Posey County, Indiana | |
|---|---|
 Posey County Courthouse in Mount Vernon | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofIndiana | |
| Coordinates:38°01′N87°52′W / 38.02°N 87.86°W /38.02; -87.86 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Indiana |
| Founded | November 11, 1814 |
| Named after | Thomas Posey |
| Seat | Mount Vernon |
| Largest city | Mount Vernon |
| Area | |
• Total | 419.32 sq mi (1,086.0 km2) |
| • Land | 409.57 sq mi (1,060.8 km2) |
| • Water | 9.75 sq mi (25.3 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 25,222 |
• Estimate (2023) | 25,040 |
| • Density | 61.582/sq mi (23.777/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | www |
| |
Posey County is the southernmost, southwesternmost, and westernmostcounty in theU.S. state ofIndiana. Its southern border is formed by theOhio River, and its western border by theWabash River, a tributary to the Ohio. As of 2020, the population was 25,222.[1] Thecounty seat isMount Vernon.[2] Posey County is part of theEvansville, Indiana metropolitan statistical area. The Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon, on the Ohio River, is the seventh-largest inland port complex in the nation. Mechanization of dock technology has altered the number of workers at the port, but Posey County is still the seventh-largest internal port in the United States, based on tons of materials handled. Grain from the Midwest is among the products shipped.
After theAmerican Revolutionary War, Posey County was originally considered part of theNorthwest Territory, organized in 1787 by the new United States. As part of theIndiana Territory, it was organized in November 1814 fromGibson andWarrick counties. It was named forRevolutionary War Gen.Thomas Posey, who was then serving as Governor of the Territory.[3]Mount Vernon was designated as the county seat in 1825. Its port on the Ohio River continues to be integral to the economy of the state and county.
Like other parts of southern Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, Posey County was first settled by people from theUpper South, many of whom arrived via the Ohio River. Farming was the primary development at first. In the mid- to late 19th century, the county received many German immigrants. The river port had rougher areas of vice, and a higher population of single men, as was typical.African Americans were among the men who worked on ships and at the port.
Posey County was the site of the largest recorded lynching of African Americans in Indiana's history. In October 1878, awhite mob lynched seven black men in the span of a few days. No one in the mob was prosecuted, and at each court session for the next three years, the prosecutor asked the judge to "set the case over to the next session". A grand jury was called to investigate the mob action, but with an election pending for the prosecuting attorney, no one was ever indicted. Following years of research, Posey County judge Jim Redwine wrote a novel,Judge Lynch! (2008), based on the events. Redwine sometimes lectures on the riot, inviting his audience to imagine how they would have acted and stressing the injustice done to the African Americans who were denied the right to a fair trial.[4][5]
The low rolling hills of southwest Indiana are carved by drainages; theBlack River flows southwestward through the county's upper portion, discharging into theWabash River north ofNew Harmony. Rush Creek drains the county's central portion, flowing westward to discharge into the Wabash inHarmonie State Park. The area is largely cleared and devoted to agriculture or urban use, although the drainages and lowlands are still wooded or brush-filled.[6]
According to the2010 United States census, the county has a total area of 419.32 square miles (1,086.0 km2), of which 409.57 square miles (1,060.8 km2) (or 97.67%) is land and 9.75 square miles (25.3 km2) (or 2.33%) is water.[7] Thelowest point in the state of Indiana is located on theOhio River in Posey County, where theWabash River flows into it, and Posey County's highest point (590 feet/180 meters ASL) is a small rise 1.6 miles (2.6 km) SSW fromSaint Wendel, near the county's southeast corner.[8]Posey county lies at thetripoint of Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois.
