Sugar Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana
| Sugar Creek Township | |
|---|---|
| Township | |
 Location in Vigo County |
|
| Coordinates: 39°27′34″N 87°28′49″W / 39.45944°N 87.48028°WCoordinates: 39°27′34″N 87°28′49″W / 39.45944°N 87.48028°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Vigo |
| Government | |
| • Type | Indiana township |
| Area | |
| • Total | 45.75 sq mi (118.5 km2) |
| • Land | 44.18 sq mi (114.4 km2) |
| • Water | 1.57 sq mi (4.1 km2) 3.43% |
| Elevation | 525 ft (160 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 7,153 |
| • Density | 161.9/sq mi (62.5/km2) |
| ZIP codes | 47802, 47876, 47885 |
| GNIS feature ID | 453886 |
Sugar Creek Township is one of twelve townships in Vigo County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 7,153 and it contained 3,009 housing units.
According to the 2010 census, the township has a total area of 45.75 square miles (118.5 km2), of which 44.18 square miles (114.4 km2) (or 96.57%) is land and 1.57 square miles (4.1 km2) (or 3.43%) is water.
The township contains Sheets Cemetery.
On May 9, 1820, by order of the county commissioners the present boundaries were established, as Sugar Creek Township was cut off from Wabash Township, which at that time included all that part of Vigo County lying west of the Wabash River. The first settlers found it wholly covered in timber of large growth. Its general surface is rolling and in places broken. It has an area of about 27,000 acres (110 km²), most of which is arable, and abounds in bituminous coal and limestone. It is well watered by small streams. Sugar Creek, the largest and the township's namesake, has several branches which flow through the central part of the township from the west and northwest, and empty into the Wabash River one and a half miles south of the National Road. Clear Creek, the next in size, flows through the southern part and empties into the Wabash three and a half miles south of the mouth of Sugar Creek.
The first settlement was made in 1818, and the first settlers were James Bennett, John Sheets, John Ray, Henry Kuykendall, John Reese, Reuben Newton, James Hicklin, Joseph Malcom, Micajah Goodman, Henry Hearn, Henry Middleton and John Cruse. Joseph Malcom was the first road supervisor, and John Ray was the first inspector of elections; they were appointed by the county commissioners on May 9, 1820. John Reese was the first justice of the peace; he was chosen at an election (the first held in the township) held at the house of John Ray on the first Saturday in June. It is said that Daniel Kuykendall was the first child born. The first saw-mill was built by James Sturgess, in 1820, on the S. W. 1/4 of Sec. 24, T. 12, R. 9 W, About this time James Bennett built a grist mill on the N. W. 1/4 of Sec. 30, T. 12, R. 9 W., and sometime after connected with it an oil-mill and carding machine, and on the same section, in 1824, built the first brick house. In 1831 Joseph Malcom was granted permission to establish and keep a public ferry over the Wabash river, now known as Cox's ferry. In the autumn of 1846 George Broadhurst sank the first coal shaft, in the S. W. corner of the S. W. 1/4 of Sec. 19, T. 12, R. 9 W. Previous to this date coal had been dug at different places, but no regular mining for profit was carried on until Mr. Broadhurst had sunk his shaft.'
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