BRIGHT

The fastest-growing area of Dearborn County is the unincorporated community of Bright, which lies in Harrison, Logan and Miller townships in the northeastern part of the county.

The community's population is estimated between 5,000 and 6,000, and Bright is the third largest-growing area in Indiana. Its population has increased 64 percent in the past decade.

Community merchants are members of the North Dearborn Business Association.

Bright was settled in the early 1800s, and has had three different names. About 1830, residents. held a meeting and named the area Saltillo after nearby salt springs. But one resident, who.was not at the meeting, was heard the next day saying, "that's a Bunkem of a name," and the town was renamed Bunkem.

In 1873, the name was changed to Bright. A claim to fame for the community is that Knowles Shaw, who wrote the words to Bringing in the Sheaves " in 1886, preached at the town's First Christian Church, known as Old Union.

Community men organized the first fire company. in 1942, and the Bright Volunteer Fire Department now provides fire protection through two stations. No. 1 is located in Bright at 23759 Brightwood Drive, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025. No. 2 is at 21466 State Line Road, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 about 3.5 miles south of Bright.

Fire Station No. 2 helps provide protection for rural Miller Township and Hidden Valley Lake in Miller and Lawrenceburg townships. For non-emergencies, call 637-3473.

The annual Bright parade and firemen's festival the last full weekend of July is among the community's main attractions.

Police services are provided by the Dearborn County Sheriffs Department, 301 W. High Street Lawrenceburg, IN 47025. For non-emergencies, call 537-3431. The sheriff's department operates a field office from Fire Station No. 1, 637-3473. The number is not for emergencies.

DOVER

Henry McKenzie established the unincorporated town of Dover, in the central north of Dearborn County in what is now Kelso Township, when he became the first merchant in the village and opened a post office.

The first house in Dover was erected by Jonathan Lewis in 1815. Settled mainly by Irish Catholics from Maryland and Pennsylvania, the town had a Catholic parish as early as 1820, and its first church, a log building, was constructed in 1824.

Early on, Dover was known as "Crossroads" because it was at the intersection of the trail from Lawrenceburg to Brookville and the trail from Harrison to Napoleon. Irish laborers, working on the Whitewater Canal and the railroad in the Tanners Creek Valley, made their headquarters in Dover and built up its population.

Dover's Catholic community is one of. the Village's historic claims to fame. Because St. John's Catholic Church was consecrated in 1824, it is one of the first Churches founded in Indiana after Francis Xavier in Vincennes. The existing church building dates from 1874, and is among several historic structures. They give Dover a unique and historic architectural quality. Link to St. John's School.

Residents are served by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department. 301 W. High St., Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, which may be reached at 537-3431 or 1-800-543-1149 for non-emergencies.

Fire departments from Sunman, St. Leon and Miller-York serve the town. Sunman Rural Fire Department: 623-2498 or 623-2671 for non-emergencies; 126 Eastern Ave. Sunman, IN 47041; St. Leon Fire Department: 576-3351 for non-emergencies; 28870 Ind. 1, West Harrison, IN 47060; Miller-York: 487-2517 for non-emergencies; 4780 Main St., Guilford, IN 47022; Bright Volunteer Fire Department: 637-3473 for non-emergencies; 23759 Brightwood Drive, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025.

GUILFORD

The town of Guilford, located along Ind. 1 north of Lawrenceburg, was platted by Charles R. Allen, K. Campbell and Josiah Campbell in 1850 and lays at the border of Miller and York townships. An addition was made soon after by Joel F. Richard and Son, and another in 1870 by Johnathan Blasdel.

Guilford developed as a Big Four Railroad freight stop for farm goods such as hay, corn and wheat. By 1910, the village had a population of 250 and contained a post office, three stores and a blacksmith shop.

The town, which still has a post office and a general store, now has a population of about 100.

Significant buildings include the general store at Bonnell and York Ridge roads, and the Gothic Revival style Tanner Valley United Methodist Church building, constructed in 1899.

Also notable is the nearby covered bridge, the only one remaining in Dearborn County. The bridge, which caught fire in September 1993, remains structurally sound, and is being restored. The bridge was built in 1879 by William Kennedy, and was moved in the 1960's to Guilford Park, off Ind. 1.

