Athens, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Athens, Indiana
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Community Church of Athens in the old United Brethren in Christ Building
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 Athens, Indiana
Location in Indiana
Athens, Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Fulton |
| Township | Henry |
| Elevation | 807 ft (246 m) |
| ZIP code |
46912
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| FIPS code | 18-02530 |
| GNIS feature ID | 430320 |
Athens (pronounced AY-thunz) is a small, unincorporated community in Fulton County, Indiana. An unincorporated community means it's a place with a shared identity, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. It's often called a hamlet, which is just a very small village.
Athens was first known as Hoover Station. It got this name because it was a waystation for the Chicago and Atlantic Railway. A waystation was a stop along a railway where trains could refuel or pick up supplies. Jacob Hoover, who was the postmaster (the person in charge of the post office) and ran a general store with his brother, was very important to the early community. His parents, Henry and Sarah Hoover, were actually the first white settlers in this area.
A post office was first set up nearby in 1875 under the name "Grant." In 1883, this post office moved to Hoover Station. Later, on May 28, 1896, the name of the community was officially changed to Athens. This new name was chosen to honor the famous city of Athens, Greece.
Even though the nearby city of Rochester is slowly growing and including parts of Athens, a small post office still operates in Athens. This allows the few people who live there to keep their Athens address.
Exploring Athens' Location
Athens is located about six miles east of Rochester. You can find it right along Indiana State Road 14, which is a main road in the area.
