City Of Rising Sun Indiana

In 1814, John James of Fredericksburg, Maryland, purchased a large tract
of land from Colonel Benjamin Chambers, who had acquired it while
conducting a land survey for the Northwest Ordinance. Two years later,
in 1816, James registered the town of Rising Sun, with about 700
settlers. Several legends attempt to explain his choice of name for his
small town. Some say it was taken from an early ferry on the riverfront.
Others say James chose it because he was so struck by a view of the sun
rising over the Kentucky hills.

Pinckney James and Shadrach Hathaway built steamboats in Rising Sun
during the 1830s and 1840s and trade subsequently flourished. Each day,
300 to 400 flatboats left Rising Sun in the spring, loaded with locally
produced goods. It is said that stevedores and slaves in Shreveport and
other southern ports were certain that Rising Sun was among the great
cities in the north because of the large amount of goods they unloaded
from the city. This period was probably the most active in history of
Rising Sun. The population reached about 2,500, business thrived, and
prominent citizens, such as Colonel Abel C. Pepper, worked to split
away from Dearborn County, of which the town was the southernmost part.
In 1844, partially due to a "clerical error," Pepper was successful in
separating the new Ohio County from Dearborn County. In 1845, the
present Ohio County Courthouse was built entirely by donation. It is
the oldest courthouse in continuous operation in the state.

About this time, another invention changed the way of life along the
Ohio River. The "iron horse" took goods inland and was not dependent on
seasonal changes and the depth of the river. During the 1860s and 1870s,
rumors of rail expansion to Rising Sun kept alive the many small
businesses and industries, still dependent on dwindling river traffic
to ship their goods. When this did not materialize, many closed or
relocated. What was hailed as the most promising young city along the
Ohio River as late as 1880s, settled into sleepy existence; never quite
blooming, but never quite declining.

Rising Sun is the county seat of Ohio County.