Montpelier, Indiana

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Montpelier was born in a time shortly after the Indians were run out of the Indiana territories. The year was 1836. The state of Indiana had just been formed and admitted to the union 20 years before (1816) as the 19th state. The Indiana Governor was Noah Noble, a Whig, and the President of the United States was second termer Andrew Jackson. Martin Van Buren was erected to tee President starting 1837 Santa Anna and 3000 Mexicans had just overrun the Alamo in the newly recognized independent republic of Texas and Samuel Colt patented the pistol with a revolving chamber.

Indiana, spurred by the success of the Erie Canal, (opened in 1833) plus being urged by the ever present need for better transportation, embarked upon the "Canal era" with the enactment of the "Mammouth Internal Improvement Bill" which carried an appropriation of $13 million, well over 10% of the states total assessed valuation. The bill provided for a vast network of canals and turnpikes and a railroad. One year later the "panic of 1837" struck the nation and the State government became bankrupt.

Montpelier was platted in as a part of Jay County until 1839. In 1839, Blackford County, was organized. It was named for Judge Issac Blackford. From 1824 to 1836, this area was a part of Delaware County, and from 1836 to 1839 it was a part of Jay County. Until 1824, all the Central and Northern portions of the state were held by Indians. Indiana was named from the "Indiana Territory" that was separated from the Northwest Territory. When Indiana became a state in 1816, the name Indiana was retained, which means "land of the Indians".

When Able Baldwin and his son­in­law, John J. Cook founded the city in 1836, they named it for the capital of their home state, Montpelier, Vermont.

Montpelier was located on the Salamonie River and the L.E. & Western Railroad which made it an ideal location. The city was platted so that on each corner of the main street in the business district there would be a city park. These parks remain today and are maintained in joint effort to help beautify the city by the city government and various organizations.

The city was incorporated in 1871 with a population of 231. Oil was discovered in 1887 and the population grew from 900 people in 1890 to 3000 in 1895 and to 5000 in 1896. The people poured into the town known as "Oil City".

These new people were a rough breed; drillers from the gas and oil mines, factory workers from the new industries sprouting up on the outskirts of town and laborers from the newly­opened limestone quarries east of town. They weaved drunkenly through the streets at night, singing songs. These were the same streets the ladies of the Temperance League had walked only a decade before, singing different songs. Now the streets were paved with tar and macadam; the sidewalks with stone and cement. Montpelier became a full­fledged city, chartered in 1895. The new city recorded more killings per population than any other city in the state. Money and whiskey flowed freely, street fighting was common, and saloons and other recreational activities that would please a tired laborer were numerous.

During this period, the Ohio Oil Company (now Marathon Oil Company) was taking many barrels of oil a week from their wells and a million dollars a day was passing through their new office building. The building is now the Community Building housing the office of the historical society. The Ohio Oil Company was just one of many oil companies located in the area at that time. Many of the cities sub­divisions were platted by the Standard Oil Company.

In 1896 Montpelier had two Hotels, three banks, many general stores, 7 doctors, 3 dentists, eight industries, and an opera house with a seating capacity of 600. This Opera House is still in existence as are many of the other establishments of that era. Montpelier also contained an infamous reputation of having 15 saloons and 13 houses of prostitution. The most popular gaming house being a two story brick building built for the sole purpose of prostitution the "Blue Front Hotel". The Blue Front Hotel was owned and operated by a madam referred to as "Black Bess".

Black Bess was a philanthropists of sorts and contributed quite frequently toward the growth of Montpelier. She is said to have had the prettiest girls in the State of Indiana and built her business on that reputation. She also had a very fine stable of horses and some very fine surreys. The girls that worked for Black Bess were not allowed to do business on Sunday but were seen frequently on the streets on a warm Sunday afternoon, dressed in the finest silks and satins, riding in the surreys behind the black velvet horses.

The Blue Front Hotel was razed in 1969 and until that time some names of the girls and patrons remained on the walls where they had been written many years before. All that remains of the infamous hotel now is the memory, rumors, and the vacant location.

In 1896 the city hall was built, and the water works and distribution system was laid in 1897. The water works was rebuilt in 1928 and a new building was built in 1994.

The Indiana Union Traction Company, an electric railroad, secured the right of way through Montpelier in 1904, as part of an interurban system carrying passengers and freight between Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. By this time the "Oil City" was also referred to as "Hell" and to purchase a ticket to Montpelier was to buy transportation to "Hell".

After the turn of the century, the gas and oil ran out. The people working in these industries left Montpelier. Industries closed one by one, and the city reverted to an agriculture community once more. Tar and cement roads lessened the need for stone and quarrying also declined. The population dropped sharply and continued to decline until after World War II. Although Montpelier's population today is less than half that of the peak reached during the boom period, the city had endured and has begun to grow again.

Today, the city has an active Chamber of Commerce, a Montpelier Coat of Arms to symbolize it's history, a song written in its name, a Historic Society to retain it's history, housing additions, seven industries providing approximately 433 factory jobs, new business, seven churches, and a modern police and fire department.