The story
Read it all →How Markle came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of Markle.
Markle was laid out in 1836, but did not grow considerably until the railroad was extended to that point some time later.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
BHistory
History · Markle
Markle dates to 1836, and 24% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 64% of U.S. towns. What drives it
Below: maps from 1895 on and the census since 1880.
1836founded
0on the National Register
24%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Quick answers
How Markle began
When was Markle founded?
1836
Markle dates its founding to 1836 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
First census: 220 in 18802020 census: 1,071190 years
How historic is Markle?
B
What drives the grade ↓More historic than 64% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1849.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Markle’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Markle is more historic than 64% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Markle’s overall grade.
Founding era1836, from Wikipedia: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194023.8% of homes (±7.0) · typical IN town 14.4% · U.S. 8.4%A−National RegisterNo listings counted · typical IN town 7.9 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 64%
NewerOlder
Indiana towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Indiana town has 7.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Markle’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (22% of Indiana towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.0 points). Two sources give 1836.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Markle’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
★ What stands out · Help out
Start Markle’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Markle’s history is told.
Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.Every building
Markle, building by building, 1895–1914
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
1895Sheet 1 of 2Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Markle, 1836 to 1955
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
- 19th century
- 1836FoundingMarkle is established
- 1849Post officeThe Tracy post office opens
- 1852Post officeThe Tracy post office closes
- 1852Post officeThe Markle post office opens
- 1874
Born hereWilliam Albert Wirt is born here - 1887Born hereBill Prough is born here
- 20th century
- 1955
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
From the old history books
What they wrote about Markle, 1887–1914
Passages that mention Markle, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Huntington County, Indiana1914 · page 317Read the page →
Read the text
The Markle Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the strongest in the county outside of the City of Huntington, grew out of a small class that was organized in the northeastern part of Rock Creek Township at an early date. After the Town of Markle was laid out in 1852 the con¬ gregation began holding meetings at the schoolhouse there. The church had been organized at the house of Jonas Kelsey, by Rev. Ansel Beach, some years before, and the meetings had been held at the homes of Mr.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Huntington County, Indiana1914 · page 115Read the page →
Read the text
Most of the industries, aside from the farming interests, are now centered at Markle, an incorporated town on the Wabash River. Before Markle was laid out and the Erie Railroad built, sawmills were located at several places in the township. John J. Scotton built a sawmill on Rock Creek at an early date. It was first operated by water power, but a steam engine was later installed and the mill was in successful opera¬ tion for a number of years. Since his mill, there have been several steam sawmills in the township, but with the disappearance of the native
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Huntington County, Indiana1900 · page 832Read the page →
Read the text
He moved to his land in 1854, went to work with a will, and in due time cleared a good farm, upon which he lived until 1866, when he abandoned agricultural pursuits and engaged in the mercantile business at the town of Markle. He was thus engaged until 1869, at which time he disposed of his mercantile business and for some time thereafter was interested in a patent right, which did not prove successful. Losing by the last venture, he again took up the carpenter's trade, which he followed with good sue-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Huntington County, Indiana1887 · page 850Read the page →
Read the text
He moved to his land in 1854, went to work with a will, and in due time cleared a good farm, upon which he lived until 1866, when he abandoned agricultural pursuits and engaged in the mercantile business at the town of Markle. He was thus engaged until 1869, at which time he disposed of his mercantile business and for some time thereafter was interested in a patent right, which did not prove successful. Losing by the last venture, he again took up the carpenter's trade, which he followed with good sue-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
Markle, decade by decade
2018
2013
2007On the map
Markle on the map, 1955 to 1973
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Markle. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1955Markle sheet · 1:24,000U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Markle.
People over time
Markle, census by census
Between 220 and 1,208 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Markle’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
See all →2 famous people were born in Markle
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Places that used to be
Lost post offices
Markle’s post office has been open since 1852. Another post office, Tracy, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Tracy
Markle
18401930today
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Stories next door
History across the town line
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
Questions about Markle’s history
What year was Markle founded?
In 1836, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Markle’s post office opened in 1849, and the census of 1880 counted 220 people here.
How does Markle rank for history?
Markle is more historic than 64% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Markle?
24% of Markle’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.0 points), against a typical 14% for an Indiana town; the median home was built in 1969.
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Start a conversation
Sources
Where this page comes from
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.