Saint Joseph, Vanderburgh County, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saint Joseph
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St. Joe County
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 Saint Joseph, Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Location in Indiana
Saint Joseph, Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Vanderburgh |
| Township | German |
| Saint Joseph | 1867 |
| Founded by | German immigrants, 1841 |
| Named for | St. Joseph Catholic Church |
| Elevation | 545 ft (166 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
47720
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| Area code(s) | 812 |
| GNIS feature ID | 442618 |
Saint Joseph is a small, unincorporated community in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. People who live there often call it St. Joe County. This community grew up around the St. Joseph Catholic Church. It was one of the first places where German-American immigrants settled in southern Indiana. They chose this area because the land was very good for farming.
About Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is not a city or a town with its own government. It is an "unincorporated community." This means it is a group of homes and businesses that are not officially part of a city. Instead, it is part of German Township within Vanderburgh County. The community was founded in 1867. However, German immigrants started settling in the area as early as 1841.
Why the Name 'St. Joe County'?
The community of Saint Joseph gets its name from the St. Joseph Catholic Church. This church is named after Saint Joseph the Carpenter, who was the father of Jesus. Unlike many other places nearby, Saint Joseph has never had a train station.
The nickname "St. Joe County" helps people tell it apart from other churches named St. Joseph. There are several St. Joseph Catholic Churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville and Vincennes. To avoid confusion, people started calling this church "St. Joe in the County." This was because other St. Joseph churches were in cities like Evansville ("St. Joe City") or Jasper ("St. Joe Jasper"). Over time, "St. Joe in the County" became shorter, turning into "St. Joe County." Now, many people in the area know the community by this nickname.
