Saint Wendel, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saint Wendel, Indiana
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 Saint Wendel, Indiana
Location in Indiana
Saint Wendel, Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Vanderburgh and Posey |
| Township | Armstrong and Robinson |
| Founded by | Wendel Wassmer |
| Named for | Founder |
| Elevation | 564 ft (172 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 812, 930 |
| GNIS feature ID | 442864 |
Saint Wendel is a small community in Indiana, USA. It's not a city or town with its own government. Instead, it's an "unincorporated community." This means it's part of larger areas. Saint Wendel is located right on the border between Vanderburgh and Posey counties. It also covers parts of two townships: Armstrong and Robinson.
The community got its name from the local church, St. Wendel Parish. The church itself was named after Wendelin of Trier. He was the patron saint of Wendel Wassmer, one of the people who helped start the community. As of As of 2023[update], the U.S. Census Bureau has marked Saint Wendel as a special "census-designated place". This helps them count people living there.
Contents
History of Saint Wendel
The community of Saint Wendel was started by two brothers, Marcus and Wendel Wassmer. They were German-Canadian coopers, which means they made wooden barrels. The brothers moved from a place called Baden to Toronto.
How the Wassmer Brothers Arrived
A story says that in the spring of 1837, the brothers walked south to the area where Saint Wendel is now. When they went back to Toronto that summer, they had lost their jobs. So, they walked all the way back to the same spot in Indiana. This second trip happened in the fall of 1837. The Wassmer brothers bought farmland there. Today, some of their family members still live on that land.
Early Church Building
Before December 1841, Catholic church services were held in the home of Martin Kohl. This was from the time the St. Wendel parish was created. During Christmas week of 1841, about twenty families worked together. In just five days, they built a log church. This church was named in honor of Wendel Wassmer's patron saint, Wendelin of Trier.
Growth and Development
In 1881, a train station called Wendel Station was built. It was located about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the church. This station was on the Evansville and Peoria Railroad line. By the year 1882, Saint Wendel had grown to a population of 175 people.
A post office was opened in Saint Wendel in 1852. It helped people send and receive mail. The post office stayed open for many years until it closed down in 1907.
