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Lawrence County, Indiana

80 topographic sheets cover 52 settlements here, and 14 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

14 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Indiana within the United States
Lawrence County within Indiana

What the record shows

  • 989 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 14 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 6 districts, 6 buildings, 1 site and 1 structure.
  • 1 of the 14 listings was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 52 populated places in this county; 52 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

14

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
Bedford Courthouse Square Historic Districtdistrict199595000704
Bedford Northside Residential Historic Districtdistrict2024100010741
Bedford Southern Indiana Railroad Passenger Depotbuilding2021100006563
Green Hill Cemeterysite2025100011863
Helton-Mayo Farmdistrict199595000709
Indiana Limestone Company Buildingbuilding199393001412
Madden Schoolbuilding200000000673
Mitchell Downtown Historic Districtdistrict199797001175
Mitchell Opera Housebuilding198181000020
C. S. Norton Mansionbuilding197676000026
Otis Park and Golf Coursedistrict200202001560
William A. Ragsdale Housebuilding200202001565
Williams Bridgestructure198181000018
Zahn Historic Districtdistrict199898001100

Wildfire, 1997 to 2020

60 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 60 of them, burning about 154 acres. 3 started naturally and 6 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning28
Recreation and ceremony7
Missing data/not specified/undetermined6
Arson/incendiarism6
Equipment and vehicle use4
Misuse of fire by a minor3
Natural3
Smoking2
Other causes1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
8 November 1999Equipment and vehicle use15 acresHoosier National ForestPROSPECT
29 February 2004Debris and open burning15 acresHoosier National ForestSHAWSWICK FIRE
22 June 2012Equipment and vehicle use10 acresHoosier National ForestBALDWIN
7 March 2000Debris and open burning10 acresHoosier National ForestGUTHERIE TWO
12 April 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined8.0 acresHoosier National ForestFIBERTECH
17 March 2005Debris and open burning8.0 acresHoosier National ForestMAPLE RIDGE FIRE
22 March 2014Debris and open burning5.5 acresHoosier National ForestBACK CREEK
16 March 2005Debris and open burning5.0 acresHoosier National ForestCLARK SMITH RD. FIRE

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

Storms, 1955 to 2026

60 of 332 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 332 reports for this county, causing 4 deaths, 59 injuries and about $49,919,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind154
Hail80
Flood33
Flash Flood30
Tornado27
Lightning3
Funnel Cloud3
Heavy Rain2

