Daviess County, located in south central Indiana, is known...

Daviess County, located in south central Indiana, is known for its rural landscape, authentic Amish culture and boundless outdoor recreation. The county lies 260 miles southeast of Chicago, 93 miles southwest of Indianapolis, 200 miles north of Nashville and 100 miles from Cincinnati. With this location so near to major U.S. marketplaces, Daviess County is no stranger to the twenty-first century global economy, though its values and lifestyle remain largely preserved. The county’s communities range in size from a few hundred to over 11,000 residents, leaving lots of open space for enjoying the area’s famed outdoor terrain.

Daviess County generally experiences temperate summers and moderate springs. The average temperature in July can range from 63 to 88 degrees, with the average temperature in January ranging between 17 and 35 degrees. Though the county once switched to the Central Time Zone, it has since returned to observing the Eastern Time Zone as of November 2007. In 2000, the US Census declared Daviess County as the official Median Center of the US population.

With Daviess County located a few miles from the first capital of the Indiana Northwest Territory and the heartbeat of western American expansion, bands of Indian warriors, British and French soldiers and American troops crisscrossed the county region in the 1700s and 1800s. No less than 11 small forts once guarded pioneers within the county, which was named for Colonel John Hamilton Daviess—a hero killed in action at the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe.

The county seat of Washington—originally named Liverpool in the early 1800s by a handful of pioneers—was once home to the transportation powerhouse called simply “The Shops.” Roughly halfway between Baltimore and St. Louis, the B&O Railroad once maintained a large-scale railroad repair facility and roundhouse in Washington that lifted the region out of the 1800s economic “Long Depression.” A $75,000 gamble by city officials paid off handsomely, as the B&O facility would employ thousands of engineers, administrators and yard-workers in the decades to come. Wealth generated by the railroad industry resulted in the construction of stately homes and businesses throughout the region, many of which are still standing.

No less than three national presidential candidates have made notable visits to the county seat of Washington, with Abraham Lincoln visiting the area a number of times and delivering an address to Washington residents on Main Street on October 25th, 1844. Richard Nixon formally kicked off his successful 1968 national campaign before a packed house of state dignitaries and local residents at the then-new gymnasium at Washington High School in February 1968. Even presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy made a storied visit to the city a few months later, shortly before making his historic remarks in Indianapolis upon the untimely death of Martin Luther King.

Daviess County celebrates the presence of about 725 Old Order Amish families who began settling here in the nineteenth century from Pennsylvania. Their Christian faith embraces the principles of humility and service, embodying a simple form of dress and lifestyle. Following a literal biblical interpretation of being separate from a secular world, followers of the Amish faith choose to limit their use of technology and more typical twenty-first–century customs. Amish craftsman living and working in Daviess County possess near-legendary reputations for world-class wood, leather and quilt products. Amish-built cabinets and doors from the county are in demand from custom homebuilders across the country. The high quality of Daviess County Amish products can be seen and experienced year-round, with several quilt and craft auctions taking place. Tours of working Amish farms and homes are a popular attraction to the region, where Amish families often invite visitors into their homes for an unforgettable dinner and family singing.

Recreational opportunities in Daviess County never cease. Golfers have two courses to take advantage of: the Country Oaks Golf Club located in Montgomery and the Washington Country Club. The Country Oaks Golf Club is unique in that it is planted on a 140-acre farmstead, with the golf shop housed in an old dairy barn. Golfers have the chance to view the white silo and original farmhouse up close while playing their 18 holes. On the other hand, the Washington Country Club dates back to 1920 and provides one of the oldest courses in the area. It offers a semi-private 9-hole course.

West Boggs Park, the Glendale Fish and Wildlife Area and Eastside Park also provide opportunities for hiking, boating, fishing and swimming to the Daviess County community. Bass fishermen know Glendale as a hidden treasure, but hikers too will be amazed by the rolling land sculpted by melting ancient glaciers. Canoeing, water-skiing, boating and other aquatic pleasures are also ample throughout the county. Birdwatching is another popular pastime, as Daviess County represents a major migratory point for many colorful species of fowl.