The town is unincorporated and governed by Dearborn County elected officials. Police protection is provided by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 301 W. High St., Lawrenceburg, IN 47025. For non-emergencies, call 537-3431 or 1-800-543-1149.

The Guilford Post Office is at 5026 Main St., Guilford, IN 47022, and can be reached at 487-2590.

Fire protection is provided by Miller-York Volunteer Fire Department, 4780 Main St., Guilford, IN 47022. For non-emergencies, call 487-2517.

Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation serves Guilford.

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE

Hidden Valley Lake is an unincorporated community with over 3,300 lots. Currently, there are a total of 1,175 built or approved to be built structures. Located predominantly in eastern Miller Township, it was developed in 1972 by James Rupel.

All community operations, except for the golf course, are under control of the Hidden Valley Lake Property Owners Association.

The community is comprised of 1,800 acres of wooded hills and valleys, with its highest elevation at 700 feet above sea level.

HVL has a 150-acre private lake that is 120 feet deep, with 4 1/2 miles of shoreline. There also are six other fishing ponds: An 18-hole golf course allows for competition on the links.

The community is governed by the HVL POA's board of directors:

President Lois Bittner: 537-9599; 19248 Par Drive, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025;

Vice President Carol Morman: 637-0568; 1911 Ridgewood Circle, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025;

Secretary Lou Vonderbrink: 537-5866; 19417 Newcorn Knoll, Lawrence-burg, IN 47025;

Treasurer Lou Boudreau: 537-2780; 20167 Longview Drive,Lawrenceburg, IN 47025;

Member at Large Bill Newcomb: 637-5997; 20242 Matterhorn Drive, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025;

HVL POA community manager is David Maynard: 537-3091.

HVL is primarily in the Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation. A small part is in the Lawrenceburg Community School Corporation in Lawrenceburg Township.

Fire service is provided by Bright Volunteer Fire Department. Fire Station No. 1 is in Bright at 23759 Brightwood Drive, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025. Fire Station No. 2 provides protection for HVL and rural Miller Township. It is at 21466 State Line Road, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, about a mile south of Bright. For non-emergencies, call 637-3473.

Twenty-four-hour security is provided by HVL rangers. To contact rangers, call 1-513-827-0033 or 537-9400. Police protection also is provided through the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 301 W. High St., Lawrenceburg, IN 47025. For non-emergencies, call 537-3431 or 1-800-543-1149.

LAWRENCEVILLE

The unincorporated town of Lawrenceville, in northwestern Dearborn County in northern Jackson Township, originally was laid out as a rival to another town that since has vanished from the map.

Lawrenceville and Morgantown occupied virtually the same area, with only a road separating the towns. Both were platted within a month of each other. John K. Lawrence laid out Lawrenceville on Oct. 26, 1836, 11 days ahead of Jonathan Lawrence's platting of Morgantown, which some claim was named for Daniel R.L. Morgan, a nephew of Gen. John Hunt Morgan of "Morgan's Raider's" fame.

The first church on record, United Brethren Zion, was established in 1819, which some accounts claim may make it the first church built in Indiana outside of Vincennes. A Methodist church also was established in Lawrenceville at the north end of what now is Tavern Alley, but was torn down in 1949.

Lawrenceville, with an estimated population of 60, has no form of government. Residents are served by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, Lawrenceburg, which may be reached at 537-3431 or 1-800-543-1149 for non-emergencies, and the Sunman Rural Fire Department. The non-emergency phone numbers for the fire department are 623-2498 or 623-2671, and it is located at 126 Eastern Ave., Sunman, IN 47041.

Children attend Sunman-Dearborn Elementary, Sunman-Dearborn Middle School, and East Central High School. Lawrenceville now is home to the administration office of the Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation, which serves six Dearborn County townships and much of Adams Township in Ripley County. The office is on Lawrenceville Road and the mailing address is PO Box 210, Sunman, IN 47041.

LOGAN

The unincorporated town of Logan is in the center of Logan Township in the northeastern part of Dearborn County. Logan Township is one of the original townships in Dearborn.

The town was settled in the early 1800s, and now has a population of about 200. Logan was known as "Logans Cross Roads" in its early days.

