BlockFrom the record
9 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service
Sullivan County, Indiana
74 topographic sheets cover 39 settlements here, and 9 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 678 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 9 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 6 buildings, 2 sites and 1 district.
- 1 of the 9 listings was added during the 1970s.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 39 populated places in this county; 39 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
Places on the National Register
9Every 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center Ridge Cemetery | site | 2018 | 100002499 | |
| Merom Site and Fort Azatlan | site | 1975 | 75000052 | |
| Merom-Gill Township Carnegie Library | building | 2019 | 100003512 | |
 | Shelburn Interurban Depot-THI&E Interurban Depot | building | 2015 | 15000890 |
 | Sherman Building | building | 1986 | 86002712 |
 | Sullivan County Courthouse | building | 2008 | 08001213 |
 | Sullivan County Poor Home | building | 2000 | 00000207 |
| Sullivan Courthouse Square Historic District | district | 2018 | 100002867 | |
 | Union Christian College | building | 1982 | 82000076 |
Wildfire, 2001 to 2005
17 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 17 of them, burning about 36 acres. 1 started naturally and 3 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 8 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 3 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 3 |
| Debris and open burning | 1 |
| Smoking | 1 |
| Natural | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 October 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 10 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 28 March 2001 | Debris and open burning | 5.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 22 March 2003 | Smoking | 4.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 15 March 2005 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 12 April 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 21 March 2005 | Arson/incendiarism | 3.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 17 March 2003 | Recreation and ceremony | 2.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 14 March 2004 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1956 to 2026
60 of 242 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 242 reports for this county, causing 3 deaths, 9 injuries and about $35,198,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 117 |
| Hail | 46 |
| Flood | 37 |
| Flash Flood | 26 |
| Tornado | 14 |
| Lightning | 1 |
| Heavy Rain | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2023 | Tornado (EF3) | Riverton | 3 killed, 8 hurt, $18,160,000 | This was the rotating supercell's first tornado, having traversed through Illinois for nearly 28 miles, producing EF3 damage before entering Indiana. The tornado crossed the Wabash River, entering Sullivan County 1.8 miles south of Merom. Near Merom, the tornado severely damaged 3 homes and destroyed a modular home which was thrown at least 200 yards to destruction. Two occupants of this home were killed. Also, a large trailer and several cars were thrown tens of yards from their resting location. The violent winds sheared off trees approximately 20 to 30 feet above ground.||The tornado continued across southern portions of the City of Sullivan. Dozens of homes and structures were severely damaged or destroyed, indicating the strongest winds of the tornado's entire 41-mile track that peaked near 165 mph. The tornado continued to locations immediately south-southeast, and then southeast of Sullivan, destroying at least 3 additional homes, including a modular home which was thrown at least 150 yards. One occupant of this home was killed, while the other was injured. Many trees were again sheared 20 to 30 feet off the ground. Continuing to the east-northeast, the circulation began to weaken as it continued into a wooded area, damaging numerous trees before lifting off the ground 3.3 miles east of Sullivan. Much damage in the area reached EF2-intensity (111-135 mph winds), with several locations where winds reached the EF3-intensity (136-165 mph winds). |
| May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Fairbanks | 1 hurt, $20,000 | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Flood | Merom Station | $15,000,000 | Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in western Sullivan County, including near Riverton, due to heavy rainfall. |
| February 2026 | Tornado (EF0) | Carlisle | $300,000 | An EF-0 tornado tracked 4.10 miles over southern Sullivan County, between the Paxton and Carlisle communities. The maximum path width was 300 yards with multiple outbuildings significantly or completely destroyed and damage to trees. The supercell originally spawned two weak tornadoes in Crawford County, Illinois, which lifted before crossing the Wabash River into southwestern Sullivan County near Indiana Route 58. The tornado appeared to frequently come in contact with the ground at a few locations east of Route 58 but never remained in contact with the ground for a long distance, yet demonstrated damage that reflects high-end EF0 winds around 80 mph. The tornado maintained EF-0 intensity as it moved east-northeast through agricultural land, snapping a mix of large hardwood and softwood trees before lifting from Sullivan County. Damage was observed just northwest of Carlisle, where several small outbuildings sustained major damage. In this location, wind speeds were estimated at 80 mph, consistent with EF-0 intensity. The tornado continued across US-41 just south of Paxton, where the strongest damage, an additional outbuilding completely destroyed along with several large trees knocked over and snapped, was consistent with winds upwards of 85 mph; the storm survey estimates that the width of the tree damage spanned around 300 yards in an adjacent field. Peak wind speeds were estimated at 85 mph. |
| May 1973 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 1963 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $150,000 | Water across several roads. |
| April 2025 | Flash Flood | New Lebanon | $100,000 | Flooding on south section of the street near Family Dollar and Back street. Cars having to slow down due to flowing water. Total rainfall was around 3.75 inches. |
| March 2006 | Flood | Riverton | $100,000 | no account filed |
