Worthington

Located in Jefferson township - the town was surveyed and laid out with 100 lots on 7 April 1849 by Mr. Andrews & Mr. Barrackman on land that they owned near the junction of Eel River and White River and named for Worthington, Ohio, former home of Mr. Andrews. They laid out the town of Worthington, insisting that it be with the points of the compass. One problem, however, was not to disturb the Indian mound because that would be a sacrilege. One road already existed, running northeast to Eel River and south to the village of Fairplay. Another street was laid out to escape the mound by 10 feet and intersect the old roadway 500 feet south of the mound. Another street on the west was 10 feet from the mound. The other street on the south was to run due east and west. This became known as the "Worthington Triangle".

This was done when it was known for certain what route was going to be used for Wabash and Erie Canal. This is why Worthington is on the map today.

August 1833 the Masonic Lodge of Greene Lodge No. 577, F&AM had its geginnigs at Point Commerce when apetition was files with the Grand Lodge for a Dispensation to organise a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masonnnnn. Tehre has not been found a list of name of the petitioners but on September 4, 1862 the dispensation was granted to Junction Lodge No 69. On May 26, 1864 a charter was granted and the Lodge was re-named to Worthington Lodge No. 60 and they were permitted to retain the jewels etc. of the defunct Junction Ladge No. 69. The meetings of the lodge were held at Point Commerce until the town of Worthington was plotted and built. There is no date as to the move to Worthington but members formed a stock company and built a 2 story building in which the lodge was located. In 1882 the lodge was notified that they had failed to pay the due for 1878 and 1880 and failed to make the Annual reports within the 60 days. The charter was tken on Novemebr 4, 1881 and the property was confiscated by the Grand Lodge and rented to the Knights of Phthians. Local Masonic memebr bought up the interest and outstanding shares. On January 8, 1889 authority was granted to institute Mr. Pisgah under dispensation. and they worker under this until May 27, 1890 whe a charter was granted under the name of Greene Lodge no. 577. The lodge having no property met in a hall over Stahl's Garage until 1905 when the Lodge purchased the top floor of the building they are located at. In 1937 it was recomended that the lodge purchse the Rothbuilding and the top floor was remolded as a club room with a full kitchen and dinning hall.

The first boat came down the canal from Terre Haute in 1850. With it sprung up buinesses: Grist mills, a woolen mill, furntiure factory and a planning mill.

A post office was established on July 16, 1850.
The population was 500 in 1853.

November 10, 1853 the I.O.F. Lodge #137 was institutied and has been in esitence since that time mmaking it the oldest fraternal organization of Worthington. It was insituted in the build that housed the first Worthington newspaper. Later the lodge moved to a frame building on the east side of the triangle and met there untill 1880 when it moved into a hall which was on the 2rd floor of a building at 830 S Commercial Street which burned in in February 1899. For about 5 months they met in the Knights of Pythias Hall and then purchased the Langworthy building which is in the north half of the building the occupy now. They later purchased the south lot and erected a building there and enlarged their hall to occupy the space above both business houses.

From the article on Point Commerce entitled: A Brief History of Worthington And of Old Point Commerce, The First Town From the Worthington Times 1914

A date for this occurance was note stated; but one might assume that this possibly occured soon after the demise of the Canal.

In 1856 a brick one story school house was built at the corner of North Jefferson and Union Streets.

In 1857 The Folsom Memorial U. M. Church built their fist building in Worthington at the southwest corner of Jefferson and Willie Streets - the church originally was started at Point Commerce first meeting in homes, school houses and the Junction House (the hotel) its first building at Point Commerce is said to have been in the middle of old Highway 67 (Spencer Road) about .28 mile northeat of the old Eel River bridge between the bridge and the Ronald Chapman residence. In 1844 this was destroyed by a cyclone. The second building Wesley Chapel was built of lots 74 & 75 of Point Commerce it was 2 stories the first being used for a school and the second story the church. In 1882 Mark Hays purchased the chapel and used the bricks to build his home. As the church and Worthington grew they felt the need to be more centrally located so in 1884 Sohia D. Folsom donated the lot on the northwest corner of Lafayette and Marin streets to the church. In May 1884 the church was moved from the Jefferson & Willie site on horse drawn rollers to the new site. and in 1896 she bequeathed the parsonage on the lot adjoining the church. They bgan building a new church on September 25, 1900 since then only major building project has been a 2 story addition to the back of the church which was dedicated on October 8, 1966.

The population in 1860 was 700.

In August 1869 the Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad was finished to Worthington a crowd estimated at being 4,000 to 8,000 was present to see the first train.

In 1869 the mound was opened, the artifacts removed, and the dirt used to fill the canal bed.

