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Salem, Indiana

15 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1950 and the latest in 1990. It stands in Washington Township. It lies in ZIP code area 47167. The Survey maps it on the Salem quadrangle.

Research this city

Salem within Washington County

On record in Salem

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 9 records

Topographic sheets covering this place

7 surveys from 15 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

What happened here

An account from the chapter on Washington township. The inset identifies its exact source book and publication year.

From First Educational Report, Washington County, Indiana : Containing Photographic Illustrations, Superintendents', Principals', Teachers', and Citizens' Reports of the Educational Work in the County, published 1915 - Washington Township

A Skirmish With The Indians

The Zink families came to the county at an early date and figured pnimineiitlv in the development of the country. They located down Blue river southwest of Salem in 1814. Daniel Zink, a Revolutionary soldier, came from Kentucky with several of his boys. One of them, John Zink. was a meml)er ui (.'(ilonel Dawalt's company of rangers which chased the Indians engaged in the rigeoii Rdost massacre.

Read the rest of this passage

In the county-history sources

12,709 words on this township

First Educational Report, Washington County, Indiana : Containing Photographic Illustrations, Superintendents', Principals', Teachers', and Citizens' Reports of the Educational Work in the County, published 1915 names this settlement in its chapter on Washington Township. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.

HE building was erected at a cost of $2,518.00, in 1910, on a lot 150 feet square. It consists of two rooms, 27 x 34 feet, a vestibule 8x 12 feet, and two cloak rooms 8x 21 feet. It is heated by Smith heaters and each room accommodates about 30 pupils. 5 New sanitary closets will be erected this year and a well is to be drilled equipped with a drinking fountain pump.

Passage source: First Educational Report, Washington County, Indiana : Containing Photographic Illustrations, Superintendents', Principals', Teachers', and Citizens' Reports of the Educational Work in the County, published 1915.

The agriculture case was made by the boys. Each section is labeled so as to enable the pupil to know exactly where to find the data for his daily lesson. The boys are scoring seed corn prior to the final test, the rag doll test. The corn scored was gathered from the field in September, properly stored, and weighed at different intervals during the school months, thereby giving a lesson in shrinkage.

Passage source: First Educational Report, Washington County, Indiana : Containing Photographic Illustrations, Superintendents', Principals', Teachers', and Citizens' Reports of the Educational Work in the County, published 1915.

Live stock judging was a special feature of the work. The teacher always found time for this very important work. No type of live stock was left until they had visited some farmer who owned stock and scored it. The score cards were received from Purdue.

Passage source: First Educational Report, Washington County, Indiana : Containing Photographic Illustrations, Superintendents', Principals', Teachers', and Citizens' Reports of the Educational Work in the County, published 1915.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Washington Township - it names this place 25 more 25 times.

Mines and quarries near this place

2 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Salem: 2 producers. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
H & L Gravel and Sand PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Hoosier Stone Company SalemStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer

