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Blackford County is located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Indiana. The county is named for Judge Isaac Blackford, who was the first speaker of the Indiana General Assembly and a long-time chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.〔(【引用サイトリンク】publisher=Indiana Historical Bureau )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】publisher=Blackford County Historical Society )〕 Created in 1838, Blackford County is divided into four townships, and its county seat is Hartford City.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Find A County )〕 Two incorporated cities and one incorporated town are located within the county. The county is also the site of numerous unincorporated communities and ghost towns. Occupying only , Blackford County is the fourth smallest county in Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the county's population is 12,766 people in 5,236 households.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Blackford County QuickFacts )〕 Based on population, the county is the 8th smallest county of the 92 in Indiana.〔 Although no interstate highways are located in Blackford County, three Indiana state roads cross the county, and an additional state road is located along the county's southeast border. The county has two railroad lines. A north–south route crosses the county, and intersects with a second railroad line that connects Hartford City with communities to the west. Before the arrival of European-American settlers during the 1830s, the northeastern portion of the future Blackford County was briefly the site of an Indian reservation for Chief Francois Godfroy of the Miami tribe. The first European-American pioneers were typically farmers that settled near rivers where the land had drainage suitable for agriculture. Originally, the county was mostly swampland, but more land became available for farming as the marshes were cleared and drained. Over the next 30 years, small communities slowly developed throughout the county. When the county's rail lines were constructed in the 1860s and 1870s, additional communities evolved around railroad stops. Beginning in the late 1880s, the discovery of natural gas and crude oil in the county (and surrounding region) caused the area to undergo an economic boom period known as the Indiana Gas Boom.〔 Manufacturers relocated to the area to take advantage of the low-cost energy and railroad facilities. The boom period lasted about 15 years, and is reflected in Blackford County's population, which peaked in 1900 at 17,213. The new construction associated with the additional prosperity of the boom period caused a significant upgrade in the county's appearance, as wooden buildings were replaced with structures made with brick and stone. Much of the infrastructure built during that time remains today—including Montpelier's historic Carnegie Library and many of Hartford City's buildings in the Courthouse Square Historic District. Agriculture continues to be important to the county, and became even more important after the loss of several large manufacturers during the 20th century. Today, 72 percent of Blackford County is covered by either corn or soybean fields; additional crops, such as wheat and hay, are also grown. ==Geography== According to the 2010 census, Blackford County has a total area of , of which (or 99.70%) is land and (or 0.30%) is water.〔 The county is located in East Central Indiana, about south of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and about northeast of Indianapolis. Along the north side of the county is Wells County, and on the eastern side of the county is Jay County, which separates Blackford County from Indiana's border with the state of Ohio. Delaware County is located on Blackford County's southern border, and to the west is Grant County.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Indiana County Map )〕 The county land was flattened by two glaciers millions of years ago. These glaciers are also responsible for the rich Blackford County farmland that became available after the county was cleared and drained. During the early 20th century, the Renner Stock Farm, in Licking Township, was known state-wide for its quality cattle, hogs, and horses. The county has some small streams and lakes, although the lakes are man-made. The Salamonie River, flowing out of Jay County (Indiana) from the east, crosses the northeast corner of Blackford County. Big and Little Lick Creek flow westward in Licking and Jackson townships in the southern half of the county. Early settlers were attracted to Lick Creek, and then the Salamonie River, because the nearby land had suitable drainage for farming. The county's lakes include Lake Blue Water in Harrison Township; Cain's Lake, Shamrock Lakes and Lake Mohee in Licking Township; and Lake Placid in Jackson Township.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Geographic Names Information System: Lakes in Blackford County, Indiana )〕 Lake Blue Water is a spring-fed former stone quarry located one mile (1.6 km) east of Montpelier. The Shamrock Lakes (a group of six lakes) were created between 1960 and 1965, and the first lake was originally intended to be a water supply for a farmer's cattle.〔 Licking and Harrison townships were original to the county. Washington Township, which is named after President George Washington, was created June 29, 1839, by the county commissioners. Jackson Township, which is thought to be named after President Andrew Jackson, was created by the commissioners on September 22, 1839. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Blackford County, Indiana」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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