Forest, Indiana Explained

Official Name:Forest
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community and Census-designated place
Pushpin Map:USA Indiana Clinton County
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Indiana
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Clinton
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name3:Forest
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1 September 1874
Coordinates:40.375°N -86.3325°W
Elevation Ft:883
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:46039
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:18-23926[1]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:2830342

Forest is an unincorporated community in Forest Township, Clinton County, Indiana.

History

The town of Forest was platted on September 1, 1874, by Henry Y. Morrison to serve as a station along the Frankfort and Kokomo Railroad (later the Clover Leaf Railroad). The town's name was given because the site was forested, and the first railroad tickets sold there were issued from an oak stump used as a ticket counter. The town gained a post office in 1877 with C. G. R. Sims as the first postmaster.

The residents of Forest supported the Temperance movement, as a county history describes:

A reckless man undertook to establish a saloon here in the spring of 1886, despite the protests of the citizens, but after his building had been blown up with dynamite he decided to seek another location.

As of circa 1913, the town had "about four hundred" inhabitants and considerable activity, including a bank (Citizens), three churches (Baptist, Methodist and Christian Holiness), and a number of lodges and fraternal organizations, including the Odd Fellows (172 men) and Rebekahs (58 women), Knights of Pythias (77 members), Masons (70), Improved Order of Red Men (48) and Modern Woodmen of America (26).[2] As of 2016, Forest has much less considerable activity with only the post office and three churches still running.

References

  1. Web site: U.S. Census website . . 2008-01-31 .
  2. Book: Claybaugh , Joseph . History of Clinton County, Indiana. 1913. A. W. Bowen & Company. Indianapolis. Forest Township.