Ingalls History
Photographs courtesy of Madison County Historical Society
In May of 1893 the Ingalls Land Company bought the land we now
know as Ingalls and began platting it for development. Its convenient location and abundant supply of natural gas prompted the arrival of the Big Four Rail Company (today known as CSX) and inspired several new enterprises to move to Ingalls. Within a year, Ingalls boasted eight factories, five hotels, two churches, and a railroad station.
The area’s great success was honored on April 7, 1896, when
Ingalls, Indiana was officially incorporated into a town.
The post office was the first governmental institution in Ingalls. It was moved to the town on June 30, 1893, and soon became the centerpiece for local commerce. The Ingalls Zinc Company was one of the largest factories in the early years of Ingalls. The company thrived with the town’s natural gas resources, as did the Puritan Spring Bed Company, which moved its entire operation from Chicago to Ingalls.
Other prosperous companies in 1894 were the Ingalls Manufacturing Company, the German-American Chemical Works, the Yergin Chemical Company, the Randall Brothers Planning Mill, the Ingalls Milling Company, and the Crescent Glass Company.
Interested in learning more about Ingalls?
Read “The Record of a Year” published by The Ingalls Land Co. in 1894.
