BlockFrom the record
2 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Pike County, Indiana
55 topographic sheets cover 43 settlements here, and 2 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 735 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 2 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 2 buildings.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 43 populated places in this county; 43 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
Places on the National Register
2Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Palace Lodge | building | 1984 | 84001217 |
 | Pike County Courthouse | building | 2008 | 08000913 |
Wildfire, 1999 to 2016
8 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 8 of them, burning about 1,620 acres. None started naturally and 1 was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 2 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
| Smoking | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 April 2013 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 716 acres | Indiana Division of Forestry | COAL CAR |
| 13 April 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 365 acres | Indiana Division of Forestry | WINSLOW SPOILS |
| 28 February 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 356 acres | Indiana Division of Forestry | INTERLAKE MINE |
| 9 October 2001 | Smoking | 80 acres | Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge | BRITTINGHA |
| 5 April 2002 | Arson/incendiarism | 60 acres | Hoosier National Forest | PIKE FIRE |
| 18 November 1999 | Debris and open burning | 40 acres | Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge | LANGFORD |
| 28 October 2010 | Recreation and ceremony | 1.5 acres | Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge | OATSVILLE |
| 19 February 2016 | Recreation and ceremony | 1.0 acres | Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge | BOYD TRAIL FIRE |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1954 to 2025
60 of 333 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 333 reports for this county, causing 7 deaths, 63 injuries and about $37,185,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Flood | 122 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 91 |
| Hail | 50 |
| Tornado | 32 |
| Flash Flood | 29 |
| Heavy Rain | 4 |
| Funnel Cloud | 3 |
| Lightning | 2 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1990 | Tornado (F4) | not stated | 6 killed, 60 hurt, $25,000,000 | no account filed |
| December 2013 | Flood | Ivy | 1 killed, 1 hurt, $20,000 | Moderate flooding occurred along the White River. There was extensive flooding of bottomland fields and woods in northern Pike County. Floodwaters came onto State Route 257 east of Petersburg, resulting in a fatality. A vehicle containing a man and his wife drove into floodwaters just south of the State Route 257 bridge, then became submerged. The couple got out of the vehicle and clung to some tree branches in the water. The man and a dog were rescued, but the body of the man's wife was not found for several days. The man was transported to a regional hospital for treatment of hypothermia. The submerged pickup truck was located about 75 yards from the roadway. Some bottomland county roads were flooded, some by several feet of water. County roads that were flooded east of State Route 57 included 750N, 600N, and 1000E. Pike County roads that flooded west of Route 57 included 250W, 400W, 675N, 700N, 1000W, 900W, 700W, and 775W. Several small oil fields were inaccessible. High water isolated some river cabin residents. At the Petersburg river gage, the river crested at 24.43 feet on the 29th. Flood stage is 16 feet. |
| September 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Petersburg | 1 hurt, $2,000 | Windows were blown out of a house. Broken glass injured the arm of a woman. |
| June 1998 | Lightning | Petersburg | 1 hurt | A trained storm spotter was injured by lightning. The injuries were not life-threatening. |
| June 1990 | Tornado (F4) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| June 1990 | Tornado (F4) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| March 2025 | Tornado (EF2) | Dongola | $1,500,000 | An EF-2 tornado developed just northeast of Haubstadt in Gibson County and moved northeast through Oakland City and into Pike County. It continued northeast through mostly rural areas, damaging trees, power poles and outbuildings, and eventually crossed the White River into Daviess County just east of County Road 257. The most significant damage occurred along County Road 356 east of Algiers, where several metal truss high transmission towers were crumpled. The estimated peak wind was 120 mph. The total length of the tornado was just shy of 58 miles. |
