Allen County, Indiana

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Allen County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 385,410,[1] making it the third-most populous county in Indiana. The county seat and largest city is Fort Wayne, the second largest city in Indiana.[2]

Allen County is included in the Fort Wayne Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Fort Wayne–Huntington–Auburn Combined Statistical Area. Allen County is the cultural and economic center of northeastern Indiana. The county is within a Script error: No such module "convert". radius of major population centers, including Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Louisville, Milwaukee, and within a one-day drive of one-third of the U.S. population and one-fifth of Canadians.[3]

Occupied for thousands of years by cultures of indigenous peoples, Allen County was organized by European Americans on December 17, 1823, from Delaware and Randolph counties, and formed on April 1, 1824, at the Ewing Tavern. The county is named for Colonel John Allen, an attorney and Kentucky state senator who was killed in the War of 1812.[4] Fort Wayne, founded at the confluences of the Maumee, St. Joseph, and St. Marys rivers was chosen as the county seat in May 1824.

Geography

File:US-IN-Allen County Townships.png
Allen County townships.

According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of Script error: No such module "convert"., the largest county in Indiana, of which Script error: No such module "convert". (or 99.59%) is land and Script error: No such module "convert". (or 0.41%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

Municipalities

Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

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Extinct

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Townships

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Template:Sronly%±
1830996—
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186029,328Script error: No such module "String".%
187043,494Script error: No such module "String".%
188054,763Script error: No such module "String".%
189066,689Script error: No such module "String".%
190077,270Script error: No such module "String".%
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1930146,743Script error: No such module "String".%
1940155,084Script error: No such module "String".%
1950183,722Script error: No such module "String".%
1960232,196Script error: No such module "String".%
1970280,455Script error: No such module "String".%
1980294,335Script error: No such module "String".%
1990300,836Script error: No such module "String".%
2000331,849Script error: No such module "String".%
2010355,329Script error: No such module "String".%
2020385,410Script error: No such module "String".%
2024 (est.)399,295Script error: No such module "String".%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2019[1] 2024[10]

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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 385,410. The median age was 36.2 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.5 males age 18 and over.[11][12]

The racial makeup of the county was 71.9% White, 11.5% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.7% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.3% from some other race, and 7.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 8.5% of the population.[12]

87.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 12.9% lived in rural areas.[13]

There were 151,690 households in the county, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.4% were married-couple households, 19.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]

There were 162,431 housing units, of which 6.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.6% were owner-occupied and 32.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.5%.[11]

Amish community

Since 1852, Allen County has been home to an Old Order Amish community that speaks an Alsatian dialect, which is quite rare among Amish. There are about 3,190 Amish living around Grabill and New Haven as of 2017.[14]

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 355,329 people, 137,851 households, and 90,892 families residing in the county.[15] The population density was Script error: No such module "convert".. There were 152,184 housing units at an average density of Script error: No such module "convert"..[5] The racial makeup of the county was 79.3% white, 11.7% black or African American, 2.7% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.9% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.5% of the population.[15] In terms of ancestry, 33.4% were German, 11.4% were Irish, 10.7% were American, and 8.1% were English.[16]

Of the 137,851 households, 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.1% were non-families, and 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.12. The median age was 35.3 years.[15]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,697 and the median income for a family was $60,184. Males had a median income of $45,294 versus $33,685 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,532. About 9.1% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.[17]

Burmese refugees

In 2007, Fort Wayne was cited as having the highest Burmese refugee population in the United States, with between 3,000 and 3,500.[18]

Government

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The county government is a constitutional body, and is granted specific powers by the Constitution of Indiana, and by the Indiana Code.

County Council: The seven member county council has the ultimate decision-making power regarding fiscal affairs of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Four representatives are elected from county districts, and three members are elected at large. The council members serve four-year terms. They are responsible for setting salaries, the annual budget, and special spending. The council also has limited authority to impose local taxes, in the form of an income and property tax that is subject to state level approval, excise taxes, and service taxes.[19][20]

Board of Commissioners: The executive and administrative body of the county is made of a three-member board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four-year term. One of the commissioners serves as president of the board. The commissioners are charged with enacting and executing legislation, the collection of revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.[19][20]

Court: The county maintains a Circuit Court and a Superior Court.[21] These are the trial courts of general jurisdiction. Allen Superior Court hears the vast majority of cases, and has several divisions with multiple courtrooms. There are 9 judges hearing cases on the Allen Superior Court; the Chief Judge of the Allen Superior Court is the Honorable Frances "Fran" C. Gull, first elected as a judge in 1996.

