Lyford's Western Address Directory 1837

This description appeared in the Western Address Directory in 1837. Notable is the prediction of a speedy completion of the Madison & Indianapolis Railroad, and statement that it would connect to a southern railroad, which, of course, never happened.

Madison (Indiana) Feb’y 1837

This town, the seat of justice of Jefferson county, is the most populous of any other in the state; it is situated on the bank of the Ohio river, at an elevation above the highest floods—that of 1832 swept along the basements only of a few buildings but no property was damaged by it.

It is only a few years since it has had a name, and now contains a population of about 4,000 inhabitants, 150 of which probably are colored. It is handsomely laid out on a north bend of the river which is the nearest to the center of the state—and is in lat. 38 deg. 40’ north and long 85 deg. W. The houses are mostly of brick, and new, and consequently make a clean appearance, especially when taken in connexion with the wide and straight streets, handsomely graded and paved on M’Adamized. Here are a courthouse and jail; a market house; 6 houses of public worship—(6 Presbyterians, 1 Baptists, 1 Episcopalian, 1 Methodist Episcopalian, and 1 Methodist protestant or reformed)—a banking house, (branch of the state bank,) and a very tasty structure; a savings institution; an insurance office; 2 iron foundries and a steam engine factory; a cotton factory; an oil mill; a steam grist and saw mill—and a boat yard, at which a number of steamboats have been built. The number of stores, at which are sold various articles of merchandize, generally of a mixed character, are about 50—a newspaper (the ‘Republican Banner’) and 2 hotels—and a good one is yet wanted. Real estate has advanced rapidly within a few years, both in town and country.

Madison is bounded on the north by a range of cultivated hills at an elevations of perhaps 250 feet above the ordinary level of the river; and from the summits of some of them a most beautiful view is presented to the eye of the spectator, both up and down the river, for a considerable distance. The land is of first quality for farming, and the country around is healthy. The number of brick houses is probably 400, and preparations are making for resuming the building of others as soon as the spring season favors. Some of the residences look very desirable. Fifteen thousand hogs were slaughtered; and at the little village of Milton, on the Kentucky side, opposite, 5000 were slaughtered; at this village is also a steam flouring mill.

Madison is the point of termination of the Madison and Lafayette railroad, which is in such forwardness as to induce the belief that no delay will be permitted to take place until it is ready for the car. “This road is to extend, as by its title implied, from Madison, to Lafayette, on the Wabash river, the seat of justice of Tippecanoe country, bisecting Indiana in a southeasterly and northwesterly direction, passing through Indianapolis, the capital of the state. The length will be something like 146 miles; and the country traverse of great resources, or susceptible of being made. The range of hills, or ridge, in the rear of this town, is to be tunnelled to permit the road to pass through. Considerable work has been already performed upon it. The railroad will connect at this point, with the great southern railroad, by which a communication will be opened as well to the south as to the lakes.

At Madison concentrates six important roads, four of which extend through the state—one of them to ‘Vincennes, on the Wabash river, 140 miles above its mouth; another, through Brownstown to Bloomington, in the vicinity of which is seated Indiana college, an institution which does credit to the state by which it was established—chartered in Jan. 1828—this road also continues on to Terra-Haute, at the intersection of the Wabash with the site of the great National Road, distant from Indianapolis 75 miles;--another road extends to Columbus, 44 miles, and thence to Indianapolis making the total distance from Madison 85 miles;--another extends to Versailles, the seat of justice of the adjoining country of Ripley;--another to Mount Stirling;--besides the river roads to Vevay, and others above, and villages below. To Vevay, by the river, the distance is 20 miles; and to Cincinnati, 100; to Louisville, (below,) 53 miles.

The lands of the county of Jefferson are various: those of the low grounds, on the river and creeks, (says the Indiana Gazetteer,) are level, with a loamy soil, mixed with sand; and these low grounds are generally bounded by high precipitous hills, and in some parts with towering cliffs of limestone. The tablelands are generally in rollings, and the soil more clayey. The timber consists of almost all varieties found in the western country. The principal streams, in the interior of the country, are Indian Kentucky and Big creeks; the farmer of which is an excellent millstream, and has on it several important and profitable establishments.