Owen County, Indiana

Founding: 1819
Parent counties: Daviess and Sullivan

Namesake: Abraham Owen, Kentucky soldier
Seat: Spencer (1820–)

Land area: 385 square miles

Population (2020): 21,321

Population (historic): 838 (1820); 12,106 (1850); 16,137 (1870); 15,149 (1900); 11,351 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1820–1870; 1890s; 1930s; 1960–2000

Subdivisions: Two towns; 13 townships

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 1,626 (16.1%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 40.9%
Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 6.5%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 11.6%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 8.6%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $852
Average outbuilding value (1930): $541

Average farmhouse size (1940): 4.9 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 1,968
Average farm size (1920): 73.2 acres
Sources of settlement: Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina

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Spencer

Namesake: Spier Spencer, Indiana militia officer

Founding: 1820 (platting); 1821 (post office); 1866 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 2,454

Population (historic): 335 (1850); 971 (1870); 2,026 (1900); 2,179 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1850–1910; 1920–1960; 1970s; 2010s
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 371 (31.1%)

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Outstanding Buildings

1. Silas Moffett House (1864/1870s). 2383 Bixler Road. Lafayette. Italianate.
2. James Alverson House (1857). 6771 US Highway 231. Montgomery.
3. Melvin Cassell House (c. 1890). 3474 Fidler Road. Taylor. Eastlake.
4. Abner Goodwin House (1838). 10481 Tower Road. Taylor.
5. James Secrest House (1859). 1816 Concord Road. Washington. Greek Revival.
6. Ephraim Goss House (c. 1855). 3965 County Line Road. Wayne. Greek Revival. Razed.

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