Prior to theRevolutionary War, some settlers proposed this as part of a larger, separate colony to be known as Vandalia, but opposing interests and the war intervened. Afterward, claims to the territory by both the states ofVirginia and Pennsylvania had to be reconciled. After this land was assigned to Pennsylvania by the federal government according to the placement of theMason–Dixon line, Indiana County was created on March 30, 1803, from parts ofWestmoreland andClearfield counties and was formally organized in 1806.[4]
Indiana County (Indiana meaning "land of the Indians") derives its name from the so-called "Indiana Grant of 1768" that the Iroquois Six Nations were forced to make to "suffering traders" under theFort Stanwix Treaty of 1768. The Iroquois had controlled much of the Ohio River valley as their hunting grounds since the 17th century, and Anglo-American colonists were moving into the area and wanted to develop it. Traders arranged to force the Iroquois to grant land under the treaty in relations to losses due toPontiac's Rebellion.[5]
Some of the grantees joined forces with theOhio Company, forming a larger development company based on enlarging their grant of land. They proposed that the entire large area would become a new British colony, possibly to be called Pittsylvania orVandalia. It was to be bordered on the north and west by theOhio River, and made up of what are now parts of eastern Kentucky, northern West Virginia (then part of the Virginia Colony), and western Pennsylvania. Anglo-European colonists from Virginia and Pennsylvania had already started to move into the area, which was identified by these various names as Indiana and the other above names on some maps of the late 1700s.[6][5]
Opposition from other interest groups[7] and the American Revolutionary War intervened before Britain approved such a colony. Afterward, some United States speculators proposed setting up a state in this area to be called Vandalia, or Westsylvania, as appears on some maps of the period.
But both the states of Virginia and Pennsylvania claimed the land based on their colonial charters. In establishing theMason–Dixon line, the federal government assigned the Indiana Grant to Pennsylvania.[6] As population increased after the war, this county was made up in 1803 of territory fromWestmoreland andClearfield counties; it was formally organized in 1806.[4]
Kentucky and West Virginia continued to be associated with Virginia for some time, being separately admitted as states in the early 19th century and during the American Civil War, respectively. The area in Pennsylvania was unrelated to and was physically separated from the later namedIndiana Territory established north of the Ohio River in 1800 by the new United States; that territory was eventually admitted to the Union as the State of Indiana.
Indiana County was known as a "hotbed of abolition", and was home to at least two African Methodist Episcopal Zion churches as well as other anti-slavery Protestants such asWesleyan Methodists andBaptists.[8] It was also in Indiana, localabolitionist leader James Moorhead published several anti-slavery newspapers.[9] The first of these wasThe Clarion of Freedom, founded in 1843. Moorhead eventually sold theClarion and founded a new anti-slavery paper, theIndiana Independent, which he published until his death in 1857. TheIndependent was published by his son J. W. Moorhead after his death.Blairsville was home to another abolitionist newspaper,The Appalachian, which was pro-Free Soil from 1848. Some of the nearby anti-slavery families like the Mitchells and Van Leers, became conductors or contributors in 1958. In a letter to abolitionistTheodore Parker, a local geologist Peter Lesley stated there we over 3,000 men helping the railroad in the area.[10]
Indiana County was an active hub of theUnderground Railroad.[8] At least 90 county residents are known to have been conductors or agents, guiding fugitive slaves between hiding places on their way to freedom in Canada.[11]
The county proclaims itself the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World", shipping over one million trees annually.[13] Agriculture is a major part of its economy.
As of thecensus[20] of 2000, there were 89,605 people, 34,123 households, and 22,521 families residing in the county. The population density was 108 inhabitants per square mile (42/km2). There were 37,250 housing units at an average density of 45 units per square mile (17/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.87%White, 1.57%Black orAfrican American, 0.08%Native American, 0.74%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.16% fromother races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 0.51% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 25.9% were ofGerman, 11.6%Italian, 10.7%Irish, 8.6%American, 7.1%English and 6.8%Polish ancestry.
There were 34,123 households, out of which 27.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% weremarried couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.00% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.10% under the age of 18, 16.60% from 18 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.60 males.
Indiana County has been strongly Republican in presidential elections for most of its history, only backing Democratic party candidates four times in presidential elections from 1880 to the present day.
United States presidential election results for Indiana County, Pennsylvania[24]
As of February 5, 2024, there were 48,654 registered voters across Indiana County's 69 precincts: 27,290Republicans (56.09%); 15,193Democrats (31.23%), 4,334 Independents (8.91%) and 1,837 from other parties (3.77%).[26]
In 2003, the county was recommended for non-attainment underEPAozone standards based upon mobile source contribution tosmog-formingemissions.[29]
The county is the site of theHomer City Generating Station, a coal-burningpower plant. In 2002 the plant was ranked as second in emissions in theToxics Release Inventory (TRI) in Pennsylvania.[30] In 2003, the plant ranked high in the emissions of bothsulfur dioxide andcarbon dioxide, ranking 4th and 28th, respectively, in the nation.[31] Such toxic emissions are injurious to people and other living things.
Map of Indiana County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:cities,boroughs,townships, and, in at most two cases,towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Indiana County:
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by theU.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
^abAnderson, James Donald, "Vandalia: The First West Virginia?"West Virginia History, Volume 40, No. 4 (Summer 1979), pp. 375-92online
^abDavid W. Miller.The Taking of American Indian Lands in the Southeast: A History of Territorial Cessions and Forced Relocations, 1607-1840. McFarland, 2011. p. 41.ISBN978-0-7864-6277-3
^Gipson, Lawrence Henry,The British Empire Before the American Revolution, 15 vols. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1946-1970, IX 457-88
