Montpelier, Indiana
Montpelier, Indiana | |
|---|---|
Montpelier, Indiana | |
| Nickname: Oil City | |
| Motto: "A Great Place to Call Home" | |
Location of Montpelier in Blackford County, Indiana. | |
| Coordinates: 40°32′59″N 85°17′13″W / 40.54972°N 85.28694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Blackford |
| Township | Harrison |
| Settled | 1836 |
| Incorporated (town) | 1870 |
| Incorporated (city) | 1895 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Bradley Neff(D) |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.50 sq mi (3.87 km2) |
| • Land | 1.50 sq mi (3.87 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 879 ft (268 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,540 |
• Estimate (2025) | 1,506 |
| • Density | 1,029.41/sq mi (397.57/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 47359 |
| Area code | 765 |
| FIPS code | 18-50796 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395388 |
| Website | montpeliercity |
Montpelier /mɒntˈpiːliər/ is a city in Harrison Township, Blackford County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. This small rural community, the county's first to be platted, was established by settlers from Vermont, and is named after Vermont's capital city of Montpelier.
Montpelier was a central participant in the Indiana Gas Boom, as natural gas was discovered near the community in 1887. More importantly, the county's first successful oil well was drilled on the south side of Montpelier in 1890. Its population quickly grew from 808 in 1890 to about 6,500 by 1896. The Gas Boom, mostly an oil boom for Montpelier, gradually ended during the first decade of the 20th century.
Like many boom towns, the city's population has never matched that of the boom years. The city's population was 1,805 at the 2010 census. However, the city's population stabilized many decades ago, and the community has multiple industries and an active community association. Montpelier is located near the former Godfroy Indian Reservation, and a statue of an Indian is featured prominently in the downtown district.