The township was home to the first mill built on the Whitewater River at the mouth of Logan Creek. It was in operation in 1813.

Early settlers, always on the lookout for salt, found a lick at the mouth of Cranes Run, where, for a time, salt was processed. An old cemetery where a civil war veteran is buried is near Logan and it now is maintained by the township.

Today, Logan has grown residentially along with Miller and Harrison townships. The town is the site of a Dearborn County Clearinghouse satellite, the Logan Food Pantry at the edge of Logan, 3929 North Dearborn Road. For free store information, call Ann Jeffries at 637-3274.

Logan is in the Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation and North Dearborn Grade School is in Logan Township.

Fire service is provided by Bright, Miller-York and New Trenton volunteer fire departments. Bright: 637-3473 for non-emergencies; 23759 Brightwood Drive, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025; Miller-York: 487-2517 for non-emergencies; 4780 Main St., Guilford, IN 47022; New Trenton: 765-647-5555 for non-emergencies; Ind. 52, P.O. Box 267, New Trenton, IN, 47035.

Logan police protection is provided by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 301 W. High St., Lawrenceburg, IN 47025. For non-emergencies, call 537-3431 or 1-800-543-1149.

MANCHESTER

Manchester, an unincorporated community in central Manchester Township, has been building community pride and addressing issues through the Manchester Area Civic Association.

Located in central and western Dearborn County, the village was settled in 1815 by Mark McCracken and his family. Once called Green Brier Ridge, the area was settled by folks from the northeastern United States, and several barrel-makers located there.

Manchester has a population of about 400. The Manchester Area Civic Association, formed in the summer of 1993, has about 10 active members. President is Dennis Meyung, 10998 County Farm Road, Aurora, IN 47001; Vice President Patrick Hanlon: 926-4282; 1992 North Manchester Road, Sunman, IN 47041; Treasurer Terry Benning: 926-2060; 10667 Ind. 48, Sunman; IN 47001; Secretary Sue Weldon: 926-3606; 10477 Ind. 48, Aurora, IN 47001.

An annual.firefighter of the year award is given by the MACA to a member of the Manchester Volunteer Fire Department. The MACA also gives a volunteer of the year award to a member of the Manchester Township Volunteer Life Squad. The squads merged into one association in 1996 to better serve the widespread community. The association will consider other projects that will benefit the community, said Weldon.

Manchester is served by the South Dearborn Community School Corporation, and children up to grade eight go to Manchester School, 9487 Ind. 48, Aurora, IN 47001.

Police Protection is provided by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 301 W. High St., Lawrenceburg, IN 47025. For non-emergencies, call 537-3431 or 1-800-543-1149.

Historic buildings include the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Manchester, 10629 Ind. 48, which dates to 1890, and the Drovers Inn, Ind. 48, just east of town.

Manchester is proud of its summer sports programs, under the direction of the Manchester Athletic Association, which keeps the Manchester ball fields busy throughout the summer.

MOORES HILL

The unincorporated Town of Moores Hill is 13 miles west of Aurora on the western boundaries of Sparta Township and Dearborn County, on property originally owned by Alan Moore, a mill owner and Methodist minister.

Platted in 1839 by Adam Moore and Andrew Stevens, it originally contained nine lots adjacent to Moore 's gristmill. Many early settlers in the town were Methodist families from Delaware and the shore of Maryland. The first mercantile business was established by Samuel Herron.

Moores Hill College was organized in 1854 under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1915, a fire destroyed the early buildings of the college, and it subsequently was moved to Evansville to become the University of Evansville.

Moores Hill has a population of about 616, and is governed by a three-member board and clerk-treasurer. Council members are President Virgil Heller: 744-3369; 13998 Main St., Moores Hill, IN 47032; Elvin Miller: 744-3399; 14257 Main St., Moores Hill, IN 47032; and Jean Stiles: 744-3538; P.O. Box 9, Moores Hill, IN 47032. Clerk-treasurer: John Rumsey: 744-3563; P.O. Box 323, Moores Hill, IN 47032. Town attorney is Matthew Zerbe: 537-0001; 15 W. Center St. Suite 100, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025.