| May 2006 | Tornado (F2) | Otwell | $1,000,000 | About five homes were destroyed. Roughly 15 other homes received major damage, primarily to roofs. Some roofs were removed. Two businesses sustained major roof damage. One mobile home was overturned and blown into a neighboring mobile home, causing extensive damage to it. Individuals were trapped in one home, but no injuries were reported. One travel trailer and one tractor trailer were overturned. Numerous trees and power lines were downed, blocking roads into the community. The damage path began just west of the intersection of Highway 356 and County Road 900E. The damage path extended east-southeast, ending just northwest of County Road 250N where it intersects the Dubois County line. Peak winds were estimated near 120 MPH. |
| April 1998 | Tornado (F2) | Otwell | $500,000 | The tornado destroyed two large barns and five or six smaller outbuildings. Significant damage occurred to two farm houses. Several trees and power poles were snapped off. Some two-by-fours and a large saw blade were embedded in homes. |
| May 1996 | Flash Flood | Arthur | $500,000 | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Flood | Petersburg | $300,000 | Major flooding continued on the White River from April. At the Petersburg river gage, the river crested at 26.88 feet on May 3. This was the fifth highest crest on record, and less than a foot below the January, 2005 flood. The Dodge City area flooded extensively. Levees were monitored, but no major problems were reported. Numerous roads flooded. Flood waters approached State Road 56 near Bowman. Livestock were moved. Several bottomland roads were flooded, some by several feet of water. Flooded roads east of State Route 57 included County Roads 750N, 600N, and 1000E. Pike County roads flooded west of State Route 57 included County Roads 250W, 400W, 675N, 700N, 1000W, 900W, 700W, and 775W. |
| May 2002 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $280,000 | no account filed |
| February 2011 | Tornado (EF2) | Little | $250,000 | The tornado entered Pike County from Gibson County about 1.5 miles east of Oakland City. Damage was primarily to trees in this rural area. Hundreds of large trees were snapped off or uprooted, and barn roofs were blown off. A garage was demolished near Arthur. The most intense damage occurred two miles east of Arthur, where peak winds were estimated near 115 mph. Average path width was 300 yards. |
| May 1978 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 1996 | Tornado (F2) | Arthur | $200,000 | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Coe | $150,000 | Hundreds of trees were either snapped or uprooted. Numerous homes received minor roof damage. The damage began about 3.5 miles east-southeast of Oakland City just east of the railroad tracks. Areas just south of Arthur were affected. The damage continued across Highway 61 and Highway 64, as well as areas on either side of County Road 364. The damage stayed south of the Patoka River. Peak winds were estimated around 85 mph. |
| February 2011 | Tornado (EF0) | Otwell | $150,000 | A few homes had partial roof loss. Several homes sustained shingle damage. The roof was blown off a two-car garage and a large farm shed. About a dozen trees were down or damaged. The average path width was 150 yards. Peak wind was estimated about 85 mph. |
| April 2006 | Tornado (F1) | Pikeville | $120,000 | The tornado touched down in Pikeville and moved east, lifting just west of the Dubois County border. Peak winds were estimated near 110 MPH. A mobile home was destroyed when it was picked up and thrown into a barn. The barn was also destroyed. The tornado moved a combine 15 to 20 yards and dropped it on a cow. The cow was killed, and the combine was damaged. Numerous trees were either blown down or snapped off halfway. As the tornado went over a pond, an eyewitness saw water sucked up into the funnel. |
| April 2011 | Tornado (EF1) | Spurgeon | $110,000 | The tornado began on Indiana Route 61 just south of Spurgeon. It travelled northeast across the eastern outskirts of Spurgeon. Numerous trees were snapped at the base. Several trees were uprooted. Several homes received minor roof damage. A barn was damaged, with debris carried a couple hundred yards. A small building was destroyed. Severe straight-line winds caused other damage throughout the town of Spurgeon. Peak winds were estimated near 105 mph. The average path width was 200 yards. |
