New Amsterdam, Indiana

New Amsterdam, Indiana
—  Town  —
New Amsterdam town hall
Location of New Amsterdam in the state of Indiana
Coordinates: 38°6′7″N 86°16′29″W / 38.10194°N 86.27472°W / 38.10194; -86.27472Coordinates: 38°6′7″N 86°16′29″W / 38.10194°N 86.27472°W / 38.10194; -86.27472
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Harrison
Township	Washington
Area
- Total	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
- Land	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	449 ft (137 m)
Population (2010)
- Total	1
- Density	10/sq mi (5/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
FIPS code	18-52398[1]
GNIS feature ID	0440016[2]

New Amsterdam is a town located in Washington Township, Harrison County, Indiana, USA,along the Ohio River. At the 2010 census, New Amsterdam had a population of 1.

This hamlet hosts a festival each spring, in April, called Remembrance Days, at Shaffer's General Store.

Geography

New Amsterdam is located at 38°6′6″N 86°16′29″W / 38.10167°N 86.27472°W / 38.10167; -86.27472 (38.101894, -86.274821).^[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²), of which 12.50% is water.

Demographics

New Amsterdam, IN Population by year

2000 1 1990 30 1980 31 1970 32 1960 43 1950 76 1940 86 1930 101 1920 137 1910 134 1900 200 [4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town is one of only five places in the United States to have a population of one. The others are Hibberts Gore, Maine; Monowi, Nebraska; Buford, Wyoming and Lost Springs, Wyoming.

History

The first European-American settlers in what became New Amsterdam were James Riley and Jacob Youstler. Starting in 1815, they lived in New Amsterdam for several years before relocating further north.^[5] The town was formally platted and founded by the Funk brothers.

The town depended on the Ohio River for its growth, as it was the main transportation route for migrating settlers as well as traders up and down river. Steamboats were active on the river during the 19th century and contributed to the growth of waterfront towns. In the 1860 census, New Amsterdam was the largest town in Harrison County.

Floods played a large part in the decline of the town. The Great Flood of 1937 destroyed 75% of all the structures in the town. The only original building remaining in the town is the old country store. A marker on the second story of the building shows the height of the water in the 1937 Flood.

Today

The town's general store.

The town has a general store that is frequented by the locals, a Baptist church, a Methodist church, a Town Hall, and a cemetery.

The New Amsterdam Festival, also known as Remembrance Day, is held the second weekend of April and all are welcome. The festival features a parade, bazaar and competitions with prizes for the winners.

See also

• List of places with fewer than ten people
• List of cities and towns along the Ohio River

References

1. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
4. ^ [1]
5. ^ Washington Township