 0.62%
1968 4,011 47.95% 3,208 38.35% 1,146 13.70%
1964 3,466 41.65% 4,838 58.14% 17 0.20%
1960 4,592 53.28% 3,995 46.35% 32 0.37%
1956 5,063 59.94% 3,349 39.65% 35 0.41%
1952 4,871 59.43% 3,274 39.95% 51 0.62%
1948 3,518 50.55% 3,312 47.59% 130 1.87%
1944 3,574 55.71% 2,791 43.51% 50 0.78%
1940 3,473 54.16% 2,917 45.49% 22 0.34%
1936 2,846 47.18% 3,143 52.11% 43 0.71%
1932 2,449 40.75% 3,420 56.91% 141 2.35%
1928 2,759 57.32% 2,016 41.89% 38 0.79%
1924 2,329 53.00% 1,555 35.39% 510 11.61%
1920 2,683 62.92% 1,467 34.40% 114 2.67%
1916 1,550 52.21% 1,334 44.93% 85 2.86%
1912 787 28.11% 1,208 43.14% 805 28.75%
1908 1,521 52.18% 1,305 44.77% 89 3.05%
1904 1,523 54.47% 1,134 40.56% 139 4.97%
1900 1,340 49.56% 1,315 48.63% 49 1.81%
1896 1,289 51.01% 1,214 48.04% 24 0.95%
1892 850 44.34% 1,003 52.32% 64 3.34%
1888 834 47.23% 904 51.19% 28 1.59%

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1840149—
1850557273.8%
18602,195294.1%
18703,88877.1%
18805,10531.3%
18907,33943.8%
190010,43142.1%
191010,5671.3%
192010,278−2.7%
193010,6203.3%
194012,25815.4%
195015,28224.7%
196017,91117.2%
197019,2807.6%
198021,99714.1%
199022,7473.4%
200023,5563.6%
201023,363−0.8%
202023,3710.0%
2023 (est.)23,206[29]−0.7%
US Decennial Census[30]
1790-1960[31] 1900-1990[32]
1990-2000[33] 2010-2021[1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, 23,363 people, 9,038 households, and 6,484 families lived in the county.[34] The population density was 75.6 inhabitants per square mile (29.2/km2). The 10,962 housing units had an average density of 35.5 per square mile (13.7/km2).[17] 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.[34] 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.[35]

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.[34]

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.[36]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Starke County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ John W Tyndall & OE Lesh, Standard history of Adams and Wells Counties, Indiana. pp. 284-6 (accessed 9 August 2020)
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "Starke County Historical Society. Retrieved 1 January 2010". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  6. ^ Baker, Ronald L.; Marvin Carmony (1995). Indiana Place Names. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 158. ISBN 0-253-28340-X.
  7. ^ De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle (1875). An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana. Indiana: R. S. Peale & Co. p. 577.
  8. ^ "Starke County Public Library factsheet" (PDF). scpl.lib.in.us. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 24, 2008.
  9. ^ "History of 1838 Trail of Death". potawatomi-tda.org.
  10. ^ Brief history of LaPorte county Archived 2008-05-17 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "Stark County, Indiana, 1857". dickinson.edu. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012.
  12. ^ "Starke or Stark". www.starkehistory.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  13. ^ "Starke County Indiana History and Pioneer Genealogy". Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  14. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 25, 2009. Retrieved January 16, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ Starke County IN (Google Maps - accessed 20 January 2020)
  16. ^ Starke County High Point, Indiana (PeakBagger.com, accessed 20 January 2020)
  17. ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  18. ^ Indiana Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth ME: DeLorme. 1998. pp. 19–20, 25–26. ISBN 0-89933-211-0.
  19. ^ https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-ridiculousness-of-conference-tournament-locations-in-6-maps/
  20. ^ "Culver Community Schools - Welcome!". culver.k12.in.us.
  21. ^ "Knox Community School Corporation". knox.k12.in.us.
  22. ^ "North Judson-San Pierre Schools".
  23. ^ "Oregon Davis". od.k12.in.us. Archived from the original on May 16, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  24. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Knox IN". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  25. ^ a b Indiana Code. "Title 36, Article 2, Section 3". IN.gov. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  26. ^ a b c d Indiana Code. "Title 2, Article 10, Section 2" (PDF). IN.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 27, 2004. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  27. ^ "Rudy Yakym". Rudy Yakym. United States House of Representatives.
  28. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  29. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  30. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  31. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  32. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  33. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  34. ^ a b c "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  35. ^ "Selected Social Characteristics in the US – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  36. ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
[edit]

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