In 1818, the federal government acquired large tracts of land from the Delaware Indian Tribe via the signing of the Treaty of Saint Mary’s. Shortly thereafter, the land referred to as the “New Purchase” was subdivided into smaller tracts. The area comprising Decatur County was set aside in 1821 and named after Commodore Stephen Decatur, a naval hero from the War of 1812.
The next year, the local government and court was established. The land to be utilized as the county seat was donated by four original settlers; Thomas Hendricks, John Walker, Joseph English and Richard Hall. Mrs. Thomas Hendricks desired the town should be called "Greensburg," in memory of her old hometown in Pennsylvania. When the Commissioners, appointed by the Legislature to select the location for a new county seat, were there, the question of the name of the town came up. Mrs. Hendricks made known her desire. It was proposed to leave the question to a vote of the seventeen young men who came to this locality with Thomas Hendricks from Pennsylvania. The decision was made (possibly through influence from Mrs. Hendricks and her four pleasant daughters), and on June 14, 1822 the official name of the county seat was chosen and would forever more be known as Greensburg, Indiana.
The Board of Commissioners met regularly at the home of Thomas Hendricks and plotted the layout of the community. On September 1, 1822 lots were officially for sale and the development began. The first building erected in Greensburg was the county jail. The jail sat on the west side of the courtlawn from 1823 - 1832. The original courthouse was constructed in the middle of the courthouse lawn in 1827. In 1854, the courthouse was torn down and a new Romanesque Revival style structure was built in its place. Although a number of renovations and additions have transpired throughout the years, the original architectural beauty of the courthouse has withstood the test of time.
Development within the community readily came about, yet truly boomed after the Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and St. Louis Railroad was completed in 1853. Hotels, restaurants, dry goods, textiles, professional practices were all a part of the thriving downtown economic hub. Abraham Lincoln chose Greensburg as one of his few stops en route to his inauguration in 1861, and Robert Kennedy campaigned downtown in 1968. The area around the courthouse lawn continues to thrive and attract important figures today.
The architectural style of the buildings surrounding the courtlawn is eclectic and a true testimony to the progression of popular architecture. In the heart of the downtown, one can view a bit of Neoclassical, Italianate, Federal, and Victorian design. This mix of style is fairly typical in the rural areas found outside of the major urban centers due to the time span between the construction of one new development to another. Because of the architectural diversity and other prominent factors, the area was designated by National Historic Landmarks as a nationally recognized historic district.
From war heroes to architecture, history is being made each day in our town. We invite you to come and discover what more Greensburg has to offer and perhaps create your own page of history here.
