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Crawford County, Indiana

61 topographic sheets cover 32 settlements here, and 1 property is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

1 National Register listing published here.

Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service

Indiana within the United States
Crawford County within Indiana

What the record shows

  • 501 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 1 property here is on the National Register of Historic Places, listed as a building.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 32 populated places in this county; 32 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

1

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
William Proctor Housebuilding201313000419

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

99 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 99 of them, burning about 532 acres. 2 started naturally and 17 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning43
Arson/incendiarism17
Missing data/not specified/undetermined12
Recreation and ceremony10
Equipment and vehicle use5
Smoking5
Power generation/transmission/distribution4
Natural2
Railroad operations and maintenance1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Two of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
24 September 1999Arson/incendiarism157 acresHoosier National ForestABC MISCELLANEOUS
29 February 2004Debris and open burning75 acresHoosier National ForestRIDDLE FIRE
18 March 2009Debris and open burning30 acresHoosier National ForestLASWELL
18 November 1998Arson/incendiarism30 acresHoosier National ForestHOG WALLER
19 March 1996Railroad operations and maintenance25 acresHoosier National ForestENGLISH
9 March 2007Missing data/not specified/undetermined13 acresHoosier National ForestGOVERNOR'S TRACE
19 November 2020Debris and open burning9.0 acresIndiana Division of ForestryPATOKA
10 March 2003Equipment and vehicle use8.6 acresHoosier National ForestECKERTY Y