Later, the men who were responsible for laying the town out wondered just what to do with the space in the center of town that was "A" spaced. Someone came up with the idea that it would be just the right place for the farmers to put their wagons while they were in town, so a hitching rack was put there and used for many years.

By 1870 the population had increased to 900. In the spring of 1870 a petition was ciruclated and sen to the county commissioner for a town election to have a municipal government. On June 25th the election was helf of three trustees, clerk, tresurer, Assessour and a marshall; thus Worthington became incorporated. When Worthington was incorported it had 2 school the one on North Jefferson & Union Streets and the other at South Myra & Park Streets.

Ordinances were soon passed, sidewalks were constructed, hitching posts erected, the canal bed was drained and filled. The jail was ordered to be built on September 3rd and was to be completed by Novemebr 5th.
1871 - The First Baptist Church purchased two corner lots at the corner of Park and Dayton Steets for $200. IN 1880 they built the church at a cost of $900. And in 1881 they sold the south lot to Fred Jewell who built a home for his mother. In 1928 they raised the building up and enlarged and also dug a basement under the church. In 1944 a fund was started to build a parsonage and by 1950. In 1980 the church purchased back this lot. Many changes has taken place over the years in the improvements of the church building.

April 1875 the town board authorized the issiue of $16,000 in bonds to be sold for a new school on West Main street. to replace the brick school at the corner of N. Jefferson & Union Streets.

In Uncle Jack Babers history says that the The town is nearly one mile square, and the population is about one thousand five hundred. - Worthington is listed as having:

In 1879 the Terre Haute and Southern Railroad was finished as far south as Worthington. Giving the town first class shiping facilities.

1880 the population was 1,186 Among the businesses in 1880 were:

The Big Mill - a sawmill owned by Mr. Darnell covering 5 acres it had a72" saw and a 64" circular saw and planers.
Worthington Potteries established by Esquire George Wills of Northampton, England

1882 the Faternal Knights of Pythias was instituted and known as WOrthington Lodge No. 100. It was o the first fraternal order to be granted a charter by the special act of congress. Its original purpose was to resotre the spirit of brotherly love between the north and south after the Civil War. The restituted ion March 22, 1890 as Worthington Lodge NO. 253. The castle hall was above the old movie theater until it burned and then they started meeting on the lower floor of the masonic building. In 1972 the Accolade Lodge No. 63 of Bloomfield consolidated with Worthington. ulation in 1884 it was 1,200.

In 1884 a fund was collected to replace the old public well in the center of the triangle with a shelter having a shed roof and a fence around it with seats. This was to accommodate the "Trade," giving them a place to water their horses from the new well.

In 1888 the townships of Highland, Smith and Jefferson raised $10,000 to bring the FOundry and Machine Works to WOrthington from Washington, Daviess, Indiana. Ground was broken on March 15th across fron the r the I&V railroad station. there was one main building of 30 by 200 and two secondary of 30 by 60 and 30 by 40. The first blast of the furnance was made in June. The company was incoporated as Worthington Engine Manufacturing Company.

Also in business were:

Worthington Flouring Mill - S. H. Carnaham, Prop.
Gilt Edge Flour Mill - Taylor & Moffet, Prop.
Bentwood or Beechwood Factory
a poultry packing house - Frank Morrison, Prop.

In 1887 Worthingon had a weather station. The 24-hour weather report came ofver telegraph wire and reporting was done by flag signals atop the flag pole in the town square in front of Dr. Squires' office.

In 1895 -

The Corn Fair took place on Jamuary 18th. a crowd of about 5,000 gathered. Prizes totaling 212.25 were given for the biggest load, 44 feet ong, 7 feet wide and 6 feet high drawn by 32 horse.
April The Building and Loan Company built a block of brick buildings occupied by Cooer & Foster, Joohn Kayser and S. S. Cole & Son.
May - the telephone lines between WOrthington Bloomfield were finished
During the Summer and fall the Wilson Race Track was havinf trotting horse races whihc lasted into 1905 or later
October diptheria was taking its toll - Bloomfield and Switz CIty had been quarantined.
The Worthington Times & Bloomfield Nes were battling in words over Bloomfield getting all the new gravel roads and none being built West of the White RIver - it was even recomeneded that that county be divided by the WHite RIver and two counties made out of the present one!
November 25, 1895 the covered bridge over White River, one miles east of Worthington, was lifted from its foundation and hurled into th river, a total wreck. It was one of four bridges spanning White River in the County. A new high steel pattern bridge was built on the same massive piles of the old bridge.

a new Eel River cut was made half way between the railroad bridge and the wagon bridge - which completely chanfed the landscape of Point Commerce.
the first rural free mail delivery began in Worthington all house had to be numbered and streets marked by June 1st.
the first men enlisted from From Worthington on March 20th

Last updated 22.10.2009