Starke County, Indiana

Infobox U.S. County
county = Starke County
state = Indiana


founded year = 1850
founded date =
seat wl = Knox
largest city wl =
city type = town
area_total_sq_mi = 312
area_total_km2 = 809
area_land_sq_mi = 309
area_land_km2 = 801
area_water_sq_mi = 3
area_water_km2 = 8
area percentage = 0.96%
lat deg =
lat min =
long deg =
long min =
census yr = 2000
pop = 23556
density_sq_mi = 76
density_km2 = 29
time zone = Eastern
footnotes =
web =
named for = John Stark

Starke County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 23,556. The county seat is KnoxGR|6.

It is the poorest county per capita outside of the southeast of the state.fact|date=April 2007

History

Starke County was formed in 1850. It was named for Gen. John Stark, [cite book|first=Ronald L.|last=Baker|coauthors=Marvin Carmony|title=Indiana Place Names|publisher=Indiana University Press|location=Bloomington|year=1995|id=ISBN 0-253-28340-X|page=158] who commanded New Hampshire troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775 in the Revolutionary War and defeated the British at the Battle of Bennington in 1777. [cite book|author=De Witt Clinton Goodrich & Charles Richard Tuttle|publisher=R. S. Peale & co.|year=1875|location=Indiana|title=An Illustrated History of the State of Indiana|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=YDIUAAAAYAAJ| pages=577]

Before white settlement, all of the land that forms modern-day Starke County and adjacent LaPorte County to the north belonged to the Potawatami Indian nation. These Indians were forcibly removed to Kansas by the United States government in 1838, and many died on what has been called the Trail of Death. [Starke County Public Library factsheet http://www.scpl.lib.in.us/historical/timeline/timeline.pdf] [History of 1838 Trail of Death http://www.potawatomi-tda.org/ptodhist.htm]

Government

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 county council is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all the spending and revenue collection in the county. Representatives are elected from county districts. 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.cite web|author=Indiana Code|url=http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar2/ch3.html |title=Title 36, Article 2, Section 3|accessdate=2008-09-16|publisher=IN.gov] cite web|author= Indiana Code |url= http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title3/ar10/ch2.pdf |title= Title 2, Article 10, Section 2 |accessdate=2008-09-16|publisher=IN.gov]

Board of Commissioners: The executive body of the county is made of a board of commissioners. The commissioners are elected county-wide, in staggered terms, and each serves a four year term. One of the commissioners, typically the most senior, serves as president. The commissioners are charged with executing the acts legislated by the council, the collection of revenue, and managing the day-to-day functions of the county government.

Court: The county maintains a small claims court that can handle some civil cases. The judge on the court is elected to a term of four years and must be a member of the Indiana Bar Association. The judge is assisted by a constable who is also elected to terms of four years. In some cases, court decisions can be appealed to the state level circuit court.

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 serve terms of four years and oversee different parts of the county government. Members elected to any county government position are required to declare a party affiliation and be a resident of the county.

Starke County is part of Indiana's 2nd congressional district and in 2008 was represented by Joe Donnelly in the United States Congress. [cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/donnelly/|title=US Congressman Joe Donnelly|publisher=US Congress|accessdate=2008-10-08]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 312 square miles (809 km²), of which 309 square miles (801 km²) is land and 3 square miles (8 km²) (0.96%) is water. The northwestern boundary of Starke County is defined by the Kankakee River; the Yellow River, a tributary of the Kankakee, flows through the central part of the county, past Knox. [cite book| title= Indiana Atlas & Gazetteer |year=1998 |publisher= DeLorme |location=Yarmouth, Me. |isbn= 0-89933-211-0 |pages= pp. 19-20, 25-26]

Cities and towns

*Hamlet
*Knox
*North Judson

Unincorporated towns

*Bass Lake
*English Lake
*Grovertown
*Koontz Lake
*Ora
*San Pierre

Townships

*California
*Center
*Davis
*Jackson
*North Bend
*Oregon
*Railroad
*Washington
*Wayne

Adjacent counties

*LaPorte County (north)
*St. Joseph County (northeast)
*Marshall County (east)
*Fulton County (southeast)
*Pulaski County (south)
*Jasper County (west)
*Porter County (northwest)

Major highways

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Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 23,556 people, 8,740 households, and 6,450 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile (29/km²). There were 10,201 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.52% White, 0.22% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. 2.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.2% were of German, 17.5% American, 11.0% Irish, 8.2% Polish and 6.4% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 8,740 households out of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.40% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.20% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.80% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,243, and the median income for a family was $42,355. Males had a median income of $32,779 versus $21,071 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,466. About 8.80% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.10% of those under age 18 and 10.10% of those age 65 or over.

References

*cite book
first = Richard L. (editor)
last = Forstall
year = 1996
title = Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses
publisher = United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division
id = ISBN 0-934213-48-8----