32 topographic sheets cover 24 settlements here, and 6 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 National Register listings published here · the county-history sources tell 3 stories and name 11 people · people the book names include Judge Adair'S Address (Columbia Township, 1907) · John Ii. Alexander (Thorncreek Township, 1907) (machine-read).
Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service
Among them: The Barkdall Murder; The Singer Murder; The Village Of Dunfee. These passages come from the identified county-history source books. Each inset names its own source and opens the exact section it comes from.
One of the events that attracted the attention of the people of Whitley county a generation ago was the Barkdall murder, that occurred in Jefferson township in 1871. Henry Barkdall, Sr., was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, October 15, 1805; was married there and in the year 1839. he emigrated to America. He first settled in Stark county, Ohio, three miles east of Canal Fulton, where he remained about ten years as a renter on a small farm.
One of the most sensational murders that ever occurred in northern Indiana was that of George M. Singer, who was found murdered on the morning of September 17, 1895, at his residence at Dunfee, Indiana, a little village on the line between Whitley and Allen counties, on the Nickel Plate Rail- Toad, ten miles west of Fort Wayne.
Soon after the building of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, a station was established where the railroad crosses the Whitley and Allen county line and soon after a postoffice was located there which was named "Dunfee," and George M. Singer was appointed postmaster. Mr. Singer served until he was mysteriously murdered in 1895, when William McWhirter was appointed as his successor and has served until the present time.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Bell Inc., Factory Building | building | 2018 | 100002184 | |
 | Columbia City Historic District | district | 1987 | 87001307 |
 | Thomas R. Marshall House | building | 1983 | 83000046 |
 | Dr. Christopher Souder House | building | 2005 | 05000315 |
| South Whitley Historic District | district | 2017 | 100001881 | |
 | Whitley County Courthouse | building | 1979 | 79000029 |
Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 19 of them, burning about 20 acres. 3 started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 6 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 6 |
| Debris and open burning | 4 |
| Natural | 3 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 March 2003 | Recreation and ceremony | 4.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 20 October 2003 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 16 April 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 29 April 2003 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 23 March 2003 | Recreation and ceremony | 1.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 18 April 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 3 April 2003 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 10 April 2003 | Natural | 1.0 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.
The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 338 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 1 injury and about $3,611,450 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 203 |
| Hail | 97 |
| Tornado | 16 |
| Flash Flood | 10 |
| Flood | 8 |
| Lightning | 3 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2001 | Lightning | Columbia City | 1 hurt | 12 year old girl struck by lightning. Treated and released from hospital. |
| May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $1,000,000 | Numerous trees down on houses and cars. A South Whitley factory had its roof blown off and the Tranter Printing building lost its roof which crashed into a vehicle destroying it. Several homes sustained damage from fallen trees with many power lines blown down across town. |
| March 2009 | Tornado (EF1) | Columbia City | $500,000 | The circulation rapidly touched down on the southern outskirts of the Countryside Mobile Home Park and moved northeast through the eastern part of the park. As the circulation intensified, extensive damage occurred to 6 mobile homes which were severely damaged or destroyed. An additional 20 trailers in the immediate area suffered varying amount of damage from ripped skirting to some shifting off blocks. At least one trailer was occupied at the time of the tornado, but luckily no injuries were reported. Damage is estimated at around one half million dollars. |
| September 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $300,000 | The same storm what produced the microburst in Kosciusko County continued into Whitley County. Damage occurred from the Five Points area, southeast to State Route 205. Damage consisted of trees and intermittent structure damage in several non-continuous locations. Some crops were damage, especially near Riley Road. |
| May 2022 | Flash Flood | Tri Lakes | $300,000 | Emergency management officials reported nearly 20 homes, as well as several local ditches and roads, were impacted by flash flooding as some locations in the Tri Lakes area received between three and five inches of rain over a few hour period. Some homes experienced a foot or more of water into the interior areas as well as crawlspaces and basements. Washouts of driveways, foundations and some local roads occurred. Damage is estimated at least at $300,000. |
| January 2008 | Flood | South Whitley | $150,000 | Numerous roads were closed or posted with high water signs across the county as a result of 1 to 3 inches of rain, as well as snow melt. Several residences and businesses were sandbagged as a precaution but no significant damage was reported. Damage is estimated at around $150,000. |
