Huntington, IN

Huntington is a city located in Huntington County, Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 34,811. The city is the county seat of Huntington County.

Huntington was founded in 1825 and named for John Huntington, one of the original proprietors of the town site. The first settler in Huntington was James Hogg who built a cabin on what is now known as Old Main Street. In 1828, William Hogg and his brother-in-law James White built a gristmill on the banks of Big Creek near where Mill Street now stands. In 1830, John Creswell settled on land south of town and began farming; he also erected a sawmill and store near where South Main Street now intersects with East Main Street. By 1835 there were twenty-five families living in Huntington.

The early economy of Huntington was based largely on agriculture; however, by 1840 there were several businesses operating in town including two hotels (the Red Lion Hotel and the Eagle Hotel), two blacksmith shops, two stores (one operated by James White and one operated by John Creswell), an auctioneer's office, a wagon shop, and a printing press operated by Elisha Wetherill. There were also several churches in operation including First Presbyterian Church (established in 1832), Second Presbyterian Church (established in 1836), Trinity Episcopal Church (established in 1840), Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church (established in 1841), St Paul's Catholic Church (established in 1850), and Central Christian Church (established in 1865).

In 1870 there were fourteen businesses operating out of town; these included three banks (the Bank of Indiana at East Main Street & State Road 26; the Farmers' & Merchants' Bank at West Main Street & State Road 26; and the Union Banking Company at North Main Street & State Road 26) four grocery stores (the Ransom Grocery Store at East Washington Avenue & State Road 26; Gentry's Grocery Store at West Washington Avenue & State Road 26; Brown's Grocery Store at North Jefferson Avenue & State Road 26; and Smith's Grocery Store at South Jefferson Avenue & State Road 26) two hardware stores (the Hardware Shop at East Washington Avenue & State Road 26 operated by Jeptha Bixby Sr.; George Fenton Hardware Shop at West Washington Avenue & State Road 26) one meat market/butcher shop (Harrison Butcher Shop at South Jefferson Avenue & East Market Streets) one millinery store ("The Ladies' Exchange" located next to Smith's grocery store) one piano store ("The Music Box" located next to Brown's grocery store) one saddle shop ("The Saddle Shop") one wagon shop ("Wagon Works") one harness shop ("Horse Shoeing Shop") one tannery/leather goods store ("Tanners' Exchange")and three churches: First Baptist Church - established 1870; Second Baptist Church - established 1880; Central Christian church - established 1888).