C E F H I L M O P R S U W

Contractors/Construction Education Financial Funeral Homes Health Industry Insurance Land Surveyors Lodging Museum Organizations Pharmacy Restaurants Retail/Shopping Senior Services Utilities Worship

Contractors/Construction

J and L Home Center 4608 E. US Hwy. 50

Washington IN

47501, 812-48-3386 jlhomes@rtccom.net

www.kneppsrestaurant.com

Contractors/Construction

Knepp's Restaurant and Gift Shoppe 4608 E. US Hwy. 50

Washington IN

47501, 812-48-3386 jlhomes@rtccom.net

www.kneppsrestaurant.com

Education

North Daviess Community Schools 5494 East St. Rd. 58

Elnord IN

47527, 812-636-8000 ext 1007 bbell@ndaviess.k12.in.us www.ndaviess.k12.in.us

Financial

First Federal Savings Bank of Washington 439 S. State Rd. 57

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-2370 1stfedtr@sbcglobal.net

www.firstfederalwashington.com

Financial

German American 201 E. Main Street

Washington IN

47501, 812-257-9675 roberta.graber@germanamerican.com

www.germanamerican.com

Funeral Homes

Ed Lee Mortuary 101 N. Meridian St.

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-3612 andrewcharlesarvin@yahoo.com

www.edleemortuary.com

Funeral Homes

Poindexter Hall-McClure Funeral Home 210 N. State Rd. 57

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-0600 www.funeralplan2.com/phmcclure/

Health

Daviess Community Hospital 1314 E. Walnut St.

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-8858 www.dchosp.org

Industry

K and K Industries Inc. 8518 E. 550 N Montgomery

IN 47558, 812-486-3281 jerry@kktruss.com www.kktruss.com

Industry

Perdue Farms Inc. 65 South 200 West

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-8537 micahel.gooch@perdue.com

www.perdue.com

Industry

T.S. Boyd Grain Inc. 1957 E. 200 N Washington

IN 47501, 812-254-5599

donna@boydgrain.com www.boydgrain.com

Insurance

The Insurance Shop Inc 204 West Main St.

Odon IN

47562, 812-636-2222 mgraber@theinsuranceshopinc.com

www.tisprotection.com

Land Surveyors

Landmark Surveying Co., Inc. 15 N.E. 3rd Street

Washington IN

47501, 812-257-0950 landmark97@sbcglobal.net

Lodging

Fox Road Cabins 9151 700 South Loogootee

Washington IN

47501, 812-486-1332 tgraber@grabercrane.com www.foxroadcabins.com

Lodging

Theroff's Motel 2001 E. National Hwy.

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-4279 www.theroffsmotel.com

Museum

Daviess County Historical Society Museum 2125 East Main St.

Washington IN

47501, 812-444-9360 dchistory@sbcglobal.net

www.daviesscountyhistory.net

Organizations

Daviess County Community Foundation 320 E. Main St.

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-9354 jeanne@daviesscommunityfoundation.org

www.daviesscommunityfoundation.org

Pharmacy

Odon Pharmacy 200 W. Main St.

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-7666 dscudder@centurytel.net

www.prescriptionshoppe.net

Pharmacy

Prescription Shoppe 200 W. Main St.

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-7666 dscudder@centurytel.net

www.prescriptionshoppe.net

Restaurants

The Oden Essen Haus 100 Northwest St.

Odon IN

47562, 812-636-2000 essen@rtccom.net

www.theodonessenhaus.com

Retail/Shopping

The Stitching Post 401 E. Main Washington

IN 47501, 812-254-6063

stitchingpost@sbcglobal.net www.stitchingpostquilts.com

Retail/Shopping

Dinky's Auction Center 4140 N. 700 East

Montgomery IN

47558, dinkysauctioncenter@yahoo.com www.dinkysauctioncenter.com

Retail/Shopping

Gasthof Amish Village P.O. Box 60 Montgomery

IN 47558, 812-486-4900

mail@gasthofamishvillage.com www.gasthofamishvillage.com

Retail/Shopping

White River Valley Antique Association Daviess County Fairgrounds

Elhora IN

47529, 812-66-7781 odonmachine@yahoo.com

www.wrvaa.org

Retail/Shopping

Crop Production Services 1311 West VanTrees St.

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-3823 tschwenk@agriumretail.com

Retail/Shopping

The Musket Shop 5382 S. 800 E Montogomery

IN 47558, 812-644-7602 msktshp@rtccom.net

Retail/Shopping

Stoll Bros Lumber, Inc. P.O. Box 367

Odon IN

47562, 812-636-4053 jstoll@stollbros.com

Senior Services

Parkview Village Christian Care, Inc. 800 S. West St.

Odon IN

47562, 812-636-3000 director@parkview-village.org

www.parkview-village.org

Utilities

Frette Energy P.O. Box 267 Washington

IN 47501, 812-254-3671

fretteenergy@sbcglobal.net www.fretteenergy.com

Worship

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church LCMC 1002 1/2 N. Sixth St.

Washington IN

47501, 812-254-0950 lutheran.church@sbcglobal.net

www.lutheransonline.com/goodshepherd/cmc

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