Mount Meridian, Indiana

Mount Meridian
—  Unincorporated community  —
Mount Meridian Location within the state of Indiana
Coordinates: 39°36′7″N 86°45′26″W / 39.60194°N 86.75722°W / 39.60194; -86.75722Coordinates: 39°36′7″N 86°45′26″W / 39.60194°N 86.75722°W / 39.60194; -86.75722
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Putnam
Township	Marion
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
– Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	46128 (doesn't have its own zip...uses Fillmore, IN zip)
FIPS code
GNIS feature ID

Mount Meridian is an unincorporated community located in Marion Township, Putnam County, Indiana. Primarily on US 40, it's approximately 34 miles (55 km) west from Indianapolis. It's called Mount Meridian due to the fact it's in the highest place in the county and surrounding areas.

Points of interest

Putnam Park Road Course

About 1/2 mile SW of the community is the Putnam Park Road Course. Mainly used as a test track, it holds races, practices and special events for all types of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, Porsche, Dodge Viper, and professional race car drivers of all types & levels. It is also a primary location to test new vehicles and race car models. The track was featured on the Speed Channel in 2007.

Geography

Mount Meridian is located at 39°36'6.55" North, 86°45'26.06" West (39.601820, -86.757240)^[1], south east of Greencastle, Indiana.

History

Mount Meridian was originally named "Carthage" in 1833 by William Heaven and Bryce W. Miller. Whenever the town became a post office for much of Marion and Jefferson townships a few years later, the name had to be changed, due to the fact a town of the same name in Indiana already had a post office. The town then received the nickname, "Old Cat". In 1843, Henry Ward Beecher, a pastor from Indianapolis, stopped in through the town. He considered it "a small proverty-stricken little hamlet... shackly houses, pale faces and ragged children." When he awoke the next morning to seek water for washing, he found a well standing in a beautiful garden of flowers. He walked through a wicket gate to come upon a huge assortment of local vegetables from the primeval forests. The town once included the Mt. Meridian Saw Mill, a general store, a baptist & methodost church, grist mill, tavern, wagon and shoe shop, and the Vermillion Brothers Trading Post. All that remains today are some self-storage sheds, an apartment building, the Tincher's auto shop, and Lawsons Tree Farm.

The Half Way House

The Half Way House was originally built in 1830 on the north side of the Old National Road (US 40) near the town square. For the town being roughly right between Terre Haute and Indianapolis, its name derived from the idea. Such people as Daniel Webster and Abraham Lincoln spent the night there. The house was owned and ran by such people as John David Scott, Thomas and Martha (Bourne) Vermillion, Asbury and Cora (Bourne) McCammack, and was last ran by their son, Virgil McCammack. Business slowed by 1940, as the automobile lessened the need of an inn for its location.

References

1. ^ "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.