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In recent years, average temperatures in Mount Vernon have ranged from a nighttime low of 23 °F (−5 °C) in January to a daytime high of 87 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −21 °F (−29 °C) was recorded in January 1912 and a record high of 109 °F (43 °C) was recorded in July 1901. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.65 inches (67 mm) in September to 5.38 inches (137 mm) in May.[11]
Like many other locations in theMidwestern United States andUpland South,Tornadoes have been known to occasionally strike Posey County. On March 18, 1925, the1925 Tri-State Tornado hit the town ofGriffin in the northernmost part of the county, killing 25 people and injuring hundreds.[12] Also, onApril 2, 2024, an EF-2 Tornado passed through parts of the county, includingHarmonie State Park,Blairsville, andSt. Wendel.[13]
The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by theConstitution of Indiana, and by theIndiana Code.
County Council: The legislative branch of the county government; controls spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected to four-year terms from single-member districts of roughly equal population in the county. They set salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.[14][15]
Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is a three-person board of commissioners, who are electedat-large (county-wide), to staggered four-year terms. One commissioner serves as president. The commissioners execute acts legislated by the council, collect revenue, and manage the county government.[14][15]
Court: The county maintains asmall claims court that handles civil cases. The court judge is elected to a four-year term and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable, who is also elected to a four-year term. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state levelcircuit court.[15]
County Officials: Other county elected offices includesheriff,coroner,auditor,treasurer,recorder,surveyor, and circuitcourt clerk. Each serves a four-year term. Members elected to county government positions are required to declareparty affiliations and to be residents of the county.[15]
Posey County was aDemocratic stronghold turned swing county during the 20th Century. Since the turn of the 21st Century, the county has swung heavily into theRepublican column, withDonald Trump gaining over 70% of the vote in 2024. The last Democrat to obtain a full majority in the county wasJimmy Carter in 1976, althoughBill Clinton narrowly carried the county by plurality in 1992 and 1996, largely due to a heavy third-party presence in both elections.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 2,369 | 45.70% | 2,684 | 51.77% | 131 | 2.53% |
| 1892 | 2,077 | 39.99% | 2,660 | 51.21% | 457 | 8.80% |
| 1896 | 2,526 | 44.50% | 3,103 | 54.66% | 48 | 0.85% |
| 1900 | 2,553 | 43.57% | 3,177 | 54.22% | 129 | 2.20% |
| 1904 | 2,419 | 44.32% | 2,825 | 51.76% | 214 | 3.92% |
| 1908 | 2,444 | 42.49% | 3,084 | 53.62% | 224 | 3.89% |
| 1912 | 1,193 | 23.95% | 2,767 | 55.55% | 1,021 | 20.50% |
| 1916 | 2,291 | 42.97% | 2,922 | 54.80% | 119 | 2.23% |
| 1920 | 4,802 | 49.72% | 4,695 | 48.61% | 161 | 1.67% |
| 1924 | 4,173 | 48.82% | 4,115 | 48.14% | 260 | 3.04% |
| 1928 | 4,396 | 51.80% | 4,052 | 47.74% | 39 | 0.46% |
| 1932 | 2,876 | 33.27% | 5,641 | 65.26% | 127 | 1.47% |
| 1936 | 3,088 | 34.74% | 5,630 | 63.34% | 170 | 1.91% |
| 1940 | 4,514 | 47.06% | 5,022 | 52.35% | 57 | 0.59% |
| 1944 | 4,374 | 50.75% | 4,183 | 48.53% | 62 | 0.72% |
| 1948 | 3,879 | 44.43% | 4,729 | 54.16% | 123 | 1.41% |
| 1952 | 5,293 | 57.61% | 3,835 | 41.74% | 59 | 0.64% |
| 1956 | 5,780 | 59.44% | 3,919 | 40.30% | 25 | 0.26% |
| 1960 | 5,369 | 54.47% | 4,457 | 45.22% | 31 | 0.31% |
| 1964 | 3,573 | 36.57% | 6,164 | 63.09% | 33 | 0.34% |
| 1968 | 5,045 | 49.70% | 3,889 | 38.32% | 1,216 | 11.98% |
| 1972 | 6,771 | 65.24% | 3,586 | 34.55% | 21 | 0.20% |
| 1976 | 5,136 | 48.97% | 5,298 | 50.51% | 54 | 0.51% |