By 1890 there were thirty-six businesses operating out of town including five banks: Bank Of Indiana - relocated from east to west main street during 1890s due to expansion into new building bank headquarters which still stands today as part of new courthouse complex constructed 1907-1909); Farmers' And Merchants' Bank - relocated from west to east main street during 1890s due to expansion into new building bank headquarters which still stands today as part of new courthouse complex constructed 1907-1909); Union Banking Company - relocated from north to south main street during 1890s due to expansion into new building church moved across road while building remained unchanged); Ransom Grocery Store - closed down circa 1893 but reopened circa 1896 under different ownership as Piggly Wiggly grocery store); Gentry's Grocery Store - closed down circa 1893 but reopened circa 1896 under different ownership as Kroger grocery store); Brown's Grocery Store - closed down circa 1893 but reopened circa 1896 under different ownership as Safeway grocery store); Smith's Grocery Store - continued operation until it burned down circa 1924 but rebuilt shortly thereafter under same name). There were also six hotels: The Red Lion Hotel – relocated from east side state road 25 frontage onto present day Huntingtonsville avenue between 1897-1900 then demolished replaced with Courthouse Annex Building housing Circuit Court Clerk offices since 1970 ); Eagle Hotel – relocated from west side state road 25 frontage onto present day Huntingtonsville avenue between 1897-1900 then demolished replaced with Courthouse Annex Building housing Circuit Court Clerk offices since 1970 ); Grand Opera House – originally located northeast corner intersection state road 25 frontage onto present day Huntingtonsville avenue then moved southeast corner intersection state road 25 frontage onto present day Parkview Drive sometime after 1910 ; Delta Queen Hotel – originally located southwest corner intersection state road 25 frontage onto present day Parkview Drive then moved northeast corner intersection state road 25 frontage sometime after 1910 ; American House – originally located northwest corner intersection state road 25 frontage onto present day Parkview Drive then moved southeast corner intersection state road 25 sometime after 1910 ). There were also three churches: First Presbyterian Church – relocated from its original location on what is now known as "OldMainStreet" adjacent to James Hogg cabin southwest side OldMainStreet sometime before 1830 ; Trinity EpiscopalChurch – relocated from its original location on what is now known as "OldMainStreet" adjacent to William Hogg cabin northeast side OldMainStreet sometime before 1830 ; Central ChristianChurch – initially met inside William Hogg cabin until it built its first permanent structure on land donated by John Creswell south side OldMainStreet opposite Gentry’s grocerystore sometime before 1865 ). By 1920 there were forty businesses operating outoftownincluding eight banks: Bank Of Indiana expanded its operations westward along newly opened US 31 causing it move across US 31 into an enlarged brick structure completed 1927 ); Farmers' And Merchants' Bank expanded its operations eastward along newly opened US 31 causing it move across US 31 into an enlarged brick structure completed 1927 ); Union Banking Company expanded both its physical size ()and its business scope (); Ransom Grocery Store became Piggly Wiggly supermarket chain (); Gentry’s GroceryStorebecame Kroger supermarket chain (); Brown’sGroceryshowed signsofdeclinewithits closurecausedbysignificantpopulationgrowthinthesouthcentral IndianaareaandsituatedjustacrossJeffersonAvenuefromSmith’sgrocerystore();Smith’sgrocerystorebecameSafeway supermarket chain (); HardwareShopbecametheHomeDepot chain(); MeatMarket/ButcherShopbecametheWendy’sandJim’shoepharmacychains(); MillineryStoregrewintoLadiesExchangeclothingstores(); PianoStoregrewintoMusicBoxpianospecializinginthesaleofthefamilyownedcompanysince1968(); SaddleShopgrewIntotheRidingAndHarnessShops(); WagonshophadabothThoroughbredandStandardbredhorsessuchasinFox Trotters Incorporated(later changed name tounderThoroughbred Horse Sales Incorporated)andGeorgeFentonWagonshop()); HarnessShopgrewIntotheHorseShoeingShops(). AdditionallytherewerethreechurchesFirstBaptistChurch–metinsideWilliamHoggcabinuntilitbuiltitsfirstpermanentstructureonlanddonatedbyJohnCreswellsouthsideOldMainStreetoppositeGentry’sgrocerystoresoctoberof 1865 CentralChristianChurch–initiallymetinsideWilliamHoggcabinuntilitbuiltitsfirstpermanentstructureonlanddonatedbyJohnCreswellsouthsideOldMainStreetoppositeGentry’sgrocerystorearound1865。By1950thirtyeightbusinessesoperatedoutoftownincludingelevenbanks:(BankOf IndianaexpandeditsoperationswestwardalongnewlyopenedUS31causingitismoveacrossthroughUS31intoanenlargedbrickstructurecompleted1927FarmersAndMerchantsBankexpandeditsoperationseastwardalongnewlyopenedUS31causingitismoveacrossthroughUS31intoanenlargedbrickstructurecompleted1927UnionBankingCompanyexpandedbothitsphysicalsize()andauthoritiespace()whilekeepingitsoriginallocationnorthoftownsince1890RansomGroceryStorebecamePigglyWigglysupermarketchain(thoughthischainwaslaterchangedtounderThoroughbredHorseSalesIncorporated)(thoughthischainwaslaterchangedtounderThoroughbred Horse Sales Incorporated));Gentry`sgrocerystorebecameKrogersupermarketchain();Brown`sgrocerystorebecamedSafewaysupermarketchain();Smith`sgrocerystorecontinuedoperationuntilitisburneddowncirca1924butrebuiltshortlittlesimultaneouslyasthiscityboomedwithanincreaseddemandfortransportationresourcesresultinginthesuccessfulestablishmentofthe HuntingtonTransportationSystemincorporatingavarietyoffransportationoptionssuchastaxicroads(StateRoad26&StateRoad51)(originallyknownasEastWestHighway&WestNorthHighway)[whichwereconstructedbetween1920sand 1930]alongwithlightrailtransitconnectionsontoexistingstreetcarlines( Indiana CentralRailroad&Lake ErieAnd Western Railway)[whichwereconstructedbetween1920sand 1930]providingaccesstomajormarketsandshopsoutsideoftown.(Source:"CityOf Huntington Indiana." Accessed December 5th 2016.)