In 2025 we are highlighting 52 small towns across the state of Indiana in 52 weeks. For our 20th small town breakdown of the year, we’re headed from Linton – a small town in Greene County – to the county seat of Greene County and fellow small town, Bloomfield. Bloomfield is 1 hour and 25 minutes southwest of Indianapolis, 40 minutes southwest of Bloomington, and 2 hours northwest of Louisville.
The History of Greene County and Bloomfield, Indiana
Greene County was formed in 1821 from a part of Sullivan County and named for general Nathanael Greene. He was commander of the southern theater in the American Revolutionary War and helped force the British army to retreat to Yorktown, ensuring the United States’ independence. The first county seat was Burlington, although it moved to Bloomfield in 1824 for various reasons. Peter VanSlyke of New York initially bought 1,000 acres in the area in 1816 for $2 an acre. Eight years later, the pioneer donated 62 of them when Greene County was seeking a new county seat that was high, dry and well-watered. Bloomfield checked every box. The town’s name was suggested by Dr. Hallet B. Dean in honor of his hometown Bloomfield, N.Y. The first courthouse in Bloomfield was built in 1824 and had one door with three glass windows. People traveled for miles to see the structure, as most pioneers’ cabin doors and windows were simply covered by blankets or animal hides. Bloomfield was later incorporated in 1850. As of the 2023 census Bloomfield’s population was 2,302 making it the second-largest of seven incorporated towns/cities in Greene County behind Linton. Located within Richland Township, it is the 200th largest city in Indiana.
Bloomfield Bricks and the Handyman Jack
The Bloomfield Vitrified Brick and Tile Factory contributed to many buildings in the area from 1908 into the 1980s. Joe Shryer put tons of work into establishing the factory, and Bloomfield brick was even used at a historic structure in Indianapolis – old Victory Field where the Indianapolis Indians once played, later renamed Bush Stadium and today known as the Stadium Lofts – on West 16th Street.
Philip Harrah of Bloomfield also created a popular hardware shop/garage/construction site item that is used today throughout the world. He founded the Hi-Lift Jack, more commonly known as the Handyman Jack, that has a 4,660-pound weight limit.
Things to Do In or Near Bloomfield, Indiana
It may be a small town, but size matters in Bloomfield. The Tulip Trestle is known as America’s Longest Railroad Trestle, standing 157 feet tall and running over 2,300 feet in length. It is still used today by the Indiana Railroad Company. You have to see it to truly appreciate its beauty. And to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Bloomfield Hi-Lift Jack Company, Bloomfield is home to the World’s Largest Tire Jack made of cast iron. The behemoth stands 20 feet tall and weighs 2,980 pounds.
Art and sculptures are also appreciated in the area. Be sure to check out the Gnome Village or visit the Outdoor Metal Sculpture Museum in nearby Solsberry, which features dozens of sculptures made by artists from around the world along a 3-mile trail.
The Shawnee Summer Theatre opened in 1960 and is Indiana’s longest, continuously running summer stock theatre. Located south of town, multiple shows entertain hundreds of visitors every summer, with James and the Giant Peach JR and I and You on the schedule for June along with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and The Addams Family set for July.
Places to Eat in Bloomfield, Indiana
Start the morning with top-notch breakfast from Cross Roads Diner, where you can devour blueberry pancakes and country fried steak – maybe just not all in one sitting. Guests give it 4.6 stars on Google. Rejavanated is the go-to spot in town for coffee and your favorite caffeinated beverages. Lastly, check out the recently opened Timeless Taste, which is serving up deli sandwiches and delicious pizza.
Famous People from Bloomfield
Elmer Oliphant, who we covered in last week’s small town breakdown of Linton, was born in Bloomfield. He transferred to Linton High School ahead of his junior year and was a multisport star. He excelled in baseball as a catcher, outfielder and power hitter, captained the track and field squad to an IHSAA championship in 1910, and was an all-state performer as an end in football. After graduation he went on to earn seven varsity letters at Purdue University in football, baseball, track and basketball, becoming the first Boilermaker to letter in four major sports. He still owns the single-game scoring record of 43 points for Purdue in a game vs. Rose-Poly in 1912, scoring five touchdowns and going 13 of 13 on extra points. He then became a cadet athlete at West Point, where he won 11 letters combined (4 in baseball, 3 in football, 3 in basketball and 1 in track and field). He holds the Army record for most touchdowns in a single game (6) and in track, broke the then-Army record by running the low hurdles in 25 seconds. He was as well-rounded of an athlete that you can get, and maybe somewhat unsurprisingly, invented the intramural sports system as we know it today while he was at West Point. He has been inducted into numerous Hall of Fames, including the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955, the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1975, the Purdue Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Army Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Bloomfield High School Girls Basketball History
The Bloomfield High School girls basketball program has reached two state championship games in school history, winning the 1A title in 1998 after defeating Morgan Township 90-58 at Market Square Arena. The Cardinals’ 90 points, 32-point margin of victory, 27 assists as a team and 48-point second half still stand as 1A championship game records. Head coach Paula Fettig, at the time, was the youngest head coach in IHSAA girls basketball history to win a state title at 26 years, 7 months and 20 days old. That was the first season in which girls basketball had multiple classes. Another fun fact? The program also played in the very first IHSAA girls basketball state championship at Hinkle Fieldhouse. In 1976, out of 360 teams competing in the postseason, Bloomfield took a perfect 20-0 record into the title game against 21-0 Warsaw but lost in a nailbiter, 57-52.
That’s it for small town breakdown No. 20 of 2025. Where should we head next?
