Madison

Formed January 4, 1823 (46^th county)

Madison County (130,141), Anderson (54,773)

A Modern glass and red/brown brick courthouse was built in 1972 and remodeled in 1983.  It is located at 9^th and Meridian streets.  Indiana State Highway 32 is five blocks south of the site.  Johnson, Richhart & Associates are the building architects.  There was a classic courthouse previously built in 1882.  The county was created on January 4, 1823 as the 46^th county and named for President James Madison.  He is also the namesake for the county seat of Jefferson County.  The county was taken from Native American Territory.  Pendleton was the first county seat until 1827 when Anderson assumed that role.  The county seat is named for a Native American chief whose name was “Americanized” to Anderson. 

Madison County government consists of a sheriff, an auditor, a clerk, a coroner, a treasurer, and an assessor (executive).  It has 7 Council Members (legislative.)  Two Circuit Court Judges, Four Superior Court Judges, and a prosecutor serve Madison County (judicial.) The county is in eastern Indiana.  Indianapolis, Indiana is southwest and Fort Wayne, Indiana is northeast of the county.  The county center is 3.7 miles North of Anderson.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Grant, Delaware, Henry, Hancock, Hamilton, and Tipton counties. 

The area of the county is 452 square miles.  It is 18 out of 92 in the state.   It ranks 13 out of 92 in population in the state.  It has a density of 287.9 persons per square mile making it 15 out of 92 in the state.  Madison County has 66.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 69 crosses the county northeast to southwest from Delaware County to Hancock County.  United States Highway 36 goes east to southwest from Henry County to Hancock County.  The county is a tall rectangle.  Anderson is in the southern third of the county.  Anderson is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 42.1% of the county population.  This county is in the Anderson Metropolitan Statistical Area.