The construction of Fort Harrison in 1811 marked the known beginning of a permanent population of European-Americans. A Wea Indian village already existed near the fort, and the orchards and meadows they kept a few miles south of the fort became the site of the present-day city. (Terre Haute‘s currently affiliated Order of the Arrow lodge of the Boy Scouts of America is named after the last leader of the Wea village, Jacco Godfroy.) The village of Terre Haute, then a part of Knox County, Indiana, was platted in 1816.Terre Haute became the county seat of newly formed Vigo County in 1818, leading to increased population growth. The village’s 1,000 residents voted to incorporate in 1832, followed by elevation to city status in 1853. Early Terre Haute was a center of farming, milling and pork processing. However, the business and industrial expansion of the city prior to 1860 developed largely thanks to transportation. The Wabash River, the building of the National Road (now US 40) and the Wabash and Erie Canal linked Terre Haute to the world and broadened the city’s range of influence. The economy was based on iron and steel mills, hominy plants and, late in the 19th century, distilleries, breweries and bottle makers. Coal mines and coal operating companies developed to support the railroads, yet agriculture remained predominant, largely due to the role of corn in making alcoholic beverages and food items.

With steady growth and development in the later part of the 19th Century, the vibrant neighborhoods of the city benefited from improved fire protection, the founding of two hospitals, dozens of churches and a number of outlets for amusement. Terre Haute’s position as an educational hub was fostered as several institutions of higher education were established. The city developed a reputation for its arts and entertainment offerings. Grand opera houses were built that hosted hundreds of operas and theatrical performances. It became a stop on the popular vaudeville circuit. The development of the streetcar system and later the electric-powered trolleys in the 1890s made it possible for residents to travel with ease to enjoy baseball games, picnics, river excursions, amusement parks, and even racing. The famous “Four-Cornered” Racetrack, now the site of Memorial Stadium, was laid out in 1886 and drew the best of the country’s trotters and drivers. On the evening of Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913, a major tornado struck Terre Haute at approximately 9:45 p.m. It demolished more than 300 homes, killed twenty-one people and injured 250. Damage to local businesses and industries was estimated at $1 million to $2 million (in 1913 dollars). Up to that time, it was the deadliest tornado to hit Indiana. Heavy rains followed the tornado, causing the Wabash River to rise. By midday on Tuesday, March 25, West Terre Haute (Taylorville) was three-quarters submerged.

Much of the city’s resiliency can be attributed to the diversity of the local economy. Manufacturing continues to be an important part of that, thanks to the formation of the Vigo County Industrial Park over 20 years ago. The efforts of the Terre Haute Economic Development Corporation, in cooperation with city and county government, have made the Industrial Park home to some of the world’s leading companies – Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional’s (CSN’s) cold-roll steel processing facility, Staples Corporation’s Midwest Distribution Center, Advics automotive brake systems manufacturing facility and ThyssenKrupp Presta’s automotive steering systems manufacturing facility and CertainTeed’s fiber cement board manufacturing plant. The revitalization of the downtown area can be traced to the construction of First Financial Bank’s new headquarters building in the late 1980s and creation of the city’s first tax increment financing (TIF) district, which funded the first downtown parking structure. Over the years, more initiatives followed, including the construction of several new office buildings and a second downtown parking structure. With the efforts of nonprofit groups such as Downtown Terre Haute and the expansion of the campus of Indiana State University, many positive changes have once again spurred growth downtown. Several new hotels and businesses have been added to the “Crossroads of America” near 7th & Wabash, outdoor events and festivals attract crowds nearly every weekend during the summer months and the 7th Street Arts Corridor and Terre Haute Children’s Museum, completed in 2010, enhance the appeal of the downtown area. It was these developments over several years that inspired property owners throughout downtown to rehab and renovate their buildings, including Hulman & Company and many individual owners.