gis in prevention, county profiles, series 3 (2006) 3. geographic and historical notes 1 gis in...

1 GIS in Prevention, County Profiles, Series 3 (2006)

3. Geographic and Historical Notes

GIS in Prevention County Profiles Series, No. 3

Clark County, Indiana

Barbara Seitz de Martinez, PhD, MLS, CPP

The Indiana Prevention Resource Center at Indiana University is funded, in part, by a contract with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, financially supported through HHS/Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. The IPRC is operated by the Department of Applied Health Science and The School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

THE INDIANA PREVENTION RESOURCE CENTER

GIS in Prevention, County Profiles, Series 3 (2006)


GIS in Prevention County Profile Series, No. 3

Clark County, Indiana

Barbara Seitz de Martinez, PhD, MLS, CPP

Project Staff:

Indiana Prevention Resource Center

Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors, and not necessarily those of the Trustees of Indiana University or the Division of Mental Health and Addiction. Indiana University accepts full Responsibility for the content of this publication. ©2005 The Trustees of Indiana University. Permission is extended to reproduce this County Profile for non-profit educational purposes. All other rights reserved.

Ritika Bhawal, MPHSolomon BriggsKyoungsun Heo, MPASrinivasa Konchada



Clark County is located in southeastern Indiana on the Kentucky border. It is bordered by Jefferson County to the northeast, the Ohio River and the state of Kentucky to the east, the Ohio River and Floyd County to the south, Washington County to the west and Scott County to the north/northeast. U.S. Highway 31, Interstate Highway 65, and State Highway 62 cross the county. Elevation is 500-900 feet. The landscape features oak and hickory trees. With some exceptions, most of the county features moderate to steeply sloping terrain. In the west steep slopes are common. This county is part of three resource areas: the Southern Illinois and Indiana Thin Loess and Till Plain land resource area (east and central), the Kentucky and Indiana Sandstone and Shale Hills and Valleys land resource area (west central) and the Highland Rim and Pennroyal land resource area (extreme west).

Clark County is in Eastern Time Zone and observes DST. Average daily temperatures are 19٥/42٥ in January and 61٥/89٥ in July. Annual precipitation is 41-43 and snowfall 8-15 inches.

Depending on the section of the county, the first freeze of the season will likely occur from October 15-20 (northwest), 20-26 (central), to 25-30 (south). The last freeze will typically occur around April 15-20, except in the southwest corner, where it may be earlier, April 10-15. The growing season lasts about 173-203 days.

About two-fifths of the land is farmland, of which about half is used for crops for harvest. A tiny fraction of this land is irrigated. Main crops include corn for grain, soybeans and hay. Nuts and strawberries are grown, as are a variety of vegetables (cucumbers, cabbage, snap beans, sweet peppers, squash and pumpkins. Livestock include cattle/calves, milk cows, and hogs/pigs. Popcorn is a special crop, as is tobacco. Clark County is one of the highest producers of tobacco in Indiana. Main natural resources include cement, clay, construction sand and gravel, crushed stone, and commercial forestland.

Cities include the Jeffersonville, the county seat, and Charlestown. Towns include Clarksville, New Providence, Sellersburg, and Utica. Townships include Bethlehem, Carr, Charlestown, Jeffersonville, Monroe, Oregon, Owen, Silver Creek, Union Utica, Washington and Wood.


Sources: Map from PCensus for MapInfo; Notes from Indiana Facts: Flying the Colors by John Clements, 1995.



Clark County

The maps and tables in this publication were prepared using PCensus7.06 for MapInfo and MapInfo Professional 7.0.



Clark County Tobacco Production & Revenue:

Source: the Strategic Development Group’s “Alternative Agricultural Strategy” (Bloomington, March 15, 2001) report, which is part of Governor Joseph E. Kernan’s “Recipient Final Reports for Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture Grant Programs” (http://www.in.gov/oca/grants/valueadd/VAFinalReports.html):

According to the most recent data available, Clark County ranked 5th in the State for the percent of all farms that produce tobacco (20.1%). A total of 612 acres in Clark County are devoted to tobacco production on 130 farms. For those 130 farms, tobacco income per farm ($18,304) expressed as a percentage of the Average Household Income for the county ($36,729) was 49.8% in 1997.

Latest figures (from 1997 USDA Census):Rank for tobacco production: 4th for acresAcres in tobacco production: 612Number of farms producing tobacco: 130As a Percent of all farms: 20.1%Rank in IN for percent of all farms: 5th Tobacco income per farm producing: $18,304 Percent of County’s Ave. Household Income: 49.8%

[See appendices for more information.]

3. Location and Historical Notes

Frontiersman, Revolutionary War fighter and controversial figure George Rogers Clark (1752- 1818) surveyed land in Kentucky and southeastern Indiana. Indiana’s second town, Clarksville, was founded in 1784 on land that had been granted to Clark and his militia for their service. Clarksville was, however, the 1st town in the Old Northwest Territory.

(Nelson Price, Indiana Legends, Carmel: Guild Press of Indiana, Inc., 1997, p. 9 )



Don’t Know Your Block Group Number?

You can find it easily at the American Factfinder Web Site

(www.census.gov)

3. Clark County Block Group Maps



Clark County

Block Groups

Slide #1



Clark County

Block Groups

Slide #2

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