With more than 85,000 acres of farmland, Blackford County has 72,000 acres devoted to soybeans and corn. The remaining land is used to grow wheat, hay, and oats, and supports over 24,000 hogs and pigs.
Standing tall in Montpelier
The “Miami Indian” is a 25-foot fiberglass statue in Montpelier, Indiana, known for its appearance in the opening credits of the TV show “Parks and Recreation.” The statue was first installed at a Pontiac dealership in Indianapolis. It was later moved to a Native American museum at Eagle Creek Park before Miami leader Larry Godfroy donated the statue to Montpelier in 1984. It now stands near the historic Godfroy Reserve, which is land granted by an 1818 treaty to Chief François Godfroy and his people. The reserve once covered nearly 4,000 acres along the Salamonie River in Blackford County before being sold in the 1820s and 1830s.
A journey beyond Earth
Kevin Ford, a native of Montpelier, is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and NASA astronaut. After earning degrees in aerospace engineering and international relations, he served as a fighter pilot and test pilot before being selected by NASA in 2000. He has spent 157 days in space across two missions — one as a pilot on the Space Shuttle “Discovery” and one as commander of the International Space Station (ISS). After his time as an astronaut, Ford became a pilot for United Airlines and now serves as a technical advisor for NASA’s ISS Advisory Committee.
Heart of Hartford City
The Hartford City Courthouse Square Historic District serves as the historic and civic center of Blackford County. Its main building, the Blackford County Courthouse, is a Richardsonian Romanesque landmark built during the Indiana Gas Boom. Designed by Marion architects Arthur LaBell and Burt L. French, the courthouse features a 165-foot clock tower and stone walls, and it still houses local government more than a century later. The courthouse lawn includes several war memorials, including a World War I monument that is a reproduction of the “Spirit of the American Doughboy” sculpture.
By Nicole Thomas
