Indiana's "Gore"

Indiana's "Gore"

When the Northwest Territory was divided, and shortly before Ohio was declared a state in 1803, the Indiana Territory was formed. The year was 1800. The western boundary of Ohio had been determined by the Greenville Treaty Line of 1795. In 1803 a wedge, or pie shaped, piece of land on the Ohio/Indiana boundary was ceded to the Indiana Territory. It was nicknamed "The Gore," and became Dearborn County. Records for this area were held at the county seat, Lawrenceburg.

Ultimately Dearborn County was itself divided and portions of it, from 1811-1814, formed Franklin, Wayne, and Switzerland Counties. Today this area also includes parts of Ohio, Randolph, Dearborn, and Union Counties, as well. The earliest records of Dearborn County were destroyed by fire in 1826.

Thus an early settler, without moving a foot from his original homestead, may have lived in the Northwest Territory, Ohio, the Indiana Territory, and the State of Indiana, and called "The Gore" his home.