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1956 to 2026

60 of 347 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 347 reports for this county, causing 1 death, 23 injuries and about $10,149,500 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind187
Hail89
Flash Flood48
Flood10
Tornado8
Heavy Rain2
Funnel Cloud2
Lightning1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 2004Tornado (F3)Taswell1 killed, 11 hurt, $5,000,000A tornado touched down near Taswell in northwest Crawford County. The tornado passed north of English, then reached it's maximum intensity as it reached the town of Marengo. Newspaper reports indicate that 50 to 60 homes in Marengo were destroyed, and another 100 were damaged. Approximately 80 percent of the buildings in Marengo received some degree of damage from the tornado. The tornado's last contact with the ground was north of Milltown in extreme northeast Crawford County. The tornado exhibited multiple vortices along it's track, and occasionally lifted off the ground.
June 1990Tornado (F2)not stated9 hurt, $250,000no account filed
April 2006Thunderstorm WindCurby2 hurt, $5,000Power lines were blown on to Interstate 64 at Carefree, closing the interstate for a time.
April 1974Tornado (F5)not stated1 hurtno account filed
April 2017FloodEnglish$4,000,000State officials reported severe flooding across the county. Portions of Interstate 64 were closed and impassable. Approximately 75% of Crawford County roads were affected by flood waters. Culverts, bridges, gravel and blacktop roads were washed out by high water, making most impassable.
July 2015LightningSulphur$300,000A trained spotter reported that lightning struck the Sulphur Pentecostal Church. According to the Crawford County emergency manager, the church was destroyed and determined to be a total loss.
May 2017Tornado (EF1)Sulphur Spgs$250,000A NWS Storm Survey found all of the damage along Old Union Chapel Rd off of Hwy 62 near T&T Auto. The tornado formed in an open pasture southwest of Chapel Rd. It knocked over several cedar trees and split several sections on some maple trees before striking a barn near the road. Winds in this area were estimated at 80-85 mph. The eastern edge door of the barn was blown out and with significant roof damage above the door. Several pieces of the barn roof along with many pieces of a wood pile next to the barn were thrown 125 yards downwind into the auto body shop vehicle lot area. This smashed out several vehicle windows. Winds here were estimated at 90 mph. A single-wide trailer took roof damage along its entrance. An old RV had its roof removed and large sections of debris was thrown downwind about 100 yards. A bed of a pickup truck, not attached, was picked up and thrown 150 yards down wind into a field. Another RV was tipped over on its side. Winds here estimated at 80-85 mph. The very back of the auto shop had its roof damaged. There were 3 trees knocked down or snapped northeast of the shop and no damage was observed beyond 150 yards northeast of it. Several witnesses observed the tornado, and there is video evidence as well. There were reports of a tornado near the 86 mile marker on I-64, but no damage was observed.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindPatoka Lake$50,000Thunderstorm winds destroyed a storage shed and overturned a small boat and trailer at Wickliffe on the south side of Patoka Lake. St. Joseph County South Bend,28,1530EST,,,1,0,0,0,Lightning Lightning fatality just south of Cleveland Road on Riverside Drive near Boland Drive. Young boy was fishing on the St. Joseph River with his cousin. They took shelter under trees during the brief storm. (M16O)
July 2016Thunderstorm WindMarengo$35,000The public reported trees down on a house.
May 2017Thunderstorm WindSulphur$25,000The Crawford County emergency manager reported that severe thunderstorm winds blew off a porch from a mobile home and damaged a metal outbuilding.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindDeuchars$20,000A tree blew down on a transformer.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindTaswell$20,000Trees and power lines were reported down in Taswell, Indiana.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindMarengo$15,000There were power poles/lines and a tree down across the road.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg$15,000Trees and power lines blew down in Grantsburg, Indiana.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindMarengo$15,000Crawford County dispatch reported trees down on power lines in the town and west of town on State Road 64 in Marengo, Indiana.
September 2018Thunderstorm WindSulphur$15,000A tree blew down on a power line.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindGrantsburg$15,000A tree fell on a mobile home.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindMilltown$10,000There was a tree down on a power pole on Speed Road.
July 2015Flash FloodTaswell$10,000A Crawford County official reported that a family was evacuated and rescued due to high water and flash flooding in Taswell. The dispatcher also reported that numerous roads throughout the county were closed and impassable because of flash flooding. Between 3 and 5 inches of rain quickly fell in the area from a localized slow moving thunderstorm.
December 2015Thunderstorm WindMarengo$10,000Local law enforcement officials reported that trees fell down over power lines due to severe thunderstorm winds.
April 2005Thunderstorm WindCountywide$10,000Aluminum siding was torn from a building in English. Trees and power lines were downed countywide.
May 1999Tornado (F1)Eckerty$10,000The second tornado in Eckerty downed large trees and turned over a car that was about 100 feet away from the trees. The tornado also blew out windows of one side of a house but left the chimney on the roof undisturbed.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindEnglish$7,500Trees were blown on to a vehicle.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindCurby$5,000An attached carport had half of its roof torn off, and at least 4 large trees in the front and side yards had limbs around 6 inches in diameter broken off and lying on the ground.
April 2015Thunderstorm WindBeechwood$5,000The public reported that a boat and trailer were flipped over due to severe thunderstorm wind gusts.
April 2015Thunderstorm WindSulphur Spgs$5,000The public reported a porch roof was damaged due to severe thunderstorm winds gusts.
April 2012Thunderstorm WindMarengo$5,000Crawford County emergency management reported power lines down near Marengo. Also, several vehicles were damaged by hail.
March 2010Thunderstorm WindEnglish$5,000Five trees were downed in English. One was blown on to a house.
September 2009Flash FloodWyandotte$5,000The roadway was washed out near Shafer Ridge Road and Wyandotte Cave Road.
May 1999Tornado (F1)Eckerty$5,000A tornado lifted a large tree, moved it 10 to 15 feet, and then deposited it on a nearby house.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindEnglish$5,000no account filed
August 2005Thunderstorm WindMilltown$5,000no account filed
April 1996Thunderstorm WindRiddle$5,000no account filed
April 2014Flash FloodMarengo$3,000The local police reported that water covered numerous intersections within Marengo, including State Highway 66. One family was evacuated from their home due to threatened flooding. In English, emergency personnel had to respond to a stalled car at the intersection of State Roads 237 and 64.
May 1971Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
September 2018Flash FloodPilot Knob$2,000A creek flowed out of its banks and flowed through a barn. Much of the owner's yard was underwater.
October 2009Flash FloodLeavenworth$2,000State Route 66 was impassable at State Route 62. Debris covered the roadway, including a box trailer that had floated onto the road, blocking all traffic flow.
April 2020Thunderstorm WindHogtown$1,000A house had a window blown out on Ross Road. There was also tree damage in the area.
August 1994Thunderstorm WindCrawford$1,000Power lines blown down near Hutsonville Illinois.
June 1994Thunderstorm Windnot stated$500County Sheriff reported several downed trees in Eckerty and Wickliffe.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindEnglish-There were numerous trees down along State Road 64, west of English.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindHogtown-There was tree damage along Liberty View Road, north of Milltown.
March 2025HailCurby-There was one inch hail near Curby.
March 2024Thunderstorm WindTower-Several telephone poles were blown down on State Road 66.
February 2024Thunderstorm WindTaswell-A large tree was uprooted and fell on a pickup truck.
May 2024Tornado (EF0)Sulphur Spgs-The National Weather Service in Louisville, in coordination with Crawford County Indiana Emergency Management, concluded that a brief EF0 tornado touched down a tenth of a mile southwest of Sulphur Springs on the evening of May 7, 2024. The tornado touched down near the Stinking Fork just south of Sulphur Springs where it uprooted some hardwoods and scattered them in differing directions. The tornado then traveled east northeast where it destroyed the lean-to of a small barn, scattering debris|downwind. The tornado then widened to approximately 80 yards where it threw a carport about 75 yards to the northeast onto South Old Union Church Road. From here, the tornado maintained intensity with estimated 75 to 80 mph winds where a few trees were uprooted and downed in differing directions, mostly to the north of the|easterly storm motion. One healthy hardwood was even downed back|to a northwest direction, providing strong evidence of the cyclonic rotation. The tornado ended after it downed one more hardwood about 0.2 miles east southeast of Sulphur Springs just before South Old Union Church Road.
April 2024Thunderstorm WindTower-On Wednesday April 3rd at approximately 1:20 PM EDT, the National Weather Service in Louisville conducted a damage assessment survey in Carefree, Indiana for damage caused by an afternoon storm on Tuesday. ||Wind damage was observed at the firehouse east of State Road 66. Metal siding between the top of a block wall and the roof was blown in near the fascia. The bottom of the metal siding remained attached to the building above the block wall. Once the wind was able to enter the structure, the northern half of the roof was completely blown off the building. Some of the roof struck the newly installed outdoor warning siren which sits next to the north side of the building. Pieces of roofing and insulation blew up to 170 yards to the east-southeast before coming to rest on a tree and fence. Within this 170 yards, a trail of debris remained on the ground, in trees, and against trailers and a building on private property along the northern extent of the debris field.||After reviewing radar data, survey points, and detailed drone images from the Milltown Police Department, it's determined that a collapsing storm core produced the approximate 90 mph wind that caused the damage to the firehouse.
April 2024Thunderstorm WindPilot Knob-There were many trees reported down in Crawford County.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindEckerty-A tree was blown down by strong winds, bringing power lines down with it.
March 2023Flash FloodTemple-The road was washed out at the intersection of Temple Road and Mulzer Quarry Road.
March 2023Thunderstorm WindLeavenworth-Trees were blown down in Leavenworth.
March 2023HailBeechwood-Hail between half dollar and ping pong ball size was reported near Beechwood.
April 2023Thunderstorm WindDeuchars-There were several softwood trees snapped, uprooted, or with broken branches along a short section of Beechwood Road. Tree damage was oriented to the southeasterly and easterly directions.
April 2023Thunderstorm WindCape Sandy-A large tree was uprooted and fell on a power line.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindEnglish-Trees and power lines were blown down.
July 2023HailBeechwood-Quarter sized hail was observed in Beechwood.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindSulphur-Trees were blown over near Sulphur.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindMarengo-A large tree limb was blown down over the road near Marengo.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindEnglish-The Lucas Oil Golf Course had scattered mature tree damage over the whole property.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindPilot Knob-Eight to ten large trees were blown down on East Administrative Road near South Jenkins Road. A few of the trees fell on a trailer and cars.