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
March 2026FloodLawrenceport2 killed, $20,000The East Fork White River, while cresting in moderate flood stage in southeastern Lawrence County, swept away a truck carrying two people during the overnight early on the 9th. Both occupants were found submerged in 8 feet of water west of the Tunnelton community near the intersection of Earl Road and Lawrenceport Road.
June 1990Tornado (F4)not stated1 killed, 51 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
March 2006FloodBedford1 killed, $100,000no account filed
April 1994Tornado (F1)Mitchell3 hurt, $50,000A small tornado briefly touched down and destroyed a mobile home.
April 1994Tornado (F1)Bryantsville2 hurt, $500,000A small tornado briefly touched down heavily damaging four homes and causing minor damage to 11 homes. Also numerous trees and power lines were knocked down.
March 2009Tornado (EF3)Fayetteville1 hurt, $420,000This brief but powerful tornado had a steady track to the east-northeast, creating damage consistent of an EF3 strength tornado. A rating of EF3 corresponds with winds of 136 to 165 MPH. The maximum width of the tornado was approximately 1/8 mile. It completely destroyed the above ground portions of two homes, seriously damaged a trailer home, and created lesser damage to two other homes. It picked a full size school bus up, turned it around and onto its side, and moved it uphill onto the foundation of what had been an occupied home. The damage estimate is very rough.
May 1999LightningO Olitic1 hurt, $150,000no account filed
June 2008Tornado (EF1)Popcorn1 hurt, $120,000The tornado began in Greene County at 1010 EST approximately three miles east of Bloomfield, 200 meters north of Ore Branch Road, and 200 meters south of State Road 54. The tornado tracked 11.32 miles to the southeast before exiting Greene County. The tornado exited Greene County at 1027 and entered Lawrence County while passing through a grove of trees located 4,000 feet east of State Road 54, 4,000 feet north of State Road 54, and 6,500 feet west of Popcorn Church Road. The tornado continued to the southeast in Lawrence County for 15.83 miles until lifting at 1040 EST. The tornado was rated EF-1 while in both counties with a width of 100 yards. The total time on the ground was 40 minutes and 27.15 miles. Residences, trees, and barns were damaged in both counties with fifty thousand dollars of damage occurring in Greene County and 120,000 thousand dollars in damage occurring in Lawrence County. A school was also damaged in Greene County. One male was injured with a broken foot when debris landed on his foot in Lawrence County. Wind speeds were around 100 miles per hour.
April 1974Tornado (F3)not stated$25,000,000no account filed
June 2008FloodRiver Vale$15,000,000Flooding occurred along the East Fork White River in Lawrence County, including in the Rivervale, Bedford, and Williams areas due to heavy rain.
June 1990Tornado (F4)not stated$2,500,000no account filed
April 2025Flash FloodSilverville$500,000Numerous roads closed due to flash flooding across southeastern Indiana. Exact details were never known, but over 30 water rescues were performed.
April 1963Tornado (F3)not stated$250,000no account filed
February 1959Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
May 2011Tornado (EF3)Erie$150,000National Weather Service storm survey teams determined an EF-3 tornado struck near Bedford, damaging or destroying several buildings in a 6.8 mile long swath up to a quarter mile wide.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindBedford$125,000Numerous trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm wind gusts in Bedford and across the county. Over 6000 power outages caused by the storm across the county.
November 2017Tornado (EF1)Springville$125,000This EF1 tornado produced damage north of Springville. Over a dozen structures had minor to moderate damage with the worst damage being two destroyed mobile homes and a garage being destroyed. Dozens of hardwood trees were either snapped off or uprooted.
March 2025Tornado (EF0)Silverville$120,000A weak tornado began three-quarters of a mile southwest of the Silverville community, and tracked in an overall east-northeast direction before ending about 1.5 miles west-northwest of the Feldun Purdue Agircultural Center. Several farm buildings were impacted amid sporadic tree damage through and east-northeast of Silverville. The tornado then tracked through wooded areas north of Indiana Route 158 before impacting mostly wooded areas on the north side of the Fayetteville area. Southwest of Old Farm Road an old shed was destroyed along with some minor barn roof damage. The tornado skipped around causing sporadic damage between Old Farm Road and Tripleton Pike before ending a quarter-mile east-southeast of the intersection of Tripleton Pike and Indiana Creek Camp Road.||There was clear evidence of trees blown to the southwest along the northern portion of Old Farm Road, but otherwise it was often difficult to differentiate straight line wind and tornado damage. The vortex also likely skipped along its track, and may have been just off the ground for some of the path. Maximum winds estimated at 80 mph.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindSand Pit$100,000A large metal warehouse building sustained damage as thunderstorm wind entered|the structure under an awning on the south side of the building. Nearby tree damage was also noted.
March 2017Tornado (EF2)Bond$100,000This EF-2 tornado, with maximum wind speeds of 130 mph, collapsed 3 metal chicken barns and damaged or destroyed some outbuildings. The tornado continued southeast into NWS WFO Louisville's area of responsibility.
April 2006Tornado (F1)Mitchell$100,000Homes and businesses were damaged by a tornado that touched down briefly in Mitchell on the evening of 2 April 2006.
April 1996Tornado (F0)Bedford$100,000no account filed
September 2000LightningBedford$80,000no account filed
April 1995Thunderstorm Windnot stated$75,000Thunderstorm winds tore off part of the roof of a home in Orleans. An airplane hangar also received some damage from the winds. Another home in Orleans had a tree fall on the roof. A store window was also blown in.
March 2025Tornado (EF0)Avoca$70,000A short lived tornado began in a ravine about 0.4 of a mile east-northeast of the intersection of Indiana Routes 37 and 54. Tracking to the north-northeast, the majority of the damage was to the west of the southwest corner of Kentucky Hollow Road where a shed was completely destroyed along with significant damage to the residence's porch. The house saw some shingle damage with insulation blown on all 4 sides of the structure, while tornadic winds blew in the garage and partially blew out the cinder block foundation. The track ended on the west side of the Needmore community. Maximum winds estimated at 85 mph.
November 2013Tornado (EF1)Bedford$70,000At 1557EST, this EF-1 tornado touched down one mile west-northwest of Bedford and tracked across the north side of Bedford. Most of the funnel was aloft, but intermittently touched down several times which split and uprooted trees, knocked down power lines, and caused some roof and structural damage to several homes. The worst of the damage was along M, N, and O Streets on the north side of Bedford. Several witnesses observed one or two small, narrow funnels dropping up and down from a wide wall cloud. Many witnesses described a strong pressure change, a green sky, and a roar as the tornado went through. The tornado lifted for good at 1559EST 1.5 miles northeast of Bedford. NWS Louisville conducted this survey.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindFayetteville$50,000Thunderstorm wind gusts downed dozens of trees across Lawrence County. One tree was downed onto powerlines.
