Spencer County, Indiana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spencer County
U.S. county
Spencer County Courthouse in Rockport, Indiana
Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
Indiana's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Indiana
Founded	January 10, 1818
Named for	Spier Spencer
Seat	Rockport
Largest town	Santa Claus
Area
• Total	401.43 sq mi (1,039.7 km2)
• Land	396.74 sq mi (1,027.6 km2)
• Water	4.68 sq mi (12.1 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	19,810
• Density	49.9/sq mi (19.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	8th
Indiana county number 74

Spencer County is a place in the state of Indiana, USA. It is known as a county. In 2020, about 19,810 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Rockport.

Even though it's not part of the Owensboro big city area, the Ohio River border of Owensboro, Kentucky is right next to the southern part of Spencer County.

History of Spencer County

Spencer County was created in 1818. It was made from parts of Warrick County and Perry County. The county was named after Captain Spier Spencer. He was a brave soldier who died in a battle in 1811 called the Battle of Tippecanoe.

The Spencer County courthouse, where important county business happens, was built in 1921. This was the fifth courthouse the county has had.

A very famous person, Abraham Lincoln, lived in Spencer County for many years. He lived here from 1816 to 1830, when he was between 7 and 21 years old. His family later moved to Illinois. Today, you can visit the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. This special place is where Lincoln's family farm used to be.

Fun Places to Visit

Spencer County has some really fun places to explore!

• The town of Santa Claus is a popular spot, especially around Christmas.
• You can also visit Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, a big amusement and water park.
• Don't forget Santa's Candy Castle for sweet treats!

Another important place is Saint Meinrad Archabbey. This large monastery is located in the northeastern part of Spencer County.

Geography and Location

Spencer County covers a total area of about 401 square miles. Most of this area, about 397 square miles, is land. The rest, about 4.7 square miles, is water.

Towns and Cities

Here are some of the main towns and cities in Spencer County:

• Chrisney
• Dale
• Gentryville
• Grandview
• Richland
• Rockport (the county seat)
• Santa Claus

Other Communities

• St. Meinrad (a special type of community called a census-designated place)
• Africa
• Buffaloville
• Enterprise
• Eureka
• Evanston
• Fulda
• Hatfield
• Lincoln City
• Mariah Hill
• Newtonville
• Patronville

Neighboring Counties

Spencer County shares borders with these other counties:

• Dubois County, Indiana (to the north)
• Daviess County, Kentucky (to the south)
• Perry County, Indiana (to the east)
• Hancock County, Kentucky (to the southeast)
• Warrick County, Indiana (to the west)

Main Roads

Several important roads run through Spencer County, helping people travel around. These include:

• Interstate 64
• U.S. Route 231
• Indiana State Road 62
• Indiana State Road 66
• Indiana State Road 68
• Indiana State Road 70
• Indiana State Road 161
• Indiana State Road 162
• Indiana State Road 245
• Indiana State Road 545

Protected Areas

The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is a special national park located in Spencer County. It protects the land where Abraham Lincoln grew up.

Climate and Weather

In Rockport, the average temperatures change throughout the year. In January, it's usually around 24°F (cold!). In July, it gets warmer, with highs around 91°F. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -23°F in January 1994. The hottest was 107°F in June 1944.

The amount of rain and snow also changes. May usually gets the most rain, about 4.78 inches. October is often the driest month, with about 3.01 inches.

Population and People

In 2010, there were about 20,952 people living in Spencer County. Most people were White (96.9%). A small number of people were Black or African American, Asian, or American Indian. About 2.5% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background.

Many families in Spencer County have children under 18 living at home. The average age of people in the county was about 41.9 years old.

Education

Spencer County has two main school districts. These are the North Spencer County School Corporation and the South Spencer County School Corporation. They help make sure kids in the county get a good education.

Famous People from Spencer County

Many interesting people have connections to Spencer County:

• H. Justin Davidson – A former dean at Cornell University.
• Ken Dilger – A professional football player who played for the Indianapolis Colts.
• Del Harris – A vice president for a professional basketball team.
• Florence Henderson – A famous singer and actress.
• Roger Kaiser – A professional basketball player and coach.
• Bill Peet – A well-known children's author.
• Thomas Gamble Pitcher – A former leader of the United States Military Academy.
• Howard Schnellenberger – A professional and college football coach. He coached the 1983 Miami Hurricanes to a national championship.
• Abraham Lincoln – The 16th President of the United States. He spent many of his childhood and teenage years here.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Spencer (Indiana) para niños