Map of Auburn city, Indiana

Auburn is a city in DeKalb County, Indiana, United States. The population was 13,820 at the 2020 census. Founded in 1836 by Wesley Park (1811–1868), the city is the county seat of DeKalb County. Auburn is also known as Home of the Classics.

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History

Auburn’s site on Cedar Creek was chosen by Wesley Park and John Badlam Howe at the intersection of two major trails, Goshen-Defiance Road and Coldwater Road, and next to the land of John Houlton. The name for the community likely came from “The Deserted Village” by Oliver Goldsmith, that begins “Sweet Auburn! Loveliest village of the plain.” The plat of the Village of Auburn is dated April 21, 1836, but it was held by Howe and not recorded until March 12, 1879. John Drury purchased the first lot (Lot 73) for $25.00 on September 5, 1837. The first store was built at Park’s corners by Thomas Freeman, applying for a license on March 5, 1838, and bringing supplies by horseback from Fort Wayne. Daniel Altenburg, Levi Walsworth, the Sherlock family, Samuel Sprott, David Weave, David Shoemaker, Henry Curtis, Lyman Childsey, James Cosper, and David Cosper were among the early residents.

A post office was established in 1839. In 1841, malaria ran through the town, and in 1843 a terrible storm wreaked havoc on cabins and crops. The Church of God was built by the Presbyterians in 1846. The Village of Auburn was incorporated in 1849, divided into wards, and governed under a town board and constable. By the end of the American Civil War, the town included over 700 inhabitants. The storm of September 29, 1872, destroyed Odd Fellow’s Hall and damaged the Methodist Episcopal church. A few months later, on April 6, 1873, the new brick block of Seventh Street (Snyder’s Building) collapsed, also destroying the Ensley Building. Auburn Water and Lights was constructed in 1898. The change in status to the City of Auburn on March 26, 1900, followed a referendum. Notable citizen Charles Eckhart erected a public library and a YMCA building.

The Auburn Automobile Company, which was founded in 1900, produced its first automobile in 1903. William Wrigley, Jr. and Errett Lobban Cord controlled interests in the company, which eventually acquired Duesenberg, Lexington, and Lycoming Engines, and started Cord Car Company. The company failed in August 1937. Other makes of cars built in Auburn include Black, De Soto (Not De Soto by Chrysler), IMP, Kiblinger, McIntyre and Zimmerman.

The Auburn Rubber Company was started in 1913 as the Double Fabric Tire Company, making tires for Auburn Automobile Company. In the 1920s, as Auburn Rubber, it became a large manufacturer of rubber toys, leaving Auburn in 1959.

Bank robber John Dillinger and some accomplices raided Auburn’s police station on October 14, 1933, stealing a submachine gun, two steel vests, three rifles, six pistols and over 1000 rounds of ammunition.

The acts that led to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Stump v. Sparkman, 435 U.S. 349 (1978), the leading American case on judicial immunity, took place in Auburn in 1971. On June 28, 1988, four workers were asphyxiated at a local metal-plating plant in the worst confined-space industrial accident in U.S. history; a fifth victim died two days later.

The Auburn Community Mausoleum, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, Downtown Auburn Historic District, and Eckhart Public Library and Park are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Auburn was home to early automobile company DeSoto in 1913. This company has no connection with the DeSoto that was manufactured by Chrysler.

Auburn Road Map

Auburn city Satellite Map

Geography

Auburn is located 20 mi (32 km) north of Fort Wayne in Northern Indiana.

According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 7.10 square miles (18.4 km), all land.

Most of Auburn is located in Union civil township. Portions of Jackson and Keyser civil townships are also within the city limits.

Climate

Auburn has typical continental weather with very warm summers and very cold winters. Average January temperatures are a high of 31.4 °F (−0.3 °C) and a low of 17.2 °F (−8.2 °C). Average July temperatures are a high of 83.9 °F (28.8 °C) and a low of 62.0 °F (16.7 °C). There are an average of 13.1 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 136.8 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower. The record high temperature was 106 °F (41 °C) on June 26, 1988. The record low temperature was −24 °F (−31 °C) on January 21, 1984.

Average annual precipitation in Auburn is 35.47 inches (901 mm). The wettest month is normally June, with an average of 4.17 inches (106 mm). The wettest year was 1985 with 43.50 inches (1,105 mm) and the driest year was 1964 with 19.93 inches (506 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 9.65 inches (245 mm) in June 1981. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 3.85 inches (98 mm) on August 20, 1904. There is an average of 32.4 inches (820 mm) of snow each year. The snowiest season was 1981–82 with 67.5 inches (1,710 mm), including 30.0 inches (760 mm) in January 1982. The most snowfall in 24 hours was 14.0 inches (360 mm) on January 26, 1978.

See also