| July 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Whitley | $150,000 | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Flash Flood | Columbia City | $100,000 | Torrential rain, totaling nearly five inches in an hour, fell in and around Columbia City, resulting in widespread flash flooding across the city. Numerous roadways were periodically covered with flowing water, with some closures. Portions of State Routes 9 and 205 had nearly two feet of flowing water in spots. Several homes suffered minor basement flooding. Damage is estimated at $100,000. |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $100,000 | Many barns and few homes damaged. Several trees and power lines down. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Larwill | $75,000 | Photos on Facebook show several barns damaged in Larwill. |
| August 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Churubusco | $75,000 | TREE FELL INTO A HOUSE CAUSING MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. ANOTHER TREE FELL ON TOP OF A CAR FLATTENING IT. |
| February 2008 | Flood | Etna | $50,000 | Emergency management officials reported several roads across the county were experiencing high water. The area extended from Tri Lakes to west of Churubusco, south to near Coesse and then west to South Whitley. Roads reported under water included near and west of Highway 109 in the Tri Lakes area, east towards Churubusco and around Highway 14. In the South Whitley area, flooding prompted the closure of a portion of State Route 5. |
| June 2005 | Lightning | Columbia City | $50,000 | Lightning struck the attic area of a two story house in Columbia City around 4 am, starting a fire. A man was sleeping in the house at the time, but escaped without injury. Damage to the house was estimated at $25,000 with damage to the contents of the house also at around $25,000. |
| September 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $50,000 | Several trees were blown down with many tree limbs down on houses. Extensive damage also occurred to power lines throughout the city with some residents going without power for the entire night. |
| December 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $50,000 | NUMEROUS TREES BLOWN DOWN. ONE BARN COMPLETELY LOST ITS ROOF. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | South | $50,000 | Trees were blown down and several homes sustained minor roof damage. Damage was estimated at $6,000. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Whitley | $40,000 | Law enforcement reports trees are down on 300 and 400 south. A tree is down on a house on Broad Street in South Whitley. |
| July 2005 | Heavy Rain | Churubusco | $35,000 | Thunderstorms continued to develop over extreme northeastern Whitley county between 6 pm and 9 pm EST. At 8 pm, local officials reported three inches of rain had fallen in the Churubusco area, with the rain falling so fast that part of a roof collapsed at the Sheets and Childs Funeral Home. Rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour were estimated by radar, with a final report in excess of 7 inches of rain falling over the area. No injuries were reported. A few streets and basements also experienced some minor flooding. |
| July 2023 | Tornado (EF0) | Collins | $30,000 | Ground and storm spotter assisted drone surveys revealed a tornado touched down just west of the Eel River Golf course in Whitley county and tracked rapidly east-southeast crossing US 33 in Allen county before dissipating in a corn field west of Chase Road. Trees were damaged on the golf course and along the Whitley/Allen county line (County Line Road) where newly placed metal power poles were pushed over slightly. This tornado intensified further as it reached the Hildebrand/Frazier intersection with numerous trees down and a home sustained minor roof and siding damage. The tornado continued through crop fields before downing a number of tree limbs, topping trees, and even snapping trees at ground-level at a residence. The home sustained damage from fallen trees and limbs. The tornado was on the ground for approximately 2.7 miles (around 0.6 miles in Whitley county and just over two miles in Allen County). |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Churubusco | $25,000 | Reports of trees and large branches down in Churubusco. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ormas | $25,000 | Tree down onto a home in Loon Lake. |
| June 1973 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1967 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 1965 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $20,000 | Numerous reports of trees and power lines down in and around Whitley County. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Whitley | $20,000 | Barn downed in South Whitley. |
| February 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Churubusco | $20,000 | Pieces of metal roof were blown off a commercial building. Some roof pieces were lofted into nearby powerlines. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Larwill | $20,000 | Tree down onto vehicle. No injuries reported. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $20,000 | Several large pine trees were snapped. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Tri Lakes | $20,000 | Trees were reported down onto power lines. |
| July 2022 | Flash Flood | Churubusco | $20,000 | Water up to waist-deep was reported in the Sunny Slope Housing Addition on Windsor Drive. |
| August 2008 | Lightning | Columbia City | $20,000 | Emergency management officials reported a substation was hit by lightning, causing damage. In addition, lightning was believed responsible for several fires in and south of Columbia City. |
