Lafayette Historical Government Group

Tippecanoe County’s county seat is Lafayette, Indiana. Native Americans were the first to settle in Lafayette. The Delaware, Wea, Miami, Potawatomi, and Wyandot were among the first tribes to settle in the area. In 1717, the French authorities established Fort Ouiatenon. During that period, the fort became an important part of the trade for Indians, fur trappers, and merchants.

When Tecumseh and the Prophet arrived in the area, they strove to preserve Native American traditions and culture. The Battle of Tippecanoe erupted in 1811, after they established the foundation for their confederation. Indiana joined the Union in 1816, years after the War of 1812. It became the Union’s 19th member.

William Digby was one of the first to find the Wabash River. He was employed as a riverman. Digby purchased land from a land sale on Christmas Eve 1824 and established a town. In May 1825, he surveyed the area and named it after the French Revolutionary War hero, Marquis de Lafayette.

Lafayette served as a supply area for the new residents who were relocating to the area. Tippecanoe County was formed in 1826, and Lafayette became the county seat. The river, which runs near the Courthouse Square, makes transportation simple. The Wabash and Erie Canal was built in the 1840s. As the town grew, so did transportation, as new railroads arrived to serve its population. Lafayette quickly became a regional retail, manufacturing, and transportation hub.