33 topographic sheets cover 19 settlements here, and 3 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 National Register listings published here · the county-history sources tell 1 story and name 7 people · people the book names include Charles Emigh (Washington Township, 1928) (machine-read).
Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service
Among them: In The World War 37. These passages come from the identified county-history source books. Each inset names its own source and opens the exact section it comes from.
Already our boys were leaving for the camps to begin rigid training for the battling line. Service flags with their plue stars on white backgrounds, each star representing one boy in service, surrounded with a border of red hung in nearly every window. 'The stars soon began to change from blue to silver designating that one boy was wounded, and then, alas, the gold stars appeared for those who "went west.' Starke County's heart followed the boys as they entrained for camp.
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 | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 Steam Engine No. 2789 | object | 2024 | 100010742 | |
 | Starke County Bridge No. 39 | structure | 1993 | 93001413 |
 | Starke County Courthouse | building | 1986 | 86003170 |
The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 217 reports for this county, causing 5 deaths, 32 injuries and about $27,994,500 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 127 |
| Hail | 68 |
| Tornado | 18 |
| Flood | 2 |
| Flash Flood | 1 |
| Lightning | 1 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1965 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 4 killed, 27 hurt, $25,000,000 | no account filed |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | San Pierre | 1 killed, 1 hurt | A mobile home was overturned and destroyed as a result of a microburst. A 79 year old male lost his life and his wife (age unknown) was injured while inside the mobile home. An RV was also flipped nearby. Power poles and trees in the area showed no signs of damage. Winds were estimated between 70 and 80 mph. |
| March 1976 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 4 hurt, $25,000 | no account filed |
| February 2018 | Flood | Ora | $1,200,000 | Extensive flooding occurred across the county as rivers, creeks, streams and ditches could not keep up with the flood waters. Water was reported to be so high and fast that many ditches were breaking, allowing the water to spill onto roads and other areas. A levee on the Yellow River west of State Route 39 and south of State Route 8 was breached, causing extensive damage to the levee and increased flooding downstream. Portions of State Routes 8, 39, 10 and 23 as well as countless county roads were closed due to high water. Damage is estimated in excess of 1.2 million dollars. |
| March 2009 | Flood | Hamlet | $1,000,000 | Numerous roads were flooded with standing water ranging from six inches to a few feet in depth. The hardest hit areas were generally south of US 30 with at least 10 roads reported closed due to high water. The Kankakee River rose to a record level of 13.72 feet near Davis. Several lakes in the area, including Bass Lake, rose to well above levels and caused areas of flooding to adjacent properties. Damage is estimated at one million dollars. |
| September 1965 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 2019 | Lightning | Knox | $75,000 | Lightning struck a home in the city of Knox during a thunderstorm Tuesday evening. Local media did not provide an exact time, but appeared to be early evening so the time has been estimated. The home was a total loss. No one was injured in the fire. Damage is estimated at $75,000. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Koontz Lake | $50,000 | A large tree was uprooted, falling over onto a house in Koontz Lake, destroying the home. The home was not occupied at the time. |
| March 2026 | Tornado (EF0) | Toto | $35,000 | Video obtained from storm chasers claiming to be on the south-|southeast side of the parent mesocyclone clearly show two|distinct tornadoes occurring at the same time. One larger circulation|with numerous power flashes, with a smaller 2nd circulation off to |the southwest. Based on the unusual damage path that the NWS damage |assessment uncovered, this aligns with the idea that a small, |short-lived circulation formed on the southern periphery of the |large wedge tornado, producing brief EF-0 damage before dissipating. |
| March 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Brems | $35,000 | Report of a barn destroyed, with debris on SR 8 west of the Starke County Airport. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | San Pierre | $30,000 | Countless trees down, uprooted, or snapped. Power lines are down and some power poles broken. One instance of a tree uprooted and snapped, 6 to 10 inches in diameter. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | $30,000 | Trees and power lines were reported down in the North Judson area. The strong winds continued east into Bass Lake, where a 75 foot high tree was blown down onto a house, as well as a Ford Expedition sitting next to the house. A boat capsized on Bass Lake, but no injuries were reported. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | $25,000 | Several trees down on S Walnut street between Garden St and E Weninger. The alleyway west of there has trees damaged as well. Powerlines down too. |
| August 1979 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1968 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 1958 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 1958 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | $20,000 | Large sections of roof material blown off St. Peter Lutheran Church. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | $20,000 | Large tree limbs down and some power poles were bent. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Knox | $20,000 | Trees were uprooted or damaged around Knox. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | $15,000 | Several trees down on S Walnut St between Garden St and East Weninger. Powerlines and a pine tree down at St. Cyril and Methodist Church. |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hamlet | $15,000 | The Hamlet fire department reported damage to trees and power lines. One tree fell on a mobile home, splitting it in half. Trees were toppled on a golf course and on a motel. |
| March 2025 | Tornado (EF1) | Grovertown | $10,000 | Tornado developed 2 miles southwest of Ancilla College and quickly intensified to EF1 intensity as it raced northeastward. The tornado caused extensive tree and generally minor structural damage across the Ancilla College campus and Gilbert lake. Here the tornado widened to 750 yards before contracting down as it continued northeast. A mobile home was torn from its anchored undercarriage and overturned, injuring one inside. Several homes sustained generally minor siding and roof damage. Two barns just northeast of Ancilla college were flattened. Strong inflow winds were noted at many locations just east/southeast of the tornado track. |
| August 2006 | Hail | Hamlet | $10,000 | Hail to the size of baseballs was observed causing damage to vehicles, houses and crops. Damage amounts are estimated. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Knox | $5,000 | Multiple pictures on Facebook show 2 and 3 inch hailstones that fell in Knox. |
