The Indiana Legislature mandated Clay County in 1825, with territory partitioned from Owen, Putnam, Sullivan, and Vigo counties. Its name honors Henry Clay,[3] a famous antebellum American statesman. The first Courthouse was built in the newly platted town of Bowling Green in 1828 but moved to Brazil, Indiana in 1876.
The Wabash & Erie Canal through Clay County was built on the abandoned works of the Cross-Cut Canal that was to link the Wabash & Erie Canal at Terre Haute to the Central Canal at Point Commerce (Worthington). The Cross-Cut Canal was started in the mid 1830s but was abandoned when the financial crisis hit the United States in the late 1830s.
By 1849, it was decided that the Wabash and Erie was to be extended to Evansville Indiana via the abandoned works of the Cross-Cut and Central Canals.
Canal Path & Structures
Canal structure locations are still being identified and the map will be updated as structures or remnants are found.
Other Historical Maps
The following tabs correspond to articles written from past Canal Society of Indiana publications and the county you are viewing. Click on the link to read the associated article.
(2017 – Present)
The Tumble is the Canal Society of Indiana’s (CSI) current publication. The Tumble was the first publication of CSI to be completely internet based starting in 2017.
(2002-2016)
The Hoosier Packet was the official Canal Society of Indiana’s publication from 2002 through 2016.
(1986-2002)
The Newsletter began being published in 1986 and was a companion publication of the Canal Society of Indiana’s (CSI) that ran concurrent with Indiana Canals publication. The Newsletter was initially printed with information about CSI. In the mid 990s Newsletter took on a new format and absorbed Indiana Canals into this one publication which became the primary publication of the Canal Society of Indiana until 2002.
(1989 – 2002)
Indiana Canals began being published in 1986 and was a companion publication of the Canal Society of Indiana’s (CSI) that ran concurrent with Newsletter publication. Indiana Canals was initially printed with information about the how the canals function, mechanical features of old and what was still remaining. In the mid 990s Indiana Canals publication was absorbed into the Newsletter which became the prime publication of the Canal Society of Indiana.
Volume III (1991/92)
Volume IV (1992/93)
- Cross-Cut Lock #50
- 1853 Chief Engineer’s Report: Lock 50 to Lock 59
- 1853 Chief Engineer’s Report: Terre Haute to Clay Co. Reservoirs
Volume V (1993/94)
- The Evansville Guards in the Clay County Reservoir War
- The Evansville Guards in the Clay County Reservoir War (cont.)
- Splunge Creek Flood Control Structure (Photograph)
Volume X (1999)
(1981 – 1986)
Indiana Waterways was the first publication of the Canal Society of Indiana. The first edition was published in 1981 several months before the establishment of the Canal Society of Indiana and became the source of information about the development of CSI and information to the members until the creation of Indiana Canals and the Newsletter in 1986.