Fairbanks, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fairbanks, Indiana
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Sullivan County's location in Indiana
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 Fairbanks, Indiana
Location in USA Indiana Sullivan County
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Sullivan |
| Township | Fairbanks |
| Elevation | 558 ft (170 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
47849
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| Area code(s) | 812, 930 |
| FIPS code | 18-22180 |
| GNIS feature ID | 434287 |
Fairbanks is a small, quiet community located in Sullivan County, Indiana, in the United States. It's known as an "unincorporated community," which means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town does. Instead, it's part of the larger Sullivan County. Fairbanks is also considered part of the bigger Terre Haute area.
A Look Back: Fairbanks' History
Fairbanks has a brave story behind its name! It was named after a soldier named Sergeant Nathan Fairbanks. Sadly, he was killed in September 1812. He was with a group of 12 soldiers when they were surprised by a group of Native Americans just outside where the community is now.
The village of Fairbanks was officially started in 1840. Three people named Benjamin Ernest, James Pogue, and Samuel Myers helped plan it out. On the land where the village was being created, James Pogue had a memorable encounter. He killed a bear there, which was the last one reported in the area for many years!
Life in Fairbanks began to grow. The first child born in Fairbanks Township was Joel Harris on January 17, 1818. He was the son of Benjamin and Mary (Paddock) Harris.
Education was important from early on. The first school house was built outside the village in 1823. Students would sometimes travel as far as 6 or 7 miles just to attend classes! By 1884, Professor Ed Liston was the Principal of the school. In that same year, the community of Fairbanks had about 135 people living there. The local post office in Fairbanks has been helping people send and receive mail since 1878.
Where is Fairbanks? (Geography)
Fairbanks is located at coordinates 39°13′10″N 87°31′20″W. This helps pinpoint its exact spot on a map. It's also shown on a detailed map called the Fairbanks United States Geological Survey 7½° quadrangle. This type of map is very precise and shows lots of geographic features.
