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Marshall County, Indiana facts for kids

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Marshall County
Marshall County courthouse in Plymouth, Indiana
Marshall County courthouse in Plymouth, Indiana
Map of Indiana highlighting Marshall County
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Map of the United States highlighting Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Indiana
Founded February 7, 1835 (authorized)
1836 (organized)
Named for John Marshall
Seat Plymouth
Largest city Plymouth
Area
 • Total 449.74 sq mi (1,164.8 km2)
 • Land 443.63 sq mi (1,149.0 km2)
 • Water 6.11 sq mi (15.8 km2)  1.36%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 46,095
 • Estimate 
(2023)
46,352 Increase
 • Density 102.4926/sq mi (39.5726/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 2nd
Indiana county number 50

Marshall County is a county located in the state of Indiana, USA. In 2020, about 46,095 people lived here. The main city and county seat is Plymouth.

History of Marshall County

The Indiana State Legislature decided to create Marshall County on February 7, 1835. It was one of thirteen new counties in northeast Indiana. The county was named after John Marshall, who was a very important judge called the U.S. Chief Justice. He passed away in 1835.

The county's government officially started in 1836. This was during the early days when people first began settling there. Soon after, in 1838, the Potawatomi people, who were the original inhabitants, were moved from their lands.

The first settlers arrived in 1835. They came after the Black Hawk War ended and the Erie Canal was finished. Many of these early settlers were from New England. They were often called "Yankees" and were descendants of English Puritans. These Puritans had settled New England a long time ago, in the colonial era.

Most of these settlers were part of the Congregational Church. However, because of a religious movement called the Second Great Awakening, many had become Methodists or Baptists before moving to Indiana. Because of their New England background, some places in Marshall County are named after places there. For example, Plymouth is named after Plymouth, Massachusetts. This is where the famous ship Mayflower landed in 1620.

Geography and Nature

Marshall County has low, rolling hills. Most of the land is used for farming. The highest spots are about 900 feet (274 meters) above sea level. These are found along the southern border with Fulton County.

The county has three important bodies of water. These are Lake of the Woods in the northeast, Lake Maxinkuckee in the southwest, and part of Koontz Lake in the northwest. The Yellow River flows through the northern, central, and western parts of the county, passing by Plymouth. The Tippecanoe River flows southwest through the southeastern part of the county.

In 2010, Marshall County covered about 449.74 square miles (1,164.8 square kilometers). Most of this, about 443.63 square miles (1,149.0 sq km), is land. The rest, about 6.11 square miles (15.8 sq km), is water.

Neighboring Counties

Protected Natural Areas

  • Menominee Wetland Conservation Area (west of Plymouth)
  • Potawatomi Wildlife Park (on the west bank of the Tippecanoe River in the southeast)

Main Roads

  • US 6
  • US 30
  • US 31
  • SR 8
  • SR 10
  • SR 17
  • SR 25
  • SR 106
  • SR 110
  • SR 117
  • SR 331

Towns and Communities

Cities and Towns

Census-Designated Place

  • Koontz Lake (partially)

Smaller Communities

Townships

  • Bourbon
  • Center
  • German
  • Green
  • North
  • Polk
  • Tippecanoe
  • Union
  • Walnut
  • West

Climate and Weather

Weather chart for Plymouth, Indiana
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
2.2
 
32
16
 
 
1.9
 
38
20
 
 
2.9
 
49
29
 
 
4
 
62
39
 
 
4.3
 
74
49
 
 
4.5
 
83
58
 
 
3.7
 
86
62
 
 
3.4
 
84
60
 
 
3.6
 
77
53
 
 
3.2
 
64
42
 
 
3.2
 
50
32
 
 
2.8
 
37
22
temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
source: The Weather Channel

In Plymouth, the average temperatures change throughout the year. In January, it's usually around 16°F (minus 9°C). In July, it can reach about 86°F (30°C). The coldest temperature ever recorded was minus 25°F (minus 32°C) in January 1985. The hottest was 109°F (43°C) in July 1936.

The amount of rain and snow also changes. February usually gets the least, about 1.86 inches (4.7 cm). June gets the most, about 4.48 inches (11.4 cm).

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1840 1,651
1850 5,348 223.9%
1860 12,722 137.9%
1870 20,211 58.9%
1880 23,414 15.8%
1890 23,818 1.7%
1900 25,119 5.5%
1910 24,175 −3.8%
1920 23,744 −1.8%
1930 25,077 5.6%
1940 25,935 3.4%
1950 29,468 13.6%
1960 32,443 10.1%
1970 34,986 7.8%
1980 39,155 11.9%
1990 42,182 7.7%
2000 45,128 7.0%
2010 47,051 4.3%
2020 46,095 −2.0%
2023 (est.) 46,352 −1.5%
US Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010

According to the 2010 United States Census, Marshall County had 47,051 people. There were 17,406 households, which are groups of people living together. About 12,516 of these were families. The county had about 106 people per square mile.

Most people in the county (93.5%) were white. About 0.5% were black or African American, and 0.5% were Asian. About 3.8% were from other races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 8.4% of the population.

When it came to where people's families originally came from, about 35.4% had German roots. About 11.2% had Irish ancestors, and 8.5% had English ancestors.

About 35.2% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (57.2%) were married couples. The average household had 2.66 people. The average family had 3.15 people. The average age of people in the county was 38.4 years old.

The average yearly income for a household was about $47,697. For families, it was about $58,017. About 12.2% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line. This included 17.1% of those under 18 and 10.4% of those aged 65 or older.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Marshall (Indiana) para niños

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