Shelby

Formed December 31, 1821 (42^nd county)

Shelby County (45,052), Shelbyville (20,072)                

The masonry Art Deco building was constructed in 1937 on Harrison Street between Taylor and Polk streets.  Indiana State Highway 9 is Harrison Street.  D. A. Bohlen and Son are the architects.  The courthouse was renovated in 2002.  A Justice Center was added in 1994.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  There was an 1852 courthouse also in Shelbyville, the only county seat.  Shelby County was founded on December 31, 1821 from Native American Territory as the 42^nd county.  The county and county seat are named for Revolutionary War hero General Isaac Shelby. 

Shelby County government consists of a sheriff, 3 Commissioners, and 7 Council Members.  A Circuit Court Judge and Three Superior Court Judges serve Shelby County.  The county is located in central Indiana immediately to the southeast of Indianapolis, Indiana.  The county center is in Shelbyville .9 miles North of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Hancock, Rush, Decatur, Bartholomew, Johnson, and Marion counties. 

The area of the county is 411 square miles.  It is 34 out of 92 in the state.  It ranks 33 out of 92 in population in the state.  It has a density of 106.6 persons per square mile making it 34 out of 92 in the state.  Shelby County has 49.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 65 clips the southwest corner of the county from Johnson County, west, to Bartholomew County, south.  Interstate Highway 74 crosses the county northwest to southeast from Marion County to Decatur County.  United States Highway 52 enters from the north, Hancock County, and exits to the east, Rush County.  The county is a rectangle.  Shelbyville is at the center of the county.  Shelbyville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 44.6% of the county population.  This county is in the Indianapolis-Carmel Metropolitan Statistical Area.