Matthews

History

Matthews was founded in 1895 and named in honor of then-governor Claude Matthews. Founders located the town near the center of the Trenton Gas Field, and it was hoped that this geographically central location could become the future capital of Indiana, moving it from Indianapolis, which had been laid out for that specific reason less than one hundred years earlier in 1825. The plan was abandoned in 1903 when the gas field was depleted, leaving the town with a main street unusually wide for its size. Matthews was placed near an older village called New Cumberland, founded in 1833. Now the "old town" of Matthews, the village has a wooden covered bridge, the Cumberland Covered Bridge, built in 1877 which crosses the Mississinewa River. This bridge is the centerpiece of the town's annual festival and draws thousands of people every year. The Cumberland Covered Bridge was built in 1877, and is long. It was originally named the New Cumberland Bridge and was built by a man named William Parks. It was flooded down the Mississinewa River in the 1913 flood. It was brought back on logs rolled by horses. The foundation was raised and has been stable since. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Matthews has a total area of , all land. Matthews is located along the Mississinewa River.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  790
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  788
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  703
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  701
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  679
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  662
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  656
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  631

Largest nearby schools

• Mississinewa High School
  High · Gas City · 796 students · 15:1 ratio
• Northview Elementary School
  Elementary · Gas City · 623 students · 16:1 ratio
• R J Baskett Middle School
  Middle · Gas City · 514 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Westview Elementary School
  Elementary · Jonesboro · 498 students · 23.7:1 ratio
• Madison-Grant Jr./Sr. High School
  High · Fairmount · 491 students · 14:1 ratio
• Eastbrook South Elementary
  Elementary · Upland · 377 students · 15.1:1 ratio
• Park Elementary School
  Elementary · Fairmount · 332 students · 15.1:1 ratio
• Virtual Preparatory Academy of Indiana at Madison-Grant K-5
  Elementary · Fairmount · 175 students · 12.5:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.6 — 2015-06-12
  6 km NW of Convoy, Ohio
• M 3.8 — 2010-12-30
  6 km SE of Greentown, Indiana
• M 3.8 — 2004-09-12
  4 km NW of Manilla, Indiana
• M 2.5 — 2004-01-30
  2 km S of Rockford, Ohio