History · Fairland · established 2008

Fairland’s history is mostly unwritten

The public archives hold just one old photo of Fairland. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.

2008established

1old photo or paper

1need a date

Add an old photo Share a memory

From Fairland’s archive · credits on each photo

What stands out about Fairland’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Fairland’s homes were built before 1938.

★ What stands out · Help out

Start Fairland’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Fairland’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos

00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s

0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.

Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2 Retake an old viewFairland-indiana-from-above: stand where they stood+15 Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

The story

How Fairland came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Fairland.

Read it all →

Construction of the Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Lafayette Railroad began in 1849, and Fairland was platted in 1852. Isaac Odell and Henry Jenkins hired the J. M. Elliott Company of Shelby County to draw the plans, and this was recorded on October 21, 1852. The town was named for the "beautiful land" near the original town site. A post office has been in operation at Fairland since 1854 with Isaac Odell as the first postmaster. Several additions were made to the town: Daniel Bradley Addition (1857), Odell's First Addition (1865), Granville S. Harrel Addition (1866), Odell's Second Addition (1868), Richardson & McQuiston Addition (1872), J. B. Plymate First Addition (1891), Joseph & Luvina Plymate Addition (1902), Walker's Addition (1903), Drake's Addition (1907), and Henderson's Addition (1914). In 1866, the railroad between Martinsville and Franklin was extended from Franklin to Fairl…

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Fairland, decade by decade

Date unknown1 to date

Date?Fairland-indiana-from-above

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Retake this viewFairland-indiana-from-above

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Fairland’s page.

Retake this view · +15

Famous people

Famous people close to Fairland

Nobody well known was born in Fairland itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →

Angela AhrendtsAmerican businesswoman · b. 1960

Jon SchafferAmerican guitarist · b. 1968

Steve AlfordAmerican basketball coach and player · b. 1964

Andrew DugganActor · b. 1923

Jon McGlocklinAmerican basketball player · b. 1943

Maude Turner GordonActress · b. 1868

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →

Weigh in

Has Fairland changed for the better?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Start a conversation

From Wikimedia Commons (1) and Wikipedia. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.