April 2020Thunderstorm WindFayetteville$50,000Significant damage in Fayetteville due to thunderstorm wind gusts. Power lines are down, roofs badly damaged, and large trees are down. Metal chimney at the Indian Creek volunteer fire department is bent. A 77 mph wind gust was measured via a personal weather station.
February 2008Thunderstorm WindMitchell$50,000A house had the windows shattered in it due to damaging thunderstorm winds. The storm also detached a wrap-around porch, leveled a garage, and destroyed a shelter house. A Harley motorcycle was smashed in the leveled garage. The roof of the house was damaged when it was picked up and moved two inches from its original location.
January 2008Thunderstorm WindBedford$50,000Part of a roof was blown off of a building due to damaging thunderstorm winds. A tree fell on the screened porch of another residence. Two small barns were destroyed due to the winds. Windows were broken out of a van. At least 30 windows were blown out around town. At another residence shingles were ripped from the house.
November 2005Tornado (F1)Coveyville$50,000An F1 tornado touched down briefly in northern Lawrence county, damaging two homes. This tornado came from the same supercell that spawned an F3 tornado in Daviess and Martin counties. The supercell would go on to produce an additional F3 in Bartholomew and Shelby counties later in the afternoon.
May 2002Flash FloodBedford$50,000SR 58 flooded in three different locations
May 2002Flash FloodCountywide$50,000no account filed
February 2019FloodSpringville$45,000Creek was severely out of its banks and was flooding yards and flooding vehicles due to heavy rainfall.
March 2009Tornado (EF0)Bedford$45,000A tornado, rated EF0, caused very brief damage along North Jackson Street in Lawrence County. Damage was mainly limited to a construction trailer, a metal corrugated garage rooftop, removal of roof tiles from a couple homes, and broken tree branches. The damage estimate is very rough.
April 2025Tornado (EF0)Holtonville$30,000This eleventh and final tornado to impact central Indiana touched down very briefly in a rural area southeast of Heltonville, immediately northeast of the intersection of Indiana Route 446 and Mundell Church Road. Here, damage was caused to a pole barn with debris blown to the northwest: the south facing wall was the only wall left standing with damage from the barn to the west of the structure. Two 2x4s were also embedded into the ground facing to the west-northwest. As the barn's anchoring was under code, peak wind gusts were estimated at only 80 mph.
April 2025Flash FloodWilliams$25,000State Road 58 was closed near Back Creek Road due to flash flooding. Numerous other roads closed. Total rainfall was between 1.2 and 2.9 inches.
July 2004Thunderstorm WindBedford$25,000Several trees were downed and a gas station canopy was damaged.
March 1955Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 2017Tornado (EF1)Mitchell$22,000This EF-1 tornado, with winds up to 110 mph, uprooted trees at the start of the path. Uphill, a barn's roof was lofted nearly 100 yards to the northeast. The associated house had the majority of the roof lofted and thrown over 100 yards to the northeast. The east wall of the house and garage displayed widespread mud and insulation splatter. Insulation also splattered inside the mailbox from an east wind component. A lamp post was broken, laying westward.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindDark Hollow$21,000A tree was downed on a house, cars were damaged, and a garage was damaged due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. An outbuilding was also destroyed on Twin Pond Road.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindShawswich$20,000Numerous reports of trees downed by thunderstorm wind gusts across the county with large volumes of debris in the road.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindJudah$20,000Thunderstorm winds damaged buildings across the county with no specific location noted.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindMurdock$20,000Houses and trees sustained damage due to thunderstorm winds.
February 1999Thunderstorm WindBedford$20,000no account filed
November 2017Thunderstorm WindSpringville$18,000Widespread damage across portions of Springville near Popcorn Road due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. A mobile home was damaged, a trailer was knocked over, and numerous trees were damaged.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindBedford$15,000Thunderstorm wind gusts blew out a transformer and downed at least one power pole.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindHartleyville$15,000Trees and power lines downed by thunderstorm wind gusts near the intersection of US Highway 50 and State Road 37.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindO Olitic$15,000Trees and utility lines were blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts.
October 2020Thunderstorm WindMitchell$15,000Tree was blown onto an apartment by thunderstorm wind gusts.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindJudah$15,000Part of a roof was peeled off at the Hillcrest Shops strip mall near the intersection of State Route 37 and Sieboldt Quarry Road in Judah due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts.
May 2011Tornado (EF1)Bond$15,000An EF-1 tornado crossed into Lawrence County about three miles south, southwest of Bond. This tornado then tracked northeast for approximately 1.7 miles before leaving Lawrence County about two miles southwest of Bono. The tornado then continued into Washington County. In total, this tornado was on the ground for approximately 3.2 miles before lifting. In Lawrence County, minor damage was done to a homestead and numerous trees were downed.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindBuddha$15,000A barn roof was reported to be blown off due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. Multiple trees were reported down as well, including a 14-inch diameter tree.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindO Olitic$15,000Trees and utility lines were blown down in Oolitic due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. One tree crashed into a home.
June 2009LightningNeedmore$15,000The Bedford Daily Times Mail reported that thunderstorm lightning sparked a house fire on Old Indiana 37 just north of Oolitic. Some electrical damage was noted in the home. The time and location of this event are estimated.
May 2008Flash FloodPatton Hill$15,000Part of State Road 54 near Avoca was reported to be damaged with parts of the road moving in the flood waters. Water was also approaching a few homes. This flash flooding was caused by heavy rain.
February 2008Thunderstorm WindMitchell$12,000A modular home moved 5 feet off its foundation due to damaging thunderstorm winds. A nearby barn was also damaged during this event. A board was wedged three feet into the ground due to the winds.
March 2008FloodRiver Vale$12,000Flooding occurred along the East Fork White River in Lawrence County, including near Rivervale, due to heavy rain. Flooding continued until April 9th at 12:40. Multiple roads were flooded due to heavy rain.
March 2008FloodCoxton$12,000Flooding occurred along the East Fork White River in Lawrence County, including near Bedford, due to heavy rain. Flooding continued until April 5th at 14:50. Multiple roads were flooded due to heavy rain.
March 2008FloodWilliams$12,000Flooding occurred along the East Fork White River in Lawrence County, including near Williams, due to heavy rain. Flooding continued until April 6th at 07:15. Multiple roads were flooded due to the heavy rain.