County Officials: The county has several other elected offices, including sheriff, coroner, auditor, treasurer, recorder, surveyor, and circuit court clerk. Each of these elected officers serves a term of four years and oversees a different part of county government. Members elected to county government positions are required to declare a party affiliation and to be residents of the county.[20]

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services.

Allen County is part of Indiana's 3rd congressional district and is represented by Marlin Stutzman in the United States Congress. It is part of Indiana Senate districts 14, 15, 16, 17 and 19;[22] and Indiana House of Representatives districts 50, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85.[23]

Over the last 100 years, Allen County has been a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. The Democratic national landslides of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936 as well as Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 constitute the only occasions since then that a Republican presidential candidate failed to carry the county, and even in 1964, Johnson only won the county by 1.4% and less than 1,500 votes. As of 2020, Joe Biden was the highest vote earner for a Democratic candidate in the history of the county with 73,189 votes. Donald Trump achieved the same feat for his party, with 92,083 votes.

Although Allen County is rather conservative for an urban county, the presence of Fort Wayne makes the county one of the Democrats' strongest counties in Indiana. In 2008, Barack Obama became the first Democratic president after Johnson to receive 40% of the county's vote. While he lost the county by 4 points, the closest that a Democrat has come to carrying the county, he won the city of Fort Wayne itself by six points.[24] However, in 2016, Donald Trump won the county by 19 points and city by 6, but in 2020, while Joe Biden lost the county by 11 points, he recaptured Fort Wayne.[25][26] The last Democratic Governor to win the county was Frank O'Bannon in 2000 and the last Senator was Evan Bayh during his 2004 landslide.[27][28]

Following the 1930 Census, Fort Wayne was drawn into Indiana's 4th congressional district, which essentially became the 3rd district following 2000 Census. Fort Wayne has been represented in House by Republicans for all but 20 years since 1932. The streak was only broken by four Democrats: James Indus Farley from 1933 to 1939, Edward H. Kruse for a single term in 1949–1951, J. Edward Roush from 1971 to 1977 and Jill Long Thompson from 1989 to 1995.[29] Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Elected officials

(information as of January 2024)

Court house

File:Cortes del Condado de Allen, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Estados Unidos, 2012-11-12, DD 01.jpg
The Allen County Courthouse, looking west in 2012.

The Allen County Courthouse was designed by Brentwood S. Tolan of Fort Wayne, and was built by James Stewart and Company of Saint Louis, Missouri. When the cornerstone was laid in 1897, the oldest man in the county, Louis Peltier, was present; he remembered Fort Wayne when it was a fort. The courthouse was completed in 1902 at a total cost of $817,553. At its dedication, Mayor Henry C. Berghoff and Governor Winfield T. Durbin were present. President Theodore Roosevelt was scheduled to attend as well, although he ultimately did not. Built in the Beaux-Arts architecture style, it was one of the most expensive courthouses in the state. It also was filled with artwork that cost more than other entire courthouses of the time. The courthouse has been protected as a National Historic Landmark since 2003. The building is now used primarily as a government annex, as most of the offices were moved across Main Street to the Edwin J. Rousseau Centre in 1971.[31]

Climate

Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Source: The Weather Channel[32]
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In recent years, average temperatures in Fort Wayne have ranged from a low of Script error: No such module "convert". in January to a high of Script error: No such module "convert". in July, although a record low of Script error: No such module "convert". was recorded in January 1918 and a record high of Script error: No such module "convert". was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from Script error: No such module "convert". in February to Script error: No such module "convert". in June.[32]

Economy

In the latter half of the 20th century, shifts in manufacturing patterns led to the reduction of the number of manufacturing plants and jobs in Allen County. However, Allen County's economy has diversified with time to include defense and security, healthcare, and insurance.[33] Agriculture is also a vital part of the county's economy. In 2009, Forbes ranked the Fort Wayne metropolitan area 67th on its list of 200 metropolitan areas in the "Best Places For Business And Careers" report. Individually, Fort Wayne was ranked 5th in cost of living and 12th in cost of doing business.[34]

Notable companies headquartered in Allen County include Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, Do it Best, Franklin Electric, Global Van Lines, Indiana Michigan Power, K&K Insurance, Lutheran Health Network, MedPro Group, North American Van Lines, Parkview Health, Rea Magnet Wire Company, Steel Dynamics, Sweetwater Sound, and Vera Bradley.

