Attica

Community Profile: Attica History

Figure 1.1: The Wabash & Erie Canal brought many industries to Attica.	The story of Attica began nearly two centuries ago when George Hollingsworth platted the community, erected an inn and a few log cabins, and built a ferry to cross the Wabash in 1825. That same year, Fountain County was created by the State legislature. Industry arrived a decade later, with a steam saw mill and gristmill located on the river. During this time a town water system was also developed, using hollow logs to pipe water from the hillside ravine down into the community. The first schoolhouse was constructed in 1832. By 1849 the community had grown large enough to incorporate as a town, though the first mayor was not elected until 1866.
While the river and its waterpower drove the first wave of industrial development in Attica, the arrival of the Wabash & Erie Canal in 1847 drove the second. Numerous industries developed to take advantage of the markets opened by this canal, including many focused on the agricultural nature of the area. Several grain elevators and milling facilities grew up around the canal. It was during this era that the log buildings downtown were replaced by two- and three-story brick structures, many of which remain today.		Figure 1.2: The Wabash & Erie Canal brought many industries to Attica.
Only a decade after its opening in Attica, however, the canal was made obsolete by the arrival of the Wabash & Western Railroad. It was then that the National Car Coupler Company moved into the area. Today, known was the Harrison Steel Casting Company, it is the largest employer. In 1861, a covered bridge was constructed over the Wabash, replacing the ferry system. That structure was destroyed in a tornado, but replaced with an iron bridge, which in turn was replaced in 1983 with the present bridge. During the early 1900s, the community built a new school, which by 1926 had grown to an enrollment of nearly 1000 students. By 1940 the population had stabilized to around 3,700 people, but in 1962 schools in Attica and surrounding townships consolidated to form the present system. An elementary school was built in 1968, and a new high school was built in 1978 following the destruction of the old building by fire. Today Attica has a population of about 3,200 people. It still retains much of its historic downtown and Harrison Steel remains the largest employer and significant community partner. Much of the community is covered by four historic districts of the National Register of Historic Places. The Attica Downtown Historic District covers all buildings downtown along Perry Street, from Jackson St. to Ferry St. The Brady Street district contains many historic homes, churches, and Attica’s Carnegie Library. The Main Street Historic District picks up east of the Downtown district, while the Old East Side district is located east of the Brady Street district. Numerous other properties throughout the community are also listed on the National Register.
Figure 1.3: The Attica Downtown Historic District today.		Click here for a larger view of the map. Figure 1.4: Attica Historic Districts and other historically-significant properties.

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