Vallonia, Indiana

Vallonia
Unincorporated community
The Joseph Jackson Hotel, a historic site in the community
Vallonia
Coordinates: 38°50′49″N 86°05′52″W / 38.84694°N 86.09778°W / 38.84694; -86.09778Coordinates: 38°50′49″N 86°05′52″W / 38.84694°N 86.09778°W / 38.84694; -86.09778
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Jackson
Township	Driftwood
Elevation[1]	535 ft (163 m)
ZIP code	47281
FIPS code	18-78290[2]
GNIS feature ID	445200

Vallonia is an unincorporated community in Driftwood Township, Jackson County, Indiana, and as an 18th-century French settlement and 19th-century American frontier fortification known as Fort Vallonia.

Geography

Vallonia is located at 38°50′49″N 86°05′52″W / 38.84694°N 86.09778°W / 38.84694; -86.09778.

History

Fort Vallonia

Vallonia was a French settlement of the late 18th century and lay between the Muscatatuck River and White River's east fork (aka Driftwood). Circa 1810, hostilities began between the settlers and Native Americans. Governor General William Henry Harrison ordered a fort built as well as a number of other defensive structures including a large stockade, garrison, blockhouses, and a spring.^[3] to be built to protect the some 90 families in the area. Two companies of Indiana Rangers were stationed here during the War of 1812.

Huff's fort and Ketcham's fort were two other fortifications, though not as large. Huff's fort was said to be "higher up" than Vallonia and Ketcham's "still above".^[4]

One of the new companies of Indiana Rangers was newly organized, and set out to investigate claims of a Native American war party near Brownstown, Indiana. Finding no war party, the company returned to Fort Vallonia, but one ranger, Robert Sturgeon, rode ahead. He was ambushed by Native Americans and killed. The rangers, in a panic, rode hard back to Fort Vallonia, never stopping to help Sturgeon.^[5] Five civilians finally left the fort to recover Sturgeon's body, and buried it near the fort. When Major John Tipton arrived and learned of the rangers' conduct, he assumed command of the fort and began routine drills of the two companies stationed at the fort. A later skirmish, known as the Battle of Tipton's Island, allowed the rangers to prove their ability to engage Native Americans.

Numerous attacks and skirmishes occurred between the Rangers of Fort Vallonia and American Indians during the War of 1812. Attacks in this area of the Indiana Territory diminished after an expedition to destroy the Miami village at the confluence of the Wabash River and Mississinewa River. That expedition left Fort Vallonia on 1 July 1813, led by Colonel William Russell in command of the Indiana Rangers and Major Zachary Taylor in command of the 7th Infantry Regiment, as well as a company of Kentucky volunteers. The force destroyed the deserted village, which had been heavily fortified by Tecumseh, but covered 500 miles without encountering a single Native American.^[6]

Later developments

Vallonia was legally platted in 1853.^[7]

Today

Nowadays, Vallonia is a small unincorporated community located on S. State Road 135. In 1972, Fort Vallonia was rebuilt and is the centerpiece for the annual Fort Vallonia Days festival. The three-day event is held on the third weekend of October and draws crowds of up to 30,000 people.

References

Further reading

• Allison, Harold (1986). The Tragic Saga of the Indiana Indians. Paducah: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 0-938021-07-9. 

External links

• http://fortvalloniadays.com/

Municipalities and communities of Jackson County, Indiana, United States County seat: Brownstown City Seymour Towns Brownstown Crothersville Medora Townships Brownstown Carr Driftwood Grassy Fork Hamilton Jackson Owen Pershing Redding Salt Creek Vernon Washington CDPs Freetown Vallonia Other unincorporated communities Acme Bald Knobs Bobtown Chestnut Ridge Clear Spring Conologue Cortland Dudleytown Ewing Fleming Hangman Crossing Houston Kriete Corner Kurtz Little Acre Maumee New Elizabethtown New Farmington Newry Norman Reddington Retreat Rockford Shields Sparksville Spraytown Surprise Tampico Uniontown Weddleville Wegan

Indiana in the War of 1812 People William Henry Harrison Zachary Taylor Tecumseh John Tipton William Wells Indiana Rangers Places Eel River Fort Knox Fort Wayne Fort Vallonia Pigeon Roost Battles/Raids Fort Harrison Fort Wayne Mississinewa Spur's Defeat Tipton's Island See also: Tecumseh's War and Battle of Tippecanoe

History of Indiana Early history Clovis Adena Hopewell Mississippian Beaver Wars European contact La Salle Expeditions French Rule 1700–1799 Vincennes Fort Miamis Ouiatenon French and Indian War British Rule Pontiac's Rebellion American Revolution George Rogers Clark Illinois campaign Clark's Grant Northwest Territory Northwest Indian War Petit fort 1800–1816 Indiana Territory Buffalo Trace Treaty of Vincennes Johnny Appleseed Treaty of Grouseland Indiana Rangers Tecumseh's War Battle of Tippecanoe War of 1812 Abolitionist movement Harmony 1st Indiana Canal Company Constitutional Convention 1817–1899 Statehood Polly v. Lasselle Treaty of St. Mary's Indian Removals Bank of Indiana 2nd Indiana Canal Company Whitewater Canal Wabash and Erie Canal Public Works and Bankruptcy Underground Railroad Mexican-American War New Constitution Civil War Golden Age Eli Lilly & Company Reno Gang Gas Boom Black Day of the General Assembly Indiana Pi Bill Golden Age of Literature 1900–1999 White Caps Elwood Haynes Indianapolis Motor Speedway World War I Indianapolis Strike and Riots Samuel Woodfill Indiana Klan Great Depression John Dillinger World War II Freeman Field Mutiny Shipp & Smith lynchings Flood of 1937 Supreme Court Reorganization Since 2000 Flood of 2008 By topic Auto Racing Battles Disasters Economy Elections General Assembly Governors Historic Sites People Historical Political Strength Native Americans Slavery By city and locale Evansville Fort Wayne Gary Hartford City Indianapolis Lafayette Lake Wawasee South Bend Terre Haute See also: History of the United States, History of the Midwestern United States and Portal:Indiana WikiProject Indiana's History Department