2016 Map of Montpelier

About this map

Montpelier and the surrounding borderlands of Wells and Blackford counties are defined by a complex network of agricultural drainage ditches that feed into the Salamonie River. This 2016 survey captures the precise modern footprint of rural communities like Matamoras and Keystone, alongside numerous family and fraternal burial grounds that anchor the local genealogy. To the north and west, the landscape is etched with historical water management features such as the Carnes-New-Clark Ditch and Gary Stotts Drain, which reflect generations of efforts to reclaim the wet prairie for cultivation. The settlement pattern remains largely centered on traditional crossroads, including Five Points and Jeff, where long-standing roads intersect the grid of county lines. Researchers can trace the proximity of these early settlements to landmarks like Odd Fellows Cem and Woodlawn Cem, illustrating the development of this eastern Indiana farming region through the early 21st century.