Fountain

Formed December 20, 1825 (53^rd county)

Fountain County (16,474), Covington (2,680), Attica (3,029)

The masonry Art Deco structure is located on a square at 4^th, Liberty, 3^rd, and Washington streets.  United States Highway 136 turns from Liberty Street to 3^rd Street at the courthouse.  Louis L. Johnson and Walter Scholar are the designers.  The building was constructed in 1936 to replace a nice 1859 courthouse.  The building features wooden doors and the grounds have a gazebo and veteran memorials.  Fountain County was created on December 20, 1825 from parts of Montgomery County and Native American Territory as the 53^rd county.  Covington has been the only county seat.  Northwest Indian War hero Major James Fontaine is the county’s namesake.  Obviously, the name has been altered.  The county seat is named for Covington, Virginia. 

Fountain County government consists of a sheriff, 3 Commissioners, and 7 Council Members.  A Circuit Court Judge serves Fountain County.  The county is in western Indiana.  Indianapolis, Indiana is southeast and Terre Haute, Indiana is south of the county.  The Wabash River forms its northern and western borders.  The county center is 8.5 miles East-Northeast of Covington nearer Stone Bluff.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Parke, Vermillion, and Warren counties. 

The area of the county is 396 square miles.  It is 47 out of 92 in the state.  It ranks 77 out of 92 in population in the state.  It has a density of 41.6 persons per square mile making it 83 out of 92 in the state.  Fountain County has 56.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 74 crosses the county east to west from Montgomery County to Vermillion County.  United States Highway 41 goes north to south from Warren County to Parke County.  United States Highway 136 parallels Interstate Highway 74 from Montgomery to Warren counties.  The county is shaped like a straight plow.  Covington is on the western border of the county.  Attica is on the northern border.  Covington is the county seat and Attica is the largest city.  Covington is 16.3% of the county population while Attica is 18.4% of the county population.