Milan Township, Allen County, Indiana

Milan Township
Township

Location in Allen County, Indiana
Coordinates: 41°08′17″N 84°56′54″W / 41.13806°N 84.94833°W / 41.13806; -84.94833Coordinates: 41°08′17″N 84°56′54″W / 41.13806°N 84.94833°W / 41.13806; -84.94833
Country  United States
State  Indiana
County Allen
Government
  Type Indiana township
Area
  Total 37.49 sq mi (97.09 km2)
  Land 37.18 sq mi (96.29 km2)
  Water 0.31 sq mi (0.80 km2)  0.83%
Elevation 758 ft (231 m)
Population (2010)
  Total 3,749
  Density 101/sq mi (38.9/km2)
ZIP codes 46741, 46774, 46797, 46835
GNIS feature ID 0453624

Milan Township is one of twenty townships in Allen County, Indiana, United States. Milan Township is located in east central Allen County, with the Maumee River meandering across the township. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,749.[1] The township is highly rural, with only 1,137 houses in the 2010 census.[1]> Many of the residents of Milan Township are Amish.

Overview

Milan township is generally demarcated by Schwartz Road to the west, Notestine Road to the north, Sampson Road to the east, and Gar Creek Road to the south.

The principal town in Milan Township is Milan Center, at 41°8'39"N 84°56'46"W. Milan Center lies at the intersection of Milan Center Road and Doty Road, and at an earlier time consisted of Brueggeman's (a combination lumberyard, hardware and grocery store), a small wood-frame church, Milan Center School, a feed mill, and four houses.

In the mid-20th century, telephone communication across relatively short distances could be prohibitively expensive. Northern Milan township had traditionally been served by the Harlan telephone exchange, and southern Milan township by the New Haven telephone exchange. To make a call between differing exchanges, one could incur so-called "long distance" surcharges. Brueggeman's store at Milan Center served as a progressive business and community center by having telephones from both exchanges. The New Haven telephone exchange was purchased by the Home Telephone company in Fort Wayne, which was itself subsequently acquired by General Telephone of Indiana. The Harlan telephone company was also eventually acquired by General Telephone of Indiana. General Telephone is now a part of Verizon.

Brueggeman's Do-It-Best Center subsequently left to build a new store several miles removed to take advantage of traffic on State Highway 37 (at Ricker Road). The original Milan Center structure subsequently was lost to fire, and the relocated Brueggeman's closed April 12, 2014 after 100 years of business.

The Milan Township and Maumee Township (city of Woodburn) school districts cooperatively built and dedicated Woodlan High School for the 1959-1960 school year. Located in Milan Township, the school lies just east of Five Points on the Woodburn Road. Harlan High students began attending circa 1965, as the schools had been consolidated into the East Allen County School district a year earlier. Junior high and elementary schools are also now located on the campus.

Five Points is a settlement located at the junction of Old US Highway 24, Webster Road, and Woodburn Road, along the old Wabash-Erie Canal route. At one time it consisted of a small diner for truckers, a gas station (later a bicycle shop), a tile mill, and a few homes. A newer water tower labeled "Woodlan" near Woodlan School may result in the community being known as "Woodlan" in the coming years.

Gar Creek was once a shipping point on the Wabash and Toledo Railroad. A small community of 500 people eventually settled around the station. The 1882-1883 Indiana State Gazetteer and Business Directory published by R.L. Polk & Company, stated that lumber and grain were the primary exports of the station. Gar Creek enterprises listed at that time included a shingle manufacturer, two carpenters, a Justice of the Peace, a saw mill, a general store with a railway agent and a Postmaster (Jesse Rothgeb), a blacksmith, a hoop manufacturer, and United Brethren and Lutheran churches. The population at that time was listed as 130.

Thurman was a settlement located on the Detroit branch of the old Wabash Railroad. A few homes and businesses remain to this day.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Milan Township covers an area of 37.49 square miles (97.09 km2); of this, 37.18 square miles (96.29 km2) is land and 0.31 square miles (0.80 km2), or 0.83%, is water.[1]

Unincorporated towns

(This list is based on USGS data and may include former settlements.)

