19th Century Black Settlements in Indiana

7 Locations | Curated by Discover Indiana

Have you ever heard of Roberts Settlement or Lyles Station? Many people are unfamiliar with Indiana’s early-19th century Black history. These names are some of the many early Black settlements in Indiana. This tour explores the history of some of Indiana’s early Black settlements. Each stop tells the story of a thriving community of individuals, all of whom lived rich, complicated lives. While many of the structures or communities are no longer physically visible, their history and legacy remains.

In the 19th century, Indiana was home to a number of small farming settlements established by free or formerly enslaved people of color. By better understanding the history of these settlements, we highlight a history of resistance and strength not typically represented in what we learn of Hoosier history. In the words of the Indiana Historical Society, “these untold stories have the potential to evoke pride and add a level of complexity to our understanding of Black heritage and Hoosier history.”

Some of the physical locations for the stops in this tour are located in residential neighborhoods or on private property. Please be respectful of those who live at or near these locations and do not trespass on private property.

In July 1835, three African-American men, Hansel Roberts, Elijah Roberts, and Micajah Walden, purchased homesteads in Hamilton County, thirty miles north of Indianapolis. Raised in North Carolina as free landowners, they migrated to Indiana when it became clear that their freedom was at risk. What…
View Story Show on Map

In 1811, Jonathan Lindley led a group of anti-slavery Quakers and free or formerly enslaved Black families from North Carolina to Southern Indiana. The caravan Lindley led totaled around 200 people. The group included 63 Blacks, mainly children, fleeing harassment and violence with their families.…
View Story Show on Map

When the Banks Settlement was first established, it was home to the Banks and Medford families. On April 15th of 1839, Adam Medford, a Black man from New Jersey, purchased the first known plot of land for the Banks Settlement for $250. This land, a total of 20 acres on the shores of Horseshoe Lake,…
View Story Show on Map

Located near present day Potato Creek State Park, the Huggart Settlement is regarded as the first rural Black settlement in Northern Indiana. This settlement was initially established in 1834 by Samuel and Andrew Huggart. Andrew Huggart arrived to the area in 1848. Over the course of the next 15…
View Story Show on Map

Before Lyles Station was known by its current name, it was called the Switch Settlement. The first individuals to settle in this area were Joshua Lyles, the namesake of Lyles Station, and his brother Sanford. Raised in Virginia, the Lyles brothers moved to Tennessee before traveling with a group of…
View Story Show on Map

This unnamed settlement, which was located along Utica-Sellersburg Road in Watson, is one of two known settlements in Clark County, Indiana. Clark County had a high population of Black Americans in the early- to mid-19th century. Slave owners navigated around the prohibition against slavery in the…
View Story Show on Map

Loading Stories
Map