| 1980 | 6,096 | 53.69% | 4,465 | 39.33% | 793 | 6.98% |
| 1984 | 6,472 | 59.07% | 4,452 | 40.63% | 33 | 0.30% |
| 1988 | 5,987 | 57.07% | 4,468 | 42.59% | 35 | 0.33% |
| 1992 | 4,435 | 38.72% | 4,632 | 40.44% | 2,386 | 20.83% |
| 1996 | 4,638 | 42.34% | 4,965 | 45.33% | 1,350 | 12.33% |
| 2000 | 6,498 | 58.49% | 4,430 | 39.87% | 182 | 1.64% |
| 2004 | 7,833 | 65.35% | 4,085 | 34.08% | 68 | 0.57% |
| 2008 | 6,804 | 53.28% | 5,828 | 45.63% | 139 | 1.09% |
| 2012 | 7,430 | 60.77% | 4,533 | 37.08% | 263 | 2.15% |
| 2016 | 8,404 | 66.74% | 3,521 | 27.96% | 667 | 5.30% |
| 2020 | 9,209 | 69.38% | 3,817 | 28.76% | 247 | 1.86% |
| 2024 | 9,206 | 70.93% | 3,572 | 27.52% | 201 | 1.55% |
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 4,061 | — | |
| 1830 | 6,549 | 61.3% | |
| 1840 | 9,683 | 47.9% | |
| 1850 | 12,549 | 29.6% | |
| 1860 | 16,167 | 28.8% | |
| 1870 | 19,185 | 18.7% | |
| 1880 | 20,857 | 8.7% | |
| 1890 | 21,529 | 3.2% | |
| 1900 | 22,333 | 3.7% | |
| 1910 | 21,670 | −3.0% | |
| 1920 | 19,334 | −10.8% | |
| 1930 | 17,853 | −7.7% | |
| 1940 | 19,183 | 7.4% | |
| 1950 | 19,818 | 3.3% | |
| 1960 | 19,214 | −3.0% | |
| 1970 | 21,740 | 13.1% | |
| 1980 | 26,414 | 21.5% | |
| 1990 | 25,968 | −1.7% | |
| 2000 | 27,061 | 4.2% | |
| 2010 | 25,910 | −4.3% | |
| 2020 | 25,222 | −2.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 25,040 | [17] | −0.7% |
| US Decennial Census[18] 1790-1960[19] 1900-1990[20] 1990-2000[21] 2010[22] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 25,222. The median age was 42.9 years. 22.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.7 males age 18 and over.[23][24]
The racial makeup of the county was 94.3%White, 0.8%Black or African American, 0.2%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.6% from some other race, and 3.7% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.[24]
29.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 70.4% lived in rural areas.[25]
There were 10,133 households in the county, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 57.4% were married-couple households, 16.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[23]
There were 11,021 housing units, of which 8.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.8% were owner-occupied and 18.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.5%.[23]
As of the2010 United States census, there were 25,910 people, 10,171 households, and 7,442 families in the county.[26] The population density was 63.3 inhabitants per square mile (24.4/km2). There were 11,207 housing units at an average density of 27.4 per square mile (10.6/km2).[7] The racial makeup of the county was 97.2% white, 0.9% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population.[26] In terms of ancestry, 43.6% wereGerman, 13.6% wereAmerican, 11.6% wereIrish, and 11.2% wereEnglish.[27]
Of the 10,171 households, 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.8% were non-families, and 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age was 41.6 years.[26]
The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $68,722. Males had a median income of $55,786 versus $32,747 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,727. About 6.0% of families and 8.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.[28]
The county has two school districts:Mount Vernon Metropolitan School District andNorth Posey County Schools Metropolitan School District.[29]
Public high schools
PreviouslyNew Harmony Town and Township Consolidated Schools covered a portion of the county.[30] The district closed in 2012 and consolidated into North Posey County Schools.[31]
Media from Commons
Travel information from Wikivoyage
Data from WikidataPlaces adjacent to Posey County, Indiana | |
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| Municipalities with population 1,000-5,000 in 2010 | ||
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Municipalities and communities ofPosey County, Indiana,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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