Westland, Indiana

Coordinates: 39°45′01″N 85°41′16″W / 39.75028°N 85.68778°W / 39.75028; -85.68778
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Westland, Indiana
Westland is located in Indiana
Westland
Westland
Westland is located in the United States
Westland
Westland
Coordinates: 39°45′01″N 85°41′16″W / 39.75028°N 85.68778°W / 39.75028; -85.68778
CountryUnited States
StateIndiana
CountyHancock
TownshipBlue River
Elevation892 ft (272 m)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
46140
GNIS feature ID447628[1]

Westland is an unincorporated community in Blue River Township, Hancock County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.[1]

History[edit]

Westland was never properly laid out or platted as a town.[2]

The community received its name from the Westland Friends Church, which was established in the area in 1840. Quakers, who attended the Walnut Ridge Friends Meeting near Carthage in Rush County, moved into southeastern Hancock County in the 1830s. It was too far to travel to church on a regular basis so a new Meeting was established in the land west of Walnut Ridge. This would be Westland Friends church, which is still in existence today.[3]

A post office was established at Westland in 1845, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1905.[4] Henry West served as an early postmaster.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Westland, Indiana
  2. ^ Richman, George J. (1916). History of Hancock County, Indiana: Its People, Industries and Institutions. Wm. Mitchell Printing Company. pp. 494.
  3. ^ "Close-knit Congregation Celebrates 175 Years". Daily Reporter, Greenfield, IN. December 18, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
  4. ^ "Hancock County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  5. ^ Baker, Ronald L. (October 1995). From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History. Indiana University Press. p. 343. ISBN 978-0-253-32866-3. The name may be for Henry West, the first postmaster.