Every working recorded in Washington County

Storms near this place

60 of 62 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Salem in 62 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 40 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 8 flash flood, 5 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 2004Tornado (F1)Salem$1,500,000The tornado touched down initially in western Washington County, where it destroyed a home and a garage. It skipped across Washington County, with the next reported damage in the vicinity of Pekin. Several homes and farm buildings were damaged or destroyed there. A total of nine homes were destroyed in Washington County, and 31 homes were damaged to some degree. The tornado then continued southeast and crossed into Clark County, Indiana.
April 1993Thunderstorm WindSalem$500,000Strong thunderstorm winds damaged the National Guard Armory. The wind damaged the roof and several large doors. Some military vehicles were also damaged.
November 2017Tornado (EF1)Salem$250,000The National Weather Service in conjunction with Washington County|Emergency Management Agency conducted a storm survey in central|Washington County and determined there were three distinct|touchdowns near and around the Salem, Indiana area Sunday evening|November 5. The second tornado touched down in downtown Salem at the Salem Feed|Mill on South Water Street. There was significant damage on the|upper portion of the feed mill approximately 70 feet off the ground|along with some power poles being severely bent. A multi-business|building was hit by the tornado with a large portion of its roof|lifted and dropped on the Dinner Bell restaurant. There was|extensive damage from falling brick. The tornado then hit a house|on the corner of Cherry and South High Street resulting in roof and|siding damage along with several sections of Cleveland Pear trees|snapped. The tornado lifted quickly at the intersection. The|tornado had estimated peak winds of approximately 90 to 95 mph with a width of|approximately 30 to 40 yards.
May 2004Flash FloodSalem$250,000Numerous roads in the city were flooded. Streets were closed, and several barricades were washed away by rapidly rising water. People had to be rescued from flooded vehicles on Water and Market Streets. Several people were evacuated from their homes due to high water. Several semi-trailers were swept out of a parking lot by flood waters and became wedged against the South Main Street Bridge. The bridge was closed for two hours as a precaution, so that it could be checked for damage from the impact.
May 1996Thunderstorm WindSalem$150,000no account filed
May 2004Tornado (F1)Salem$120,000The tornado was first spotted southwest of Salem in the Mill Creek Flats area off State Road 56. It destroyed a barn and some other outbuildings on Beck's Mill Road west of Salem. It lifted as it passed the city of Salem, then touched down again intermittently east of Salem. The tornado destroyed another barn on Walker Road east of Salem. The eastern extent of the tornado path and the ending time of the event are estimated.
May 2002HailSalem$75,000no account filed
May 2018Thunderstorm WindSalem$60,000There were multiple reports of trees down and power outages through out Salem, Indiana.
July 2018Tornado (EF0)Salem$50,000This very small, skipping tornado did its damage primarily on hilltops between Sparks Ferry Road and the intersection of State Road 135 and Lewellen Road. A few tree limbs and a small fence were downed near Sparks Ferry Road before it moved northeast over a large wooded area and open farmland. The next damage was concentrated about a quarter mile south of Water Tower Road, just west of Highway 135. Here the tornado tore multiple metal roof panels off a barn, blew the southward-facing overhead doors of a garage in, and tore the entrance door off the garage on the west side. The attached home sustained considerable siding and roof damage. A small play structure on the west side of the home was destroyed, with the debris blown to the west-northwest. Debris from the barn and home were scattered in a narrow path through row crops up to a third of a mile to the northeast, where a resident witnessed large sheets of roofing and siding fall into a hay field on the north side of Lewellen Road. A corn field on the south side of Lewellen Road showed cyclonic rotation in a narrow path of flattened corn. The maximum wind speeds with this tornado were estimated at 80 mph.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindSalem$50,000no account filed
May 2018Thunderstorm WindSalem$45,000Multiple trees and power outages were reported through out Salem, Indiana.
May 2017Flash FloodSalem$40,000Several inches of rain fell in a very short time period which resulted in significant flash flooding across many portions of Washington County. Multiple high water rescues were reported across the county due to flash flooding.
November 2005Thunderstorm WindSalem$20,000The back porch was blown off a house and deposited 400 yards away.
March 2008Flash FloodSalem$10,000Occupants of a vehicle stalled in high water on Cox's Ferry Road were rescued. U.S. Highway 150 was closed near Fredericksburg. Several other roads around the county were closed.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindSalem$10,000no account filed
May 2014Thunderstorm WindSalem$5,000Local law enforcement reported that a tree fell onto a home in Salem.
May 2006Thunderstorm WindSalem$5,000A tree was blown on to a home.
November 2005Thunderstorm WindSalem$2,000The back porch was blown off a house and deposited 400 yards away.
March 2026Thunderstorm WindSalem-Power lines were down on Water Street in Salem.
June 2025Flash FloodSalem-Several feet of water were over the roadway along Small Street and Water Street in Salem. Multiple cars were submerged in the flood waters.
October 2020Thunderstorm WindSalem-One tree fell on Martinsburg Road.
May 2017Flash FloodSalem-Local law enforcement reported that State Road 56 east of Salem was closed due to high water.
November 2017Thunderstorm WindSalem-A NWS Storm Survey found trees blown over Rubber Hill Rd.
July 2017Thunderstorm WindSalem-Washington County Emergency Manager reported downed trees blocking Fairview Road.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindSalem-Local law enforcement reported trees down in the area due to severe thunderstorm winds.
April 2013HailSalem-A spotter reported 1.75 inch hail in Salem.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindSalem-Local law enforcement reported trees and power lines down near Salem.
September 2012Thunderstorm WindSalem-The Washington County Emergency Manager reported trees down in several locations, including the town of Salem.
July 2012Thunderstorm WindSalem-Local law enforcement reported several trees and power lines down near Highland Road in Salem.
April 2011Tornado (EF0)Salem-An NWS storm survey confirmed an EF-0 tornado with wind speeds up to 80 mph. This tornado touched down along Jim Day Road about a quarter mile south of Lewellen Road where a 30ft x 40ft outbuilding was destroyed and its roof thrown about 75 yards to the north and east. The tornado ended just northeast of Lewellen Road where a house suffered roof damage, a 30ft x 50ft shed was destroyed, and a small grain bin was twisted and thrown 100 feet.
May 2011Flash FloodSalem-Rising water forced the closure of 3 roads in Salem. Water was also rising along State Hwy. 56 west of Livonia.
May 2011Flash FloodSalem-Multiple roads were being closed in and around Salem due to quickly rising water.
October 2009Flash FloodSalem-Numerous roads near the Blue River were closed due to high water.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindSalem-Numerous trees were downed across the county.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindSalem-Several power lines and trees were downed across the county.
April 2008Thunderstorm WindSalem-Thunderstorm winds blew a grill off a deck and downed some large tree branches.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindSalem-Numerous trees were downed near Rush Creek Road.
July 2007Thunderstorm WindSalem-Two trees were downed.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindSalem-Numerous trees were downed.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindSalem-Numerous trees were downed along a highway near Little York.
July 2004Thunderstorm WindSalem-Trees were downed.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindSalem-Two trees were downed along Highway 135.
January 2000Thunderstorm WindSalem-Trees down
February 1999Thunderstorm WindSalem-Trees down
August 1999HailSalem-Dime size hail fell just south of Salem
July 1997Thunderstorm WindSalem-County sheriff reported several trees down.
April 1993HailSalem-Strong thunderstorm winds damaged the National Guard Armory. The wind damaged the roof and several large doors. Some military vehicles were also damaged.
May 2007Thunderstorm WindSalem-no account filed
June 2007HailSalem-no account filed
January 2006HailSalem-no account filed
July 2005Thunderstorm WindSalem-no account filed
August 2005Thunderstorm WindSalem-no account filed
November 2005Thunderstorm WindSalem-no account filed
June 2004Thunderstorm WindSalem-no account filed
April 2003HailSalem-no account filed
February 2001Thunderstorm WindSalem-no account filed
September 2000Thunderstorm WindSalem-no account filed
June 1998Thunderstorm WindSalem-no account filed
May 1996HailSalem-no account filed
July 1996Thunderstorm WindSalem-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Washington County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Fair Acres0.6 miles15
Martin Heights0.6 miles15
McCol Place0.7 miles15
Highland3.3 miles15
Canton3.7 miles15
Harristown4.1 miles15
Hitchcock4.3 miles15
Farabee5.6 miles15

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 442876. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

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.