Mapping and Research for Howard County, Indiana
Named for General Tilghman A. Howard, Indiana Statesman, Howard County
was formally organized May 1, 1844, as Richardville County. Because
this county was nearly all within the old Miami Reserve, it was named
after the Miami Chief. However, sentiment did not prevail for any
length of time and on December 28, 1846, the Legislature passed its
first and only act changing the name of a county. Richardville County
became Howard County.
Early Indiana settler David Foster ran a trading post that became the
site of the county seat. Foster donated forty acres and erected a log
courthouse just north of Wildcat Creek. In return, the county
commissioners gave Foster the honor of naming the town. Foster is said
to have named the city after Chief Kokomo, though no historical records
exist confirming the existence of such a chief.
The 1886 natural gas was discovered in Howard County and Howard County's
Industrial Age was born. With the offer of free gas and free land many
companies moved their operations to the area. Among those was the
famous Greentown Glass.
Scientist, metallurgist, industrialist, Elwood Haynes made his home in
Kokomo during the Gas Boom. Here, Haynes invented the first successful
gasoline powered automobile in America. Haynes other inventions include
stainless steel and Stellite, and alloy used today in the aerospace
industry.
Kokomo is also the birthplace of the pneumatic rubber tires, the
aluminum casting process and the first push-button car radio.
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