Map of Whitley County, Indiana

Whitley County is a rural county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 34,191. Whitley County is the 49th largest county in Indiana. The county seat (and only incorporated city) is Columbia City. The county has the highest county number (92) on Indiana license plates, as it is alphabetically the last in the state’s list of counties. It is part of the Fort Wayne Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Fort Wayne–Huntington–Auburn Combined Statistical Area.

Whitley County overview:
Name:	Whitley County
FIPS code:	18-183
State:	Indiana
Founded:	7 February 1835 (authorized) 1838 (organized)
Named for:	William Whitley
Seat:	Columbia City
Largest city:	Columbia City
Total Area:	337.91 sq mi (875.2 km²)
Land Area:	335.57 sq mi (869.1 km²)
Population Density:	101.6/sq mi (39.2/km²)

Whitley County location map. Where is Whitley County?

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

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

History

Indiana was granted statehood near the end of 1816. On 7 February 1835, the state legislature approved an omnibus bill that authorized the creation of thirteen counties, including Whitley. It was named for Col. William Whitley, who was killed in the Battle of the Thames in the War of 1812.

The first non-Native American settlers arrived in the area during that year, as a result of the end of the Black Hawk War and completion of the Erie Canal. They were from New England – “Yankee” settlers, descendents of the English Puritans who settled New England in the colonial era. They were primarily members of the Congregational Church though due to the Second Great Awakening many of them had converted to Methodism and some had become Baptists before coming to Indiana. Whitley County government was organized in 1838.

In the late 1870s immigrants began arriving from Germany and Ireland.

Whitley County Road Map

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

Geography

Prior to white settlement, Whitley County’s low rolling hills were densely forested, and dotted with lakes across its northern portion. At present, the available land is mostly deforested, and is entirely devoted to agriculture or to urban development. Its highest point (approx. 1000’/305 meters ASL) is a small rise NE of Cedar Lake. The Eel River flows southwestward through the lower part of the county, and the Blue River flows southwestward through the upper part.

According to the 2010 United States Census, the county has a total area of 337.91 square miles (875.2 km), of which 335.57 square miles (869.1 km) (or 99.31%) is land and 2.34 square miles (6.1 km) (or 0.69%) is water.