GIS in Prevention, County Profiles, Series 4 (2007) 3. Geographic and Historical Notes 1 Indiana Prevention Resource Center GIS in Prevention County Profiles Series, No. 4 Whitley County, Indiana Barbara Seitz de Martinez, PhD, MLS, CPP, Project Director The Indiana Prevention Resource Center at Indiana University is funded, in part, by a contract with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, financially supported through HHS/Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. The IPRC is operated by the Department of Applied Health Science and The School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

GIS in Prevention, County Profiles, Series 4 (2007) 3. Geographic and Historical Notes GIS in Prevention County Profile Series, No. 4 Whitley County, Indiana Barbara Seitz de Martinez, PhD, MLS, CPP Project Director Project Staff : Indiana Prevention Resource Center Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of the Trustees of Indiana University or the Division of Mental Health and Addiction. Indiana University accepts full Responsibility for the content of this publication. ©2005 The Trustees of Indiana University. Permission is extended to reproduce this County Profile for non-profit educational purposes. All other rights reserved. Ritika Bhawal, MPH Ryan Chopra, MPH Kyoungsun Heo, MPA Tuba M. Pervin Altay, MPH

GIS in Prevention, County Profiles, Series 4 (2007) 3. Geographic and Historical Notes Whitley County Map The maps and tables in this publication were prepared using PCensus for MapInfo and MapInfo Professional.

GIS in Prevention, County Profiles, Series 4 (2007) 3. Geographic and Historical Notes Whitley County is located in Northeast Indiana and is bordered by the following Indiana counties: Noble to the north, Allen to the east, Huntington to the south, Wabash to the southwest, and Kosciusko to the west and northwest. State Highways 9 and 14 and U.S. Highway 30 cross the county. Elevation is 800 to 950 feet. Most of the landscape is mostly slightly sloping across the north half of the county; in the south slightly sloping land is interrupted near the southern border by nearly flat areas. The landscape features hickory, oak, maple, birch and beech trees. The county pertains to the Indiana and Ohio Till Plain land resource area. Whitley county is in the Eastern Time Zone and observes DST. Average daily temperatures are 15٥/31٥ in January and 59٥/85٥ in July. Annual precipitation is about 37 and snowfall about inches. The first freeze occurs between October 10-15, and the last freeze occurs first (October 5-10) in the southeasterly half of the county and a bit later (October 10-15) in the northwesterly half of the county. The last freeze is May The growing season lasts days. Agriculture is diversified. Main crops include corn for grain, soybeans, hay, oats and winter wheat. Livestock include hens/pullets, cattle/calves, milk cows, hogs/pigs, and sheep/lambs. About three-fourths of the land is in farms and about three-fourths of that land is in cash crops. Important natural resources include construction sand and gravel and forestland. Water resources include lakes/reservoirs (including Black, Blue, Brown, Cedar, Crooked, Dollar, Goose, Larwill, Little Cedar, Little Crooked, Loon, Mud, New, Old, Rine, Robinson, Round, Scott, Shriner, Troy Cedar, and Wilson Lakes), thye Blue and Eel Rivers, and several streams (Spring, Clear, Stony and Sugar Creeks). Communities include the city of Columbia City, which is the county seat, and the towns of Larwill and South Whitley. 3. Geographic and Historical Notes Sources: Map from PCensus for MapInfo; Geographic Notes from Indiana Facts: Flying the Colors by John Clements, 1995.

GIS in Prevention, County Profiles, Series 4 (2007) 3. Geographic and Historical Notes Whitley County The maps and tables in this publication were prepared using PCensus 7.06 for MapInfo and MapInfo Professional 7.0.

GIS in Prevention, County Profiles, Series 4 (2007) 3. Geographic and Historical Notes Don’t Know Your Block Group Number? You can find it easily at the American Factfinder Web SiteAmerican Factfinder Web Site ( 3. Whitley County Block Group Maps

GIS in Prevention, County Profiles, Series 4 (2007) 3. Geographic and Historical Notes Whitley County Block Groups