Hillsdale, Indiana Explained

Hillsdale, Indiana
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Mapsize:150px
Pushpin Map:USA Indiana Vermillion County
Pushpin Label:Hillsdale
Pushpin Map Caption:Hillsdale's location in Vermillion County
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Indiana
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Vermillion
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name3:Helt
Established Title:Established
Established Date:1873
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation Footnotes:[1]
Elevation M:190
Elevation Ft:623
Coordinates:39.7858°N -87.3903°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:47854
Area Code:765
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:436218

Hillsdale is an unincorporated community in Helt Township, Vermillion County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.[2]

History

A post office has been in operation at Hillsdale since 1872.[3] The town was laid out in 1873.[4] The community was so named on account of its lofty elevation.[5] Its early businesses were located at the bottom of the hill, near the railroad depot, but most of the houses were built higher up on the hillside. This elevation difference complicated movement between the two sections of the community, so in 1903 the Hillsdale Steps were built on the hillside to improve foot transportation.[6]

Geography

Hillsdale is located at 39.7819°N -87.3883°W (39.782020, -87.388270) on the western banks of the Wabash River.

Trivia

The 1994 children's film Blank Check was set in a fictionalized version of Hillsdale which seems to be a major city rather than the true-life community. However, the movie was filmed in and around Austin, Texas.

References

  1. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. 2016-07-15. United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007.
  2. Web site: [{{GNIS3|436218}} Hillsdale, Indiana ]. . . July 31, 2017.
  3. Web site: Vermillion County . Jim Forte Postal History . 1 October 2015.
  4. Book: History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana. 1913. B.F. Bowen & Cos. 413.
  5. Book: Baker, Ronald L.. From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History. October 1995. Indiana University Press. 978-0-253-32866-3. 164. ...village's location on high ground..
  6. http://www.in.gov/history/markers/363.htm The Hillsdale Steps