| April 2017 | Flash Flood | Spurgeon | $100,000 | A trained spotter near Stendal measured 8.32 inches of rain in 12 hours. Excessive runoff from hilly farm fields made driving impossible on some county roads. Ponds and creeks were out of their banks. State Highway 61 was closed between State Route 64 and Spurgeon. Numerous county roads were impassable. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ivy | $100,000 | A microburst with peak winds estimated near 90 mph affected an area one and a quarter miles wide and five miles long. One vacant mobile home was overturned. Several homes and buildings received minor roof damage, typically partial shingle loss. Dozens of trees and limbs were blown down. Highways 56 and 356 were blocked for a time. The biggest obstruction was on Highway 356 about a quarter-mile west of Highway 257, where downed trees, power lines, and power poles blocked the road for about nine hours. Several power lines were down. A car port was destroyed. |
| January 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Coe | $100,000 | At least seven homes across the county sustained damage. The most severe house damage occurred in the Coe area. A two-car garage was destroyed, with debris blown onto Highway 61. Pieces of the garage were blown through the roof of the house. A central air conditioning unit was blown off its pad. A house next door lost part of its roof. A pole barn was blown apart near Cato. Across the county, a large number of trees were blown down. At least 15 roads were impassable at one point, including State Highway 56. Near Winslow, a tree was blown onto a house with damage to the front of the home. Schools were closed the following day. |
| June 2008 | Flood | Petersburg | $100,000 | Major flooding occurred on the White River. At Petersburg, the river crested at 26.96 feet on the 12th. Flood stage is 16 feet. This flood crest was slightly lower than the crest of January, 2005. Flood waters were at the edge of State Route 56 near Bowman. Some evacuations were necessary. River cabins were under water. Damage occurred to the rural county road system. The Dodge City area flooded extensively. |
| May 1999 | Tornado (F2) | Campbelltown | $100,000 | The tornado destroyed a mobile home and damaged about a dozen houses. Top winds were estimated near 130 MPH. There was extensive tree damage. |
| October 2001 | Tornado (F0) | Petersburg | $70,000 | A weak tornado briefly touched down in Petersburg, with peak winds to 75 MPH. Two houses were unroofed, and their windows were blown out. Two car windshields were shattered by blowing debris. Metal siding was deposited in power lines. The walls of two businesses were knocked down or cracked.The damage area was mainly from 4th Street to 7th Street on the north side of Highway 57. |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Winslow | $70,000 | Trees were blown down onto a few homes. Power poles and lines were down. A porch was damaged by wind. |
| May 2016 | Tornado (EF1) | Algiers | $50,000 | The tornado began along Highway 356 and then turned more east along East County Road 325N. The tornado ended right near the Dubois County line. Most of the damage near Highway 356 was tree damage. Where the tornado crossed County Road 850E, one home received substantial damage. The attached garage was blown down, and some windows and doors were broken. A farm building and a small shed were blown down. Dozens of trees along the path were broken or uprooted. Peak winds were estimated near 90 mph. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Winslow | $50,000 | Large trees were uprooted along Highway 57. Some trees blocked roads countywide. |
| May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $50,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down at many locations in the county. A tree fell on a house in Winslow. A road was blocked at Petersburg. Two mobile homes were destroyed at Glezen. Gusts to 60 MPH were reported at Campbelltown and Ayrshire. |
| May 1996 | Tornado (F0) | Cato | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Stendal | $40,000 | The roof of a house was damaged, along with the porch roof. Branches were blown down. An auto was struck by large tree branches and severely damaged. |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $40,000 | Extensive damage to trees and power lines occurred. In Winslow, 100-year-old trees were blown down. At least one tree fell on a house and car. A barn was destroyed on Highway 61 near Arthur. Trees and power lines were down along Highway 57 south of Petersburg. |
| April 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Winslow | $40,000 | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Flood | Alford | $30,000 | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Flash Flood | Petersburg | $30,000 | no account filed |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Petersburg | $25,000 | A three-foot diameter tree fell on the corner of a house in Alford, and several trees and power lines were down just southeast of Prides Creek Park. Some other large diameter trees were down. |