| March 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | New Lebanon | $80,000 | Thunderstorm wind damage consistent with straight line winds during a brief downburst. The line of thunderstorms produced a very brief bowing segment around 1208 am EST from just south of Merom to just north of County Road 625 South. Assessment of damage shows property and debris thrown in a generally eastward direction with little or no lofting of debris noted.||Thunderstorm winds blew over a recreational vehicle into a pick-up truck at 5151 West County Road 400 South. This impact rolled the truck upside down. Walls of a pole barn were compromised and blown out. HVAC compressor next to the adjacent house was blown off its platform although essentially no damage occurred to house. The yard showed no signs of swirls. Local resident also reported on social media that trees and power lines were also down. Debris from other damage was also reported in the road 1.75 mile to the WSW at Indiana Route 58 and County Road 450 South. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Paxton | $70,000 | A barn was blown down along with some large trees. |
| May 2002 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Sullivan | $30,000 | Numerous cars were helped out of high water on various low spots on the roadways due to heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | New Lebanon | $30,000 | Roof was blown off a barn, and a large propane tank was moved. |
| April 1990 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| September 1969 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| March 1957 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1957 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Tornado (EF0) | Sullivan | $20,500 | An EF0 tornado briefly occurred near 621 E. Silver Street in Sullivan, Indiana. Damage was done to a home at this location. There was damage to a roof, one bathroom window was blown out, and a trampoline was blown over. Roof debris was spread out over the owner's lawn, with some shingles blown into a nearby tree and one large piece of ply wood from the roof was blown over the neighbor's house, up into a tree approximately 40 feet high. |
| April 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sullivan | $20,000 | Several large tree limbs and trees snapped due to thunderstorm wind gusts across the area with a concentrated area within the town of Sullivan. Numerous power outages reported as well. |
| April 2011 | Flash Flood | Sullivan | $20,000 | Numerous roads were reported to be flooded due to thunderstorm heavy rainfall. Some cars were also reported to be stranded. |
| June 2011 | Hail | Fairbanks | $20,000 | Large, jagged hail about one to one and a half inches in diameter fell in this location. Chunks of a roof were missing as well. |
| June 2011 | Hail | Fairbanks | $20,000 | Large, jagged hail about one to one and a half inches in diameter fell in this location. Chunks of a roof were missing as well. |
| February 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Carlisle | $15,000 | Thunderstorm wind gusts downed a large tree onto a car. |
| May 2025 | Tornado (EF0) | Riverview | $15,000 | The episode's fourth tornado, which had started in Crawford County, Illinois before reaching EF1 intensity in Clark County, IL, crossed the Wabash River into far northwestern Sullivan County while continuing to weaken through EF0 intensity. The tornado uprooted and downed several trees near its end point south-southwest of the Riverview community, about 600 feet northeast of the intersection of County Roads 1100 West and 600 North. Peak wind gusts were 80 mph. |
| July 2023 | Flash Flood | Sullivan | $15,000 | Several roads with deep standing water or water flowing through town. A car was stalled on one of the roads. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sullivan | $15,000 | There were numerous reports of several trees downed and power out across the city due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sullivan | $15,000 | A barn was destroyed in this location due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| January 2008 | Flood | Graysville | $15,000 | Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in Sullivan County due to heavy rain and snow melt. |
| March 2008 | Flood | Riverton | $15,000 | Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in Sullivan County, including near Riverton, due to heavy rain and snow melt. Flooding continued until April 19th at 04:30. |
| May 2008 | Flash Flood | Sullivan | $15,000 | Heavy rain caused numerous county roads in central Sullivan County to be flooded. Streets in the town of Sullivan were flooded in addition to cars being stranded in the flood waters. |
| March 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sullivan | $10,000 | Numerous tree limbs of unknown size downed by thunderstorm wind gusts across town. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Caledonia | $10,000 | A barn was destroyed in this location due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. |
| March 2008 | Flood | Graysville | $10,000 | Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in western Sullivan County. This flooding was a continuation from February flooding that began on February 5th at 20:00 EST. Approximately ten thousand dollars worth of property damage occurred during February. |
| March 2008 | Flood | Riverton | $10,000 | Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in Sullivan County, including near Riverton, due to heavy rain and snow melt. This flooding is a continuation from February flooding that began on February 2nd at 22:30. Approximately ten thousand dollars in property damage occurred due to the flooding during February. |
| February 2008 | Flood | Riverton | $10,000 | Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in Sullivan County, including near Riverton, due to heavy rain and snow melt. Flooding continued until March 2nd at 05:40. |
| February 2008 | Flood | Graysville | $10,000 | Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in western sullivan County due to heavy rain and snow melt. Flooding continued until March 1st at 21:34. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Shelburn | $10,000 | Power lines were reported down and a tree was on a house due to damaging thunderstorm winds. |