| July 2008 | Tornado (EF0) | Coesse | $20,000 | A storm survey and eye witness reports indicated that a brief tornado developed just east of the intersection of Lincoln Way and County Road 500 East. The circulation initially flipped a horse trailer and destroyed the top portion of an older barn, picking up the roof and depositing it at the end of its track in an open field. Numerous trees were uprooted and three power poles toppled on the south side of the road, with the circulation then crossing the road. A small section of a soy bean field had the plants stripped of all vegetation except the stalks. The maximum width of the tornado was no more than 300 yards and was on the ground less than one quarter mile with duration no more than 2 minutes. Damage is estimated at around $20,000. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $15,000 | Numerous trees and power lines were blown down on the south side of the city. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Whitley | $10,000 | Trees are down on the road at 204 N Short St. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Larwill | $10,000 | A tree was reported down onto power lines. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Whitley | $10,000 | Various trees are down on the road. |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Larwill | $10,000 | A trained spotter reported the roof torn off a barn. A tree was also snapped at the base. |
| July 2006 | Flood | Columbia City | $10,000 | Nearly 5 inches of rain fell across much of Columbia City from 2 thunderstorms that occured over the span of a few hours. Some streets were flooded as storm drains had a difficult time catching up with the rainfall as well as fallen tree limbs clogging some drains. The annual 4-H fair was underway at the time with rainwater flowing into much of the livestock barns, requiring the evacuation of many of the animals to higher ground. None of the animals or those moving them were injured. |
| May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lorane | $10,000 | 7 inch diameter tree down on house. |
| December 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Coesse | $10,000 | TOOL SHED ROOF TORN OFF |
| November 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $10,000 | SEVERAL TREES AND POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN ACROSS THE COUNTY. |
| October 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Whitley | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Whitley | $8,000 | Scattered areas of trees, tree limbs and power poles were observed from near the South Whitley area to northeast of Coesse. The wind damage continued into Allen County. As noted in a separate event, a brief tornado was confirmed within this swatch of damage. Damage is estimated at $8,000. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $5,000 | Reports of trees down in and around Columbia City. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Collins | $5,000 | Amateur radio operator reports trees down. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $5,000 | Numerous reports of trees and power lines down across Whitley Co. Also, a report of a field fire. |
| June 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Larwill | $5,000 | Powerlines are down in Larwill. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Churubusco | $5,000 | A healthy 15 inch diameter tree was broken at its base. |
| August 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $5,000 | A tree is down at 954 W Dell Rd. |
| July 2022 | Flood | Churubusco | $5,000 | In Churubusco, the public reported that there was six to twelve inches of water over the roadway. |
| May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City Arpt | $5,000 | The cap from a silo was blown off. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Larwill | $5,000 | A telephone pole was snapped off with numerous pine trees blown down in the area. |
| November 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $5,000 | Trees were knocked down across the city, with a few onto roadways. |
| April 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $5,000 | The roof was blown off a barn. |
| April 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Southern Whitley Co | $4,000 | no account filed |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | South Whitley | $3,000 | Multiple trees down in the South Whitley area. |
| July 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbia City | $3,000 | no account filed |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Churubusco | $2,500 | Emergency management officials reported a tree down onto a mobile home in Shady Grove trailer park. Damage is estimated at $2,500. |
| October 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Tri Lakes | $2,500 | An eight inch (8) diameter tree was blown down across power lines. |
The Survey's mineral resources record lists 4 workings inside this county. 3 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 | 3 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley County Hwy. Dept. | Stone | Producer | ||
| Plant No. 3 | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Roanoke Pit and Mill | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| South Whitley Pit and Mill | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
History of Whitley County, Indiana devotes a chapter to each township: its boundaries and streams, who settled it and when, the mills, the schools and the churches. All 7 are 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Township | Collamer, South Whitley | 1,767 words | 0 | |
| Columbia Township | Columbia City, Walnut Corners | 81,095 words | 39 | |
| Jefferson Township | Dunfee, Raber, Saturn | 21,244 words | 13 | |
| Richland Township | Larwill | 22,916 words | 24 | |
| Thorncreek Township | Cresco, Five Points, Tri-Lakes | 11,019 words | 8 | |
| Union Township | Coesse, Coesse Corners | 1,910 words | 2 | |
| Washington Township | Briggs, Laud, Peabody, Tunker, Washington Center | 7,634 words | 0 |
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 | 435,140 words in 28 parts |
Everyone History of Whitley 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 1907.
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.
Columbia township · 46725 · On Blue Babe Branch · Columbia City quadrangle
11 sheets, 1953 to 1994
Thorncreek township · 46725 · On Sell Branch · Columbia City quadrangle
11 sheets, 1953 to 1994
Cleveland township · 46787 · On Sugar Creek · South Whitley West quadrangle
10 sheets, 1953 to 1994
Washington township · 46787 · On Huffman Branch · South Whitley East quadrangle
10 sheets, 1953 to 1994
Columbia township · 46725 · On Blue River · Columbia City quadrangle
11 sheets, 1953 to 1994
Washington township · 46725 · South Whitley East quadrangle
10 sheets, 1953 to 1994
Block