DEARBORN COUNTY – Canal Society

Captain Samuel C. Vance, founder of Lawrenceburg, IN

Dearborn County was organized in 1803 by Governor William Henry Harrison, who named it after General Henry Dearborn, at that time the Secretary of War under President Thomas Jefferson. All or part of six other counties were carved from the original Dearborn County with the present boundaries being established in 1845.

The town of Lawrenceburg was established as the county seat in 1803. In 1810 a two-story courthouse was built but in 1826 it was destroyed by fire. A new courthouse was built and served until 1836 before the county seat was moved to the town of Wilmington. However, eight years later Lawrenceburg permanently became the county seat in 1844.

In 1820 the Manchester Pike was established as part of Indiana’s Internal Improvements Program, and in 1823 a road was constructed from Madison through Vevay, Rising Sun, and Aurora, to Lawrenceburg. From 1836 to 1843 the Whitewater Canal was built through Dearborn County. River and canal trade dominated the county’s commerce until the construction of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad in the 1850’s. (source: www.dearborncounty.org)

MAPS

BIOGRAPHIES

TOUR GUIDES

THE
TUMBLE

HOOSIER
PACKET

CSI
NEWSLETTER

INDIANA
WATERWAYS

MISC. HISTORICAL EVENTS

HISTORICAL MARKERS

RESOURCES