Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow

Proving that small communities can achieve big dreams through strategic planning, local philanthropy, and inspired quality of life initiatives.

In the heart of Indiana lies Wabash County, where small-town charm meets bold ambition. This vibrant community is writing its own story of transformation, led by visionaries who understand the delicate balance between preserving heritage and embracing progress. Their success has caught the attention of state leadership, with Governor Holcomb himself taking note of their innovative approach to community development.

The city of Wabash exemplifies this evolution, particularly in its downtown renaissance. “Back in 2014, we launched a facade program that invested $1.3 million into restoring our downtown buildings,” Mayor Scott Long explains. “That initial investment spurred over $34 million in private investments.” Today, the downtown bustles with activity, with roughly 80% of businesses proudly woman-owned – a statistic the mayor often shares with visiting civic leaders during his annual gatherings of Northern Indiana mayors.

The county’s strategic location is one of its greatest assets. “I often say, ‘We’re in the middle of nowhere, but we’re in the middle of everything,'” Mayor Long notes with pride. Within a 90-minute drive of South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Indianapolis, Wabash offers residents the serenity of rural living without sacrificing urban conveniences. This accessibility has become increasingly important as young professionals and families seek alternatives to metropolitan living.

The strategy appears to be working. As Tenille Zartman, President and CEO of Grow Wabash County, shares, “For the first time since the eighties, our population is actually predicted to grow. All of our efforts are really paying off, and we’re taking correct steps and collaborating to hopefully grow our population by 2028.”

Even the county’s smallest communities are thriving. Roann, with its population of 478, holds the distinction of being the smallest town in Indiana with a Main Street organization. “We have a covered bridge, a historic mill, a log cabin, and even a Carnegie Library,” says Bob Ferguson, Roann’s Clerk Treasurer, highlighting how each community contributes its unique character to the county.

Record Investments and Strategic Growth

Wabash County’s economic landscape is experiencing unprecedented momentum, with 2023 marking a record-breaking year for private investment. “Existing companies expanded and we attracted new businesses,” explains Zartman. “2024 is shaping up to be our second-best year on record.” This success, however, has brought both opportunities and challenges that demanded swift action.

A significant milestone came with the sale of the county’s largest industrial parcel, prompting the city to acquire an additional 232 acres adjacent to an existing industrial park. “The sale meant we couldn’t submit for certain project leads for a while,” Zartman notes. “Now, with this new land, we’re back in a position to pursue large-scale developments that require extensive utilities and infrastructure.”

The county is taking a proactive approach to attracting new businesses through speculative construction. “We broke ground a month or two ago on speculative buildings in the city of Wabash,” Zartman explains. “The city is partnering with a private developer that’s putting up multiple speculative buildings in a 15-acre site in an existing industrial park. By March of 2025, we’ll have actual buildings we can market to just continue on that business development growth.”

Wabash County’s industrial profile is both diverse and specialized, placing it as a national leader in metal and aluminum recycling, tying for third place behind only Cook County and Los Angeles County. This expertise has attracted related industries and strengthened the county’s manufacturing base. “We remain a heavy manufacturing county, especially in advanced manufacturing,” Zartman emphasizes. “We’re really proud of Wabash County and our metal recycling industry, so we’ve got a lot of spinoffs of that.”

Nevertheless, agriculture continues to play a vital role, with agriscience sectors complementing traditional farming. The county is also actively expanding into healthcare and logistics while exploring emerging industries. “We did a target analysis two years back, which has really helped us redefine our goals and where we’re targeting companies coming from,” Zartman shares. “We’ve spent a lot of time working with international companies, domestic companies, and then also helping our existing companies grow.”

The Vision of Imagine One85 and Its Ripple Effect

When Wabash County leaders discovered their community had experienced four decades of population decline, they chose a bold response: Imagine One85, a comprehensive initiative uniting every municipality in the county. “In 2019, the leaders of Grow Wabash County and the Community Foundation of Wabash County went through a population loss study,” explains Alex Downard, Imagine One85’s Director. “At that point, they gathered the leaders of all incorporated cities and towns to sit around the same table and say, if we’re going to change this population trajectory, we have to do something different and we have to do it together.”

The initiative’s development process was remarkably inclusive, gathering input from over 1,000 residents despite the challenges of the pandemic. By summer 2022, all units of government and plan commission bodies in Wabash County had adopted the comprehensive plan. “It’s really common for a city or town to have a comprehensive plan,” Downard notes. “It’s less common that all the cities and towns in the county agree on what that common vision is.”

What makes Imagine One85 truly unique is its implementation strategy. Rather than letting the plan gather dust, the county hired Downard as implementation director to drive forward 85 specific action items aimed at reversing population decline. The initiative leverages Wabash County’s exceptional philanthropic strength – it has the largest endowment per capita in Indiana and ranks as the state’s second most philanthropically active county.

For smaller communities like Roann, Imagine One85 has been transformative. “I bought in right at the very beginning,” says Ferguson. “When you’re talking about 478 people, you start to get lost in the process. I wanted to be part of this so that I could keep the town of Roann in the foresight of every single conversation, every single project.”

The initiative’s impact extends beyond traditional development metrics. “Our goal is to be known as the leader in rural Indiana,” Downard emphasizes. “What we’re doing every single day, whether it be in the town of Roann with a population of 400 or the city of Wabash with almost 11,000 people, is positioning ourselves to be ready when that shift comes and have places for people to live and things for people to do.”

