Lafayette Historical Government Group

Lafayette, Indiana is the county seat of Tippecanoe County. Native Americans were the first to settle in Lafayette. The area was home to the Wyandot, Wea, Miami and Potawatomi tribes. Fort Ouiatenon was established by the French in 1717. The fort was an important part in the trade for Indians and fur trappers.

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 a riverman. Digby purchased land from a land sale on Christmas Eve 1824 and established a town. He surveyed the area in May 1825 and named it Marquis de Lafayette, a French Revolutionary War hero.

Lafayette was a source area for new residents who were moving to the area. In 1826 Tippecanoe County was created. Lafayette became the county's seat. It is easy to transport because the river runs near the Courthouse Square. The Wabash and Erie Canal was built in the 1840s. As the town grew so did transportation. New railroads were built to serve its growing population. Lafayette quickly became a regional hub for manufacturing, retail, and transportation.