Dubois County, Indiana

Dubois County

Dubois County History:
The original inhabitants of the area of Dubois County were the Piankishaw/Shawnee Indian tribe. The Dubois County area saw its first white settlers around 1801. The first settlement, Fort McDonald, which is south of present day Portersville, became established at around this time.
Most of the early settlements formed along the Buffalo Trace, which was a ten to twenty foot wide clearing used by buffalo to migrate from the Illinois plains to the salt licks of Kentucky. Settlers used the Buffalo Trace, as well as the White and Patoka Rivers, to move into the area. Indiana State Road 56 east of Haysville follows the route of the Trace. The communities of Jasper and Haysville began along the trace soon after Fort McDonald.
On December 20, 1817 The Indiana State Legislature took parts of three counties, Orange, Pike and Perry to fashion Dubois County. The County officially came into existence on February 1, 1818. The county draws its name from Toussaint Dubois, a Frenchman who saw action in Revolutionary War, the Battle of Tippecanoe and the War of 1812. Dubois resided mainly in Vincennes, Indiana but visited the area frequently, making the first land entry in the county in 1807.
That same year a substantial portion of the residents of Dubios County died of milk sickness which is really a poisoning caused by cows eating white snakeroot. White snakeroot contains a toxin called temetrol which passes through the cow in its milk, poisoning those who drink the milk.
The first governmental proceedings occurred in Fort McDonald but Porterville became the first county seat in 1818 because of its location on the White River and its nearness to the Buffalo Trace. In 1830 the Indiana State Legislature caused the county seat to be moved to Jasper, where it remains. A fire destroyed the court house in 1839, destroying all county records. A new courthouse replaced the burned one in 1844. The current court house replaced that one in 1911.

Geography
Founded - December 20, 1818
Named for - Toussaint Dubois
Seat - Jasper
Area
Total - 435.33 sq mi
Land - 427.27 sq mi
Water - 8.06 sq mi
Population - 41,889
Congressional district 9th
Area Code - 812

Dubois County is bounded on the west by Pike and Daviess counties. On the north by Martin county. Orange and Crawford counties are to the east and Perry, Spencer and Warrick are to the south.

Celestine Park
Dubois County Highways
Interstate 64
U.S. Route 231
Indiana State Road 56
Indiana State Road 64
Indiana State Road 145
Indiana State Road 162
Indiana State Road 164

Indiana State Road 264
Cities and towns
Birdseye
Ferdinand
Holland
Huntingburg
Ireland
Jasper


Railroads
Dubois County Railroad
Norfolk Southern
Indiana Railroad Museum

Waterways
The Fruits and Flowers Trail

Trail of Faith - Historic Church Trail

Patoka River
East Fork White River

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