The town is served by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 301 W. High St., Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, which may be reached at 537-3431 or 1-800-543-1149 for non-emergencies. The sheriff's department operates a field office at Carnegie Hall, Main Street, 744-5300. The number is not for emergencies.

Moores Hill has its own volunteer fire department, Capt. Tim Canfield: 744-3787, P.O. Box 173, Moores Hill, IN, 47032.

Moores Hill is part of the South Dearborn Community School Corporation. Children attend Moores Hill Elementary until grade eight and then South Dearborn High School.

The cultural leader in Moores Hill is the Carnegie Historic Landmarks Preservation Society Inc., which operates many programs and special events from Carnegie Hall, Main Street. The building is recognized by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources as a historic landmark.

Among the preservation society's main events are a Strawberry festival in May, bingo, and the Moores Hill Alumni Dinner and Dance in June.

NEW ALSACE

New Alsace in an unincorporated town in the southwestern corner of Kelso Township, which puts it in the northeastern par of Dearborn County. The area originally was settled by colonists from the East Coast, but soon was populated by German and Irish families. Settlers from Alsace-Lorraine, Germany, gave the town its name, and the Germans also set up several breweries in New Alsace.

The first and still only church in New Alsace is St. Paul Catholic Church, established in 1834, making it one of the oldest Catholic parishes outside of Vincennes and Fort Wayne. The town was laid out by Joseph Smith in 1838, and originally comprised 16 small lots and seven 10-acre lots.

New Alsace has a population of about 350 and no governing body. Residents are served by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 301 W. High Street, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 ,1-800-543-1149 for non-emergencies. New. Alsace is served by three fire departments: Sunman's, St. Leon's, and Miller-York. Sunman Rural Fire Department: 623-2498 or 623-2671 for non-emergencies; 126 Eastern Ave., Sunman, IN 47041; St. Leon Fire Department: 576-3351 for non-emergencies; 28870 Ind. 1, West Harrison, IN 47060; Miller-York: at 487-2517 for non-emergencies; 4780 Main St., Guilford, IN 47022.

New Alsace is part of the Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation, and St. Paul's Catholic School, 9788 North Dearborn Road, enrolls about 100 students in grades kindergarten through six.

Many historic buildings grace New Alsace, including St. Paul's church, a Romanesque revival style structure with a prominent bell tower, dating from 1837. The adjacent convent and rectory date from 1866, and several houses also date from the mid-1800s. St. Paul's annual church festival, traditionally the second Sunday in August, draws a large crowd to this small historic town.

ST. LEON

The Town of St. Leon, in north central Dearborn County in Kelso Township, was settled in the early 1800's by Europeans of various origins, including Swiss, French and German. St. Joseph's Catholic Church was the first church established in St. Leon, beginning in a log building in 1841, north of the present church property on Feller Road. St. Joseph's still is the only church in town.

St. Leon originally was called "St. Joe" after the church until the post office was named St. Leon in 1852. Incorporated in 1873 by Dearborn County commissioners after a census determined 531 persons lived in the town, the original plat consisted of 4,334 one-fourth acres.

The population of St. Leon now is estimated at 600 and the town is governed by a three-member council and secretary-treasurer.

The three members of the council are President Terry Boeddeker: 576-2164; 7210 Church Lane, St. Leon, IN, 47060; Jerry Stenger: 623-2209; and Robert Fischer: 576-3652; 29565 Ind. 1, West Harrison, IN 47060. The secretary-treasurer is Randy Stenger: 576-4466; 9928 Ind. 46, St. Leon, IN 47060.

The town has a volunteer fire department, headed by Fire Chief Donald Schumann. The non-emergency number is 576-3351, and the address is 28870 Ind. 1, West Harrison, IN 47060.

The Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 301 W. High St., Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, is the primary law enforcement agency, and may be reached at 537-3431 or 1-800-543-1149 for non-emergencies. The sheriff's department operates a field office from the North Dearborn Water Corporation office, Ind. 1; 576-3018. The town also employs a part-time police marshal, Brent Hood. 1-317-647-2484 or 1-800-889-6292 ext. 55.

St Leon is in the Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation, and East Central High School is on the border of St. Leon town limits.