| February 2007 | Flood | Riverton | $10,000 | The Wabash River flooded in Sullivan County. High water remained into March. Crests were as high as over 4 feet above flood stage. |
| January 2007 | Flood | Riverton | $10,000 | The Wabash in Sullivan County remained above flood stage for the entire month of January. The crest was as high as 8.4 feet above flood stage. |
| March 2007 | Flood | Riverton | $10,000 | Several bouts of heavy rain kept the Wabash River in Sullivan County above flood through the entire month of March. Crests were nearly 6 feet above flood stage. |
| June 2006 | Flash Flood | Fairbanks | $10,000 | A culvert was washed out on a river road northwest of Fairbanks. |
| December 2006 | Flood | Riverton | $10,000 | The Wabash River flooded in Sullivan County. High water remained into January. |
| December 2006 | Flood | Riverton | $10,000 | The Wabash River flooded in Sullivan County. Except for a brief break in the middle of the month, the river remained above flood stage into January 2007. |
| May 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sullivan | $10,000 | Semi blown over along U.S. 41 |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hymera | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sullivan | $8,000 | The Sullivan Daily Times reported numerous trees and power lines down in the area due to thunderstorm wind gust. The Sullivan City Fire Department responded to a power line on fire near West Washington Street and County Road 200W. |
| June 2007 | Hail | Pleasantville | $8,000 | Golf ball size hail damaged an individual's roof and siding. A pick-up truck also had dents in it. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pleasantville | $8,000 | Damaging thunderstorm winds moved a barn off of its foundation. |
| April 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sullivan | $5,000 | Spotter reported several large tree limbs snapped near his location due to thunderstorm wind gusts with live power lines on the road. |
| May 2019 | Flash Flood | Fairbanks | $5,000 | Flooding, up to two feet of water in spots, was observed on State Route 63 from the Vigo-Sullivan County line south to State Route 48 due to heavy thunderstorm rainfall. |
| August 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sullivan | $5,000 | Spotter reported 3 utility poles snapped at the ground and held up by the wires. Relayed via amateur radio and time estimated from radar. |
| August 2019 | Tornado (EF1) | Graysville | $5,000 | The tornado began near the intersection of County Road 350 North and 1125 West and tracked northeast. There was damage to multiple corn fields as well as multiple areas of tree damage along the path. A swirling pattern was noted in the sheared and downed corn stalks on County Road 1050 West, north of County Road 350 North. The tornado damage came to an end a half a mile northeast of where County Road 350 North turns north and becomes County Road 1000 West. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sullivan | $5,000 | Trees were downed in City Park due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts. This report was relayed via social media. |
| January 2009 | Flood | Merom | $5,000 | Rainfall and warm temperatures that occurred on and off during the second half of December led to considerable lowland flooding along the Wabash River during late December and very early January, affecting Sullivan County at and near Riverton. This flood event is a continuation from December. |
| January 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Carlisle | $5,000 | Trees and power lines were reported down due to damaging thunderstorm winds. |
| May 2008 | Flood | Riverton | $5,000 | Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in Sullivan County, including near Riverton, due to heavy rain. |
| May 2008 | Flood | Graysville | $5,000 | Flooding occurred along the Wabash River in western Sullivan County due to heavy rain. |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Sullivan | $5,000 | Roadways were covered and previous flooding conditions were exacerbated due to heavy rainfall that caused renewed flash flooding. |
| April 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | not stated | $5,000 | Power lines were downed. |
Mines and quarries
16 recordedThe Survey's mineral resources record lists 16 workings inside this county. 4 still produce and 12 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Iron | 10 |
| Sand and Gravel, Construction | 5 |
| Stone, Crushed/Broken | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kixmiller Quarry and Mill | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Abram and Hawkins Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Graysville Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| New Castle Gravel | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Sullivan Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| West Carlisle Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Prospect | Iron | Occurrence |
The county's history books
100,695 wordsOne book written about this county, cut here where the book itself is cut, at its printed chapters: 25 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 Sullivan County, Indiana, Closing of the First Century's History of the County, and Showing the Growth of Its People, Institutions, Industries and Wealth (1909)
Every populated place in the county
39Named 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.
-
Caledonia
Cass township · 47882 · On Kettle Creek · Dugger quadrangle
18 sheets, 1943 to 1986
No longer a settlement
-
Curryville
Curry township · 47879 · Near Curry Prairie · Shelburn quadrangle
18 sheets, 1942 to 1986
-
Dodds Bridge
Turman township · 47879 · On Sugar Creek · Fairbanks quadrangle
19 sheets, 1942 to 1986
-
Fairbanks
Fairbanks township · 47849 · On Welsh Creek · Fairbanks quadrangle
19 sheets, 1942 to 1986
-
Farnsworth
Cass township · 47882 · On Big Branch · Dugger quadrangle
18 sheets, 1943 to 1986
No longer a settlement
-
Hymera
Jackson township · 47879 · On East Fork Busseron Creek · Hymera quadrangle
16 sheets, 1943 to 1986
-
Merom Station
Gill township · 47861 · On Little Turtle Creek · Merom quadrangle
20 sheets, 1943 to 1998
-
Scott City
Fairbanks township · 47879 · On Curry Prairie Creek · Shelburn quadrangle
18 sheets, 1942 to 1986
The vanished settlements of Sullivan County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.
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.