Montpelier, Indiana
| Montpelier, Indiana | |
|---|---|
| City | |
Montpelier, Indiana
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| Nickname(s): Oil City | |
 Location in the state of Indiana |
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| Coordinates: 40°33′11″N 85°16′53″W / 40.55306°N 85.28139°WCoordinates: 40°33′11″N 85°16′53″W / 40.55306°N 85.28139°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Blackford |
| Settled | 1836 |
| Incorporated (town) | 1870 |
| Incorporated (city) | 1895 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Kathy J. Bantz (R) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.54 sq mi (3.99 km2) |
| • Land | 1.54 sq mi (3.99 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 869 ft (265 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,805 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 1,765 |
| • Density | 1,172.1/sq mi (452.6/km2) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 47359 |
| Area code(s) | 765 |
| FIPS code | 18-50796 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0439371 |
| Website | http://montpelier-indiana.com/ |
Montpelier /mɒntˈpiːliər/ is a city in Blackford County, Indiana, United States. This small rural community, the county's first to be platted, was established by settlers from Vermont, and is named after Vermont's capital city of Montpelier.
Montpelier was a central participant in the Indiana Gas Boom, as natural gas was discovered near the community in 1887. More importantly, the county's first successful oil well was drilled on the south side of Montpelier in 1890. Its population quickly grew from 808 in 1890 to about 6,500 by 1896. The Gas Boom, mostly an oil boom for Montpelier, gradually ended during the first decade of the 20th century.
Like many boom towns, the city's population has never matched that of the boom years. The city's population was 1,805 at the 2010 census. However, the city's population stabilized many decades ago, and the community has multiple industries and an active community association. Montpelier is located near the former Godfroy Indian Reservation, and a statue of an Indian is featured prominently in the downtown district.
In 1836 and 1837, several groups of settlers from Vermont moved to East Central Indiana, and settled on the high ground on the south side of the Salamonie River. Abel Baldwin, a veteran of the War of 1812, was the leader of this group of Vermont natives. They named their community Montpelier, after the capital of their original home state. Baldwin and his son-in-law, civil engineer John Cook, surveyed the area in 1836, and it was platted on September 5, 1837. The original plat had 16 blocks with a total of 154 lots.
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