Owen County was formed in 1819. It was named after Abraham Owen, a colonel who died at the Battle of Tippecanoe .[2 He was in the Kentucky Legislature in 1798, and a member of the state constitutional convention the next year. Owen served as a colonel and as aide-de-camp to William Henry Harrison at the Battle of Tippecanoe, where he was killed in 1811. The county seat is Spencer. The city now known as Owensboro, Kentucky established itself in 1817 with the name “Owensborough,” in honor of Owen. Two years later, in 1819, counties in Kentucky and Indiana were formed and named for him.[1]
Wabash & Erie Canal (via the Cross-Cut Canal)
The Wabash & Erie Canal through Owen 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.
Central Canal
No Evidence has been located to indicate Central Canal construction in Owen County.
Other Historical Maps
Currently there have been biographies written about anyone who is directly tied to Owen County
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 IV (1992/93)
(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.