Mines and quarries

66 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 66 workings inside this county. 14 still produce and 52 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Iron32
Limestone, Dimension15
Aluminum8
Stone, Crushed/Broken5
Limestone, General2
Zinc1
Sulfur1
Fluorine-Fluorite1
Flagstone1
Sand and Gravel, Construction1

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Johnson QuarryFlagstoneProducer
Lawrence Co. Hwy. Dept.Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Sphalerite Occurrence Z81Zinc, SulfurOccurrenceSphalerite
Unnamed Fluorite OccurrenceFluorine-FluoriteOccurrenceFluorite
Baalbeck QuarryLimestone, GeneralPast Producer
Number 3 Needmore QuarryLimestone, GeneralPast Producer
Bedford Ground Limestone PlantStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Bedford Quarry and MillStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Mitchell Quarry and MillStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Sieboldt QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
V. I. Grissom QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
North Gardner MineAluminumPast Producer
North Gardner MineAluminumPast Producer
Pennsylvania Salt Company MineAluminumPast Producer
Pennsylvania Salt Company MineAluminumPast Producer
South Gardner MineAluminumPast Producer
South Gardner MineAluminumPast Producer
Wilson Halloysite DepositAluminumPast Producer
Wilson Halloysite DepositAluminumPast Producer
Dark Hollow QuarryLimestone, DimensionPast Producer
Dickenson PlantLimestone, DimensionPast Producer
Diehl Hollow QuarryLimestone, DimensionPast Producer
Elliott Stone Company, Inc.Limestone, DimensionProducer
Eureka QuarryLimestone, DimensionPast Producer
Evans QuarryLimestone, DimensionProducer
Guthrie QuarryLimestone, DimensionProducer
Joyner PlantLimestone, DimensionProducer
Klondike QuarryLimestone, DimensionPast Producer
Mcmillan PlantLimestone, DimensionProducer
Mcshain QuarryLimestone, DimensionProducer
P.M. and B. QuarryLimestone, DimensionProducer
Peerless QuarryLimestone, DimensionPast Producer
Reed QuarryLimestone, DimensionPast Producer
Walsh QuarryLimestone, DimensionProspect
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed MineIronPast Producer
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence
Unnamed ProspectIronOccurrence

Every populated place in the county

52

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.