Adjacent townships

Cemeteries

This information is from the Allen County INGenWeb Project at http://www.acgsi.org/genweb/cemeteries/milan-township-cemeteries-allen-county-indiana.html retrieved 11/18/2015.

Historically significant churches

This information is from the Allen County INGenWeb Project at http://www.acgsi.org/genweb/churches/milan-township-churches-of-allen-county-indiana.html retrieved 11-18-2015.

Other historically significant structures

Lengacher-Sapp Farm17116 Notestine RoadVernacular
Christan Lengacher Farm10220 Thimlar Road1910 Foursquare, two gambrel roof barns
Lake-Lengacher Farm15329 State Road 37c. 1870 Vernacular Gabled Ell
Swifts-Werts Farm15039 State Road 37c. 1880 Italianate house, Gable barn
Harp-Graber Farm14510 Notestine RoadVernacular Gabled Ell and timber-pegged house
John Graber Farm10108 Graber Roadc. 1890 Vernacular Gabled Ell brick line
John Bertsch Farm9842 Graber Roadc. 1870 Vernacular Gabled Ell log
Peter Graber, Sr House9905 Graber Roadc. 1860 I-house log
Christian Richer Farm9921 Ricker Roadc. 1855 Vernacular log
J. E. Motherwell Farm9633 Ricker Roadc. 1860 Vernacular log
School No 12 (original)9127 Ricker Roadc. 1870 Vernacular
William Fitzgerald, Sr Farm9127 Ricker Roadc. 1870 Timber Frame w/ Greek Revival details
TownshipSchool No. 12 30 Ricker Road1899 Romanesque Revival
Yoder-Ringgenberger-Graber Farm8917 Graber Roadc. 1855 Vernacular
John Graber Farm8918 Graber Roadc. 1910 Vernacular gabled ell timber-pegged barn
Summers-Bottern-Graber Farm8604 Graber RoadBrick-lined house, hand-hewn log barn
Milan Township School No. 113903 Maysville Road1882 Vernacular
Chamberlain SettlementState Road 37 at Bruick Roadc. 1850
Henry Kurtz House14106 State Road 37 East c. 1925 Craftsman bungalow
John Kurtz Farm14212 State Road 37 Eastc. 1914 Foursquare
Barnett Chapel Lutheran Cemetery14441 State Road 37 East1875
M. Sowers House14441 State Road 37 Eastc. 1850 Greek Revival
Joe Miller Farm & Harness Shop76212 Darling Road c. 1910 Vernacular gabled ell of tile block
Noah Miller Farm16315 Darling Roadc. 1855 Vernacular log house, German four-bay barn
Township School No. 617985 Darling Roadc. 1880 Other
W. A. Ward House18928 Ward Roadc. 1910 Colonial Revival
A. Devauz Farm7913 Brush College Roadc. 1905 East Lake
Wm. F. Ehle Farm15729 Ehle RoadRebuilt 1926 House; 1880s Craftsman house, early gabled barn
John Thimlar Farm15001 Ehle Roadc. 1860 Vernacular Log House
George Washington T. Safford Farm7907 Bruick Roadc. 1878 Victorian Gothic
Thoddeus B. Stene Farm13515 State Road 37c. 1870 Vernacular Upright and Wing
Daniel D. Miller Farm12914 State Road 37c. 1865 Vernacular timber-pegged
Knight-Miller Farm12810 State Road 37Vernacular timber-pegged I house
Absolom Stateufer Farm12610 Doty Roadc. 1880 Italianate
David Schwartz Farm14030 Doty Roadc. 1875 Vernacular gabled ell
Milan Township Amish School14083 Doty Roadc. 1950 Vernacular
Wm. A. Spindler Farm14201 Doty Roadc. 1875 Victorian Gothic
George G. Nuttle Farm14802 Doty Roadc. 1875 Vernacular: I House
J. M. Yerkes Farm15208 Doty Roadc. 1890 House estate
Milan Center SchoolDoty Road at Milan Center Roadc. 1900 Romanesque Revival
Milan Center Methodist ChurchNW Corner Milan Center & Doty Roadc. 1901