Education

File:US-IN-Allen County School Districts.png
Public school districts: East Allen County Schools (yellow), Fort Wayne Community Schools (pink), Northwest Allen County Schools (blue), and Southwest Allen County Schools (green).

Allen County is home of Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW), with an enrollment of 14,192, it is the fifth-largest public university campus in Indiana. The county also holds the main campus of the Northeast Region of Ivy Tech Community College, the second-largest public community college campus in Indiana. Indiana University maintains the third public higher educational facility in the city with the Fort Wayne Center for Medical Education, a branch of the IU School of Medicine.

Religious-affiliated schools in the county include the University of Saint Francis (Roman Catholic), Concordia Theological Seminary (Lutheran), and Indiana Wesleyan University (Wesleyan Church). Business and technical schools include Indiana Institute of Technology (IIT) as well as regional branches of Trine University, Brown Mackie College, Harrison College, ITT Technical Institute, and International Business College.

K-12 schools

Public education is offered in the four districts: East Allen County Schools, Fort Wayne Community Schools, Northwest Allen County Schools, and Southwest Allen County Schools.[35] By means of private education, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend operate 13 schools within Allen County, while Lutheran Schools of Indiana operate 14 schools within the county. In addition, Blackhawk Christian School and Canterbury School offer private K-12 education in Fort Wayne, while Amish Parochial Schools of Indiana has schools through eighth grade in rural eastern Allen County.[36]

Libraries

Fort Wayne and Allen County residents have been served by the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) and its thirteen branches since its founding in 1895 as the Fort Wayne Public Library. The entire library system began an $84.1 million overhaul of its branches in 2002, finishing work by 2007.[37] The centerpiece, the Main Library Branch, now covers Script error: No such module "convert"., featuring an art gallery, underground parking garage, bookstore, café, and community auditorium.[38] According to data from 2005, 5.4 million materials were borrowed by patrons, and 2.5 million visits were made throughout the library system.[39] The Fred J. Reynolds Historical Genealogy Department, located in the Main Library Branch, is the largest public genealogy department in the United States, home to more than 350,000 printed volumes and 513,000 items of microfilm and microfiche.[40]

Parks

In addition to the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation department (see List of parks in Fort Wayne, Indiana), Allen County Parks operates four parks:

  • Fox Island (southwest Allen County near Aboite)
  • Metea (northeast Allen County near Leo)
  • Payton (northern Allen County near Huntertown)
  • Cook's Landing (northern Allen County on Coldwater Rd.)

Allen County Parks are only partially tax supported. Operating expenses must be met through user and program fees. Admission is $2.00 per person age 7 and older. Passes are available on an annual basis (good for one year from purchase date) starting at $15.00. Activities at various parks include hiking, swimming, fishing, sledding, cross-country skiing (rentals available), playgrounds, picnic areas, play fields, and many nature-based programs for all ages. Wheeled vehicles (except wheelchairs) are not permitted on trails, and pets are not permitted in the state nature preserve areas (clearly marked).[41]

Transportation

File:US-IN-Allen County Municipalities.png
Map of Allen County, Indiana with municipalities and major roadways. Unincorporated towns represented by red dot.

Highways

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Airports

Railroads

See also

References

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  12. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ The 12 Largest Amish Communities (2017). Template:Webarchive at Amish America
  15. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Linsenmayer, Steve, A foot in the door: 300 refugees from Burma will move to Fort Wayne this year; getting them settled is a huge and challenging task Template:Webarchive, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, July 12, 2007. Accessed January 27, 2008.
  19. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  32. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". - Text list
  36. ↑ The Amish Schools of Indiana: Faith in Education, by Stephen Bowers; p. 40 Harroff. Retrieved on July 25, 2009
  37. ↑ Perez, Pamela, (September 27, 2001). The debate over the library It could revitalize downtown, say supporters. It's too big, say opponents. The News-Sentinel. Retrieved on February 6, 2009
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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Further reading

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  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". (Template:Trim History of Allen County, Indiana at the Internet Archive)

External links

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