St. Leon is well known for its election poleraising, a well-attended event dating back to the 1870's. Each presidential election year, Democrats go into nearby woods with a crosscut saw (no power saws) to cut a straight, tall hickory tree, which they trim except for a few branches at the top. Brackets are attached to fasten an American flag and the Democrat emblem, a rooster. A parade and speeches accompany the ceremony, and the pole remains up until after the election.

WEST HARRISION

The incorporated town of West Harrison is on the Whitewater River, along what originally was the Whitewater Canal in Harrison Township in northeastern Dearborn County.

West Harrison is part of the Greater Harrison community, and contiguous to the City of Harrison, Ohio. West Harrison, the smaller of the two, has a population of about 340.

Named after President William Henry Harrison, it was platted in 1813 by John Allen and Peter Hanan. The first hotel was built by John Wykoff in 1816; the second by Brackenridge and Purcell in 1818.

The post office was built in 1818 by Isaac Morgan, father-in-law of Vice President Thomas A. Hendricks, who served under President Grover Cleveland. Today, postal service is handled through the Harrison Post Office, 420 South State St., Harrison, Ohio 45030; 367-4668.

In 1822, a convention was held in Harrison by representatives of surrounding communities to plan for the Whitewater Canal. In 1836, the Indiana General Assembly passed an act to build the canal from Hagerstown, Ind., to Lawrenceburg.

Construction of the canal was carried out in the 1840's, and with its completion came many mills, distilleries and shops. Some of the buildings remain today.

West Harrison's emphasis changed from the canal to the railroad, after the Whitewater Valley Railway was constructed in 1868. Its rails were laid on the towpath of the original Whitewater Canal.

Today, West Harrison continues to be an integral part of the Harrison economy.

The town is governed by a three-member town council: President Roy Blum: 637-3028; 205 S. Bowles St., West Harrison, IN 47060; Laura Crone, 637-3455; 200 W. Harrison Ave., West. Harrison, IN 47060; and Wallace Lanham, 637-1396; 103 S. Bowles St., West Harrison, IN 47060. The town's clerk-treasurer is Jo Wesley, 637-3008; 208 W. Harrison Ave., West Harrison, IN 47060.

West Harrison has a full-time marshal, Gary Noel, and two part-time deputy marshals, John Brown and John Rudisell. Call 637-5261 for non-emergencies. Police services also are provided by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 301 W. High St., Lawrenceburg, IN 47025. For non-emergencies, call 537-3431. The sheriff's department also operates a field office from the West Harrison Town Hall, 637-5261. The number is not for emergencies.

The town has a contract with Harrison, Ohio, for fire and life squad service. For non-emergencies, call 1-513-367-4194. The Harrison Main Fire Station is at 200 Harrison Ave., Harrison, Ohio 45030. Station 2, which can be reached at 1-513-367-3719, is at 10250 West Road, Harrison, Ohio. Alan Kinnett is fire chief.

Yorkville

There are conflicting reports about how the town of Yorkville and its township, York, in north central Dearborn County, received its name. Some accounts contend that the name originates from the large number of settlers from York, England, who dominated the tone and character of the town and township in its early history. More prevalent accounts report that the town and township were named for the early settlers from New York State.

Historians agree that Yorkville was laid out by David C. Perine of New York on March 24, 1841, and was surveyed and platted by engineer S.W. Math.

English Methodists established the first church, which was later moved to Guilford in 1878, in the town around 1835. A later wave of German Catholic immigration led to the establishment in 1850 of the only surviving church in the village, St. Martin's Catholic Church.

Yorkville is an unincorporated town with no governing body, served by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department, 301 W. High St., Lawrenceburg, IN 47025, which may be reached at 537-3431 or 1-800-543-1149 for non-emergencies.

Miller-York and Sunman fire departments serve the area: Sunman Rural Fire Department: 623-2498 or 623-2671 for non-emergencies; 126 Eastern Ave., Sunman, IN 47041; Miller-York: 487-2517 for non-emergencies; 4780 Main St., Guilford, IN 47022.

Yorkville is part of the Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation. The St. Martin's Catholic Church Annual Festival, featuring a chicken dinner, in late July, is a longstanding tradition that draws many from surrounding areas.