This county was named after a county of North Carolina. in which many of the early settlers had previously resided.

The south part of the county is hilly, and abounds with fine springs of water; the north is undulating. About one-fifth of the county is bottom land, with a rich, fertile soil, and an equal amount of openings; the balance is uplands, and was originally heavily timbered with oak, hickory, poplar, ash, walnut, cherry, sugar and beech, and the soil well adapted to wheat. corn, oats, etc.

There are many sinks in the county. These, for the most part, have limestone for a base, where many of the streams and springs fall into the earth, and there find subterraneous passages, until they unite with larger streams or reappear with larger and stronger currents.

Paoli, the county seat, is located in the centre of the county. it is a small town and is improving in population and wealth rapidly, with the country around it the schools are improving.

The population in 1860 was 12,076 and in 1870 was 13,497

SOURCE: "A History Of The State Of Indiana" by DeWitt C. Goodrich
and Charles R. Tuttle 1876

Transcribed and Submitted by: Barbara Ziegenmeyer