Mines and quarries

9 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 9 workings inside this county. 8 still produce and 1 is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Stone, Crushed/Broken6
Stone2
Fluorine-Fluorite1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Unnamed Fluorite OccurrencesFluorine-FluoriteOccurrenceFluorite
Crawford County PitStoneProducer
Eckerty MineStoneProducer
Cape Sandy Quarry #1Stone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Cape Sandy Quarry #2Stone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Eckerty QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Marengo Mine & MillStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Temple QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Tower QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer

The county's history books

142,484 words

One book written about this county, cut here where the book itself is cut, at its printed chapters: 26 chapters in all. Every chapter is public domain, machine-read from the scan and reproduced complete. A chapter already given under one of the county's towns is not repeated in this list.

A History of Crawford County (1926)

ChapterLength
Chapter 1: Early History7,269 words
Chapter 2: Fredonia4,542 words
Chapter 3: Leavenworth5,335 words
Chapter 4: Pioneer Days of the Twenties2,401 words
Chapter 5: The County in the Thirties3,704 words
Chapter 6: The County in the Forties3,177 words
Chapter 7: Alton1,658 words
Chapter 8: Early Roads2,562 words
Chapter 9: Roaring Fifties2,450 words
Chapter 10: English1,326 words
Chapter 11: Occupations and Customs7,154 words
Chapter 12: Education6,761 words
Chapter 13: The Terrible Sixties3,882 words
Chapter 14: The Civil War19,112 words in 2 parts
Chapter 15: The Seventies7,643 words
Chapter 16: The County in the Eighties2,803 words
Chapter 17: Chapter on Education Continued5,279 words
Chapter 18: English After the War4,397 words
Chapter 19: The County in the Nineties3,837 words
Chapter 20: Marengo After the War10,792 words
Chapter 21: Crawford County in Later Years10,645 words
Chapter 2210,794 words
Chapter 23: Odds and Ends3,665 words
Chapter 245,259 words
Chapter 25: Politics in Crawford County1,223 words
Chapter 26: Who's Who from Crawford County4,814 words

Every populated place in the county

32

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.