Next time you’re headed to or through the Region, swing through the Newton County seat of Kentland for a bite at the Old Colonial Inn, a visit to its many parks, or the Newton County Pun’kin Vine Fair in July.
Small Town Breakdown No. 77: Kentland, Indiana
For this week's small town breakdown we're going from the county seat of Tipton in Tipton County to the county seat of Kentland in Newton County. Kentland is one hour and 45 minutes northwest of Indianapolis, one hour and 40 minutes south of Chicago, two hours and 10 minutes southwest of South Bend, and 50 minutes northwest of Lafayette.
The History of Newton County and Kentland, Indiana
Newton County was formed in December 1859 and organized in April 1860, making it the youngest of Indiana’s 92 counties. It was named after Revolutionary War Sergeant John Newton. However, it was originally established by the state legislature in 1835 but merged into Jasper County by 1839. Twenty years later, it was re-created from the western portion of Jasper County.
Kentland was originally founded as Kent in 1860, when it was designated as the county seat. Settler Alexander Kent bought most of the land in the Newton County area for roughly $1.00 per acre, with most of the land being wet prairie and marshlands. Herdsmen and field hands helped make the land productive. It is located at the crossroads of Highway 41 and Route 24. The Kentland Courthouse was built in 1906 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
As of February 2026, Kentland’s population was 1,828, making it the 244th-largest incorporated city/town in Indiana and the largest incorporated city/town in Newton County.
Things to Do In or Near Kentland, Indiana
Kentland has been home to the Newton County Pun’kin Vine Fair since 1920. There’s a little miss and mister pageant, teen and queen pageant, live entertainment, a truck and tractor pull, rodeo, demolition derby, and more.
Kentland is also home to many parks. Batton Park has a playground, music concerto, tennis, pickleball and basketball courts, and ball diamond. Wonder Park has a playground, and Cast Park features a catch-and-release fishing pond, playground, walking path, and sledding hill.
The Blue Devil Lagoon is the community pool and is open from Memorial Day through the beginning of the school year, and sometimes Labor Day depending on staff availability.
Places to Eat or Drink in Kentland, Indiana
The Good Table Restaurant has been a staple in Kentland since opening in 1998, but they experienced a fire on April 11, 2026, and are temporarily closed. They plan to open again, and donations to help with the rebuild can be made here.
Monical’s Pizza is an Italian cuisine chain restaurant that delivers seven days a week. Locals love their thin-crust pizza and breadsticks.
If you’re looking to have a date night, the Old Colonial Inn restaurant is located in the former Hotel Kentland, circa 1894, on the courthouse square. The restaurant was established in 1964, five years before Hotel Kentland closed its doors. The menu reflects the restaurant’s original menu, with steaks, seafood, prime rib, and more.
George Ade and Governor McCray
Kentland has been the birthplace to a handful of famous individuals, most notably George Ade and Governor Warren McCray.
Ade was a humorist and playwright, and he purchased a 65-acre tract with Purdue alumni David E. Ross, who was former president of the Board of Trustees. Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium was dedicated in 1924.
Governor McCray was Indiana’s 30th governor but was forced to resign in 1924 after committing mail fraud because of a private financial collapse and loans solicited through the postal service. He served three years in prison and received a full pardon from President Herbert Hoover in 1930.
High School History
South Newton High School is located between Kentland, Brook, and Goodland, and its athletic teams are known as the Rebels. South Newton has not won an IHSAA state championship in school history, but it did make history by becoming the first Indiana high school to join an athletic conference located in Illinois. They joined the Sangamon Valley Conference in 2015 and rejoined the MAC in 2019.
That's it for small town breakdown No. 77. Where should we head next?