| April 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | $5,000 | Spotters reported farm wagons turned over...minor roof damage to a home...and trees and power lines down west of North Judson. |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Knox | $5,000 | The roof was torn off a building. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bass Station | $2,000 | A large tree branch is down and blocking the road. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | $2,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down northwest of North Judson. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hamlet | $2,000 | Amateur radio SKYWARN spotter reported trees down. |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Knox | $1,000 | Trees were blown down across Route 8 northwest of Knox. Winds were estimated to 90 mph in Knox. Two inches of rain fell in about 15 minutes. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Knox | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 2023 | Hail | Knox | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 2023 | Hail | Toto | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 2023 | Hail | Knox | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 2023 | Hail | Knox | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 2023 | Hail | Knox | $1,000 | no account filed |
| June 2023 | Hail | Knox | $1,000 | no account filed |
| July 1983 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250 | no account filed |
| May 1977 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $250 | no account filed |
| March 2026 | Tornado (EF2) | Lomax | - | Based on radar, an NWS Survey and reports from numerous spotter|and emergency management officials, one final tornado has been|confirmed with a cyclic supercell that originated in eastern|Illinois. The tornado quickly developed about 3 miles northeast|of the end of the Wheatfield, IN tornado, starting southwest of|the intersection of US 421 and CR W 400 S where 2 large pole|barns suffered extensive damage, as well as 3 empty grain bins.|The debris was carried up to a half mile downstream. Videos and|eyewitness reports indicate a large cone shaped funnel continued|northeast causing damage to trees, some center pivot irrigation|systems and a few other barns and homes, eventually crossing|State Road 39 near CR W 150 S. It then continued over mainly over|unplanted fields before causing some additional damage at SR|8 and CR N 250 E. It lifted just southeast of the Starke county|airport. The tornado has a few areas which suggested some multi|vortex funnels caused damage in the larger swath. After careful|analysis, along with storm chaser video footage and high|resolution satellite data, it was determined that a second weaker|tornado touched down south of Jackson for a brief period of time. |
| April 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | - | Public reports large tree limbs down. |
| August 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Toto | - | The public reported a total of 26 large trees were damaged in various fashions on a one acre lot. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Brems | - | Spotter reports dime to penny size hail. Estimated gusts of 35 mph to 45 mph. |
| September 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ober | - | Local media relayed a report of a few large trees and tree limbs snapped. A power line was down in the area as well. |
| April 2023 | Hail | San Pierre | - | Public report from MPing. |
| July 2022 | Hail | Koontz Lake Lake | - | Report from MPing. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hamlet | - | There were multiple trees down across the northern portion of the county. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Brems | - | Multiple trees down across much of western Starke County. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Knox | - | Numerous trees and power lines down across county. |
| July 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | - | A tree was blown down. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ober | - | Tree down. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bass Lake | - | Several trees and power lines down. |
| October 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | North Judson | - | The public reported a large tree was blown down, blocking State Route 10. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Brems | - | Report was received of trees and tree limbs down along state route 8 between N CR 100 W and N Range Road. |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hamlet | - | The local dispatch center reported trees and power lines down in the Hamlet area. |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grovertown | - | The local dispatch center reported a tree was blown down onto the road North of Oak Grove. |
| June 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Knox | - | Reports of several trees and powerlines down. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Brems | - | The automated weather observation system at the Starke County airport recorded a 63 mph wind gust. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Brems | - | Emergency management officials reported barn buildings were knocked over and suffered roof collapse. |
The Survey's mineral resources record lists 3 workings inside this county. 2 still produce and 1 is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Sand and Gravel, Construction | 2 |
| Stone | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starke Co. Hwy. Dept. | Stone | Producer | ||
| Bradley Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Starke County Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
The World War History of Starke County, Indiana devotes a chapter to each township: its boundaries and streams, who settled it and when, the mills, the schools and the churches. The one chapter is reproduced here in full. Each row shows the township's own shape and where it lies in the county, drawn from the Census Bureau's boundary. Which settlements belong to which township is computed from that same boundary, not taken from the book.
| Shape and position in the county | Township | Settlements in it | Length | Sections |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Township | Oak Grove, Ober | 7,082 words | 31 |
One book written about this county, cut here where the book itself is cut, at its printed chapters: 1 chapter 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.
| Chapter | Length |
|---|---|
| The whole text | 32,833 words in 3 parts |
Everyone The World War History of Starke County, Indiana stops to write about, with the section that describes them. Among them are the men who founded the place and governed the Territory. Each name opens the passage itself, in the words of 1928.
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.
California township · 46534 · By Cedar Point · Bass Lake quadrangle
10 sheets, 1953 to 1984
California township · 46534 · Near Pigeon Roost Hill · Bass Lake quadrangle
10 sheets, 1953 to 1984
Railroad township · 46366 · On Yellow River · English Lake quadrangle
10 sheets, 1953 to 1984
North Bend township · 46534 · By Cranberry Point · Bass Lake quadrangle
10 sheets, 1953 to 1984
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