Asphaltum was an unincorporated community in Gillam Township, Jasper County, Indiana.
Asphaltum, Indiana | |
|---|---|
  Asphaltum  Asphaltum | |
| Coordinates: 41°06′01″N 86°59′53″W / 41.10028°N 86.99806°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Jasper |
| Township | Gillam |
| Elevation | 689 ft (210 m) |
| ZIP code | 46392 |
| FIPS code | 18-02512[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 430316[1] |
Geography
editAsphaltum is located at 41°06′01″N 86°59′53″W / 41.10028°N 86.99806°W, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) north and 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Medaryville.
History
edit
Asphaltum was platted by B. F. Rouse in 1901 at the peak of an oil boom in the area. An oil refinery was built by the American Lubricating and Refining Company and operated for a short time. The oil wells which led to the town's creation were fed by shallow deposits that soon failed to yield after hundreds of wells were put down in the area. The crude oil given up by these wells was sulfurous and of low quality.[citation needed]
A post office opened at Asphaltum in 1901, and closed in 1904.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b "Asphaltum, Indiana". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 10, 2009.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Jasper County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved October 21, 2014.