Map of Rush County, Indiana

Rush County overview:
Name:	Rush County
FIPS code:	18-139
State:	Indiana
Founded:	1822
Named for:	Benjamin Rush
Seat:	Rushville
Largest city:	Rushville
Total Area:	408.46 sq mi (1,057.9 km²)
Land Area:	408.12 sq mi (1,057.0 km²)
Population Density:	40.8/sq mi (15.8/km²)

Rush County location map. Where is Rush County?

Rush County location on the U.S. Map. Where is Rush County. — Location of Rush County in the the United States.

Rush County location on the Indiana map. Where is Rush County. — Location of Rush County in Indiana.

History

When the Indiana Territory was granted statehood (20 December 1816), there were no settlers on the lands of the future Rush County. However, this changed quickly, and by 1821 the newly founded settlements were desirous of being organized into a county unit. Accordingly, the state legislature passed an act dated 31 December 1821 which authorized Rush County, effective 1 April, and further authorized the first commissioners (pro tem) to begin organizing the county’s governing structure on 3 June 1822. The act also authorized six townships to cover the county; subsequent growth through the years has caused the number of townships to double. It was named for Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the 1776 Declaration of Independence. That same summer (1822) the future town (and county seat) of Rushville was platted and laid out.

Rush County Road Map

Rush CountyStreet Map. — Street map of Rush County, Indiana. Source: OpenStreetMap (OSM)

Geography

In the 1820s the low rolling hills of Rush County were generously covered with trees, usually walnut and sugar maples. By 1879 Rush County was the state’s largest producer of maple syrup. However, logging and clearing for agriculture have completely removed the trees, except for stands in drainages, and the available land is completely devoted to agriculture or urban development. The Big Blue River drains the upper part of the county, flowing to the southwest. The Little Blue River flows southwest to drain the central part of the county, and Flatrock River flows south-southwest through the lower central part of the county. The terrain’s highest point (1,135 feet/346 m ASL) is an isolated rise at the county’s east boundary, 1.4 mile (2.2 km) SSW of Glenwood. According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 408.46 square miles (1,057.9 km), of which 408.12 square miles (1,057.0 km) (or 99.92%) is land and 0.34 square miles (0.88 km) (or 0.08%) is water.