Wayne County, Indiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wayne County
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Wayne County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Indiana
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 Indiana's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Indiana |
| Founded | 1811 |
| Named for | Anthony Wayne |
| Seat | Richmond |
| Largest city | Richmond |
| Area | |
| • Total | 404.34 sq mi (1,047.2 km2) |
| • Land | 401.74 sq mi (1,040.5 km2) |
| • Water | 2.60 sq mi (6.7 km2) 0.64%% |
| Population | |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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66,456  |
| • Density | 176/sq mi (68/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 6th |
| Indiana county number 89 | |
Wayne County is a county located in east central Indiana, United States. It sits right on the border with Ohio. In 2020, about 66,553 people lived here. The main city and county seat is Richmond. Wayne County is part of the Richmond, IN Micropolitan Statistical Area. Richmond is also home to Earlham College, a small private college focused on liberal arts.
Contents
History of Wayne County
The first people from Europe to settle in this area were Quakers. They came from North Carolina around 1806. They settled near the east fork of the Whitewater River. This area is now part of the city of Richmond. The first child of European descent born in the county was Jeptha Turner, in 1806.
Wayne County was officially created in 1811. It was formed from parts of Clark and Dearborn counties. The county was named after General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. He was an important officer during the American Revolutionary War. General Wayne is best known for his service in the 1790s. He fought in the Northwest Indian War, which included battles in Indiana and Ohio. In 1818, Randolph County was formed from the northern part of Wayne County.
The first county seat was Salisbury, Indiana. This town no longer exists today. The county seat later moved to Centerville, Indiana in 1818. It stayed there until Richmond became the county seat in 1873.
During the years before the American Civil War, Wayne County was important for the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network of people, both Black and white. They helped people who had escaped slavery find freedom. Levi Coffin and his wife Catharine helped over 1,000 people at their home in Fountain City. Their home is now a National Historic Landmark. It is also a State Historic Site.
Geography and Nature
Wayne County covers about 404.34 square miles. Most of this (about 401.74 square miles) is land. Only a small part (about 2.60 square miles) is water. Wayne County is home to Indiana's highest natural point, Hoosier Hill. It is about 1,257 feet high.
Neighboring Counties
- Randolph County (north)
- Darke County, Ohio (northeast)
- Preble County, Ohio (east)
- Union County (south)
- Fayette County (southwest)
- Henry County (west)
Cities and Towns
- Richmond is the only city in Wayne County.
Here are some of the towns in Wayne County:
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or towns:
Transportation
- Roseview Transit helps people get around the county.
Major Roads
These are the main highways that go through Wayne County:
Interstate 70
U.S. Route 27
U.S. Route 35
U.S. Route 40
State Road 1
State Road 38
State Road 121
State Road 227
Climate and Weather
| Weather chart for Richmond, Indiana | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2.5
32
15
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2.3
37
19
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3.2
48
28
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3.8
60
37
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4.4
71
47
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4.3
81
58
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3.8
85
62
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3.6
83
59
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2.5
74
50
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3
62
38
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3.3
49
30
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2.9
37
21
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| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: The Weather Channel |
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Metric conversion
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In Richmond, the average temperatures change throughout the year. In January, it's usually around 15°F (about -9°C). In July, it can reach about 85°F (about 29°C). The coldest temperature ever recorded was -29°F (about -34°C) in January 1994. The hottest was 100°F (about 38°C) in July 1988. The amount of rain changes too. February usually has the least rain, while May has the most.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 12,119 | — | |
| 1830 | 18,571 | 53.2% | |
| 1840 | 23,290 | 25.4% | |
| 1850 | 25,320 | 8.7% | |
| 1860 | 29,558 | 16.7% | |
| 1870 | 34,048 | 15.2% | |
| 1880 | 38,613 | 13.4% | |
| 1890 | 37,628 | −2.6% | |
| 1900 | 38,970 | 3.6% | |
| 1910 | 43,757 | 12.3% | |
| 1920 | 48,136 | 10.0% | |
| 1930 | 54,809 | 13.9% | |
| 1940 | 59,229 | 8.1% | |
| 1950 | 68,566 | 15.8% | |
| 1960 | 74,039 | 8.0% | |
| 1970 | 79,109 | 6.8% | |
| 1980 | 76,058 | −3.9% | |
| 1990 | 71,951 | −5.4% | |
| 2000 | 71,097 | −1.2% | |
| 2010 | 68,917 | −3.1% | |
| 2020 | 66,553 | −3.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 66,127 | −4.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2021 |
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In 2010, there were 68,917 people living in Wayne County. There were 27,551 households, which are groups of people living together. The average number of people in a household was 2.41. The average age of people in the county was 40.2 years old.
Most people in the county (90.2%) were white. About 5.0% were Black or African American. Other groups included Asian (0.8%), American Indian (0.2%), and people from two or more races (2.7%). About 2.6% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background. Many people had ancestors from Germany (24.4%), Ireland (11.8%), or England (11.0%).
The average income for a household in the county was $47,697. For families, it was $51,155. About 16.1% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line. This included about 24.9% of children under 18.
Famous People from Wayne County
- Oliver P. Morton: He was the 14th Governor of Indiana. He was born in Wayne County.
- Walter R. Stubbs: He was the 18th Governor of Kansas.
- Ralph Teetor: An inventor who created the cruise control system for cars.
- Levi Coffin: An important person who worked to end slavery. He and his wife Catharine lived in Wayne County. They helped many people escape slavery through the Underground Railroad.
- Jim Jones: He attended school in Wayne County.
- Timothy S. Jordan: A politician from Wisconsin, born in Wayne County.
- Marcus Mote: An early artist from Indiana.
- John Stark: A pioneer in California. He helped rescue members of the Donner Party.
School Districts
Wayne County has several school districts:
- Richmond Community Schools, in Richmond
- Western Wayne Schools, in Cambridge City
- Northeastern Wayne Schools, in Fountain City
- Nettle Creek Schools, in Hagerstown
- Centerville-Abington Community Schools, in Centerville
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Wayne (Indiana) para niños