| January 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cato | $25,000 | A house trailer was blown a few feet off its foundation. In the same area, a utility pole was blown over. |
| April 1989 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 1983 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| February 2019 | Flood | Petersburg | $20,000 | Moderate flooding occurred on the White River. At the Petersburg river gage, the river crested at 25.59 feet on the 14th. Flood stage is 16 feet. River cabins in the bottomlands were evacuated. Livestock were moved. Water was over State Route 257. Numerous county roads were flooded, some by several feet of water. Several small oil fields are inaccessible. Considerable amounts of farmland were flooded, but planting of crops was not underway yet. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Petersburg | $20,000 | Numerous trees and power lines were down north of Petersburg and in Winslow. |
| June 2019 | Flood | Petersburg | $20,000 | Moderate flooding occurred on the White River. At the Petersburg river gage, the river crested at 25.10 feet on the 24th. Flood stage is 16 feet. River cabins in the bottomlands were evacuated. Livestock were moved. Water was over State Route 257. Numerous county roads were flooded, some by several feet of water. Several small oil fields were inaccessible. Considerable amounts of farmland were flooded, causing a high agricultural impact. This flood crest was very similar to the February flood crest. |
| April 2018 | Flood | Petersburg | $20,000 | Moderate flooding continued on the White River from late March. At the Petersburg river gage, the river crested at 25.49 feet on April 9. Flood stage there is 16 feet. A flood has exceeded the 25-foot level each year since January, 2004. This flood crest was just a few inches higher than the crest a month earlier, in March. Evacuations began from river cabins. Livestock were moved. Water reached State Route 257. Extensive flooding of low-lying areas inundated numerous Pike County roads, some by several feet of water. These roads included 750N, 600N, 1000E, 250W, 400W, 675N, 700N, 1000W, 900W, 700W, and 775W. |
| May 2017 | Flood | Bowman | $20,000 | Moderate flooding occurred on the White River. At the Petersburg river gage, the river crested at 25.44 feet on the 11th. Flood stage is 16 feet. This flood crest was about one-half foot below the flood crest of March, 2008. Levees were monitored closely. Numerous roads were flooded. Flood waters approached State Road 56 near Bowman. Extensive flooding occurred in Dodge City. Evacuations began from river cabins in Dodge City. Extensive flooding affected agricultural and rural residential areas. Oil fields were inaccessible. State Road 257 south of Washington was completely flooded. |
| January 2016 | Flood | Petersburg | $20,000 | Moderate flooding of the White River continued into January. At the Petersburg river gage, the river crested at 23.93 feet on the 4th. Flood stage there is 16 feet. Extensive flooding affected agricultural and rural residential areas. Numerous roads were flooded. Pike County roads that were flooded, some by several feet of water, included 750N, 600N, 1000E, 250W, 400W, 675N, 700N, 1000W, 900W, 700W, and 775W. Several rural county roads were flooded. Several small oil fields were inaccessible. High water isolated some river cabins. State Road 257 south of Washington was completely flooded. |
| March 2015 | Flood | Petersburg | $20,000 | Moderate flooding occurred on the White River. At the Petersburg river gage, the river crested at 23.62 feet on the 17th. Flood stage is 16 feet. Extensive flooding affected agricultural and rural residential areas. Several rural county roads were flooded. Several small oil fields were inaccessible. High water isolated some river cabins. State Road 257 south of Washington completely flooded. |
| June 2013 | Tornado (EF1) | Otwell | $20,000 | A wooden equipment storage shed was destroyed. The shed was approximately 40 by 80 feet in size. Peak wind speeds were estimated near 100 mph. Trained spotters reported a funnel cloud of varying intensity, which would occasionally seem to dissipate and then re-form. |
| January 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Petersburg | $20,000 | A portion of the metal roof of a welding shop was blown off. A large sheet of metal blew down the street into an intersection. Some shingles were blown off roofs. |
| May 2011 | Tornado (EF1) | Coe | $20,000 | Several dozen trees were uprooted or snapped. Peak winds were estimated near 95 mph. The average path width was 40 yards. |
