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A history of the area. For specific information,
click on any of the links within the text.
One could say
Paoli gave birth to the entire state of Indiana.
That is because in 1805 the initial pivot point was
established just south of town to survey all the
boundaries in Indiana.
The first settlement of Orange County happened in
Paoli’s Southeast Township. In 1807 John Hollowell
settled on the Patoka River near the present-day
community of Valeene. It was another four years before
any other significant settlements moved across the
county.
Jonathan Lindley brought his group of Quakers from
North Carolina to the area in 1811. Under Lindley’s
leadership, they were the first to build a religious
structure, the Lick Creek Meeting House in 1813. It was
from this group that Orange County got its name.
Just as Indiana became a state,
Paoli got its name. In 1816 it was derived from
Pasquale Paoli Ash, the 12-year-old son of North
Carolina’s governor at the time, and shortly thereafter
chosen as the seat of justice for the county. With its
strong religious ties, in 1833-34 the people of
Paoli were the first to petition the county board to
stop issuing liquor licenses.
The
courthouse square is the heart of downtown
Paoli and boasts the largest shopping district in
the county. With newly renovated brick-lined sidewalks,
attractive period lighting and park benches, the
downtown has been placed on the national register for
historic places. |
 The
buildings around the courthouse square feature Queen
Anne Victorian, Italiante and Craftsman traits and
provide a wonderful accent to the peaceful accent to the
courthouse.
Just south of downtown
Paoli is the magnificent
Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest, the largest tract
of virgin timber known to be remaining in the entire
state of Indiana. Formerly known as Cox’s Woods, black
walnut, beech, oaks, and other magnificent trees tower
overhead and wildflowers bloom underfoot on this tract
just off of Indiana State Road 37. The 88-acre tract of
timber has been left virtually undisturbed since its
purchase by Joseph Cox in 1816.
Also located in the
Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest is the intriguing
Lick Creek Settlement, known locally as “Little
Africa.” This was a large settlement of free
African-Americans, many of who traveled with the Quakers
to Indiana.
In addition to the Orange County Courthouse, historic
buildings in Paoli include the
Lindley House, the
Braxtan
House, the
Newberry Friends Meeting House, the Sherrod House,
and the <Mineral Springs
Restaurant. The Sherrod House is the current
location for the
Orange
County Historical Museum . It contains records,
collections and other artifacts.
Paoli Peaks, the center
of tourism during the winter in Paoli, opened in 1978.
Today, the natural hill with a 300-foot vertical drop
has 17 slopes, which can service more than 100,000
skiiers and snowboarders per year. A 45,000 square-foot
lodge sits atop the hill. Click
for a printer friendly version of this page
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Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Post Office Box 71, French Lick, Indiana 47432
www.orangecounty.travel
Toll free: (877) 422-9925 Local: (812) 936-3418 Fax: (812) 936-7112
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