Infrastructure, Broadband, and Utilities

As Wabash County positions itself for growth, leaders are tackling critical infrastructure challenges head-on, from industrial development needs to internet connectivity. These initiatives represent a comprehensive approach to building future-ready communities across the county.

Wastewater management tops the priority list. “We’re just now completing phase four of our long-term control plan,” Mayor Long explains. “We recently installed a new wastewater interceptor line on the west side of town.” The city is also planning a strategic bypass for a new wastewater line from the Northeast business park to the treatment plant. “If we bypass the city’s center, we can save millions, potentially reducing the cost from $40 million to $13 million,” the mayor notes. This cost-effective approach could benefit smaller towns by accommodating additional wastewater capacity.

Industrial development demands its own infrastructure solutions, and the city is coordinating with utility providers to ensure adequate service capacity for incoming businesses. However, the digital divide remains a pressing concern. While the city enjoys robust internet service from three providers offering gigabit speeds, rural areas face significant challenges. “Through Imagine One85, we’ve identified over 2,700 underserved or unserved addresses in the county,” Downard reveals. The county is actively pursuing federal infrastructure funding and state programs like Next Level Connections to bridge this gap.

For smaller communities like Roann, limited internet access poses a real barrier to growth. “When people ask about moving to Roann, one of the first questions they ask is about internet service,” Ferguson shares. “When I tell them we still rely on copper, they often look elsewhere.”

The county’s infrastructure vision extends beyond these immediate challenges. “We’re a Stellar Pathways finalist, which could bring $7 million in grants for infrastructure,” Zartman adds. Projects span wastewater systems, road connections, and increased electrical capacity. “We’re building the foundation for future development while meeting the needs of today,” she concludes, highlighting the county’s comprehensive approach to infrastructure development.

Addressing Housing Needs Across Wabash County

Wabash County is taking an ambitious, multi-pronged approach to housing development, with projects ranging from new construction to historic renovation. These initiatives span every corner of the county, addressing needs at all price points and lifestyle preferences.

The Legacy Heights project represents a significant step forward. “We were fortunate to receive $2.4 million in funding for infrastructure,” Mayor Long explains. “The site will include nine villa duplex homes and 26 single-family homes across 13 acres.” The project has already completed its first four-bedroom home, marking tangible progress in the city’s housing expansion.

A transformative project is taking shape on the west side of Wabash, where a former General Tire factory site is being reimagined. “We’ve worked for seven years to reach a settlement to clean up the site,” Mayor Long shares. With remediation set to begin in early 2025, plans include a 100-unit apartment complex and single-family homes. The mayor adds that they’re “even exploring options to convert an existing building on the site into a daycare facility.”

The newly formed Wabash County Development Corporation is spearheading broader housing initiatives. “Our mission is twofold: facilitating private development and directly tackling projects that aren’t viable for private developers,” explains Downard. The organization’s Neighborhood Stabilization Initiative targets the county’s roughly 1,300 vacant housing units, focusing on properties in the $125,000 to $275,000 range – “where we see the biggest need,” according to him.

In North Manchester, the College Row Housing Development showcases the power of educational partnerships. “With a $12.1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, we’re constructing 20 new townhome units near Manchester University,” Downard reveals. The project aims to serve university staff, faculty, and community members.

Downtown revitalization is also part of the strategy. The Destination 2030 initiative is transforming 60,000 square feet of vacant building space into residential and mixed-use properties. “This will include apartments, community-style living units, and ground-floor spaces for small businesses and community programs,” Downard explains.

The county hasn’t forgotten those in crisis. Through a partnership with Advantage Housing, a hotel south of town is being converted into emergency housing units, providing a crucial safety net for vulnerable residents. This comprehensive approach to housing development, supported by collaboration across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, demonstrates Wabash County’s commitment to creating housing solutions for all residents.

A Shared Vision for Growth

As Wabash County looks ahead, leaders are united in promoting growth while preserving the community’s essential character. “Infrastructure, housing, and setting the table for growth are top priorities over the next 18 months,” explains Zartman. “It’s one project at a time, but we’re working together to stay aligned and focused as a county, moving each initiative forward.”

In smaller communities like Roann, the focus is on nurturing the next generation. “We’re working right now on a park because we know that we have to draw families into the town,” shares Ferguson. Through community support and donations, the town has already raised over half the funds for this million-dollar project – remarkable for a community with an annual operating budget under $500,000. “The kids are the present because when we work toward providing our kids with growth, we are going to be raising kids that will feel responsibility and empathy toward the other people in our community. And I think that’s where the secret is.”

This sentiment of service runs deep throughout the county’s leadership. For Mayor Long, it’s rooted in advice from his father: “No matter what you do, give it your all.” He has carried this wisdom through his diverse career – seven years in the Army, 22 years with the Wabash Police Department, and 16 years on the city council before becoming mayor.

The county’s collaborative approach has caught the attention of state leadership, with their success in downtown revitalization, economic development, and community engagement serving as a model for other rural communities. As Downard puts it, “What we’re doing every single day, whether it be in the town of Roann with a population of 400 or the city of Wabash with almost 11,000 people, is positioning ourselves to be ready when that shift comes and have places for people to live and things for people to do because people are choosing where they want to live and then finding work at a much higher rate than they used to.”

AT A GLANCE

Name: Wabash County

What: A forward-thinking Indiana county driving growth through collaborative leadership, strategic development initiatives, and innovative approaches to rural community building

Where: Wabash County, Indiana

Website: https://www.wabashcounty.in.gov/