| May 2011 | Tornado (EF1) | Winslow | $20,000 | Several dozen trees were uprooted or snapped. Some trees had trunks of two feet in diameter. Peak winds were estimated near 95 mph. The average path width was 35 yards. |
| April 2011 | Flash Flood | Alford | $20,000 | Numerous county roads were nearly impassable. Creeks overflowed onto county roads. On State Route 364, a car became completely submerged. High water signs were posted on major thoroughfares such as State Routes 61 and 56. |
| March 2008 | Flood | Petersburg | $20,000 | Moderate flooding of the White River occurred. At the Petersburg gage, the river crested at 25.89 feet on March 25. Flood stage there is 16 feet, and moderate flooding begins at 23 feet. This flood crest was just under the major flood stage of 26 feet. This was the sixth highest flood crest in about 100 years of record. It was the worst flood since the January, 2005 flood. Levees were monitored closely. Numerous roads were flooded. Flood waters approached State Road 56 near Bowman. Extensive flooding occurred in Dodge City. Evacuations began from river cabins in Dodge City. Livestock were moved. Extensive flooding affected agricultural and rural residential areas. Oil fields were inaccessible. State Road 257 south of Washington was completely flooded. |
| April 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $20,000 | Widespread damage occurred due to gusts estimated near 70 MPH. The most severe and concentrated damage was reported from Alford east to Algiers, where gusts were estimated from 70 to 90 MPH. Numerous trees and power lines were down in the county. |
| July 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $20,000 | Thunderstorms dumped very heavy rain over the county. Spotters reported 2 to 4 inches of rain fell within 3 hours, mainly over north portions of the county. Spotters reported 3 to 4 inches of water was over some roads in the Winslow area. |
| April 1996 | Flash Flood | Petersburg | $20,000 | no account filed |
| March 2018 | Flood | Petersburg | $15,000 | Moderate flooding continued on the White River from late February. At the Petersburg river gage, the river crested at 25.2 feet on March 2. Flood stage there is 16 feet. A flood has exceeded this level each year since January, 2004. Evacuations began from river cabins. Livestock were moved. Water reached State Route 257. Extensive flooding of low-lying areas inundated numerous Pike County roads, some by several feet of water. These roads included 750N, 600N, 1000E, 250W, 400W, 675N, 700N, 1000W, 900W, 700W, and 775W. |
| May 1999 | Tornado (F2) | Arthur | $15,000 | A tornado with estimated top winds of 130 MPH produced a damage path about a mile long. Since the track was through rural areas, the only structural damage was to a garage. Many trees were down. |
| May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Winslow | $15,000 | One barn was blown down and another barn was damaged several miles west of Winslow. Trees and power lines were down. |
| July 2025 | Flash Flood | Alford | $10,000 | Flash flooding was reported on multiple roads in Pike County. These roads included IN-61 near County Rd 300N, County Rd 150N, and County Rd 125S near County Rd 125W. Radar estimates of morning rainfall in the area were 2-3.5 with peak hourly rainfall of 1.5-2 within an hour. |
| July 2025 | Flood | Alford | $10,000 | Numerous roads remained closed in central Pike County as a result of slow runoff from morning torrential rainfall on already fairly saturated soils. |
Mines and quarries
1 recordedThe Survey's mineral resources record lists 1 working inside this county. It still produces. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Sand and Gravel, Construction | 1 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike Co. Hwy. Dept. | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Every populated place in the county
43Named 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.
-
Enos Corner
Monroe township · 47660 · On Honey Creek · Oakland City quadrangle
18 sheets, 1902 to 1986
-
Hartwell Junction
Marion township · 47590 · On Hog Branch · Augusta quadrangle
19 sheets, 1902 to 1986
-
Highbank Town
Jefferson township · 47564 · On Beech Creek · Sandy Hook quadrangle
14 sheets, 1945 to 1986
-
Marysville
Patoka township · 47598 · Near Turkey Hill · Oakland City quadrangle
18 sheets, 1902 to 1986
-
Oakland City Junction
Monroe township · 47660 · On Lick Creek · Oakland City quadrangle
18 sheets, 1902 to 1986
-
Petersburg
Washington township · 47567 · On Prides Creek · Petersburg quadrangle
17 sheets, 1902 to 1986
-
Scottsburg
Monroe township · 47585 · On South Patoka River · Augusta quadrangle
19 sheets, 1902 to 1986
-
West Petersburg
Washington township · 47567 · On Prides Creek · Petersburg quadrangle
17 sheets, 1902 to 1986
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.