Wells County, Indiana

Founding: 1837
Parent county: Unorganized territory

Namesake: William Wells, U.S. army officer
Seat: Bluffton (1839–)

Land area: 368 square miles

Population (2020): 28,180

Population (historic): 1,822 (1840); 10,844 (1860); 18,442 (1880); 23,449 (1900); 18,411 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1840–1900; 1930–2020

Subdivisions: One city; six towns; nine townships

National Register listings: Five

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 3,705 (31.4%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 62.1%
Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 9.4%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 5.3%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 10.5%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $1,210
Average outbuilding value (1930): $1,184

Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.9 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 2,545
Average farm size (1920): 75.6 acres
Sources of settlement: Ohio and Pennsylvania

___________________________________________________________________________________

Bluffton

Namesake: Unknown—perhaps the local terrain

Founding: 1838 (platting); 1839 (post office); 1851 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 10,308

Population (historic): 477 (1850); 1,131 (1870); 4,479 (1900); 5,074 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1838–1920; 1930–2020
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 1,331 (29.3%)

___________________________________________________________________________________

View and filter the data. Or see a larger map.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Buildings

1. Josiah Twibell Farm (1872). 2867 West 1200S. Chester.
2. *Bethel Methodist Church (1900). 4500 East 300S. Harrison. Romanesque.
3. William Nelson House (c. 1875). 2641 River Road. Harrison. Italianate.
4. Oliver Markley House (c. 1845). 6200 State Route 116. Harrison.
5. Robert Kilander House (1899). 10816 South 600W. Jackson. Classical Revival/Romanesque.
6. James Ferguson Log House (c. 1850). 6200 East 1000N. Jefferson. Razed.