Brueggemann's General Store15303 Doty Roadc. 1924 2-story, 1928 Craftsman
Milan Center Feed Mill15402 Doty Roadc. 1946 other
Theodore Thimlar House16026 Doty Roadc. 1892 Italianate
Milan Township School No. 7Doty Road at Brush College (NE corner)1902 Classical Revival
Canal Tavern House19524 U.S. 24c. 1850 Vernacular log
Irving Family Cemetery18907 E. U.S. 24c. 1847
Fairport SettlementU.S. 24 A/C from Goodrich Uniroyal Plant N-side1837
Sanford A. Ransom Farm6034 Milan Center Road c. 1870 Vernacular vertical plank-lined
Christian Schwartz Farm a14422 Irving Roadc. 1870 Vernacular I house
John Schwartz Farm14218 Irving Road1870 Vernacular I house
Schwartz Family Cemetery13935 Irving Road19th century-early 20th century
J. J. Schwartz Farm5229-35 Bruick Roadc. 1870 Vernacular log
Platter Family CemeteryS. of Webster Road E. of Maumee Riverc. 1852
Summerset (town)S. Bank of Maumee River near Webster Road
Shaney Brooks (or local surname Shanebrook?) Gas Station16800 E. Woodburn Roadc. 1920 Craftsman
Five Points/Canal TurnaroundUS 24 at Webster & Woodburn Road.1920 Craftsman
Henry Busche Farm4029 Sampson Roadc. 1870 Vernacular log
Peter Schaaf Farm3637 Webster Roadc. 1872 Victorian Gothic
William P. Bruick Farm15019 Parent Roadc. 1870 Vernacular gabled ell
George Peter Schlink Farm14218 Parent Road1879 Italianate
Hemsoth-Metert Farm12830 Stellhorn Roadc. 1870 Queen Anne
Hemrich Nietert Farm3534 Ricker Road1885 Italianate
Wm. Schafer Farm3814 Ricker Road1875 Vernacular wing, gabled front
Gottlieb Schafer Barn & Outbuildings12015 Stellhorn Road 1893 1893 Bank barn
Henry Meyer Farm11604 Stellhorn Road1875 Vernacular: I house
Village of Thurman10800 E Stellhorn Road at 4400 N Thurman, E to RR tracksEarly 20th-century village
H. Kuehn Farm10930 Stellhorn Road Vernacular
Vonderau Farm3714 Thurman Road c. 1910 Dutch Colonial Revival
Bowers Mill11500 Parent Road at Bride N-sidec. 1861 Vernacular water-powered mill
Henry Nahrwold Farm11013 Parent Road1875 Vernacular gabled Front
Lapp-Vonderau Farm11102 Stellhorn Road1900 Victorian Gothic
Young-Hermann Farm11418 Parent Road1890 East Lake
Heinrich Bischoff Farm11618 Parent Roadc. 1880 Queen Anne
Hiram Parent Farm12808 Parent Roadc. 1875 Italianate
John Harper Farm13086 Bremer Road1870 Vernacular gabled ell
Charles Hockemeyer Farm14216 Bremer Road1911-12 Classical Revival
State Paul's Lutheran Church Cemetery1910 Berthaud Road Milan
Herman & Christine Meyer Farm15503 Gar Creek Roadp. 1900 Foursquare with Colonial Revival detail
Gar Creek Union Cemetery15715 Gar Creek Road1884
Mosler Village17703 Bremer Road N. of RR Tracks and Road1854
Gar Creek Settlement16221 Gar Creek Road

Major highways

Airports and landing strips

School districts

Political districts

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Milan township, Allen County, Indiana". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  2. Osborne, Hubert L. "Gar Creek Mennonite Church (Gar Creek, Indiana, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia (Online.) 1956. Retrieved 13 January 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/G362.html>
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